GlobalAsiaInitiativePastEvents

2016–Current

Spring2016

GlobalAsia:Re-VisioningAreaStudiesforourTimesMarch25,20164pmHolsti-AndersonRoom,RubensteinLibrary153

TheGlobalAsiaInitiativeatDukewill

beinauguratewithaplenarysession

featuringthreeprominentAsianists

exploringconnections,comparisons

andconvergencesbetween

differenceAsiansocietiesandtheir

linkswiththeworldoutside.The

inauguraleventwillalsomarkthe

signingofanagreementbetween

GAIandtheSocialScienceResearch

Council(SSRC)asGAIjoinstheSSRC’s

InterAsiaPartnershipasa

CoordinatingPartnerandahubfor

nodalresearchactivities.

Global Asia: Re-Visioning Area Studies for our Times

Inaugural Plenary of The Global Asia Initiative

Sponsored by:

The Global Asia Initiative at Duke will be inaugurated with a plenary session featuring three prom-

inent Asianists exploring connections, comparisons and convergences between different Asian so-

cieties and their links with the world outside.The inaugural event will also mark the signing of an

agreement between GAI and the Social Science Research Council (SSRC) as GAI joins the SSRC’s

InterAsia Partnership as a Coordinating Partner and a hub for nodal research activities.

Karen Thornber

Professor

Comparative Literature;

East Asian Languages

and Civilizations

Harvard University

Ho-Fung Hung

Associate Professor

Sociology

Johns Hopkins University

Edmund Malesky

Associate Professor

Political Science

Duke University

Friday March 25 4 PM

Holsti-Anderson Room, Rubenstein Library 153

Reception to Follow

Contact Timothy McDermott for additional info: timothy.mcdermott@duke.edu

Fall2016

[CCP&GAIJointWorkshop]Non-DualisticLogicinNishidaKitarō’s“LogicandLife”September22,201612:00-2:00pmWestDuke204MainSpeaker:TakushiOdagiri(M.D.Tokyo,Ph.D.Stanford).

HeisapostdoctoralresearchfellowfortheGlobalAsiaInitiativeatDukeUniversity

andavisitingfacultymemberfortheAsian&MiddleEasternStudiesdepartment.

**TheCenterforComparativePhilosophywillprovidealightlunchforthe

workshop.Theroomwillopenfrom12:00forpeopletoservethemselvesandtake

aseat.

Abstract:

Nishida,Kitarō(1870-1945)isatwentieth-centuryJapanese

philosopher.InfluencedbyFichteandHegel,Nishida’s

philosophicalworkisoftencompared

withLebensphilosophie[philosophyoflife],theintellectualtrendthatcameonthescenearoundtheturnofthe

20thcentury.Inthisreadingworkshop,wewillreadand

discussthefirstfewsectionsof“LogicandLife”(1936),in

whichNishidatalksabouttheoriginoflogicbasedonhis

non-dualism.

Thereading“LogicandLife”canbefound

at:http://search.library.duke.edu/search?id=DUKE005475145

Orsearch“PlaceandTwoDialectic:TwoEssays.”

ExplainingtheRiseofModernScience:AConnectiveHistory?October13,20164pmCarr229

InhisrecentstudyTheRiseof

ModernScienceExplained:A

ComparativeHistorythehistorianof

scienceFlorisCohenoffersanew

analyticaltoolintermsofmodesof

nature-knowledgetoexplainthe

emergenceofmodernscience.He

arguesthatthreemodesofnature-

knowledge–realistmathematical,

kineticcorpuscular,andfact-finding

experimental–combinedtomake

thispossible.Cohentracestheroots

ofthefirsttwomodestotraditionsof

ancientGreekthoughtinAthensand

Alexandriarespectively,andthelast

asspontaneouslyarisingwithin

RenaissanceEurope.Thisallowshim

toarticulateacomparativehistory

whichexplainswhymodernscience

emergedinEuropeandnotinany

oneoftheotherleadingcivilizations.

Thistalkproposesthattheoriginsofthesemodesofnature-knowledgearebetter

tracedtotheimpactofthreecrucialinfluencesenteringRenaissanceEuropefrom

outside-thepowerfulcomputationaltechniquesoftheIndiannumbersystem,the

ArabicopticsofIbnal-Haytham,andtheflowofmechanicaltechnologiesfrom

ChinaacrossthecorridorofcommunicationcreatedbytheMongolEmpire.

AlthoughtheimpactofIndiannumbers,ArabicopticsandChinesetechnologieson

RenaissanceEuropeiswidelyappreciatedtheirdeepimplicationsformodern

sciencebecomemoreevidentwhenweconsiderhowtheyshapedthemodesof

natural-knowledgeCoheninvokestoexplaintheriseofmodernscience.Butthis

alsorequiresustogobeyondthecomparativeapproachwithinwhichheconfines

themtowardaconnectivehistorythattracestheoriginsofhisthreemodesof

nature-knowledgeintothewiderglobalcontextofRenaissanceEurope.

ArunBalaisaphysicistandphilosopherofsciencewhoistheauthorofThe

DialogueofCivilizationintheBirthofModernScience(PalgraveMacmillan,2006)

andComplementarityBeyondPhysics:NeilsBohr’sParallels(PalgraveMacmillan,

October2016,forthcoming).HeeditedAsia,EuropeandtheEmergenceof

ModernScience:KnowledgeCrossingBoundaries(PalgraveMacmillan,2012),and

co-edited(withPrasenjitDuara)TheBrightDarkAges:Comparativeand

ConnectivePerspectives(Brill,2016).Hiscurrentresearchexploresconnections

betweenmodernandAsiantraditionsofscience.

