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WHAT'S NEW AT NIAS?
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The Imminent Proto Cold War Standoff in the Western Pacific Rim 1945 - 1949
Lunch Talk
NIAS and the Asian Dynamics Initative (ADI) at the University of Copenhagen are reviving the lunch talk series in which researchers at the institutions can present their research and face the questions of interested listeners. Next week, Postdoctoral Researcher Kuan- Jen Chen presents his research on 'The Imminent Proto Cold War Standoff in the Western Pacific Rim, 1945-1949'.
The lunch talks are organized in a hybrid format, so you can either join in person (room 4.2.29 CSS Campus) or online.
Find out more information about the event here.
Time and date: 12.30 - 13.30pm (CET), Thursday 18 November 2021
Organizer: Nordic Institute of Asian Studies, Asian Dynamics Initative
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Call for Applications: Visiting Scholars at NIAS
NIAS Research Opportunities
NIAS invites applications for visiting researchers to spend between two weeks and six months in Copenhagen during the calendar year 2022. We are able to provide visitors with office facilities on campus, and may be able to assist with some expenses on a case-by-case basis.
We will give priority to early career researchers (less than 10 years beyond their PhD) affiliated with Nordic NIAS Council (NNC) institutions. We are also open to applications from other Nordic institutions, from advanced Nordic PhD students, and from more senior NNC/Nordic researchers.
NIAS covers all areas of Asian studies, but has particular interests in contemporary East and Southeast Asia. Our main research interests are in climate and sustainability, digitalization, comparative politics, international politics of Asia and the Indo-Pacific, and gender. We are also very interested in projects that make linkages between Asian and Nordic issues.
Preference will be given to those whose stay at NIAS will lead to a specific academic output – such as an article or chapter – or a grant application. We are especially interested in applicants who would like to publish a book with NIAS Press.
Please send expressions of interest to the Director, Duncan McCargo, at duncan@nias.ku.dk, including a couple of paragraphs about your project and a full CV.
Deadline: Tuesday, 30 November 2021
Organizer: Nordic Institute of Asian Studies
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Call for Applications: Assistance Director
Vacant Position at NIAS
We are seeking a new assistant director to work on implementing our new strategy and diversifying our sources of income. The position is available from 1 January 2022 or as soon as possible thereafter. Because of budgetary considerations, this is a temporary position until 31 December 2023.
Find more information on the call here.
The application, in English, must be submitted electronically by visiting our website and following this link. Please include a cover letter, CV and diploma and transcripts of records.
Deadline: Monday 15 November 2021
Organizer: Nordic Institute of Asian Studies
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New Articles in 'InFocus Blog'
Asia Portal News
Our InFocus Blog on the Asia Portal has recently received two new contributions. Visit the InFocus Blog to read the whole entries, and find a summary of our newest additions below.
- Kenneth Bo Nielsen, Associate Professor of Social Anthropology at the University of Oslo and Moumita Sen, Associate Professor of Culture Studies at MF Norwegian School of Theology Religion and Society wrote "Competitive Hindutva" on the courting of voters against the background of the upcoming state assembly's elections next year. Find the entry here.
- Tabita Rosendal, PhD student at the Centre for East and Southeast Asian Studies at Lund University and NIAS affiliate has contributed an opinion piece on China's Belt and Road Initiative, "Pragmatism over Morals?". Find the opinion here.
The InFocus Blog is a forum for discussions on up-to-date topics in Asia featured in the Asia Portal’s blog in the Nordic Asia Online section. We welcome well-written pieces by early career researchers as well as senior researchers on topics with relevance to modern and contemporary Asia. Contributions are reviewed on a rolling basis when sent to us at info@nias.ku.dk.
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NORDIC ASIA PODCAST
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New episodes in the #NordicAsiaPodcast
Looking for a listening experience full of researchers' insights on Asia? Try the Nordic Asia Podcast, co-hosted by NIAS, CEAS, ASIANETTVERKET and Forum for Asian Studies.
Since the last NIAS Update, we've released the following episodes:
Give it a listen on your favorite podcast streaming platform or find it here.
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NEWS FROM NIAS PRESS
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The Outlook continues
'Fragrant Frontier: Global Spice Entanglements from the Sino-Vietnamese Uplands’
Edited by Sarah Turner, Annuska Derks and Jean- François Rousseau
This ethnographically rich study demystifies the contemporary spice trade originating from the Sino-Vietnamese uplands. Star anise, black cardamom, and cassia (cinnamon) take center stage as the authors explore the complex commodity chains and entanglements that move these spices to kitchens around the world. The volume explores the livelihoods of the ethnic minority farmers cultivating these spices across this mountainous frontier, follows the commodity chains from farms to global supermarkets, and examines the implications of the commoditization of these fragrant crops for the numerous actors involved.
