Event category: Call for Proposals/Papers

[Call for Papers]: Southeast Asia and Taiwan Conference

CALL FOR PAPERS
Southeast Asia and Taiwan Conference
April 25-26, 2024
University of Washington, Seattle
Co-hosted by the UW Center for Southeast Asia & its Diasporas, Taiwan Studies Program, and East Asia Center

CfP online, conference in-person.

Southeast Asia and Taiwan have been linked for millennia by migrations of indigenous peoples and maritime trade. Today, both have become rising economies and embroiled within global political conflicts. This conference seeks to bring together scholars working on broad issues between Southeast Asia and Taiwan, historically and contemporary.

We invite scholars working in social sciences and humanities disciplines to present their ongoing research projects in a two-day workshop.

Participants will be expected to pre-circulate substantive works-in-progress, such as dissertation/manuscript chapters or journal articles.

Three nights of local accommodation, up to $250 in airfare subsidy, and meals will be provided for all participants. We especially welcome junior scholars (such as PhD candidates, postdoctoral fellows, non-tenure track and adjunct faculty).

HOW TO APPLY:

Please send an abstract (250-350 words), title, and brief academic biography (1-2 paragraphs) as a single PDF file to seataiwan@uw.edu by September 1, 2023. If the abstract is for a part of a larger project (i.e. a manuscript, dissertation, etc.), please also provide brief context (2-3 sentences) of the larger project.

Submission deadline: September 1, 2023

Decision notification: September 15, 2023

Please send any inquiries to seataiwan@uw.edu

25th New Zealand Asian Studies Society (NZASIA) Conference

The 25th New Zealand Asian Studies Society (NZASIA) International Conference will be hosted by the School of Language, Social & Political Sciences, University of Canterbury from 29 November to 1 December 2023.
Our biennial conference is multidisciplinary and aims to bring together scholars working in all areas of Asian studies. We encourage papers and panels that explore any aspect of Asian studies, from any disciplinary or theoretical perspective.
Paper/Panel proposal submission deadline: extended to 31 August 2023.
More information is available at: https://www.nzasia.org.nz/conferences.html#forthcoming

Harvard Project for Asian and International Relations Asia Conference

The Harvard Project for Asian and International Relations will be organizing its 32nd Asia Conference in Hong Kong this August, with the spotlight now transfixed on challenges and opportunities in the Greater China and Asia-Pacific regions. How will inert institutions adopt to an ever-globalizing and ever-digitalizing population? How will office spaces and workspaces acclimate to a post-COVID world? And what do trailblazers and policymakers have to say about innovation and sustainability across the rapidly developing continent?

With the theme “Architects of Asia: Building Tomorrow”, HPAIR hopes to bring together global and community leaders, young professionals and changemakers — both current and future — to deliberate these issues over a 5-day forum at the Hong Kong Science and Technology Park. Join us from August 22nd to 26th, 2023 for lively firesides, thought-provoking keynotes and mind-bending impact challenges.

Applications are open until July 15th at my.hpair.org.

Call for Papers for Verge Issue 12.1 “Trade in Humans”

Verge: Studies in Global Asias invites submissions for Issue 12.1 “Trade in Humans,” edited by Kristin Roebuck, Johanna Ransmeier, and Jessamyn Abel.

Convergence proposals are due March 15, 2024. Essays are due August 30, 2024.

For complete information visit https://bit.ly/verge121cfp.

