Transition and Disruption in Asia
Photo: Vincent Vaerman
10th Annual ADI Conference
18-20 June 2018 - Asian Dynamics Initiative - University of Copenhagen
Since the launch of the Asian Dynamics Initiative at the University of Copenhagen in 2008, the ADI annual conference has become a well-established event in Asian Studies internationally. With the conference in 2018 we continued this tradition.
With the spectacular rise of China and India, it is only natural that these populous new superpowers dominate scholarly and media attention, while other regions in Asia are foregrounded only in exceptional moments of environmental, political or economic crisis. Yet the latter, too, confirm the need to conceive of Asia as a site of accelerated change. This principle also applies to the pre-modern period, in spite of the fact that Eurocentric observers preferred to conceptualize this vast space as a permanently stagnant region. Global historians nowadays argue for considering Asia not as a discrete continent, but as an integral part of the Eurasian landmass, which has always experienced diverse processes of change, including episodes of disruption and crisis. While phases of transition are conventionally identified with positive change and a measure of predictability, disruption has more negative connotations, since it is assumed to increase unpredictability. Yet both can be conceived in terms of opportunities for transformation and applied fruitfully to grasp the complex dynamics of what has been dubbed the "Asian century".
Welcome by Rector Henrik Wegener, University of Copenhagen and opening speech by Permanent Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Ulrik Vestergaard Knudsen “Denmark’s Asia Policy”
Keynote addresses was given by two distinguished scholars:
Professor Dr Hermann Kreutzmann, Chair of Human Geography, Department of Geography, Freie Universität Berlin
"Pamirian Crossroads and impacts of the New Silk Road Initiative"
Professor Ran Wei, Gonzales Brothers Professor of Journalism, School of Journalism and Mass Communications, College of Information and Communications, University of South Carolina
A Clash of Cultures? The Cultural Influence of Smartphones and Mobile Devices in Confucian Asia
The conference also featured panels, workshops and roundtables on a wide range of themes.
18 June 2018
| Auditorium 35.01.06 | |||
| 9:30-10:00 | Registration | ||
| 10:00-10:10 | Welcome by Rector Henrik Wegener, University of Copenhagen | ||
| 10:10-10:45 |
Opening speech by Permanent Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Ulrik Vestergaard Knudsen “Denmark’s Asia Policy” |
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Moderator: Janus Hansen, Head of Dept. of Sociology, Chair of ADI |
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| 10:45-11:00 | Break | ||
| 11:00-12:00 | Keynote lecture by Professor Dr Hermann Kreutzmann, Freie Universität Berlin "Pamirian Crossroads and Impacts of the New Silk Road Initiative" |
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| 12:00-13:15 | Lunch | ||
| Rooms |
35.0.12 |
35.3.12 |
35.3.20 |
| 13:15-15:15 | Religion in Consumer Society: Perspectives from Asia | Changing Places: Inequality and Integration | Feasting, Drinking and Banqueting: Politics and Sociality of Relating in Eurasia |
| 15:15-15:30 | Break | ||
| 15:30-17:30 | Religion in Consumer Society: Perspectives from Asia | Government and Governing through Creation, Continuity and Transitions | Feasting, Drinking and Banqueting: Politics and Sociality of Relating in Eurasia |
| 17:30-19:00 | Reception |
19 June 2018
| Rooms |
35.0.12 |
35.0.13 |
35.3.20 |
| 9:00-11:00 | Globalization, New Technologies and Knowledge Diffusion | Cultural Heritage, Kulturarv or 文化遗产 - an attempt towards a one-word dictionary | Rebellion and Conformity: Youth and the State in East and Southeast Asia |
| 11:00-11:15 | Break | ||
| 11:15-12:45 | Globalization, New Technologies and Knowledge Diffusion | Cultural Heritage, Kulturarv or 文化遗产 - an attempt towards a one-word dictionary | Legal Documents and Identity Construction in Muslim Central Asia |
| 12:45-13:45 | Lunch | ||
| 13:45-15:45 | China in Europe: Chinese Investment in Europe and the Impact on Labor Relations | Cultural Heritage, Kulturarv or 文化遗产 - an attempt towards a one-word dictionary | Legal Documents and Identity Construction in Muslim Central Asia |
| 15:45-16:00 | Break | ||
| Auditorium 35.01.06 | |||
| 16:00-17:00 |
Keynote lecture by Professor Ran Wei, University of South Carolina "A Clash of Cultures? The Cultural Influence of Smartphones and Mobile Devices in Confucian Asia" |
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| 17:00-18:30 | Networking and drinks |
20 June 2018
| Rooms |
35.0.12 |
35.3.12 |
35.3.20 |
| 9:00-11:00 | Researching Digital in Asia | Vertigo: Bodily Reflections of Disorder and Disruption | Global Leadership with Chinese Characteristics? |
| 11:00-11:15 | Break | ||
| 11:15-12:45 | Researching Digital in Asia | Vertigo: Bodily Reflections of Disorder and Disruption | Global Leadership with Chinese Characteristics? |
| 12:45-13:45 | Lunch | ||
| 13:45-15:45 | Researching Digital in Asia | Performance, Power and Cultural Production | War in East Asia? The Role of China and the United States |
| Farewell reception |
China in Europe: Chinese investment in Europe and the impact on labor relations
Convener: Sarah Swider, Dept. of Sociology, University of Copenhagen
