Call for papers — Multiculturalism and “Asia”

International workshop

Monash Asia Institute

in conjunction with the School of Political & Social Inquiry Monash University

21-22 Nov 2013

Monash Asia Institute together with the School of Political and Social Inquiry will host an international workshop of ‘Multiculturalism and “Asia”’ at Monash University, Caulfield campus in Melbourne on 21 and 22 November 2013.

The workshop has two key purposes. One is to broaden and reconsider the studies of multiculturalism and multicultural questions, which have been developed mostly in Western contexts by examining Asian experiences. While we have witnessed the decline or demise of multiculturalism in many Western countries in the last decade, the discussion of multiculturalism has been capturing more attention in Asian (especially East Asian) countries. It is thus significant for anyone concerned with multiculturalism to make a serious investigation into this emerging phenomenon.

By “Asian” experiences, we do not just mean those of Asian countries. We will also examine the experiences of migrants/diasporas of Asian backgrounds in Asian regions including Australia. This is related to the other purpose of the workshop, that is, to reconsider multicultural issues beyond the hitherto dominant framework of the nation-state. Transnational connections and affiliations fostered by Asian migrants/diasporas will be examined in terms of their implications for multicultural questions in the local context. We will also consider how shifting international relations of “home” and host countries affects their sense of belonging and membership in the host countries, as well as the interplay between transnational and local/city affiliations.

Confirmed speakers include: Ien Ang (University of Western Sydney), Kim Hyun Mee (Yonsei University), Hsiao-Chuan Hsia (Shih Hsin University), Yuko Kawai (Rikkyo Univeristy), Fran Martin (Melbourne University).

We are inviting proposals for paper presentations on the following issues, though proposals that are in other ways relevant to the two key themes will also be considered.

I. Multiculturalism in Asia (with some emphasis on East Asia):

• National/local policy and media representation/discourse of multiculturalism
• Recognition of cultural differences, especially “Asians” and “mixed race”
• Everyday multiculturalism and mundane negotiation with cultural diversity
• Transnational alliance to critically engage with multicultural questions

II. Asian diasporas and de-nationalized understanding of multicultural questions

• Rooted transnationalism & intertwined association with “here” & “there”
• Sense of multiple belonging & membership and its implication for local multicultural questions
• Migrants’/diasporas’ diverse access to media communication and diverse modes of national identification
• Asian migrants/diasporas and the rise of their “home” culture
• Asian Australians, generational shifts and Australia’s “Asian literacy”

The workshop is part of a larger research project of the Institute. It aims to be discussion-oriented and all speakers will give a concise talk of the main points for 15 minutes. Speakers are not expected to present complete papers but to raise key theoretical questions with related empirical examination.

Please send your paper proposals (less than 300 words) with your affiliation details and e-mail address no later than 30 June to: MAI-Enquiries@monash.edu

Please clearly put “Paper proposal for Multiculturalism and Asia” in the subject line.

Acceptance of proposal will be notified around the end of July.

Please kindly be advised that we will not be able to offer financial support for participants’ travel costs. There will be no registration fees for the workshop.

You can find more details of the workshop and the venue at the webpage of Monash Asia Institute: http://artsonline.monash.edu.au/mai/

We look very much forward to receiving your proposals!

Best regards,

Koich Iwabuchi & Anita Harris

(Conveners, Monash University, Australia)

Venue: Building A, Ground floor, Clayfield/Dining Rooms (A1.34), Monash University Caulfield Campus (For information on travelling, parking and map, please visit www.monash.edu.au/campuses/caulfield/)

Organized by Monash Asia Institute, Monash University

Co-organized by Institute for Research in Humanities, Kyoto University

(Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (S) “A Japan-based Global Study of Racial Representations”)

Registration required. RSVP (no later than 16 May 2013) to : MAI-Enquiries@monash.edu

PROGRAM

9:50-10:00 Welcome address: Koichi Iwabuchi (Director, Monash Asia Institute)

10:00-10:10 “On the project of “A Japan-based Global Study of Racial Representations””

Yasuko Takezawa (Kyoto University) 

Part I Conception/theorization of race/racism in Asia

Session 1: Chair: Koichi Iwabuchi (MAI)

