AAS Digital Dialogues

AAS Digital Dialogues are online webinars on issues related to professional development and the field of Asian Studies. All AAS Members enjoy free registration for live Digital Dialogue sessions, which include the opportunity to ask questions of speakers. Non-members may view webinar recordings, which are posted at the AAS website and added to the association’s Vimeo channel following the event.

We welcome your Digital Dialogue proposals! See proposal guidelines and submission instructions here.


Upcoming AAS Digital Dialogues

No Digital Dialogues are currently scheduled, please check back later for upcoming sessions.

Past AAS Digital Dialogues

Global Anti-Asian Racism Book Launch

Please join us on February 28, 2024 for the virtual book launch of Global Anti-Asian Racism, a new Asia Shorts volume edited by Jennifer Ho (University of Colorado Boulder), featuring thought-provoking contributions from 13 authors. WATCH EVENT VIDEO

Freedom Undone Book Launch

Register now to attend the February 7, 2024 online book launch of Freedom Undone: The Assault on Liberal Values and Institutions in Hong Kong, a new Asia Shorts volume by Michael C. Davis. WATCH EVENT VIDEO

Reform and Nation-Building Book Launch

Please join us on Wednesday, January 24, 2024 to celebrate the launch of Reform and Nation-Building: Essays on Socio-Political Transformation in Malaysia, a new volume by Sharifah Munirah Alatas in the AAS Publications Asia Shorts series. WATCH EVENT VIDEO

New Resources in Asian Studies

Register now to join other AAS Members on Wednesday, January 24, 2024, in a showcase of new resources in Asian Studies for 2024. Representatives from four recently launched organizations/initiatives will present their projects, provide an overview of planned activities, and share with audience members how they can get involved. WATCH EVENT VIDEO

Women in Japanese Studies Book Launch

Please join Alisa Freedman, contributors to Women in Japanese Studies: Memoirs from a Trailblazing Generation, and AAS Digital Media Manager Maura Elizabeth Cunningham on December 5 for an online book launch. WATCH EVENT VIDEO

Preparing Your AAS-in-Asia Panel Proposal

“Preparing Your AAS-in-Asia Panel Proposal” will introduce the AAS-in-Asia Call for Proposals (CFP) and de-mystify this often intimidating process. AAS Director of Special Initiatives Krisna Uk will provide viewers with an overview of submission guidelines, discuss how the Program Committee carries out its work, and respond to audience questions. LEARN MORE

“Meet the Editors” Series

These webinars, taking place over four consecutive weeks, will showcase the journals, book series, and online database produced by AAS Publications, providing invaluable information for potential authors. LEARN MORE AND WATCH EVENT VIDEO

Applying for the 2023-2024 CHSS Research Grants

This AAS Digital Dialogue is designed to provide further information on the “Cultivating the Humanities and Social Sciences and Supporting Under-Represented Scholars of Asia” (CHSS) grant and the application process to all those interested in applying for the 2023-2024 cycle. During the session, AAS Director of Special Initiatives Krisna Uk and Grants Program Manager Molly DeDona will provide an overview of the CHSS grant program and application process. Ample time will be reserved for audience questions. LEARN MORE AND WATCH EVENT VIDEO

Introduction to the AAS-Gale Fellowship

On Wednesday, April 12 at 11:00am Eastern time, we will hold an AAS Digital Dialogue that will serve as an informational session on the newly established AAS-Gale Fellowship WATCH EVENT VIDEO

Members Serving Members: The Function of Representation in the AAS

On Wednesday, February 8 at 4:00pm Eastern Time, we will hold an AAS Digital Dialogue for all members considering nomination/self-nomination for the 2023 election. Please join us online for more information about the nomination process and the function of representation in the Association. WATCH EVENT VIDEO

Book Launch: New Threats to Academic Freedom in Asia

Wednesday, November 30, 2022 7:00pm Eastern Time

Join us to celebrate the publication of New Threats to Academic Freedom a new Asia Shorts volume edited by Dimitar D. Gueorguiev. LEARN MORE

From Dissertation to Book

A four-part series designed to demystify the process of turning a dissertation into a book manuscript and getting it published. Sessions begin Wednesday, October 26 and continue weekly. LEARN MORE

Book Launch: Who Is the Asianist?

Thursday, October 6, 2022 1:00pm Eastern Time

Join us to celebrate the publication of Who Is the Asianist? The Politics of Representation in Asian Studies, a new Asia Shorts volume edited by Will Bridges, Nitasha Tamar Sharma, and Marvin D. Sterling. WATCH EVENT VIDEO

Mechademia: Critical Vistas Upon Global Asian Studies

Monday, September 19, 2022 8:00pm Eastern Time

This AAS Digital Dialogue session will explore the relationship between Asian Studies and Mechademia, an intellectual community built around a conference and a journal that has stood at the forefront of youth-focused Asian popular culture scholarship since its inception in the early 2000s. LEARN MORE

Learn more about “Cultivating the Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS) Research Grant” opportunity