Call for papers | From Koreanness to K-ness: Contemporary Korean Language, Culture and Society

From Koreanness to K-ness: Contemporary Korean Language, Culture and Society

Call for papers for an edited volume

Deadline for abstracts: 30 July 2023

Book editors
Dr Seryun Lee (Hankuk University of Foreign Studies)
Dr Youkyung Ju-Zaveroni (SOAS University of London)

The popularity of Korean cultural content, which used to be limited to Asian countries in the past or sporadic fads such as ‘Gangnam Style’ in 2012, has now turned into a cultural phenomenon that attracts global attention. Beginning with the rise of the ‘Korean wave’, i.e. the so-called Hallyu, driven by Korean dramas in the 1990s, followed by the popularity of ‘K-pop’ in the 2000s and then the emergence of ‘K-culture’ as a broader cultural phenomenon from the 2010s onwards, the global appeal of South Korean culture has sparked an interest in various facets of Korean language, culture and society. These recent changes present a unique opportunity to reassess and reshape our approach to Korean studies, which has historically contributed to the theorisation of ‘Koreanness’ as a strong national identity significantly influenced by Confucian values. The evolving landscape of contemporary Korean culture and society invites new perspectives and interdisciplinary approaches.

Against this backdrop, this edited volume aims to conceptualise ‘K-ness’ as a way of understanding the underlying characteristics that shape the semiotic, cultural and sociological representations of contemporary Korean culture and society. By exploring themes, topics and theories linked to ongoing discussions and emerging trends in Korean studies, we seek to illuminate the multidimensional nature of ‘K-ness’. This exploration may provide not only an in-depth understanding of South Korea but also insights into interdisciplinary research on the intersection among the evolution of language, cultural diffusion and the representation of contemporary society.

Submission instructions

Contributions should be up to 6,000 words (inclusive of references, tables, figures, appendices and endnotes). Contributors must obtain copyright permission, where necessary, prior to publication. Abstracts of 400 words and a brief bio should be submitted through this form by 30 July 2023. Should you have any enquiries, please feel free to contact us (seryunlee@hufs.ac.kr and yj7@soas.ac.uk).

Abstract submission: 30 July 2023
Notification of acceptance: 15 September 2023
Tentative publisher: Routledge
Webpage
https://sites.google.com/view/

CFP: “Transforming Asia with Food: Women and Everyday Life”

We invite abstracts for a conference that will explore the role of women in effecting change across Asia by engaging in everyday practices of food production, handling, preparation, and
consumption. Over the past few decades, the study of food has burgeoned and attracted increasing scholarly attention. However, we see a stark polarization across geographic foci and disciplinary
engagements. We propose an interdisciplinary and transtemporal analysis in which women— whom we see as a heterogenous category, intersecting with class, education, etc.—displayed
autonomous agency, with their “domestic” practices effecting significant impact on “public spaces” in a variety of locales across Asia. We plan to investigate how women’s daily practices
restructured familial, social, cultural, and at times political relations in the transition to “modernity.” Papers will examine the central themes of the conference: Identity, Movement, Media, Nation-Building, and Modernity in different sub-regions of Asia (South, East, and South-East).

If you are interested in participating in the conference, please send a paper proposal (250–300 words abstract) accompanied by a brief CV to Chiara Formichi (cf398@cornell.edu) and
Suyoung Son (ss994@cornell.edu) by July 1, 2023. Selected participants are expected to send in a paper draft by 15 March 2024. We especially encourage abstract submissions from junior scholars, and those based at institutions located in Asia. Travel expenses to Ithaca, NY and lodgings will be covered.

CFP: MAR/AAS Regional Conference

“Fragility and Resilience: Asian Studies and the Pandemic”
51st Annual Mid-Atlantic Region Association for Asian Studies Conference

The last three years have been devastating for the study of Asia and its cultures. The pandemic has affected how Asia is perceived in the world and the popularity of its study in universities. However, we have also witnessed a reaction against this trend as the effects of the pandemic subside. This is both a pushback against the manner in which Asian people have been treated during the pandemic and an appreciation for the strategies adopted by Asian cultures to deal with this situation. This conference promotes a discussion of Asia within the broader context of the pandemic and its academic impacts. This theme lends itself to interesting scholarly approaches, including energy, environment, public health, territorial issues, migration, popular culture, gender, sexuality, religious practices, and more.
We encourage proposals on all topics related to Asia from any discipline, and welcome participation from faculty, graduate students, undergraduate students, independent scholars, and professionals.
To propose a panel, individual paper, or poster presentation, please create an account on our website (maraas.org) and follow the instructions for proposal submission. The proposal deadline is May 15, 2023. Please send any other inquiries to Dr. Mahua Bhattacharya at bhattacharm@etown.edu.