China is a source of direct foreign investment that has increased in the past decade, reaching over 600 billion by 2013, with an increasing share headed for Europe. After 2008, Europe became the fastest growing destination for Chinese outward investment. In 2016 alone, Chinese investments rose 77 percent and reached over 35 billion … »
Cultural Heritage: Kulturarv or 文化遗产 - an attempt towards a one-word dictionary
Conveners: Marie Roesgaard and Ingolf Thuesen, Dept. of Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies, University of Copenhagen
The panel will address the meaning of the word heritage in Chinese and in Danish. The importance of heritage cannot be overemphasised. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has negotiated a series of international conventions recognising the significant role of movable and immovable … »
Global Leadership with Chinese Characteristics?
Conveners: Andreas Bøje Forsby, NIAS and Peter Marcus Kristensen, Dept. of Political Sciences, University of Copenhagen
The political underpinnings of the so-called ‘US-led liberal international order’ are under stress. The United States under President Trump has signaled a retreat from multilateralism, international cooperation on issues ranging from free trade to climate change, and its global leadership responsibilities … »
Globalization, New Technologies and Knowledge Diffusion
Conveners: Morten G. Olsen and Jakob R. Munch, Dept. of Economics, University of Copenhagen
This panel aims to bring together international scholars to exchange ideas and to discuss recent results in theoretical and empirical research on international trade. We particularly encourage researchers to submit papers/abstracts on topics such as trade with China and other Asian countries, offshoring, import competition, exporting … »
Feasting, drinking and banqueting: Politics and sociality of relating in Eurasia
Convener: Oscar Salemink, Dept. of Anthropology, University of Copenhagen
Anyone who has lived, worked, or done long-term research in Eurasia – specifically East, Southeast Asia and Central Asia, including the former Soviet territories – has experience with specific eating and drinking practices that initiate or cement relations at various moments in the relationship … »
Legal documents and identity construction in Muslim Central Asia
Conveners: Aysima Mirsultan and Ildikó Bellér-Hann, Dept. of Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies, University of Copenhagen
In recent years, a number of excellent studies based on legal documents have set new standards and inspired further research on Islamic Central Asia. The panel aims to bring together well-established and young researchers working on legal documents produced in this region in the 19th and 20th centuries … »
Religion in Consumer Society: Perspectives from Asia
Conveners: Trine Brox, Jane Caple and Elizabeth Williams-Oerberg, Dept. of Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies, University of Copenhagen
Over the past three decades, we have witnessed astonishing economic growth and the emergence of new markets and cultures of consumption across Asia. Rather than being eclipsed by such ‘late modern’ transformations, traditional and new forms of religion are intertwined with contemporary consumer cultures … »
Researching Digital in Asia
Convener: Jun Liu, Dept. of Media, Cognition and Communication, University of Copenhagen
The panel invites scholars to discuss and (critically) reflect upon research related to digitalization, informationalization, and datafication of Asian societies. Digital development is enabling new ways of knowing society, from online surveillance to behavioral analytics to real-time research … »
War in East Asia? The Role of China and the United States
Conveners: Bertel Heurlin, Dept. of Political Science, University of Copenhagen and
Ji You, Dept. of Government and Public Administration, University of Macau
The concept East Asian Peace has been generally accepted as a phenomenon since the cold war. The last few years have, however, exhibited a region where war preparation is openly demonstrated. China is now aiming at a world class military … »
Rebellion and Conformity: Youth and the State in East and Southeast Asia
Convener: Olga Dror, Texas A&M University
The 1960s and the first half of the 1970s was arguably the apex of rebellion and conformity in many parts of the world – civil unrest sprung from the student demonstrations in Paris, the anti-war movement, hippies, and Woodstock in the United States, the Dirty War in Mexico were only some of the signifiers of rebellions … »
Vertigo: Bodily reflections of disorder and disruption
Convener: Yen Vu, Cornell University
Vertigo, defined as “a disordered state of mind, or of things, comparable to giddiness," hones particularly in on the individual and human experience. This panel engages with the human body in singular and plural form, the movement of body/bodies, and the body as a physical and psychological canvas that reflects or represents disorder … »
Changing Places: inequality and integration
Chaired by Cecilia Milwertz and Nicol Foulkes Savinetti, NIAS, University of Copenhagen
Government and governing through creation, continuity and transitions
Chaired by Ildikó Bellér-Hann, Dept. of Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies, University of Copenhagen
Performance, power and cultural production
Chaired by Marie Roesgaard, Dept. of Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies, University of Copenhagen
The plenary sessions of the conference were recorded and are available now via our facebook page.