TheCenterforComparativePhilosophy&GlobalAsiaInitiativeJointReadingWorkshopNishidaonWell-Being:ReflectionsfromMedievalBuddhistPhilosophyOctober13,201612:00–2:00PMWestDuke204MainSpeaker:TakushiOdagiri(M.D.Tokyo,Ph.D.Stanford).

HeisapostdoctoralresearchfellowfortheGlobalAsia

InitiativeatDukeUniversityandavisitingfaculty

memberfortheAsian&MiddleEasternStudies

department.

Commentator:BobbyBingle(Ph.D.Student,the

DepartmentofPhilosophy,DukeUniversity)

**TheCenterforComparativePhilosophywillprovide

alightlunchfortheworkshop.Theroomwillopen

from12:00forpeopletoservethemselvesandtakeaseat.

Nishida,Kitarō(1870-1945)isoneofthemostinfluentialtwentieth-century

Japanesephilosophers.InfluencedbyFichteandHegel,Nishida’sworkisoften

comparedwithLebensphilosophie[philosophyoflife],thephilosophicaltrendthatarisearoundtheturnofthe20

thcentury.HismainworksincludeAnInquiryintothe

Good(1911),IntuitionandReflectioninSelf-Consciousness(1917),Place(1926),andTheLogicofPlaceandtheReligiousWorldview(1945).

ThisworkshopwilldiscussNishida’sideasofwell-being,whichiscloselyrelatedto

hisphilosophyoflifeandtheenvironment.Therearetwoseeminglycontradictory

ideasofwell-beinginhisthought,unityandself-negation(or“dialectics”).

AccordingtoNishida,althoughwell-beingisdefinedbytheunityofexperience,itis

morefundamentallycharacterizedasself-negation.DrawinguponMedieval

Buddhistphilosophy,thespeakerwilldiscussthesenotionsinNishida’searlyessay

fromAnInquiryintotheGood(1911),andhislateessayLogicandLife(1936).

Metamorphosis:TheImperialTransformationofLowerBurma,1850-1940

October18,2016

4:30pm

JohnHopeFranklinCenter,AhmadiehFamilyConferenceHall

Inthispresentation,connectionsaremadebetweenandamongabroadarrayof

changesassociatedwithBritishimperialcontrolinLowerBurma.Notonlydidthe

adventofBritishcontrolleadtowell-knownchangesinpoliticalauthorityand

economicstructure/orientation,butalsotoprofoundenvironmentaland

demographicchanges,topossiblepsycho-socialreconfigurations,and,perhaps

mosttroubling,todeleteriousbiometricchangesintheBurmesepopulation.

ThistalkisapartofourGlobalAsiaInitiativeEnvironmentalHumanitiesSeries

India-ChinaRelationsunderModi,TensionsintheEvolvingPatternOctober27,201612:00-1:00PMPerkinsLibrary,Room217

India-Chinarelationsappearedtohaveenteredaperiodoftensionsduringthe

leadershipoftwoassertiveleaders,IndianPrimeMinisterNarendraModiand

China'sPresidentXiJinping.Buttheoveralltrendofexpandinginteractionin

multiplespherescontinuedtogrow.XiJinping'ssignatureinitiative,OneBelt,One

Road(OBOR)wascriticallyseenbyIndianpolicy-makersasChina'sstrategicmove

toexpanditsinfluenceinEuro-Asia,asacountertoUS's'pivottoAsia'strategy.

WhileOBORandtheUSfactor,besidescompetingpoliciesintheirneighbourhood

andinIndianOcean,broughtnewelementsinIndia-Chinarelations,theold

irritantsremainedalive.Theboundarydispute,thelargetradedeficitforIndiaand

theDalaiLama'sactivitiesengagedtheminnegotiations.Thebroadspectrumof

India-Chinarelationswasmostpositiveinmultilateralandgloballevels.India

joinedtheChina-initiatedAsianInfrastructureInvestmentBankasafounder

member.Onclimatechangeandglobalfinancialreformsbothspokefromthe

sameplatforminG-20,IMFandWTO.Eventhoughtradeandinvestmentwerestill

onaslowtrack,theircooperationonseveralfrontscontinuedtogrowdespitethe

newareasoftensions.Inthiscontext,Iwilldiscusstheoptionsandtrendsfollowed

bythestateandsocialmovementsinthesetwocountries.Alightlunchwillbe

served.

CulturalRevolutioninAsiaandBeyondOctober28-29,2016AllDayRubensteinLibrary,Holsti-AndersonRoom

ThisconferenceaimstoreflectandanalyzeaspectsoftheCRanditsinfluenceover

thedecadesintheworldbeyondChinaproperorbeyonditshistoricalperiodin

China.Thistwodayconferenceopenswithakeynotespeaker,anartexhibitonthe

themesoftheCulturalRevolutionposterart,andthefilmpremierofWu

Wenguang'sInvestigatingMyFather.Theseconddayincludesalistofspeakers

coveringtopicsfromMaoisminPeru'sShiningPathtotheeffectsoftheCultural

RevolutiononThailandandIndia.

ReligionandNationalisminAsia:PerspectivesonJapanandtheMuslimWorldNovember3,2016AllDayJohnHopeFranklinCenter,AhmadiehFamilyConferenceHall

Today,appealstonativism

andpoliticalmobilization

rootedinreligiousidealsare

motivatingsystemicchange

andfomentingsocial

upheavalacrosstheworld.

Inthisone-daysymposium,

participantsinthetwo

panelswillpresentcase

studiesfromJapan,Pakistan,

Turkey,andotherAsian

nationstodiscuss

contentiousandfrequently

under-examinedreligious

dynamicsthatshapethe

regiontoday.