Acceptance notices will be sent by July 15, 2023. Limited travel assistance for graduate students up to $125, in the form of reimbursement following the conference, is available on a competitive basis. Graduate students interested in travel support should send their request once they have been accepted to present at the conference by emailing Treasurer W. Evan Young at youngw@dickinson.edu

Workshop Youth in Chinese History: Education and Representations of Young People in Chinese Sources between Tradition and Modernity

In China, childhood and education have historically been intertwined with ritual practices and social relations, with their ultimate scope being the construction of an ideal society and the formation of a virtuous elite. While canonical texts and conduct books have constantly played a crucial role in shaping children’s original character, the development of educational theories and practices throughout Chinese history has also been deeply influenced by endogenous and exogenous doctrines such as Daoism, Buddhism, Christianity and Western thought. This workshop proposes to generate discussions around the evolution of educational practices and representations of children across the centuries and literary genres, particularly from a cross-cultural perspective. It seeks to highlight the diachronic correlation between family units and broader society, and how the moral and intellectual cultivation of children aimed at creating pillars upon which the ideal of stability rested.

Workshop fields of interest
The workshop welcomes contributions from all periods of Chinese history. A list of papers’ potential topics includes, but is not limited, to the following:
• Theories and practices of Confucian (and Neo-Confucian) education
• Theories and practices of Daoist education
• Theories and practices of Buddhist education
• Introduction/re-elaboration of the Western thought in the Chinese pedagogical debate
• Texts for the moral/intellectual development of children (translations, prescribed texts, magazines, etc.)
• Young Women’s education

Timeline and instructions
All interested candidates are requested to send a title and a 250 characters abstract via this Google Form. Please submit your individual paper abstract at the latest 5 May 2023. Acceptance notice will be given at the latest 31 May.

Funding
This workshop is sponsored by the BA/Leverhulme Small Research Grants. Successful applicants will receive upon request a £ 300 flat-rate reimbursement for travel expenses. Accommodation will be provided to all participants (further details to be provided at a later stage).

A selection of participants’ contributions will result in an edited volume in English language.

CFP for Contributions to Women’s Innovations in Theatre, Dance, and Performance Series

CALL FOR CONTRIBUTORS: Women’s Innovations in Theatre, Dance, and Performance

We are writing about a call for contributors to an exciting new series at Bloomsbury. Women’s Innovations in Theatre, Dance, and Performance aims to capture the innovations women have made to the performing arts in their historical, geographical, and disciplinary diversity. This series seeks to broaden, celebrate, and recover historical awareness of these performance-based artmakers and their contributions; as such, it will showcase innovative, intersectional feminist historiographical approaches along with a history of women’s innovation in the field.

The series will consist of four volumes; each volume will focus on processes and practices surrounding roles, broadly conceived. The set will be organized as such: Vol. 1: Performers; Vol. 2: Creators; Vol. 3: Designers & Crafters; and Vol. 4: Leaders.

Learn more about the series, read the CFP for contributions, and submit the abstract of your proposed contribution on the series’ website: www.womens-innovations.com.

Best,
Wendy Arons, Melissa Blanco Borelli, and Elizabeth Son
Series Co-Editors

65th Annual Conference of the American Association for Chinese Studies (2023)

Call for Papers
65th Annual Conference of the American Association for Chinese Studies
Institutional Host: The UCLA Asia Pacific Center, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA
October 13-15, 2023

The American Association for Chinese Studies (AACS) annual conference program committee invites proposals for panels, roundtables, and individual papers on issues concerning China, Taiwan, other Chinese-speaking communities, and the Chinese diaspora for the 65th Annual Conference, hosted by the UCLA Asia Pacific Center, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, on October 13-15, 2023. We welcome panels and papers from such disciplines as economics, education, history, international studies, literature, political science, public policy, and sociology. The 2023 conference will feature two highly respected and accomplished keynote speakers: Prof. Susan Shirk (UCSD) and Prof. Michael Berry (UCLA).