10:10-10:50 “De-racialized Race, Obscured Racism: Toward a More Holistic Theorization of Race and Racism”             Yuko Kawai (Rikkyo University)

10:50-11:30 “Rethinking Race and Racism in Malaysia: Colonial Inscriptions, Post-Colonial Contestations, and Post-Racial Trajectories”       Sharmani Patricia Gabriel (University of Malaya)

11:30-11:50 Discussant: Tessa Morris Suzuki (Australian National University)

11:50-12:40 Discussion 

12:40-13:40 Lunch break

Part II Analyzing racism in Japan

Session 2: Chair: Margaret Kartomi (Monash University)

13:40-14:20 “The Difficulty of Differentiating Japanese Racial Difference: the Problem of Racialization and the Paradox of Visibility”       Ayako Saito (Maiji Gakuin University)

14:20-14:35 Discussant: Olivia Khoo (Monash University)

14:35-15:10 Discussion

15:10-15:30 Coffee break

Session 3: Chair: Gil-Soo Han (Monash Univerisity)

15:30-16:10 “Colonial and the Cold War Origins of Racism: Theorizing Korea-phobia in Contemporary Japan”          Ryuta Itagaki (Doshisha University)

16:10-16:25 Discussant: Ghassan Hage (University of Melbourne)

16:25-17:00 Discussion

Part III Concluding Session

17:00-18:00 Further discussion and planning for future collaboration 

In this month, we are having an international seminar, Rethinking Race/Racism from Asian Experiences on 24 May. It is a special event of Trans-Asia as method seminar series. The seminar aims to reconsider and expand the studies of race and racism by examining them in the Japanese and Malaysian contexts. A public forum Mon@sia will discus the education of Asian literacy in Australian schools, which is rather an imperative issue for all of us. Please find all the details of these events and the regular seminar series of CSEAS and JSC in this bulletin and on the MAI webpage.

Many thanks for your continuous support for MAI activities.

From Prof Koichi Iwabuchi

The next MAI Bulletin is scheduled for Monday 3^st June 2013. If you have news on any events or other announcements that you would like us to include, please forward it to MAI-Enquiries@monash.edu by Thursday 30^th, May 2013.

We sustain a lively research environment and exchange of ideas through a yearly symposium or Graduate Research colloquium, seminars and study groups, publications, and theatre and musical performances that extend from our research and practice. The APRC has a further commitment to disseminating the knowledge and expertise of cluster members to wider communities in Australia.

Links to Members on APRC Website

 Dr. William Peterson

Email: will.peterson@monash.edu

Staff Convenor, APRC

Senior Lecturer, Centre for Theatre and Performance

Research Profile at: http://profiles.arts.monash.edu.au/william-peterson/

Prof. Margaret Kartomi

Email: margaret.kartomi@monash.edu

Professor, Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music

http://profiles.arts.monash.edu.au/margaret-kartomi/

Dr. Julian Millie

Email: julian.millie@monash.edu

Senior Lecturer, Anthropology

http://profiles.arts.monash.edu.au/julian-millie/

Dr. Max Richter

Email: max.richter@monash.edu

Research Fellow (Indonesian Engagement), Monash Sustainability Institute

http://profiles.arts.monash.edu.au/max-richter/

Dr. Karen Kartomi Thomas

Email: karen.thomas@monash.edu

Adjunct Staff, Performance Research Unit

Research Profile: http://profiles.arts.monash.edu.au/karen-thomas/research/

Barbara Hatley

Email: barbara.hatley@utas.edu.au

Professor Emeritus, University of Tasmania

Profile: http://www.utas.edu.au/asian-languages/people/sals-people/Barbara-Hatley

Reagan R. Maiquez

Email: reagan.maiquez@monash.edu

PhD Research Student and Sessional Staff, Centre for Theatre and Performance, Monash University

Hossain Alamgir

Email: mahos3@student.monash.edu

Postgraduate researcher (Ph.D. in Theatre Performance)

Helen Smith

Email: zzzhssmith@hotmail.com

Postgraduate researcher (MA in Theatre Performance)