Available from March 2022
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Mekong Review reviews two NIAS Press Books
 
NIAS Press Books on Thailand, 'Thai Politics in Translation' by Michael K. Connors and Ukrist Pathmanand (eds.) and 'Belittled Citizens' by Giuseppe Bolotta, both found their way into the quarterly English-language magazine of arts, literature, culture, politics, the environment and society in Asia. Visit the magazine's website for their complete volume, but find the relevant NIAS reviews below:
‘Thai Politics in Translation: Monarchy, Democracy and the Supra-constitution’, by Michael K. Connors and Ukrist Pathmanand (eds)
The recently published NIAS book received its first review in the Mekong Review.
“Considering the ongoing upheavals in Thai politics these days, it is hard to imagine a more timely publication than Thai Politics in Translation: Monarchy, Democracy and the Supra-constitution. … Six of the seven essays were originally written and published in Thai and, until now, had never been published in English. This is significant, as many of the concepts fundamental to understanding Thai conservatism in this era … have been elaborated mostly only in the Thai language. This makes it difficult for non-readers of Thai to trace the origins and developments of these concepts, which have become part of the common narrative of Thai conservatism in the 2020s. Having these fundamental works of Thai political thought translated into English is one of the book’s most important contributions." - Wasana Wongsurawat (2021), Mekong Review Vol 7 (25)
The book is available at NIAS Press.
'Belittled Citizens. The Cultural Politics of Childhood on Bangkok's Margins’ by Giuseppe Bolotta (NIAS Press 2021).
Bolotta's book was also reviewed in the newest volume.
"Throughout the years, I have seen many foreigners, mostly missionaries, try to engage with these children and depict their experiences accurately. But rarely do the results match up with the reality. In contrast, Bolotta’s research should be lauded for its attempt to capture and unpack their experiences with as much subtlety as possible.”- Pim Wangtechawat (2021), Mekong Review Vol 7 (25)
More insights to Giuseppe Bolotta’s fascinating work are given in his interview on the Nordic Asia podcast.
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Myanmar in Focus
Podcast & Event Recommendation
A new Nordic Asia podcast episode with Bertil Lintner , author of ‘The Wa of Myanmar and China’s Quest for Global Dominance’, discusses the largest non-state military actor in the Asia-Pacific, the Wa, and how it might influence the current political crisis in Myanmar.
The book gives a compelling account of ethnic conflict, drug barons and Chinese geopolitical ambitions and offers a rare, close-up look at the Wa, a little-known but militarily powerful hill people in northeast Burma. It reveals how the Wa have come to play a pivotal role in Beijing’s current efforts to extend its influence in Myanmar and maps how China’s Belt and Road Initiative intersects with the Golden Triangle.
The podcast is available on all podcast apps.
Listen to it here and find the book in the NIAS Press webshop.
From the 24th till 25th of November, the Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS) is hosting the seminar ‘10 months after the military coup - where is Myanmar heading?’
that focuses on the current political situation in Myanmar.
Helene Kyed, author of ’Everyday Justice in Myanmar’ (NIAS Press 2020), joins this seminar as an expert. We are looking forward to this event, not the least because of Helene Kyed’s book launch on the first day from 15:00-16:00 (CET).
For more details and to sign up for the physical event, please visit 10 months after the military coup - where is Myanmar heading? | DIIS.
’Everyday Justice in Myanmar: Informal Resolutions and State Evasion in a Time of Contested Transition’, is available on niaspress.dk.
Find other timely books on Myanmar on the NIAS Press website.
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EVENTS
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The rise or decline of China?
China Talk Lecture
Think China invites, together with the Centre for Military Studies at Department of Political Science at the University of Copenhagen, to this physical lecture with professor Øystein Tunsjø talking about the increasing tensions between China and the US.
Find out more information about the event here.
Time and date: 14.00 - 15.30pm (CET), Friday 12 November 2021
Register here.
Organizer: Think China and Centre for Military Studies at the University of Copenhagen
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Xi Jinping’s leadership - political ‘supermanship’?
China Talk Lecture
Think China invites, together with the Centre for Military Studies at Department of Political Science at the University of Copenhagen, to this physical lecture with professor emeritus Jørgen Delman, to talk about the leadership of Xi Jinping. The lecture will be held on CSS City Campus, Room 7.0.18.
Find out more information about the event here.
Time and date: 16.00 - 17.30pm (CET), Thursday 17 November 2021
Register here.