Co-sponsoredbytheGlobal

AsiaInitiative,Asian/Pacific

StudiesInstitute,North

CarolinaStateUniversity,

DukeIslamicStudiesCenter.

TheCenterforComparativePhilosophy&GlobalAsiaInitiativeJointReadingWorkshopAristotleontheConnectionBetweenVirtueandHappinessNovember10,201612:00-2:00PMWestDuke204MainSpeaker:SukainaHirji(VirginiaTech)

SukainaHirji(PrincetonPhD)isAssistantProfessorin

thePhilosophyDepartmentatVirginiaTech.Herarea

ofresearchspecialtyisancientphilosophy,witha

particularfocusonAristotle.

Commentator:SungwooUm(Ph.D.Student,the

DepartmentofPhilosophy,DukeUniversity)

*TherewillbeaninformalCoffeeSessionwiththe

speakerafterthetalk(2pmatPhilosophyDepartment

Lounge).Dr.Hirjiwillsharewithstudentsandfaculty

herexperienceonthejobmarketlastyear!Youcan

joinusatthecoffeesessionifyoucannotmaketothe

talk!

**TheCenterforComparativePhilosophywillprovidealightlunchforthe

workshop.Theroomwillopenfrom12:00forpeopletoservethemselvesandtake

aseat.

Abstract:Inthistalk,shesketchesthestructureofAristotle’sownethicaltheory,

andsuggestswhyitdeservesrenewedphilosophicalattentioninitsownright.She

arguesthatneo-AristotelianvirtueethicsgetsthestructureofAristotle’sethical

theoryalmostentirelybackwards.Accordingtoherview,Aristotle’stheorygivesus

awayofunderstandingthenecessaryconnectionbetweenbeingvirtuousand

beinghappywithoutbeingvulnerabletothechargeofegoism.

CantheMiddleEastLearnfromSoutheastAsia?November14,20164:30pmJohnHopeFranklinCenter,AhmadiehFamilyConferenceHall

Embroiledinvicious

cross-bordersectarian

wars,theMiddleEast

dominatesdailyheadline

news.Turmoilinthe

MiddleEastcontrasts

starklywithencouraging

signsofdemocratic

transitioninSoutheast

Asiaevenifattimes,it

seemsfragileasin

Myanmar.ThePhilippines

andIndonesiahave

completedtheir

transitionanddeveloped

relativelyopenbut

messy,flawedandhighly

contestedpolitical

systems.Thailand’s

authoritarianresurgence

highlightsthethreatof

democraticreversals.

Whataccountsforthese

differences?Thisseminar

willdiscussthreekey

factors:theimpactofa

civilsocietyinfrastructureorthelackthereof;theimportanceofcoalitions

betweenthemilitary,civilsocietyandthebusinesscommunity;andthe

significanceofproperlymanaginginter-ethnicrelations.Therearelessonstobe

learntfromtransitionsinSoutheastAsia,butthesehavetobearetreatedwith

cautionandconsideration,giventhedifferenthistorical,social,politicaland

economiccontextintheMiddleEast.YetexperiencesinSoutheastAsiaandTunisia

demonstratethattransitionintheMiddleEastandNorthAfricaispossibleand

inevitable.The2011Arabrevoltswerethebeginningofatorturousprocessoftwo

stepsforward,onestepbackwardthatcouldtakeuptoaquarterofacenturyor

more,asinSoutheastAsia.Thecomparisonofthetworegionsprovidesinsightson

howtheprocessintheMiddleEastandNorthAfricacanbemovedforward.

TheSacredGroveandtheCity:AnalysisofPreferenceinIndiaNovember21,20164:30PMJohnHopeFranklinCenter,AhmadiehFamilyConferenceHallTheGlobalAsiaInitiativeEnvironmentalHumanitiesSeriesPresents:

DavidGraceproposestopresentfindingsfromhis2016surveyofresidentsliving

nearfoursacredgrovesitesatvariouslevelsofurbanizationinIndia’sNational

CapitalRegionanditssouthernperiphery.Thisresearchcentersonananalysisof

preferencesforsacredandnon-sacredforestsgivenurbanization.Utilizing

revealedpreferencedataonactualforestvisitsinadditiontostatedpreference

dataonvisitchoiceofhypotheticalforestsfromcontingentvaluationquestions,

Graceidentifiesdemandforsacredforestsandnon-sacredforests.Further,

discretechoicetasksallowmetoquantifytheimpactofforestsize,quality,temple

presence,andextractionlevelonforestpreference.Giventhesemodelsof

preferencebasedondemand,Gracetestshypothesesonthecognitive

underpinningsofdemandbyforesttypeandcharacteristic.Hisfindingswill

contributetogrowingdiscourseonsacrednaturalsitesandtheirconservation

prospectsgivenculturalandenvironmentalchangescenarios.

Spring2017

IndigenousGovernanceandTraditionalTerrirtoryJanuary17,20174:00PMJohnHopeFranklinCenter,AhmadiehFamilyConferenceHall

Dr.Yih-RenLinfromTaipeiMedicalUniversityinTaiwanwillspeakabout

indigenouspeoples'traditionalecologicalknowledgeanditsstrugglingexistence

withTaiwangovernment'snatureconservationpolicy.Healsotouchesuponthe

issueoftransformativejusticeandTaiwan'shistoricaltruthseekingexpressed

throughTaiwanpresident'sapologytoindigenouspeopleson1August,2016.The

wind-fallenbeechincidentin2005isthecasetoshowTaiwan'sindigenousnatural

historyandrelatedlocalknowledgeisunderminedbythemodernnature

conservationgovernment'spolicy.Thecurrentgovernment'spolicyismuch

influencedbytheearlyinternationaltrendonnature-peopledichotomy.Under

thesecircumstances,theindigenoustraditionaluseofnaturalresourcesisheavily

prohibitedbytheconservationlaws.Fromtheparticipatoryprocess,Dr.Linargues

theindigenousecologicalknowledgethatembodiestheirdelicateinteractionwith

theenvironmentmateriallyandmetaphysicallyisachallengetothenature-people

dichotomyofthemodernnatureconservationpolicythinking.Thisrevelationof

indigenoustruthmightbecontinuedbytheactionofTaiwanpresident'sapology

andmorehiddenindigenousstorieswillbetoldtojustifythevalueofindigenous

ecologicalknowledgeintermsofnatureconservation.