Indika Ferdinando

Email: ifer1@student.monash.edu

Postgraduate researcher (PhD in Theatre Performance)

Claire Farley

Email: cmfar2@monash.edu.au

Postgrad researcher

http://monash.academia.edu/ClaireFarley

John Garzoli

Email: John.garzoli@monash.edu

Postgraduate researcher, Guest Lecturer

Indija N. Mahjoeddin

Email: indija.mahjoeddin@monash.edu

Adjunct Junior Research Associate, Ethnomusicoly

http://monash.academia.edu/IndijaMahjoeddin

The hectic first month of Semester 1 has ended with a relieving Easter break. I hope you had (or are still having) a nice break. Even with a busy schedule of March, a good number of people (researchers, postgraduate students and undergraduate students) participated in MAI’s new public forum Mon@sia and seminar series Trans-Asia as Method. At Mon@sia, about 30 people exchanged ideas in an inspiring manner about why and how we study about “Asia” in Australia. More than 20 people attended Trans-Asia as Method, in which Max Richter and Carolyn Stevens led a refreshing cross-regional dialogue on popular music and people’s negotiation with power. Postgraduate Research Forum on Asia-Pacific (PRFAP) has also made a promising kick-off with more than 10 students. I really appreciate your kind support for those new events. We will have even more exiting seminar line-ups in April that include the seminar series organized by CSEAS, JSC and NCSAS. Please find all the details in this bulletin and on the MAI webpage. Look forward to having further intellectual discussion at those events!
From Prof Koichi Iwabuchi

The next MAI Bulletin is scheduled for Wednesday 1st May 2013. If you have news on any events or other announcements that you would like us to include, please forward this to MAI-Enquiries@monash.edu, by Friday 26th April 2013.

Cultural Typhoon Melbourne is a group of Melbourne-based scholars, students and activists, initiated by Koichi Iwabuchi, interested in exploring media and cultural studies in Asian contexts. In solidarity with the Association for Cultural Typhoon based in Japan, Cultural Typhoon Melbourne will hold monthly seminars intended to create a space for the free and vigorous exchange of ideas and intellectual discussion based on an equal relationship among individuals. All are welcome to attend and participate. Details of upcoming seminars will be posted on the Events page.

Cultural Typhoon Melbourne #1

“I am not an Asianist, but…”
On entangled interactions of “here” and “there”

Time & Date: 19:00-21:00, 14 March 2013
Place: ACJC Seminar rooms, Building H, 8th floor (H8.06),
Monash University, Caulfield Campus
(For information on travelling, parking and map, please visit www.monash.edu.au/campuses/caulfield/)

The first gathering will feature two speakers, Koichi Iwabuchi (Monash University) and Fran Martin (Melbourne University), who would like to share with participants their research projects, concerns, predicaments, and plans for collaboration, focusing on the issues of entrapped relations of “here” and “there”. What is the significance and difficulty of doing critical studies of Asia in Melbourne/Australia (and in English)? How should we do research “here” on “there” (cultural issues in Asian regions), “here and there” (inter-Asian connections), “there in here” (migrants from Asia/Asian Australians)? Can critical studies of culture enable us to rethink “here” and “there” theoretically, imaginatively, collaboratively beyond a bipolar view? We invite you to join with us in attending afresh to long-standing questions of researchers’ positionalities, approaches to transnational ethno-cultural movements/connections, the de-Westernization of knowledge production, and cross-border collaboration.

Summer season is finally ending. March is always exciting and refreshing as a new academic year starts in Australia. MAI’s event line-up further adds quite a stimulating flavour to this month. In addition to the seminars organized by CSEAS (7^th and 21^st) and JSC (13^th), we will start a new public forum, Mon@sia on 19^th and a new seminar series, Trans-Asia as Method on 28^th. MAI also supports together with AGRS (Arts Graduate Research School) the launch of Postgraduate Research Forum on Asia-Pacific (PRFAP) on 20^th, which postgraduate students organize. Please find all the details in this bulletin and on the MAI webpage and mark your diary. We really hope that you join us to make these events evolve and advance intellectual dialogue in an unforeseeably constructive way.

Look forward to seeing you at these events!

