ADI Conference 2010

Asia is shaping up to be a leader in global development in the new millennium. Some argue that the centre of gravity of the world’s economy is shifting from West to East. Many Asian countries are investing heavily in research and development (especially in IT and biotech) transforming ‘made in’ economies into ‘designed in’ economies. And, in the process, levels of income, education and health-care have continued to rise for a large part of Asia’s fast-growing middle class.

Yet this well-known narrative of development and progress in Asia masks a diversity that permeates the political, social, cultural and economic arenas in individual Asian countries. Although many have highlighted the role of strong states in instigating and sustaining economic development and social coherence, nevertheless, separatist conflicts, emerging political movements and widening socio-economic inequalities pose challenges to Asia’s political and social stability. On the medical front, an ongoing epidemiological transition has resulted in a ‘double burden of disease’ as national health agencies continue to tackle infectious diseases of the ‘poor’ while increasingly grappling with lifestyle diseases of the ‘rich’. Moreover, conflicting forces operate in creating cultural and social change: individuals and groups negotiate cultural, religious and linguistic diversity in the midst of citizenship projects aimed at fostering a strong sense of nationalism. This further relates to the fact that there are still several inter-state security and culture disputes in Asia that continue to pose challenges to the question of maintaining not only regional security, stability and development, but also challenges to the safety and well-being of the entire world’s population.

How are Asian societies coping with such ongoing socio-economic, cultural and political transformations? And how are relations and interactions between Asia and the rest of the world unfolding as a result? These central questions lie at the heart of the conference Asian Diversity in a Global Context, which will take place in Copenhagen, Denmark, in November 2010.

The dynamics of continuity and change in Asia cannot be sufficiently understood from the perspective of a single discipline. The conference will therefore host a number of cross-disciplinary workshops and panels under the common theme of the dynamics of diversity in Asia with participation from a cross-section of disciplines the sciences, social sciences, and humanities. The goal is to generate deeper and fuller insight into the political, social, cultural and economic changes facing Asia in the 21st century.

Structure of the conference

Day 1 – 11 November 2010

Half-day conference with invited keynote speakers

The Ceremonial Hall, University of Copenhagen
Moderator: Marie H. Roesgaard, Associate Professor, Japanese Studies, Chair of the ADI Steering Committee

 Download detailed panel programmes (PDF) for 12 November and 13 November.

Day 2 – 12 November 2010

Panels and workshops

South Campus (Faculty of Humanities)
Njalsgade/Karen Blixens Vej, 2300 Copenhagen S 

17:30-  Reception at the Department of Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies
"50 years of Asian Studies at the University of Copenhagen"

Day 3 – 13 November 2010

Panels and workshops

South Campus (Faculty of Humanities) 
Njalsgade/Karens Blixens Vej, 2300 Copenhagen S

17:00- Reception at Asia House, Indiakaj

Day 4&5 – 14-15 November 2010 

PhD Course - How can we capture specificities with our approaches and methods?

Venue: NIAS - Nordic Institute of Asian Studies, Leifsgade 33, 3rd floor, 2300 Copenhagen S

Sunday 14 November

09.00-9.30 Welcome
09.30-10.00 Challenge 1
10.00-10.15 Coffee Break
10.15-11.05 Paper Presentation, 2 panels
11.10-12.00 Paper Presentation, 2 panels
12.00-13.00 Lunch
13.00-14.00 Challenge 2 + Discussion Challenge 1&2
14.00-14.50 Paper Presentation, 2 panels
14.50-15.05 Coffee Break
15.05-15.55 Challenge 3 + discussion
15.55-16.45 Paper presentation, 2 panels
16.45-17.35 Paper Presentation, 2 panels

18.30 Dinner

Monday 15 November

09.00-9.50 Paper Presentation, 2 panels
09.50-10.40 Paper Presentation, 2 panels
10.40-10.55 Coffe Break
10.55-11.55 NIAS Linc Presentation
11.55-13.00 Lunch
13.00-13.50 Paper Presentation, 2 panels
13.55-14.45 Paper Presentation, 2 panels
14.45-15.00 Coffee Break
15.00-15.50 Paper Presentation, 2 panels
15.55-16.55 NIAS Press Presentation
16.55-17.55 Final discussion to capture the main trends in the discussions during the course

The keynote speakers on the opening day of the ADI conference in the Ceremonial Hall, 11 November 2010 are:

• David Ludden , Professor of Political Economy and Globalization, Department of History, New York University
  Diversity, Inequity, and Conflict in Global Asia

• Robert J. Barnett , Director, Modern Tibetan Studies Program and Associate Professor, Contemporary Tibetan Studies, Columbia University
  Land-based Power: China, Tibet and the dynamics of inland borders

• Chung-in Moon , Professor, Department of Political Science, Yonsei University
  Understanding Regional Security Dynamics in Northeast Asia - Power, Interests, and Identity

• Jennifer Robertson , Professor of Anthropology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
  Gendering (Humanoid) Robots: Robo-sexism and Retro-Technology in Japan

Governing Difference - Ravinder Kaur & Ayo Wahlberg

Belonging, citizenship and identities - Marie Roesgaard & Brian Jacobsen

Autonomy: a formula for security or a cause of separatist conflicts? Asian and European perspectives and experiences - Timo Kivimäki

The transmission of Sanskrit medical literature in India - Kenneth Zysk

Indigenous Peoples in the 21st Century Asia. Identities and strategies for self-determination - Peter B. Andersen

Dynamics of change in North Korea and Northeast Asia since the end of the Cold War - Camilla T. N. Sørensen & Geir Helgesen

Political movements in post-authoritarian regimes - Lars Højer & Morten A. Pedersen

State Policy and Local Responses in China’s West - Trine Brox & Ildiko Bellér-Hann

Globalization and trade with emerging economies - Jakob Roland Munch

Ideas in Transit - Bent Nielsen & Denise Gimpel

Gendering Asia - Cecilia Milwertz & Katja Rangsivek

Read more about the panels here

Read about the PhD course here.