EnvironmentalHumanitiesinAsiaWorkshopJanuary22-23,2017AllDayJohnHopeFranklinCenter,AhmadiehFamilyConferenceHall

OnJan22-23,2017,theGlobalAsiaInitiativeatDukewillorganizeaworkshopon

theEnvironmentalHumanitiesinAsia(EHA)programitisinitiatingatDuke.The

formatoftheworkshopwillincludepresentersmaking20minutepresentations

introducingtheirworkanditssignificanceforanagendawiththeEHA.The

workshopisdesignedaroundthevisitofLinYih-ren,aTaiwanesescholarwho

worksonBuddhistenvironmentalism,aboriginalhuntingculturesandmulti-

speciesrelations.

SundayJanuary22nd,2017

12:00pm:Lunch

12.30pm-1.30pm

KeynoteSpeaker:Yih-RenLin,TaipeiMedicalUniversity:‘Disaster:Administrators,

BuddhistsandIndigenousresilience’

1.30-3.00pm:EnvironmentalJustice:

KalyanakrishnanSivaramakrishnan,YaleUniversity:EnvironmentalJurisprudence

andInequalityinIndia

JuliaThomas,UniversityofNotreDame:ThePoliticsofPeriodization:“the

Anthropocene”andAsia

CarlosRojas,DukeUniversity:Imagininglocale:HongKongprotestmovementsin

theageoftheAnthropocene

3.15-4.45pm:HistoricalApproaches:

ChristianLentz,UniversityofNorthCarolina:TheLaborsofCitizenship:

EnvironmentalPoliticsinPostcolonialVietnam

MengYue,UniversityofToronto:ContestedWaysofthe“GoodLife”

AndreaJanku,SOASUniversityofLondon:WhoseViews?ViewsofWhat?Seeing

theEnvironmentthroughtheGenreof‘Bajing’(EightViews)

4.45-6.15pm:TechnologyandCulture:

MarcJeuland,DukeUniversity:Preferenceheterogeneityandadoptionof

improvedcookstovesinnorthernIndia

MeenaKhandelwal,UniversityofIowa:InFavorofAwkwardConversations:

UniversalizingEpistemologiesandDeepMeaning

RalphLitzinger,DukeUniversityandFanYang,UniversityofMaryland,Baltimore

County:Eco-mediaEvents:MediaMaterialismasaNewMethodforEnvironmental

Humanities

MondayJanuary23rd,2017

9amMeetandcoffee/breakfastrolls/fruit

9.30am-11.30am:SpiritualEcologies:

RobertWeller,BostonUniversity:ReligiousChangeandDisturbedReligious

EcosystemsinJiangsu,China

ChrisCoggins,BardCollegeatSimon’sRock:Wind-WaterPolities:VillageFengshui

ForestsandSustainableCitizenshipinSouthernChina

DanSmyerYü,YunnanMinzuUniversity:Eco-geologicalTerrainsofGods,Humans,

andtheEarth:AnEthographyofFolkBuddhistEnvironmentalHumanitiesinAmdo

DavidGrace,DukeUniversity:TheSacredGroveandtheCity:Analysisof

PreferencesinIndia’sNationalCapitalRegion

11.30-1.00pm:AnimalsandHumans:

HaiyanLee,StanfordUniversity:“AConvocationofPoliticWorms”:TheRomance

oftheSpeciesintheAnthropocene

JeffreyNicolaisen,DukeUniversity:SustainableCitizenshipandtheTaiwanese

Canine:WhoisincludedintheAnthropocenecitizenry?

BarbaraAmbros,UniversityofNorthCarolina:Hidy,Hidy,LittleRascal:Raccoonsas

aNon-nativeSpeciesandNationalIdentityinJapan

1.00-1.30pmLunch

1.30-3.00pm:RepresentingDegradation:

WilliamSchaefer,UniversityofRochester:PhotographEcologies:Picturingthe

AnthropoceneinChina

MelodyJue,TheUniversityofCalifornia,SantaBarbara:EnvironmentalMediaand

theFuturesofStorytelling

TakushiOdagiri,DukeUniversity:TheBinaryoftheEverydayaftertheFukushima

Crisis

3.00-3.45:WrapUp:moderatedbyPrasenjitDuara

TheCenterforComparativePhilosophy&GlobalAsiaInitiativeJointReadingWorkshopDaoismMeetsEnvironmentalEthics:RelationalVirtueinZhuangziandLeopoldFeburary2,2017 1:30-3:30PM WestDuke204

MainSpeaker:MarionHourdequin(ColoradoCollege)

MarionisAssociateProfessorandChairofthe

PhilosophyDepartmentatColoradoCollege.Sheis

theauthorofEnvironmentalEthics:FromTheorytoPractice(Bloomsbury,2015)andeditorofRestoringLayeredLandscapes:History,Ecology,andCulture(Oxford,2016).