The AACS is an interdisciplinary association devoted to the study of subjects related to China and Taiwan (www.americanassociationforchinesestudies.org). Membership in AACS is required for participation in the annual conference, and non-members are welcome to submit proposals, join the Association, and participate in the annual conference. Please note this conference is in-person only.

The program committee will give preference to proposals for panels (a chair, 3 papers, and a discussant) and roundtables (a chair and 4 other panelists). We also encourage individual paper proposals on various themes.
Panel proposals and individual submissions should include contact information (address, telephone number, and email) for all participants, paper topics, and brief abstracts (not exceeding 250 words). Panel proposals should specify the names and roles of panel/roundtable participants. Please send your proposal by email to:
aacssubmissions@gmail.com

The deadline for panel and individual proposals is March 24, 2023. Scholars submitting proposals by the deadline will be notified of their inclusion in the program by April 24, 2023.
All panelists must register for the AACS 2023 conference and renew or apply for AACS membership before August 21, 2023.

2023 AACS Conference Program Committee: Yenna Wu (University of California, Riverside), Co-Chair; Yao-Yuan Yeh (University of St. Thomas), Co-Chair; Huei-Ying Kuo (Johns Hopkins University); Fang-yu Li (New College of Florida); Ya-chen Chen (Chung Yuan Christian University, Taiwan); Yu-Shan Wu (Academia Sinica, Taiwan).

CFP – Examining Facilitators and Barriers to Accessing Social Care in Ageing Asia

The British Academy-funded project seeks to bring together researchers at a joint workshop where access to (adult social) care is compared across “developing” (middle-income) and “developed” (high-income) countries and regions in ageing Asia.

The aim of the workshop is to develop the first conceptual framework of access to adult social care in Asia which allows for a systematic comparison across different development contexts. By comparatively examining access to social care in several cases, we seek to identify barriers, facilitators and dimensions of access to social care, and how these differ across development contexts and stages. The proposed output will be an edited volume which introduces the new mid-range conceptual framework and its empirical application to facilitate further theoretical development based on research in other continents and region.

Scholars working on an East and Southeast Asian country (or countries), who are interested in joining the workshop and contributing to the edited volume are invited to apply by sending in an abstract of 250 words (in PDF or WORD) about their proposed research contribution by 4 January 2023.

Subsequent steps: If selected, researchers will be given a brief conceptual paper covering initial theoretical assumptions about access to care in Asia as a starting point for further discussion. We will then meet during two online meetings to discuss ideas and practicalities of the workshop held at the University of Sheffield in autumn 2023 (Travel expenses to the workshop are covered for all selected participants up to a certain limit). Workshop draft papers (around 5,000 words) will be further developed for submission as part of an edited volume at the end of 2024.

Please submit abstracts as well as any other inquiries to Dr Christina Maags (c.maags@sheffield.ac.uk).

Energy in Asia

Energy has been commonly viewed as a source of power for performing work. Through its many forms, such as chemical, thermal, electrical, and nuclear, energy has been a crucial component for various types of production. In this capacity, energy has been an integral, material-based resource for economic purposes and security. Beyond its value as a resource for material production, energy, from the premodern to the modern era, has assumed other meanings and been valued in different ways. In religious and spiritual traditions, for example, energy has been defined as a source of creation, living, and healing. As an abstract force, energy has been seen as a spiritual element that influences, determines, and powers location, place, space, relationships, the workings of the human body, and the make-up of nature. In terms of language, energy has been used as a metaphor or a colorful term to describe human actions, emotions, and behavior. In these different forms, energy has been long framed and defined through a variety of angles.