Organizer: Think China and Centre for Military Studies at the University of Copenhagen
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Thailand’s Youth-led Democracy Movement & Inclusive, Equality-driven, Participatory Democracy
Online Webinar
Can Thailand’s youth-led democracy movement promote inclusive, equality-driven, participatory democracy? The Stockholm Center for Global Asia invites for this webinar with Dr. Titipol Phakdeewanich, Visiting Research Fellow in Human Rights, Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, Lund University.
Read more about the event and register here.
Time and date: 14.00 - 15.30pm (CET), Wednesday 11 November 2021
Register here.
Organizer: Stockholm Center for Global Asia at the University of Stockholm
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Ghost-Island Narratives in the Twenty-First Century
Online Talk
This talk examines the controversial nickname of Taiwan as a ghost island and further explores its growing impact on contemporary literary and artistic creation in the local community. Within the framework of the Spotlight Taiwan Series, the University of Helsinki invites for this online talk with Chianrong- Wu, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Global, Cultural and Language Studies at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand.
Read more about the event and register here.
Time and date: 11.15 - 13.45pm (CET), Friday 12 November 2021
Organizer: University of Helsinki
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Jutlandia in Korea
Commemoration Event
This year marks 70 years since the Danish hospital ship Jutlandia set sail on the first of three voyages to war-torn Korea. The ship sailed under the UN flag, the Red Cross flag and the Danish flag - and under the leadership of the Danish Red Cross. For the anniversay, the Danish Red cross invites to this all-day physical event in Copenhagen.
Read more about the event and register here.
Please note that the event takes place in Danish only.
Time and date: 10.00 - 16.00pm (CET), Saturday 13 November 2021
Organizer: Danish Red Cross
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Thinking about Deterrence for Japan and Stability in Asia
Webinar
The Stockholm Center for Global Asia invites to an open webinar with Yoko Iwama, Professor, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS), Japan. Yoko Iwama discusses the precarious balance of power of East Asia with the rapidly growing Chinese nuclear arsenal as well as the great 'missile gap' in intermediate range missiles between China and the United States.
Read more about the event here.
Time and date: 13.00 - 14.30pm (CET), Monday 15 November 2021
Register here.
Organizer: Stockholm Center for Global Asia
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Does China hold the key to global sustainability?
Physical Seminar
China plays an increasingly central role in efforts towards global sustainability. This seminar, organized by the Centre for Development and Environment at the University of Oslo, aims to contribute towards broader knowledge and understanding of Xi Jinping's ecological civilization. The panel welcomes some of Norway’s leading experts on ecological civilization and Chinese environmental politics.
Read more about the event and register here.
Time and date: 18.00 - 19.30pm (CET), Tuesday 16 November 2021
Organizer: Center for Development and Environment at the University of Oslo
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Reconceptualizing China’s Environmental Challenges
Webinar
The Chinese Studies at the University of Helsinki invite to this online seminar examining China’s environmental challenges from new perspectives.
Read more about the event and register here.
Time and date: 12.00 - 13.30pm (CET), Tuesday 16 November 2021
Register here.
Organizer: University of Helsinki
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Recent Developments in Chinese Labour Law
Webinar
The Finnish China Law Center at the University of Helsinki invites to an online mini seminar titled ‘Recent Developments in Chinese Labour Law’, where various researchers will present their research.
Read more about the event and find the complete programme here.
Time and date: 09.15 - 10.50am (CET), Monday 22 November 2021
Register here.
Organizer: University of Helsinki
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Tandooristan - stories from an overheated country
Book Launch
Asianettverket invites to a book launch with Torunn Arntsen Sajjad and her new book "Tandooristan - stories from an overheated country", about her own experiences from Pakistan through 36 years. The launch will take place at Litteraturhuset in Oslo, Wergelandsveien 29.
Read more about the event here.
Please note, the event takes place in Norwegian only.
Time and date: 18.00 - 20.00pm (CET), Tuesday 23 November 2021
Register here.
Organizer: Centre for Development and Environment at the University of Oslo
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'Mama'- Afghan Refugees in Norway
Film Screening and Panel Discussion
The Centre for Development and Environment at the University of Oslo invites to this film screening with subsequent panel discussion on the documentary 'Mama'. The movie portrays the stories of Afghan asylum seekers across Europe and their families in Afghanistan through the eyes of a Norwegian retired teacher. The event takes place in person at Boksen, Kulturhuset, Oslo.
Read more about the event here.
Time and date: 18.30 - 20.30pm (CET), Monday 29 November 2021
Register here.
Organizer: Centre for Development and Environment at the University of Oslo
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CALLS
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CfA: PhD on China, Infrastructure and Alliances
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