Commentator:EwanKingston(Ph.D.Student,the

DepartmentofPhilosophy,DukeUniversity)

**TheCenterforComparativePhilosophywillprovidealightlunchforthe

workshop.Theroomwillopenfrom1:15pmforpeopletoservethemselvesand

takeaseat.

Abstract:Thistalkexplorestheconceptofrelationalvirtueanditsrelevanceto

environmentalethicsthroughdiscussionoftwotexts:theZhuangzi(aclassicalDaoisttext)andAldoLeopold’sSandCountyAlmanac.Iarguethatbothtextsprovideinsightsintothepossibilityofconceivingenvironmentalvirtuerelationally,

helpingtoovercomethedichotomybetween“virtuecentered”and“value

centered”environmentalethics.LeopoldandZhuangzieachemphasize

engagement,receptivity,perspective-taking,andthecapacitytoovercome

preconceptionsascriticalinguidingrelationsbetweenhumansandthebroader

world.However,Zhuangzi–thoughnotexplicitlyconcernedwiththe

“environment”or“conservation”–pushesfurtherthanLeopoldincertainrespects

andprovideskeyinsightsforethicsinaglobalcontextandatimeofrapid

environmentalchange.

KenanInstituteSponsoredCross-CulturalWorkshop UncertainofUncertainty?Certainly(Not):IllnessandWellnessinChanBuddhismMarch2,2017 4:15–5:45pm PerkinsLibrary,Room217

StevenHeineisprofessorandfoundingdirectorofAsianStudiesatFlorida

InternationalUniversity.AnauthorityonEastAsianreligionandculture,Heinehas

publishedthirtybooksdealingwithChan/ZenBuddhisminChinaandJapanand

relatedtopics.HismostrecentworkisChanRhetoricofUncertaintyintheBlue

CliffRecord:SharpeningSwordattheDragonGate,andheisdevelopinganew

projectonDōgen'sclassic,TreasuryoftheTrueDharma-Eye(Shōbōgenzō).

Abstract:TheChineseChanBuddhistnotionofUncertainty,orfundamental

ambivalenceandindeterminacy,servesasthebasisforillnessleadingtoanxiety

anddoubtwhennotunderstoodandasthebasisofwellnesswhenitsimplications

areappreciatedandapplied.InChan,theantidoteisthesameastheailment.This

paperexaminesvariousChanparadigmsdevelopedintwelfthcenturyChinafor

expressingUncertainty,includinggongan(kōan)cases,poetryandpainting,ox-

herdingparables,andpersonalnarrativesofprominentmonkswhounderwent

sufferingandredemptionthroughengagingthemeaningofindeterminacy.

*ThistalkispartiallysupportedbytheEastAsianReligionResearchClusterFunds.

BharatanatyamPerformancebyMythiliPrakash March2,2017 5:00pm DorisDukeCenteratSarahP.DukeGardens

performancehaslimitedseatingavailable,soattendeesMUSTREGISTER;please

contactJenniferPratheratjprather@duke.edu(linksendse-mail).

AspartofthelaunchoftheDukeIndiaInitiative,dynamicdancerand

choreographerMythiliPrakashwillgiveaperformanceofBharatanatyamdancing.

MythiliPrakashisatDukeaspartofaresidencywhichincludesworkshopsand

choreographingapieceforDukestudentdancersforpresentationattheDuke

DanceDepartment'smainstageconcert,ChoreoLab,at7:30p.m.onApril14-15in

ReynoldsIndustriesTheater.+++RaisedinLosAngeles,California,Mythilibegan

dancingatanearlyageandlaunchedherperformingcareerattheageofeight.

ShehastouredherownsoloproductionsintheUnitedKingdom,France,

Singapore,theUnitedStatesandMexicoandwasfeaturedonNBC'sSuperstarsof

Dance.Shehasalsoacted,castintheaward-winningfilmLifeofPi,directedbyAng

Lee,asthewifeofPi.

This

Translocal

Melancholy:BaJin’sAnarcho-HumanisminRepublicanShanghai March8,2017 12:00–1:00pm JohnHopeFranklinCenter,AhmadiehFamilyConferenceHall WednesdaysattheCenter

BaJin(1904-2005)isoneofthemostcelebratedauthorsoftwentiethcentury

China.MostwidelyknownforhisnovelFamily(firstserializedin1931),BaJinwas

ananarchistinspiredbyKropotkinandBakuninwhocorrespondedwithsuch

prominentinternationalfiguresasEmmaGoldman(1869-1940),Alexander

Berkman(1870-1936),andBartolomeoVanzetti(1883-1927).Thislectureexamines

theearliestperiodofBaJin'soutput,from1929-33,inlightofhisanarchist

commitments.AttentiontothemartyrologiesofJapanese,Italian-American,and

RussianrevolutionariesBaJinwroteinthisperiodrevealthewayinwhichhisshort

storiesandnovelscombinedlettersandmemoirintoostensiblefiction.

Burton-RosearguesthatBaJin'sinternationalistanarchistvisionwaspredicatedon

continualreturntoasmallrepertoireofemotionsthatheconceivedofas

universal,andseektounifytheearlystageofhisoeuvrethroughtheappealto

commonhumanityunderlyinghisfictionandnon-fiction.

DanielBurton-RoseisaPost-DoctoralTeachingFellowattheNorthCarolinaState

Universityandaparticipantinthecollaborativeproject"Accountingfor

Uncertainty:PredictionAndPlanninginAsia'sHistory"organizedbytheMax

PlanckInstitutefortheHistoryofScienceandFriedrich-Alexander-Universität

Erlangen-Nürnberg.