From Prof Koichi Iwabuchi

*The next MAI Bulletin is scheduled for Monday 1^st April 2013. If you have news on any events or other announcements that you would like us to include, please forward this to MAI-Enquiries@monash.edu, by Wednesday 27^th March 2013.

See MAI Bulletin March 2013 (PDF 110 kb)

Greeting from the Director

In this month, we are having an international seminar, Rethinking Race/Racism from Asian Experiences on 24 May. It is a special event of Trans-Asia as method seminar series. The seminar aims to reconsider and expand the studies of race and racism by examining them in the Japanese and Malaysian contexts. A public forum Mon@sia will discus the education of Asian literacy in Australian schools, which is rather an imperative issue for all of us. Please find all the details of these events and the regular seminar series of CSEAS and JSC in the May bulletin and on the MAI webpage.

Many thanks for your continuous support for MAI activities.

From Prof Koichi Iwabuchi

The next MAI Bulletin is scheduled for Monday 3^st June 2013. If you have news on any events or other announcements that you would like us to include, please forward it to MAI-Enquiries@monash.edu by Thursday 30^th, May 2013.                                      

 ABOUT THE MONASH ASIA INSTITUTE

The Monash Asia Institute ( MAI ) is a multi-disciplinary research centre representing the Asian research expertise in all ten faculties on all Monash campuses located in Australia and abroad. Founded in 1988 as the Institute for Contemporary Asian Studies, it was reconstituted as the MAI in 1992 to bring together a wide range of Asia-related activities in the University and develop collaborative links with like-minded institutions in Australia, Asia, the USA and Europe. Now located in the Arts Faculty, MAI continuously endeavors to facilitate innovative research on Asian regions and promote cross-disciplinary and trans-Asian intellectual dialogue within and outside Monash.

MAI Conferences and Seminar series

In addition to regular seminar series organized by Centre for Southeast Asian Studies, Japanese Studies Centre, National Centre for South Asian Studies, and Centre for Malaysian Studies, MAI provides international conferences and seminar series:

Mon@sia is a public forum that aims to critically engage with “Asian Literacy in the Asian Century” by rethinking fundamental questions around why and how we study about “Asia”. Involving undergraduate students and general publics, the forum aims to facilitate discussion of how we go beyond the compartmentalization of the studies of “Asia” as something happening “over there” and how we enhance the sense of shared-ness, together-ness and connected-ness in global perspectives and reimagine “Asia” and “Australia” in terms of mutual implication (not to mention the experiences of Asian Australians). We would very much welcome any proposals (session coordination, possible speakers, topics and formats) for Mon@sia.

Trans-Asia as method is an academic seminar series that aims to facilitate trans-Asian and cross-disciplinary dialogue by comparatively and collaboratively examining how globally shared issues are similarly, differently and/or interconnectedly articulated in various local contexts of Asian regions. Scholars working in Australian contexts and scholars working on Asian Australian experiences are also constitutive of trans-Asian dialogue. Such discussion will lead to developing new conceptualization and theorization from Asian experiences and de-Westernizing the production of knowledge.

International seminar/conference in 2013

* Rethinking Race/Racism from Asian Experiences (24 May)

* Multiculturalism and Asia (21-22 Nov)

For the details of those seminars and conferences and MAI occasional seminars, please see Calendar and Event page.

With the last MAI Bulletin for 2012 I would like to take this opportunity to wish the MAI Community, MAI Bulletin subscribers and their loved ones a safe and pleasant Christmas / New Year period. As outgoing Director of MAI, I also wish to express my deep gratitude to Professor Rae Frances (Dean of Arts) for her support and mentorship over 2012, and to Dr Tikky Wattanapenpaiboon for her tireless logistical and administrative support. Finally, I wish Professor Koichi Iwabuchi all the very best as MAI Director from January 2013, and look forward to continuing work with him on a number of MAI endeavours.

From January 2013 I will be Research Fellow (Indonesian Engagement) with the Monash Sustainability Institute (DVC-Research) and housed in the School of Political & Social Inquiry (PSI) in the Faculty of Arts. I look forward to continuing to build on the collegiality and can-do environment that I found so inspiring during my tenure as MAI Director.