In whatever form it has existed, been employed or conceived of, energy cannot be understood without its connection to social context, especially different forms of authority. Political, social, cultural, economic, philosophical, and religious systems have played a role in the formation and influence of energy as a material and discursive element and force. The ways in which energy has been employed and defined have not only influenced geo-politics and international relations, but also gender relations, patterns and directions in design, paths for healthcare and well-being, and relationships between humans and non-humans. In order to understand energy’s role and place in human and non-human life, it is necessary to interrogate the relationship between energy and context.

This conference specifically examines the different meanings, values and uses of energy in Asia from the premodern to the modern era and the intersection between energy and context. It welcomes papers on energy from different periods of time, disciplines, including the sciences, and fields of study. Please send an abstract of 500 words (maximum) of a potential paper and a one-page CV to Albert L. Park (Claremont McKenna College, The Claremont Colleges), albert.park@cmc.edu and Namhee Lee (UCLA), namheeleeucla@gmail.com by October 12. Selections will be announced by October 22. Travel and accommodations will be covered by the conference (including international travel).

CFP: Women Who Write Our Worlds: Shaping Screen Culture

Submissions are invited for an international volume on diverse women screenwriters / creators from the worlds of film, television, VR / AR, gaming and new media. We seek to highlight women screenwriters / storytellers whose projects tackle social justice and equality issues and make a difference in their communities.
Call for Papers Celebrating Women Screenwriters all over the Globe

Films change lives.

Women who write our worlds is a book project which tells global stories about women screenwriters and creators from diverse cultures whose screen stories have led to positive change for their communities. We welcome chapters (in English) which tell the stories of women who have worked for social justice through screen-based media. The screen works may be drama, documentary and hybrid genres, across film, television, gaming, virtual reality, and all screen-based media forms. We particularly seek submissions that celebrate women screenwriters from diverse nations and communities.

Abstracts due 30th July 2022.

Call for Papers – New York Conference on Asian Studies

State and Society in Asia: Past and Present

We invite submissions from scholars across all disciplines on all topics related to Asia and Asian Studies. We are particularly interested in topics related to our main theme: “State and Society in Asia: Past and Present.” Recent events such as the successes and failures of states at mitigating the Covid-19 pandemic; the targeting of religious, racial, and ethnic minorities; widespread protests against military regimes; the possibility of a new cold war between China and the US; and the dramatic takeover of Afghanistan by Taliban forces have highlighted the ever-crucial role of the state in Asian societies, both in its presence and absence. In bringing scholarly perspectives to these current events, questions that interest us include: What historical legacies of the state persist in contemporary Asia? What roles do technology and urban development play in extending state power to unprecedented degrees? Conversely, how does a vacuum in state infrastructure in countries like Afghanistan create conditions for regime change? Can countries like Myanmar continue to isolate themselves and not suffer social and economic hardships?

Contemporary artists, filmmakers, and environmental activists frequently challenge and critique these developments. How do regime changes unsettle and re-arrange key local and national cultural constituents and what impact do these changes have on environmental history, archaeology, and cultural heritage sites?

We also invite explorations of issues such as how local populations have historically contested the hegemony of the state in both its “weak” and “strong” formations and how inter-Asian networks operate across, within, or against state geographies. Additionally, we are interested in the ways that migrations, climate change, the Belt and Road Initiative, and the renewed importance of the Indian Ocean littoral have challenged and transformed the nation-state geographies of Asia and Asian studies.

Paper Proposal submission deadline: June 15, 2022

Call for Papers – SWCAS 2022 Conference

This year, SWCAS celebrates a return to in-person meetings with a focus on Reconnecting in a (Post) Pandemic World. The conference is open to individual and panel proposals on all topics related to Asian Studies, but we especially welcome those that connect different disciplines, eras, and contexts in ways that respond to Asia’s global significance in the past and present. The conference will primarily take place in-person but will include a special presentation block for all-virtual panels. Note: Space for virtual presentations is limited; priority will be given to scholars based outside of the U.S.