Hydro-economicsandtheIssueofLargeDamsinWesternNepalApril4,2017 4:00–5:30pm RubensteinLibrary,BreedloveRoom349

Previoushydro-economic

workhasarguedthatthe

degreeof

interdependenceinthe

GangesBasinhasoften

beenoverstated,andthat

theprimarybenefitof

investmentsinlargedams

inNepalisforpower

production.Yetplanning

forsuchprojects

continuestobeimpeded

byapublicnarrativethat

saysthatdownstream

irrigatorsshouldpayfor

thewatersupplyand

floodcontroltheywould

provide.Inaddition,the

localhydro-politicsof

damsarecomplicated,

becausecostsincurredby

populationslivingnear

theseprojectsareoften

highlyconcentrated,while

thebenefitsofincreased

powerproductionaredispersedoverlargeareasandpopulations.Inthistalk,Marc

JeulandofDukeUniversitywilldescribeanongoingprojectthataimstobetter

explorelocalperceptionsandpreferencesforhydropowerprojects,andto

understandhowaperspectivefocusedonlocaltradeoffsrelatestothepublic

narrativesurroundingsuchprojects.

TheSoulsofChina:TheReturnofReligionafterMaoApril20,2017 7:00–8:30pm PerkinsLibrary,Room217

Followingacenturyofviolentanti-religiouscampaigns,Chinaisnowfilled

withnewtemples,churchesandmosques--aswellascults,sectsandpoliticians

tryingtoharnessreligionfortheirownends.Drivingthisexplosionoffaithis

uncertainty--overwhatitmeanstobeChinese,andhowtoliveanethicallifeina

countrythatdiscardedtraditionalmoralityacenturyagoandisstillsearchingfor

newguideposts.

IanJohnsonisaPulitzer-Prizewinningwriterfocusingonsociety,religion,

andhistory.HeworksoutofBeijingandBerlin,wherehealsoteachesandadvises

academicjournalsandthinktanks.Johnsonhasspentoverhalfofthepastthirty

yearsintheGreaterChinaregion,workingasanewspapercorrespondentinChina

from1994to1996withBaltimore'sTheSunandfrom1997to2001withTheWall

StreetJournal,wherehecoveredmacroeconomics,China'sWTOaccessionand

socialissues.In2009,JohnsonreturnedtoChina,wherehewritesfeaturesand

essaysforTheNewYorkTimes,TheNewYorkReviewofBooks,TheNewYorker,

NationalGeographic,andotherpublications.HeteachesundergraduatesatThe

BeijingCenterforChineseStudies,andalsorunsafellowshipprogramthere.In

addition,heformallyadvisesavarietyofacademicjournalsandthinktankson

China,suchastheJournalofAsianStudies,theBerlin-basedthinktankMerics,and

NewYorkUniversity'sCenterforReligionandMedia.

HistoricalIdentitiesandSovereigntyClaims:FocusontheSouthChinaSeaMay4,2017 10:00–4:30pm RubensteinLibrary,Holsti-AndersonRoom

Territorialconflictsamongsovereignstates,whetheronlandorsea,have

beenendemicsincetheappearanceoftheveryideaofsovereigntyinEurope.Yet

asThongchaiWinnichakulandothershaverevealed,theveryideaofasovereign

‘geobody’inAsiaisnotmuchmorethanacenturyold.Sohowarehistorical

materialsandeventsthatdonotspeaktothemodernnotionofsovereignty

utilizedtomakesovereigntyclaims?Towhatextentisthemobilizationaround

historicalidentitiesthemoreimportantfactor?Howrapidlycantheseidentities

change?Howdostatesandotherplayersnegotiatebetweenrelativelyrecent

internationallaws,identitymobilizationandassertionsofrawpower?

MorningSession:10:00am-12:00pm

HISTORICALIDENITITIES,INTERNATIONALLAWANDTHELIMITSOFPOWER

ArnulfBeckerLorca,BrownUniversity:Non-Western,Asian,Chinese:Plural

InternationalLegalCultures&theMeaningofSovereignty

FranckBillé,UniversityofCalifornia-Berkeley:SeaasLand:NewDeploymentsof

theLogomapinEastAsia

JeffreyWinters,NorthwesternUniversity:BecomingIndonesiaandIndonesian

AfternoonSession:1:00pm-3:30pm

THESOUTHCHINASEA

TansenSen,BaruchCollege,CityUniversityofNewYork:TheZhengHeExpeditions

andGeopoliticsoftheSouthChinaSea

WilliamHurst,NorthwesternUniversity:GreatPowerPoliticsintheSouthChina

Sea

WilliamCallahan,LondonSchoolofEconomics:Maps,SovereigntyandSpaceinthe

SouthChinaSea

ProfessorCallahanwillalsoshowhis15minutefilm,"Mearsheimervs.Nyeonthe

RiseofChina'

Wrap-upDialogueandDiscussion:3:45pm-4:30pm

TedCFishmanandPrasenjitDuara

EnvironmentalJusticeandSustainableCitizenshipMay22-24,2017 DukeKunshanUniversityKunshan,China

TheGlobalAsiaInitiativeGAI)atDuketogetherwithDKUwillholdaconferenceon

EnvironmentalHumanitiesinAsiaMay22-24,2017.GAIhasbeenpreparingfor

thisconferenceforayearandweheldapreliminaryworkshoptosettheagenda

andthemesfortheconferenceonJan22-23,2017.Theconferenceistobetitled,

"EnvironmentalJusticeandSustainableCitizenship"andwillbeamongthefirst

environmentalhumanitiesinAsiaconferencepossiblytobeheldanywhere.Inthis

firstyearoftheconferenceseries,wewillfocusoncomparableandconnected

issuesregardingtheenvironmentinChinaandIndia.