From Dr Max Richter

See MAI Bulletin December 2012 (PDF 90 kb)

Indonesia at the Margins: Political Documentaries and Essay Films (2002)

Ada Apa Dengan Cinta? What’s Up with Love (2001)

The Unknown Bard – Achin Pakhi (1996)

Muen and Rid – Amdaeng Muen Kab Nai Rid (1994)

The Sorceress of Dirah – Dongeng Dari Dirah (1992)

My Sky, My Home – Langitku Rumahku (1990)

Kantata Takwa – Cantata of Devotion (1990)

Tjoet Nja Dhien (1988)

Ibunda – Mother (1986)

Butterflies and Flowers – Peesua lair Dokmai (1985)

Secangkir Kopi Pahit – Bitter Coffee (1985)

Raden Ajeng Kartini (1984)

Roro Mendut – The Rebellious Woman (1983)

Kadarwati, Wanita dengan Lima Nama – Five Faces of Kadarwati (1983)

Para Perintis Kemerdekaan – Pioneers of Freedom (1980)

Short Films and Animation Work by Gotot Prakosa (1979)

November 1828 (1979)

Wadjah Seorang Laki-laki – Ballad of a Young Man (1955)

Tamu Agung – Exalted Guest (1955)

The Tiger from Tjampa – Harimau Tjampa (1953)

Enquiries and Orders

The Jubilee Committee are extending an open invitation to celebrate fifty years of Indonesian and Malay Studies at Monash on Friday 23^rdNovember 2012 at the Performing Arts Complex, Building 68, Monash University Clayton Campus.

PANEL DISCUSSIONS (9.30am – 5.30pm)   Friday 23^rd November 2012

Twenty-five former students and staff members will give reflections about Indonesian and Malaysian studies in the past, present and future, starting at 9.30 am and stopping only for snort breaks before winding up at 5.30pm We hope these presentations will reveal much about Indonesian studies in the past, and will also make us think about its future at Monash and elsewhere.

Attendance to the Panel Discussions is free. Light lunch, tea & coffee are provided.

For catering purposes, please RSVP by Friday 16^th November 2012:

- For Monash staff & students (the link requires Authcate username and password):
https://docs.google.com/a/monash.edu/spreadsheet/viewform?fromEmail=true&formkey=dC1pa01MQ3dValBjOVBkcnh6MmczWkE6MQ

- For non-Monash, please email Sharon.Elliott@monash.edu

EVENING CELEBRATIONS (from 5.30pm) Friday 23^rd November 2012

In the evening, the celebrations continue with drinks followed by an Indonesian meal and a truly rare entertainment bill; we are bringing from East Java the celebrated actor, composer, musician, puppeteer and performer Sujiwo Tejo. Apart from Sujiwo, we will enjoy a solo piano bracket from Paul Grabowsky, the director of the Australian Art Orchestra and the Adelaide Festival. Over recent decades. Paul has ventured out from a conventional jazz base to work with many musical traditions, including those of Indonesia.

This will be a fun reunion that will enable us to reflect on the future and the past of Indonesian studies, as well as to enjoy something different from two distinguished performers.

Admission for the Evening Celebrations: $25.00 (including dinner, drinks and performances)

For catering purposes, please register by Friday 16^th November 2012:

http://ecommerce.arts.monash.edu.au/product.asp?pID=502&cID=109

For any enquiries, please call (03) 9905 4698 or email Sharon.Elliott@monash.edu.

The Jubilee Committee acknowledge the financial contributions from the Australian Volunteers International, the Monash Institute of Sustainability and the School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics.

For information on travelling, parking and map, please visit www.monash.edu.au/campuses/clayton/

As teaching draws to a close for 2012, and scholars seek to progress their writing leading into the summer season, a major upcoming event is the 50 Years of Indonesian and Malay Studies at Monash event. This is open to the public, and will take place at Clayton campus on 23 November (please see Item 3 for further information). We at MAI are also celebrating the recent Cambodia Roundtable, and look forward to Professor Sujata Patel’s seminar on 12 November, as well as the Austral+Asia conference to take place on 15-16 November.