Welcome by Rector Henrik Wegener, University of Copenhagen
Opening speech by Permanent Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Ulrik Vestergaard Knudsen “Denmark’s Asia Policy”
Keynote addresses by:
Professor Dr Hermann Kreutzmann, Chair of Human Geography, Department of Geography, Freie Universität Berlin
"Pamirian Crossroads and impacts of the New Silk Road Initiative"
Professor Ran Wei, Gonzales Brothers Professor of Journalism, School of Journalism and Mass Communications, College of Information and Communications, University of South Carolina
"A Clash of Cultures? The Cultural Influence of Smartphones and Mobile Devices in Confucian Asia"
The conference will take place at CSS, Faculty of Social Sciences:
Faculty of Social Sciences, City Campus (Building 35)
University of Copenhagen
Entrance from: Gammeltoftsgade 13, 1355 Copenhagen K
Denmark
The plenary sessions will take place in auditorium 35.01.06, the panels in the conference rooms 35.0.12, 35.0.13, 35.3.12, 35.3.20
How to find us
The Faculty of Social Sciences is located at CSS, the former municipal hospital of Copenhagen (Kommunehospitalet), right across from the Botanical Garden and next to 'the inner Copenhagen lakes'.
- Campus map (pdf-format)
Room numbers contain information about building, floor and, of course, room number needed to find any room on the premises.
First digit indicates building number, second digit indicates on which floor the room is located and the third digit is the room number, e.g. 35.0.12 means that room 12 is located in Building 35 on the ground floor. If the room number says 01 in the second digit, it means that the room is located in the basement.
Arriving by bus
Busses number 14, 37, 42, 5A and 6A all have stops near the Faculty of Social Sciences.
A convenient travel planner in English for all public transportation in Denmark is available here.
Arriving by Metro
The metro station closest to the Faculty of Social Sciences is "Nørreport". From there it is a five minute walk to the Faculty.
The Metro runs day and night. At rush hours (between 7-10 and 15-18) the intervals between departures are 2-4 minutes. Outside rush hours the intervals are 3-6 minutes.
More information can be found at the Copenhagen Metro's website.
From the City Hall Square it will take you about 20 minutes to walk to the venue.
For further information, please contact
Marie M. Yoshida
Conference Coordinator
Asian Dynamics Initiative
Øster Farimagsgade 5, Building 18
DK-1353 Copenhagen K
Tel.: +45 35 32 95 21
Email: marie.yoshida@nias.ku.dk
Marie Leine
Student Assistant
Asian Dynamics Initiative
Email: mllr@nias.ku.dk
Organising Committee
- Ildiko Beller-Hann, Dept of Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies
- Jørgen Delman, Dept of Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies
- Janus Hansen, Dept of Sociology
- Ravinder Kaur, Dept of Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies
- Peter Marcus Kristensen, Dept of Political Science
- Jakob Roland Munch, Dept of Economics
- Marie Roesgaard, Dept of Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies
- Oscar Salemink, Dept of Anthropology
- Sarah Swider, Dept of Sociology
- Ayo Wahlberg, Dept of Anthropology
- Marie Yoshida, Asian Dynamics Initiative
Sponsor
The conference has received support from
ØK’s Almennyttige Fond |
EAC Foundation