FORMOREINFORMATION,PLEASEVISIT:

HTTPS://SITES.DUKE.EDU/GLOBALASIACONFERENCE/

Thetermcitizenshipcanbestbeunderstoodhistoricallyasithasdeveloped

intothepresent.Overthelastcoupleofcenturies,itdevelopedfromtherights

anddutiesbetweenthenation-stateandsubjectinthecivicandmilitaryspheres.

Sincethemiddleofthetwentiethcentury,ithasexpandedtoincludeasetofsocial

andeconomicrights(righttofood,education,health,etc.)ofindividualstobe

protectedbylaw.Indeepeningthisrealmofrightsinwelfaretheory,thinkers,

mostnotably,AmartyaSendevelopedthenotionof‘capabilities’affordedby

societyandstatetohumans/citizensasthecriterionfortheexerciseofrightsand

freedom.Intheabsenceoftheapparatustogeneratesuchcapabilities,citizens’

rightscouldremainmerelyonpaper.Philosophically,theenhancementof

capabilitiesratherthanafocusonmaximizinggrowthorutilitymaybeconsidered

amoreappropriategoalforaplanetwithfiniteresources.

Theseargumentsgainparticularforcewhenappliedtoasustainable

environmentandwhatitwouldmeantohaverightsofcitizenstoaprotected

environmentandfairshareofsustainableresourceuse.Whileadvocatingthe

capabilitiesargument,theeconomistTimJacksonhasurgedthatcapabilitiesand

rightsmustbeboundontheonehandbythescaleoftheglobalpopulationandon

theotherbythefiniteecologyoftheplanet.Inorderforthecapabilitiesargument

toprovidejusticenotonlyforthepooroftheplanetbutfortheenvironment,itis

necessarytore-evaluatethebasisfortruehumanflourishing.Intheseways,we

mayreturntosuchnormativegoalsasLeopold’sLandEthicwhilealsoattendingto

thevastnumbersofhumansacrosstheworldwhoareinrealityexcludedfrom

genuinecitizenshiprights.

Thethemeofsustainablecitizenshipandenvironmentaljusticethusoffersa

wideagendaofresearchtopursueintheenvironmentalhumanitiesofAsia.The

rightsofcitizenstobeabletoachievetheirgoalsoflivelihood,educationand

freedomsismatchedbytheresearchonwhatitmeanstohaveasustainable

planet.Thepreservationofbiodiversity;thevalueofanimallife;theprotectionof

ourhomeandworkplaceversusdegradingotherenvironments;theproblemsof

governanceandvestedinterests;themeans–whetherbygovernmental,activist

oraesthetic—toenableandpromotesustainablejustice;theexplorationof

alternativemodes,historicalandcontemporary,ofhuman-naturerelations;the

inquiryintotheoptimalmeansofconservingandsharingscarceresourceswhether

byspiritualorsecularmeans,aresomeofthetopicsundertakenbytheworkshop

participants.

Inthisproject,weunderstandcitizenshipnotmerelyasanabstractsetof

rights,butseektograsphowtheserightsmaybeintertwinedwithadeepersense

ofbelonginglinkedtopracticesandvaluesofhomeandthelandscape,animals

andspirits,fairnessandresilience.Aremodernresources,suchas‘rights’andcivil

societyalwayscompatiblewithorcapableoffurtheringoradjudicating(dispensing

justiceto)thesevalues?

Summer2017

Workshopon'EcologicalSpirituality'inCambodiaMonday,July31at9:00amtoTuesday,August1at3:00pm

SinhanoukvilleMeetingRoom,2Fl.,InterContinentalHotel296,MaoTseToungBoulevard(245)PhnomPenh12306Cambodia

WiththedrivetomodernizeleadingtothedepletionofCambodia'snatural

resourcesandthreatstotraditionalwaysofliving,newunderstandingsofrights-

basedcitizenshipandenvironmentalresponsibilityaregivingrisetorediscovered

formsoflocalactivismandresistance.FromtheforestsofPreyLangtothevalleys

ofAreng,adiversecastofenvironmentaldefendershavecomeintobeing,with

theaimofprotectingthesefragileecologicalsystemsandpromotingthe

sustainableuseoftheirresources.Accompanyingeffortstoredefineandassert

theirrights,thesedefendersareinitiatingaresurgenceinecologicalspirituality.

Here,indigenousknowledge,traditionalsocialvaluesandreligiousbeliefsare

comingtofeatureprominentlyincontemporaryimaginationsofthehuman-nature

relationship,andineffortstobringaboutamorejustenvironment.

ThisWorkshopon'EcologicalSpiritualityinCambodia:ExploringEnvironmental

JusticeandSustainableCitizenship'willbringtogetherenvironmentalactivists,

religiousfiguresandacademicsfromacrossCambodiaandtheregion,inorderto

fosterdialogueamonglocalpractitionersandscholarsonthechallengesof

environmentaljusticeandsustainabledevelopmentinCambodiatoday.Itis

organizedbyDukeUniversity’sGlobalAsiaInitiative,anSSRChubfor

EnvironmentalHumanitiesinAsialedbyProfPrasenjitDuara,andUNSW's

EnvironmentalJusticeandHumanRightsProjectledbyDrPichamonYeophantong.

Fall2017

FilmScreeningandDiscussion:RaisetheUmbrellasSeptember20,20172:00–5:30p.m.RichardWhiteAuditorium

--Paneldiscussiontofolloww/dir.EvansCHAN,Rwei-renWU(AcademicaSinica),andProf.Ho-fungHUNG(Sociology,JohnsHopkins);moderatedbyPrasenjit

DUARA(EastAsianStudies,Duke)

EvansChan’s2016documentaryfilm,RaisetheUmbrellas,explorestheoriginandimpactofHongKong’s2014UmbrellaMovement(����)throughtheinter-

generationallensesofthreepost-Tiananmendemocraticactivists–MartinLee,

founderoftheHongKongDemocraticparty;BennyTai,OccupyCentralinitiator;

andJoshuaWong,thesprightlystudentleader.