The next MAI Bulletin is scheduled for Monday 3^rd December 2012. If you have news on any events or other announcements that you would like us to include, please forward this to MAI-Enquiries@monash.edu, by Wednesday 28^th November  2012.

See MAI Bulletin November 2012 (PDF 110 kb)

This month’s MAI Bulletin features another great range of upcoming events, including the final Herb Feith Foundation seminar for 2012 and the Cambodia Roundtable, as well as recent seminars by Professor Yuhua Ji and two new Monash Asia publications.

Monash and the MAI Community extends a warm welcome to Professor Koichi Iwabuchi, who is now settling into Monash and shares the MAI Director role with me leading into his full MAI Director role from beginning 2013.

The next MAI Bulletin is scheduled for Thursday 1^st November 2012. If you have news on any events or other announcements that you would like us to include, please forward this to MAI-Enquiries@monash.edu, by Monday 29^th October 2012.

See MAI Bulletin October 2012 (PDF 130 kb)

Professor Yuhua Ji
Department of English Language and Literature, Xiamen University, China

Current Trends in China in the Context of Globalization and Intercultural Communication

Tuesday 25th September 2012, 4.00pm – 5.30pm
Monash Asia Institute Seminar Room, H5.95 Level 5, Building H, Monash University Caulfield Campus

This presentation will start with an effort to define culture as “human intentional action and its results” and a brief introduction to the 4-E (ecology-economy-ethics-equilibrium) theory of culture. While objecting to cultural essentialism, the speaker finds acceptable a weak version of cultural essentialism which embraces the idea of historical inertia that cultural differences die hard. In this age of globalization, historical inertia necessitates intercultural communication. Cultures are dynamic and assimilatable but inertial at the same time. With this theory as an explanatory tool this talk focuses on current trends in China in five broad aspects: A, B, C, D, E: Arts (introduction and integration of foreign art elements into China and Chinese art, renaissance of traditional Chinese art, multi-channels for artistic talent shows), Business (environmental products, ethical tourism, outbound investment), Culture (media, cultural enterprises, religion), Daily life (assimilation and adaptation of foreign food and drink, clothes and houses, “saint girls”, “naked wedding” and cross-national marriage), and Education (westernization and internationalization of education at all levels, English language domination, exchange programs, Confucius institutes overseas). Illustrations of current trends in A, B, C, D, E will be provided and questions concerning them will be answered.

Evolution of Love Stories and Love Songs in China: A Presentation Through Story-telling and Singing

Thursday 27th September 2012, 4.00pm – 5.30pm
Monash Asia Institute Seminar Room, H5.95 Level 5, Building H, Monash University Caulfield Campus

Then it reviews the evolution of love songs in the past hundred years, from the early period of semi-colonialism in the beginning of the 20th century through the early period of New China to the post-Cultural Revolution period till the first decade of the 21st century. Love has been expressed through songs projecting different images such as cottage, shepherd, cowboy, the moon, the sun, wolf, butterfly, spider, etc. They reflect changes of conception about love in different times. At least the following songs will be sung by the speaker to illustrate the changes in language, image, imagination, tempo and style: Kangding love song, In a place far, far away, Under the silver moonlight, My heart is mirrored by the moon, Husband and wife go home together, A thousand years of waiting for this love, What a sweet smile, Two Butterflies, Legend, transforming us into butterflies, and Wanna love even if I die.

Dr Yuhua Ji, Chair Professor and PhD advisor at the Department of English Language and Literature, Xiamen University, P.R. China, is a storyteller for children on China’s national and local TVs as well as a comedian having given 35 crosstalk performances and skits in China and the UK. In addition to authoring over 60 books, translating 12 books, and publishing 40 journal articles, Ji has invented several unique methods of teaching foreign languages to children and adults (including his groundbreaking “Diglot Weave” method which has been adopted by Disney English). He has given over 80 talks at universities in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, the USA, Canada, and the UK. A director and writer of 32 plays performed on campus and local TVs, he is one of the few Chinese professors capable of singing Peking Opera and classical as well as popular Chinese songs in English. His research interests include intercultural communication, critical studies of language and culture, teaching methodology for public speaking, foreign languages, translation and creative writing.

