Call for Papers on Asians and the Dynamics

Tweet

CALL FOR PAPERS Still the Asian Century? 10-12 September 2008 A conference jointly sponsored by the International Political Economy Research Group and the Asia Research Group, Department of Political Science and International Studies, University of Birmingham. During the 1980s and 1990s it became commonplace to think that Asia was on its way to becoming the world's most dynamic and important region. In the intervening years Japan fell into an economic torpor it appeared incapable of escaping, while much of East Asia was gripped by a financial crisis in the late 1990s that seemed set to permanently deflate expectations about its future trajectory. Not only have the Asian economies generally bounced back and re-emerged as important drivers of global economic growth, but the region seems to have found a new exemplar of unparalleled developmental success: the scale and rapidity of 'China's rise' has sparked precisely the same sorts of debates and commentary that earlier accompanied Japan's remarkable economic development. Once more we are being asked to believe that the twenty-first century will inevitably belong to 'Asia', but this time with China as its driving force. The organizers invite individual paper and panel proposals that explore these issues in relation to the five core conference themes outlined below (250-word paper abstracts; up to four presenters per panel). Conference themes: ASIAN REGIONALISM What are the driving forces behind Asian regionalism and how is it being defined, contested and institutionalised? ASIAN SECURITY How are regional security dynamics in Asia evolving, especially given the rise of China and earlier intra-regional animosities? ASIAN POLITICAL ECONOMY Are Asian forms of capitalism sustainable? Are they likely to converge with 'neoliberal' policy trends, or will they continue to offer potential alternative paths for economic development? ASIAN POLITICAL SPACE How is political space in the region changing, and is this allowing the emergence of more expansive civil society? ASIAN FUTURES What lessons can we draw from the results of earlier predictions of the region's political and economic development? What might we expect to be the key drivers and directions of political and economic change in Asia in the future? Confirmed speakers: Amitav Acharya, Muthiah Alagappa, Walden Bello, Shaun Breslin, Richard Higgott, Glenn Hook, Barry Gills, Meredith Jung-En Woo Deadline for submission of paper and panel proposals: 31 March 2008 Registration: Academics/ others £50; students £20 Proposals should be sent via e-mail to: D.Norman@Asiacentury.net Professor Mark Beeson Department of Political Science The University of Birmingham Edgbaston Birmingham B15 2TT United Kingdom Email: m.beeson@bham.ac.uk Visit the website at http://www.asiacentury.net/