Comprehensiveandintimate,drivenbystirringon-sitefootageinamajorAsian

metropolisrivenbyprotest,RaisetheUmbrellasrevealstheMovement’seco-

awareness,gayactivism,andburgeoninglocalism,layingbarethesheerpolitical

riskforpost-colonialHongKong’suniversalsuffragistswhoarestrivingtodefine

theirautonomywithinChina.

Panelists:

• EvansCHAN,Director,Writer

Chan(���)isaNewYork-basedcriticandplaywrightandaleadingHongKong

independentfilmmakerwhohasmadefournarrativefeaturesandeight

documentaries

• Rwei-renWU,AssociateResearchFellow,AcademicaSinicaWuisanexpertoncomparativepolitics,Asiannationalism,politicalhistoryandthe

historyofpoliticalthoughtinmodernTaiwanandJapan.

• Ho-fungHUNG,AssociateProfessorofSociology,JohnsHopkinsUniversity

Hung’sscholarlyinterestsincludeglobalpoliticaleconomy,protest,nation-state

formation,andsocialtheory,withafocusonEastAsia.

PanelModerator:

PrasenjitDuara,OscarL.TangProfessorofEastAsianStudies,DukeUniversity

PoliticsinTaiwanaftertheSunFlowerMovementThursday,September21,201712:00pm-1:30pmJohnHopeFranklinCenterRoom240--AhmadiehFamilyConferenceHallDr.Rwei-RenWu,Assoc.ResearchFellow,InstituteofTaiwanHistory,AcademicaSinica

Inthislunchtimetalk,Dr.Rwei-renWuwilldiscusspoliticsinTaiwanafterthe2014

SunflowerMovementandtheimpactofgeopoliticsinEastAsia,especiallythe

expansionofChina,onthedevelopmentofperipheralnationalisminTaiwan,Hong

KongandOkinawa.Dr.Wu'sresearchfocusesonthemodernpoliticalhistoriesof

TaiwanandJapan,emphasizingnationalism,state-formation,colonialism,left-

wingmovements,andtransitionaljustice.Hislatestprojectisacomparative

analysisofnationalisminTaiwan,OkinawaandHongKong.

ThreeFacesofContemporaryIndia:Local,NationalandGlobalThursday,October12,20174:30pm-7:30pmWestDuke101-AhmadiehFamilyConferenceRoomVasantKaiwar,AnushaHariharan,SuchetaMazumdar,VeenaTalwarOldenburg,PhilipK.Oldenburg

SPONSOR(S):GlobalAsiaInitiative,DukeHumanRightsCenter(DHRC),India

Initiative,andKenanInstituteforEthics

4:30PM-5:30PM

Screening&DiscussionoftheFilm"BreakingtheCaste"

VasantKaiwar,VisitingAssociateProfessor,DukeDepartmentofHistory

AnushaHariharan,Ph.D.student,UNC-ChapelHillDepartmentofAnthropology

ModeratedbySuchetaMazumdar,AssociateProfessor,DukeDepartmentof

History

5:30PM-7:30PM

Gurgaon:FromMythicVillagetoGlobalCity

VeenaTalwarOldenburg,ProfessorEmeritaBaruchCollegeandTheGraduate

CenterofCUNY

WhyIndiaisaDemocracy,andPakistanisNot

PhilipK.Oldenburg,AdjunctAssociateProfessorofPoliticalScience,SouthAsia

Institute,ColumbiaUniversity

Mongols,MarcoPolo,andPu'erTea:China'sSouthwestSilkRoadasaGatewaytoSoutheastAsiaWednesday,November01,201712:00pm-1:00pmJohnHopeFranklinCenterRoom240--AhmadiehFamilyConferenceHallJamesAnderson

SPONSOR(S):JohnHopeFranklinCenter(JHFC)andGlobalAsiaInitiative

InthenortheastcornerofDaliPrefectureinmodern-dayYunnanonefinds"Stone

GatePass(shimenguan)"inasteepmountainvalleyalongtheancient

SouthwesternSilkRoad.Locatedinthesouthernregionofmodern-dayYanjin

countyonthesouthernfoothillsofDaliMountain(Dalishan),thepassislocated

onamountainsectionofthetraderoutewhichrunsalongthewesternbankofthe

GuanRiver(Guanhe).Thepassandthistraderoute,knownasthe"FiveFootRoad

(wuchidao)"intheQinperiodandthe"AncientBoRoad"intheHan,markthesite

ofimperialexpansionandlocalresistancethroughtheeraofMongolconquest.

ThefirstQinemperorandHanemperorWudibothfoughtinvaintoconquerthe

passandgaincontrolovertheirempires'southwesternfrontiers.In794Tang

authoritiesmarkedtheirreentryintotheregionthroughanalliancewiththe

NanzhaokingdombyleavingaclifffaceinscriptiononStoneGatePass.Following

thefalloftheDalikingdom,MarcoPoloreportedlytraveledthroughthepasswith

hisMongolescortsduringhisexcursionintoSouthwestChina.Tradethroughthis

regionbeganinearlytimes.Tradeofpu'erteamaydatebacktotheTangperiod.

StrongerevidenceforthesustainedtradewithcentralChinabeginswiththe

periodofMingconquestintheSouthwest.TheShimenPassisimportantlocallyas

theprimarypointoftradecontactbetweentheindigenouspeoplesoftheGuizhou

andYunnanregions.