For information on travelling, parking and map, please visit www.monash.edu.au/campuses/caulfield/

Among the numerous exciting items in this month’s MAI Bulletin, please note the Intensely Soul performance and workshop to take place on 29 & 30 September. Monash University’s Faculty of Arts and the Monash Asia Institute are supporting the Victorian leg of this national tour. We also wish to convey that a major event to celebrate 50 years of Indonesian/Malay studies at Monash has now been locked in for 23 November at the Caulfield campus – we will update you with further details on this as they are finalised.

The next MAI Bulletin is scheduled for Monday 1^st October 2012. If you have news on any events or other announcements that you would like us to include, please forward this to MAI-Enquiries@monash.edu, by Wednesday 26^th September 2012.

See MAI Bulletin September 2012 (PDF 145 kb)

The seminar series has been a vital part of the Centre’s activities across the years, facilitating the exchange of research findings between new and established scholars working on the region.

New Venue & New Time – For 2012 series, the seminars will be held fortnightly at the Japanese Studies Centre Auditorium, Building 54 (next to the bus loop), Clayton Campus (coordinates E2 on the Clayton Campus map). Seminars will be held every second Wednesday, commencing at 4.00 pm, and concluding at 5.00 pm. If conditions allow it, question time will be extended.

Please send enquiries to the Convenor: Julian.Millie@monash.edu

CSEAS Seminar Convenor

Dr Julian Millie
Senior Lecturer – Anthropology/School of Political and Social Inquiry
Faculty of Arts, Monash University
Tel. +61 3 9905 2996
Fax. +61 3 9905 2410
Email: Julian.Millie@monash.edu

—

To receive email notification of all Centre activities, join our mailing list by sending an email with the subject heading “MAI Mailing List” to MAI-Enquiries@monash.edu. Include in the message, your name, Institution or Company, contact details (email, business address, postcode, country and phone number), and a short description of your research expertise or interests. Alternatively, please use the Join Mailing List form.

Prof Adnan Buyung Nasution

Prof Nasution is one of Indonesia’s leading rights lawyers. Buyung was personally responsible for drafting the Joint Decree on Ahmadiyah and has been heavily involved in Ahmadi-related issues. He has also been outspoken in defence of minority ‘deviant sects’ and very critical of MUI (i.e. the yoga fatwa etc, when he performed yoga for the press to challenge MUI). He has also been involved in several of the church disputes.

Adnan Buyung Nasution S. H., University of Indonesia, Jakarta. 
International Law, University of Melbourne, Australia. 
DR(Iur), Rijksuniversiteit Utrecht, the Netherlands. 
Member of International Commission of Jurists, 1996 – 2006. 
Member of Presidential Advisory Council of the Republic of Indonesia.
Honorary Professorial Fellow from Melbourne Law School, Australia.

Prof Nasution is a pioneer of legal aid and law reform of Indonesia. He used to be a Public Prosecutor at Special District Court of Jakarta in 1957 until 1961. Further, from 1962 up to 1968 he was the Head of Public Relations and Politics at Attorney Generals office. Simultaneously, he seat in Indonesian Parliament during the period of 1966 until 1968. 

In 1969 he was admitted to the Bar as Advocate and found Law Firm Adnan Buyung Nasution and Associates that was became the root of this firm. One year later, in 1970 he established the first Legal Aid and Human Rights Organization in the Republic of Indonesia. During the period of 1986 until 1987 he defended the highly controversial case of General H.R. Dharsono, who opposed Soeharto, the President of the Republic of Indonesia at that time. HR Dharsono was convicted and sentenced to 10 years in jail and DR Nasution’s license to practice law was suspended by the Government, allegedly for Contempt of Court.

For information on travelling, parking and maps, please visit www.monash.edu.au/campuses/caulfield/

‘Musical Worlds in Yogyakarta’ is an ethnographic account of a vibrant Indonesian city during the turbulent early post-Soeharto years. The book examines musical performance in public contexts ranging from the street and neighbourhood through to commercial venues and state environments such as Yogyakarta’s regional parliament, its military institutions, universities and the Sultan’s palace. It focuses on the musical tastes and practices of street workers, artists, students and others. From street-corner jam sessions to large-scale concerts, a range of genres emerge that cohere around notions of campursari (‘mixed essences’) and jalanan (‘of the street’). Musical worlds addresses themes of social identity and power, counterpoising Pierre Bourdieu’s theories on class, gender and nation with the author’s alternative perspectives of inter-group social capital, physicality and grounded cosmopolitanism. The author argues that Yogyakarta is exemplary of how everyday people make use of music to negotiate issues of power and at the same time promote peace and intergroup appreciation in culturally diverse inner-city settings.