Thursday, September 1, 2022 9:00am Eastern Time

Have questions regarding the Cultivating the Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS) Initiative Research Grants? Need answers regarding eligibility and how to apply? Join us for a conversational, interactive discussion with Krisna Uk, AAS Director of Special Initiatives, Christopher Perez, SIDA Grant Financial Coordinator, and Molly DeDona, AAS Grant Programs Manger, to personally guide you through the application process and offer best practices. WATCH EVENT VIDEO

Meet the Education About Asia and Key Issues in Asian Studies Editor

Session 4 in the Summer 2022 “Meet the Editor” Series

Wednesday, August 10, 2022 3:00pm Eastern Time

Lucien Ellington will discuss the two pedagogical publications of the AAS that he edits: Education About Asia, an open-access teaching resource journal, and Key Issues in Asian Studies, short books ideal for adoption as classroom texts. WATCH EVENT VIDEO

Meet the Bibliography of Asian Studies Editor

Session 3 in the Summer 2022 “Meet the Editor” Series

Tuesday, July 19, 2022 3:30pm Eastern Time

Bibliography of Asian Studies Editor David Magier will introduce this resource, which contains over 900,000 citations and continues to grow. WATCH EVENT VIDEO

Meet the Asia Shorts Editor

Session 2 in the Summer 2022 “Meet the Editor” Series

Wednesday, June 29, 2022 3:00pm Eastern Time

Asia Shorts book series Editor David Kenley will introduce the series and discuss how potential authors can prepare a manuscript for submission. WATCH EVENT VIDEO

Meet the Journal of Asian Studies Editor

Session 1 in the Summer 2022 “Meet the Editor” Series

Wednesday, June 1, 2022 7:00pm Eastern Time

Journal of Asian Studies Editor Joseph S. Alter will talk about preparing a manuscript for JAS, going through the review process, and more. WATCH EVENT VIDEO

AAS 2022 Member Meeting

May 17, 2022, 4:00pm Eastern Time

Join AAS for a rebroadcast of the Member Meeting that took place on March 26 at the 2022 Annual Conference in Honolulu. Following the recorded event, there will be a live Q&A with Executive Director Hilary Finchum-SungLEARN MORE

Activists and Advocacy Beyond Academia

May 2, 2022, 9:00am Eastern Time

The third webinar in our Academics Online series, this event will feature activists who work in public domains in connection with sensitive topics in East and South Asia. Hear from speakers Kavita Krishnan, Lala Lau, Stephanie Minyoung Lee, and Ahkok Chun-Kwok Wong as they discuss their experiences navigating online spaces and discourse. LEARN MORE

Burmese Haze: US Policy and Myanmar’s Opening—and Closing

April 26, 2022, 7:00pm Eastern Time

Join the Association for Asian Studies to launch our newest Asia Shorts title, Burmese Haze: US Policy and Myanmar’s Opening—and Closing, by Erin Murphy. Murphy will be joined by journalist Timothy McLaughlin and session moderator Maura Elizabeth Cunningham. LEARN MORE

Academics Online: Best Practices for Social Media Safety

March 10, 2022, 5:00pm Eastern Time

This webinar, the second in the three-part series of Academics Online events, will introduce practical tips for academics and others who engage on social media, particularly through Twitter. The workshop will be conducted by Paula R. Curtis (Postdoctoral Fellow and Lecturer in History, UCLA).  LEARN MORE

Global Networks for Asian Studies: A Roundtable

March 2, 2022, 6:00pm Eastern Time

This roundtable represents a continuing conversation amongst Asian Studies association leaders in Asia, Europe, and North America that began at the University of the Philippines in fall 2021. Roundtable will discuss the shape of Asian Studies in diverse regions and seek ways to collaborate in addressing global inequities and contributing to a vibrant future for Asian Studies. LEARN MORE

Academics Online: Digital Harassment Across Asias

February 16, 2022, 3:00pm Eastern Time

This webinar, the first in the three-part series of Academics Online events, will offer lightning talks by scholars of China, Japan, India, and Hong Kong, with the aim of building knowledge and awareness of critical issues surrounding public-facing scholarship, activism, and online harassment in Asian Studies. WATCH EVENT VIDEO

Striving for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Asian Studies: Humanities Grants for Asian Studies Scholars

November 10, 2021, 4:00pm Eastern Time

Have questions? Need answers? Join us on Wednesday, November 10th at 4:00 PM ET for a conversational, interactive discussion with Hilary Finchum-Sung, AAS Executive Director, and Molly DeDona, AAS Grants Coordinator, to personally guide you on the application process and offer best practices. WATCH EVENT VIDEO

Japan on American TV

October 27, 2021, 7:00pm Eastern Time

Japan on American TV explores political, economic, and cultural issues underlying depictions of Japan on US television comedies and the programs they inspired. This session will feature panelists Alisa Freedman (Author, Japan on American TV), Anne Allison, Jan Bardsley, and Bill Tsutsui. WATCH EVENT VIDEO

The Exclusionary Violence of the Modern Nation-State: Stories from South and Southeast Asia