PANEL PROPOSALS

  • 300-word abstract
  • List of 3 – 4 participants, paper titles, affiliations, and contact info
  • Presentation mode [virtual vs in-person]

INDIVIDUAL PROPOSALS

  • 150-word abstract
  • Presenter’s name, affiliation, and contact info
  • Presentation mode [virtual vs. in-person]

GRADUATE STUDENTS

A limited number of $100 travel stipends will be available for graduate students presenting papers at the conference. SWCAS awards a $200 prize for best graduate student paper

Please submit individual or panel abstracts by submitting the appropriate form at the link below.
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: May 31, 2022

Call for Papers – MARAAS 2022

MARAAS at 50: Where Is Asian Studies Now?
MARAAS 2022

CFP Deadline: May 23, 2022

As we celebrate the 50th annual meeting of the Mid-Atlantic Region of the Association for Asian Studies, we consider this question: Where is Asian studies now?

This question invites us to reflect, first, on the inspiring development of Asian studies departments and programs throughout the mid-Atlantic region over the last half-century. From expanded library collections to enhanced language training programs, Asian studies in the mid-Atlantic region is thriving even as significant room for growth remains.

The question also invites rumination on the state of our field. What does it mean to study Asia today? Recent trends in transnational studies, blue humanities, and digital humanities offer just some of the enticing areas of cutting-edge research in our field. What are the intellectual horizons of this recent research, and what possibilities lie just beyond them?

Finally, asking where Asian studies is now continues the work begun in pioneering initiatives like the “Global Asias” approach. How can Asian studies benefit from cutting-edge work in Asian American studies? When does “Asia” not simply refer to the world’s largest landmass? And what political work does the adjective “Asian” do when considered in light of global structures of capital and attendant notions of race, class, and social status?

The 50th meeting of MARAAS will take place on October 1 and 2 at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

We welcome applications for panels of 3–4 people as well as individual paper submissions. Panel proposals may include a discussant, and members of panels may be from the same institution.

Please visit the conference website to submit paper or panel proposals by May 23, 2022.

Call for Papers – 2022 Midwest Conference on Asian Affairs

The KU Center for East Asian Studies is pleased to host the 71st Annual Meeting of the MCAA, September 16 – 18, 2022. It will be the first in-person annual meeting since the beginning of the pandemic. We will be joined by Dr. Kamran Asdar Ali, President of the Association for Asia Studies as our keynote speaker, and Dr. Hiromi Mizuno, President of the Midwest Conference on Asian Affairs, who will lead the Presidential Luncheon Panel on science, technology, environment, and medicine for Global Asia. The conference will also include workshops and roundtables on book/journal publication and professional development. We hope you will consider submitting a paper or panel proposal.

We welcome proposals for panels, roundtables, and individual papers from all disciplines focusing on China and Inner Asia, Northeast Asia, South Asia, and Southeast Asia, and the Asian Diaspora as well as comparative, inter-Asian, and global Asia topics. We also welcome scholars and students from all regions. Faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students (presenting on separate junior scholar panels), as well as independent scholars, are encouraged to share their work, receive feedback, and network at the conference.

Please submit a proposal using the 71st MCAA submission forms for paper proposals and panel/roundtable proposals by May 31, 2022, June 10, 2022, at 11:59 p.m.

United Nations and Korean War (1950-53): Politics, War and Peace

Since the Korean War has been over 70 years, Pusan National University, South Korea is hosting an international conference on the subject (United Nations and Korean War (1950-53): Politics, War and Peace). The interdisciplinary conference will be on 21-24 October 2022.

The aim of this (on-site) conference is to explore the involvement of the United Nations for ‘the Forgotten War’ through the various case studies of individuals, groups, or nations. The theme can be analysed in a multidisciplinary approach of history, politics, anthropology, sociology, war strategy, human movement, medicine, refugee, POWs, Busan studies, unification policy, education, and human rights.

If you are interested or your current research is relevant to the Korean War, we invite your abstract before 15 June 2022.

Please send your abstract or panel proposals to David W. Kim (davidwj_kim@yahoo.co.uk) including the following information:

Paper title
Nominated stream
Name and affiliation
Contact details (email)
Abstract of 150-200 words
Biography of 80 words highlighting teaching and research interests and publications (3-4 title and year only).