Max M. Richter is Director of the Monash Asia Institute and a Lecturer in Anthropology at Monash University, Australia. His current research focuses on local-level music performance, intellectual/power-broker gatherings and centre/region identities in urban Indonesia, and he is involved in action research and institutional-strengthening projects with the Monash Sustainability Institute.

Given that the organisers have received many inquiries and expression of interest, they have decided to extend the abstract and proposal submission to Friday 21^st September 2012. Furthermore, abstracts and proposals submitted beyond the deadline can still be considered provided that there still space for presentation.

The conference ‘AUSTRAL + ASIA ‘Cultural Space, Theatricality and the Performance of Asia in Australasia‘ is the inaugural event of the Asian Performance Research Cluster, and the first annual themed conference sponsored by the Monash Asia Institute.

Conference dates: 15 -16 November 2012
Venue: Performing Arts Centre (Building 68), Monash University Clayton Campus

This conference seeks to define theatre, performance, and cultural spaces in Australasia. We would like participants in this event to engage with the theatricals and performatives that situate Australasia in Asia and Asian theatre and cultural performance in Australia.

Keynote speakers include

• Dr Paul Rae, National University of Singapore, and co-director, with Kaylene Tan, of spell#7 performance (www.spell7.net)
• Paschal Berry Daantos, independent Filipino-Australian writer and dramaturge

Submission Process: We invite community-based artists, practitioners, researchers, policy leaders, academics and students to submit an abstract related to the stated themes for this conference. We seek paper/research participation as well as new ways to stimulate a discussion such as a reflection on a creative or critical practice of an individual’s or theatre group’s experience or a short performance that responds to questions related to the conference theme. Papers must be no more than 20 minutes long when presented, and will be followed by a 10 minute discussion. Workshops or performances must be in the range of 30-40 minutes, followed by a 10 minute discussion.

Please email an abstract of no more than 300 words for a short paper and 300-500 words proposal for a workshop or a performance plus a short biography to Reagan.Maiquez@monash.edu or Tharanga.Dandeniya@monash.edu. Please indicate in the subject of your email “Conference Australia”. The deadline for all proposals is Friday 21 September 2012.

Publication: Current negotiations are underway for a possible publication of high standard papers in an online refereed journal based on the School of English, Communication and Performance Studies at Monash University, especially those from postgraduate researchers. We will be in contact with all participants regarding this matter after the conference.

Registration: Participating individuals must register to attend the conference (AU$60). Registration includes lunch, morning and afternoon tea on both days, as well as a conference kit. Pre-registration is to be made online as there will be no handling of payment on the days of the conference, and the event will be catered. Online registration will be available soon.

For further details, please visit http://arts.monash.edu.au/ecps/conferences/austral-asia/

Professor Koichi Iwabuchi has been appointed as a Chair in Media and Cultural Studies in the Monash Faculty of Arts, and will also take on the role as Director of the Monash Asia Institute. He is due to arrive at Monash in late September. We look forward to welcoming Professor Iwabuchi to Monash, and to working with him on exciting Asia-related projects and events.

In the meanwhile, August proves to be another great month for seminars and other activities that collectively cover a diverse range of topics and geographical areas. There are also calls for papers, including the Austral+Asia postgraduate conference and a Vietnamese Legal Studies Workshop; a gamelan & wayang performance; and a new publication, all of which involve the support and organizational energies of Monash University.

The next MAI Bulletin is scheduled for Monday 3^rd September 2012. If you have news on any events or other announcements that you would like us to include, please forward this to MAI-Enquiries@monash.edu, by Wednesday 29^th August 2012.

See MAI Bulletin August 2012 (PDF 170 kb)