Proposals for panels of 3 or 4 papers must include the above information for all papers and a brief description of the panel itself of 100 words.

There will be limited bursary for some accepted doctoral candidates and early career researchers ($100-$300 each) as well as award for two best papers ($500 each). The bursary and award will be given away after conference.

Post-conference Publication
The selected papers (in a book volume) will be published by the Cambridge Scholars Publishing or Routledge in UK.

Conference Committee
(Chair) David William Kim (Australian National University and Kookmin University, Seoul)
(Co-Chair) Kiseob Kim (Director, Institute for Korean Unification, Pusan National University)
Jihyun Kim (Institute for Korean Unification, Pusan National University)

Please see the conference website for more details: https://iku.pusan.ac.kr/iku/54496/subview.do

[CFP] Journeys: Spiritual and Physical Experiences in East Asian Buddhism (Cambridge Graduate Student Conference on East Asian Studies)

In Buddhism, the notion of journey holds a special meaning, as it is used allegorically to refer to the path towards nirvana, charting a passage from the world of suffering and illusion to an ideal blissful land. Buddhist teachings provide believers with the spiritual vehicle to embark on this journey that can either be pursued virtually inside one’s mind or in the physical world through one’s body. Since early times, many devoted believers embarked on their pilgrimage to remote regions searching for true dharma or the truth within. These physical journeys are recorded in hagiographies, records on pilgrimages by Buddhist monks, travel notes and fictional stories, and depicted visually in art and historical artefacts. At the same time, the journey could also be taken spiritually, through contemplative practices or other forms of imaginary travelling.

This conference invites graduate students based in the UK to submit proposals exploring the notion of journey. Topics include but are not limited to:

Meditative journey and visionary experiences in contemplation
Pilgrimage, miracles, and ascetic experiences,
Popular narratives, including supernatural stories and laymen accounts
Representations of journeys in art
The circulation of religious texts or Buddhist stories
Gender issues regarding Buddhist journeys
Journey of religious objects and scriptures

We also welcome submissions on topics relevant to Buddhism and/or other faiths in East Asia.

The conference will take place in person in Cambridge. There will be no hybrid arrangements. With the kind support from the Tzu Chi Foundation, we will be able to cover your travel costs and provide one-night accommodation here at Cambridge.

Please submit your abstract (250-300 words) by 31 March 2022 via email to Yizhuo Li (yl752@cam.ac.uk) and Junfu Wong (jw2034@cam.ac.uk). Please also include the following information in your proposal:
a) author(s)
b) affiliation
c) email address
d) title
e) keywords (up to three)

The final decision will be made by 30 April 2022.

Call for Papers – Death and Dying in East Asia

Call for Papers

Death and Dying in East Asia

International Symposium May 5-7, 2023

The Timothy Light Center for Chinese Studies at Western Michigan University invites paper proposals for the 2023 Asian Forum on “Death and Dying in East Asia.” We welcome papers from all disciplines and on pre-modern and modern/contemporary periods. We especially welcome papers exploring the following issues: ideas, concepts, and discourses on the meaning of death and the afterlife; ritual texts, art and material culture related to death and/or funerary practices; miraculous tales about the afterlife; death care and grief; the politics of death and dying and the portrayal of death in contemporary film and literature. Advanced graduate students and post-doctoral scholars are particularly welcome to apply. Full panel proposals will also be considered. The conference language will be English. We envision publication of papers after the conference.

The symposium will begin Friday evening May 6th, 2023 with a keynote address followed by panels on Saturday and a second keynote followed by a special panel on contemporary issues on Sunday morning. Hotels and meals will be covered by the Light Center. Limited travel support will be available for advanced graduate students and post-doctoral scholars. Please submit a 180-200 word abstract describing the proposed presentation along with your paper title, and a one to two page c.v. to Dr. Ying Zeng at hige-asia@wmich.edu by May 31, 2022.