September 30, 2021, 11:00am Eastern Time

Our second Digital Dialogue held in conjunction with “Re-envisioning Asia: Contestations and Struggles in the Visual Arts” Film Festival engages with films that depict the ongoing violence in places like Indian Kashmir, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar in recent years. Session panelists include Greg Butanski, Iftikhar Dadi, Iffat Fatima, Jeanne Marie Hallacy, Nant, and Udan Fernando with session chair Kamran Asdar Ali. LEARN MORE

Unruly Subjects, Disruptive Mobilities: On Telling Stories of Everyday Struggles for Justice

September 24, 2021, 11:00am Eastern Time

Our first Digital Dialogue held in conjunction with “Re-envisioning Asia: Contestations and Struggles in the Visual Arts” Film Festival engages with a set of rich, multi-layered films and shorts from Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, and India. Session panelists include Sopheap Chea, Rubaiyat Hossain, Sarvnik Kaur, Rany Phok, and Elizabeth Sim with moderator Dina Siddiqi. LEARN MORE

Critical Muslim Studies (Part VI)

Cancelled

The sixth and final webinar in the mini-series “Critical Muslim Studies”. This session will feature panelists Suriyah Bi, Najwa Mayer, Saugher Nojan, and Shaista Patel with moderator Jean Beaman. LEARN MORE

Critical Muslim Studies (Part V)

August 27, 2021, 3:00pm Eastern Time

The fifth installment of an ongoing series of conversations on “Critical Muslim Studies” with panelists Nafeesa Andrabi, Samah Choudhury, Mariam Durrani, and Bilal Nasir with moderator Evelyn Alsultany. WATCH EVENT VIDEO

Critical Muslim Studies (Part IV)

Friday, May 7, 2021, 3:00pm Eastern Time

The forth installment of an ongoing series of conversations on “Critical Muslim Studies” with panelists Ahmed Afzal, Mujahid Osman, and Hadeth Rassol with moderator Neda Maghbouleh. WATCH EVENT VIDEO

Critical Muslim Studies (Part III)

Friday, April 16, 2021, 3:00pm Eastern Time

The third installment of an ongoing series of conversations on “Critical Muslim Studies” will focus on the topic of “Writing, Educating, and Conceptualizing Muslims across Asia and Asian America” with panelists Nadeen Kharputly, Maheen Haider, and Haleema Welji with moderator Stan Thangaraj. WATCH EVENT VIDEO

Critical Muslim Studies (Part II)

February 26, 2021, 3:00pm Eastern Time

This is the second of several conversations on “Critical Muslim Studies” with panelists Thomas Simsarian Dolan, Atiya Husain, Inaash Islam, and moderator Amira Jarmakani. WATCH EVENT VIDEO

Queering Our Worlds: A Tribute to Mark McLelland

February 25, 2021, 7:00pm Eastern Time

A memorial roundtable celebrating the life and work of scholar Mark McLelland (1966-2020). WATCH EVENT VIDEO

Black China Trailblazers

February 8, 2021, 7:00pm Eastern Time

This Digital Dialogue is a Black History Month event jointly hosted by the Association for Asian Studies and Black China Caucus. This moment of collective reflection and analysis will engage with the contributions of Black individuals to the China space. LEARN MORE

Critical Muslim Studies (Part I)

January 29, 2021, 4:00pm Eastern Time

This is the first of several conversations on “Critical Muslim Studies” that center engaging with “Muslim” as an object and subject of knowledge in these times of increased ethno-nationalist populism, neo-colonial governmentality, and rising Islamophobia. WATCH EVENT VIDEO

Meet Your Council: Council of Conferences Open House

January 26, 2021, 7:00pm Eastern Time

The Council of Conferences (COC) invites all AAS members to join us for an open house informational meeting to learn about what the council does, how your region might secure funding for outreach and conference activity, and ways to get involved in the COC. LEARN MORE

Teaching About Asia in a Time of Pandemic

Monday, December 14, 2020, 3:00 PM Eastern Time

How did the pandemic compel creative, new approaches by faculty teaching Asian Studies courses in 2020? In what ways did these experiences expose fissures in the discourse and framing of Asia-centric pedagogy in the U.S? This panel addresses these questions in the shadow of global pandemic. WATCH EVENT VIDEO

Rediscovering Historical China: A Reflection on the Work and Mentorship of Professor Daniel H. Bays (1942-2019)

Friday, December 4, 2020, 4:00-5:15 PM Eastern Time

On May 9, 2019, Professor Daniel H. Bays (1942-2019), B.A. Stanford 1964, M.A. 1967 Michigan, and Ph.D. 1971 Michigan, passed away. The fields of modern Chinese history, Christianity in China, and the history of U.S.-China relations lost a wonderful thinker, leader and helper. WATCH EVENT VIDEO

Making Hong Kong China: The Rollback of Human Rights and the Rule of Law

November 17, 2020, 7:00pm Eastern Time

How can one of the world’s most free-wheeling cities transition from a vibrant global center of culture and finance into a subject of authoritarian control? Law scholar Michael C. Davis takes up this question in his new book, Making Hong Kong China: The Rollback of Human Rights and the Rule of Law. Davis will be joined by Mary Hui (journalist at Quartz), Maggie Lewis (Seton Hall University), and Shui-yin Sharon Yam (University of Kentucky) to discuss recent events in Hong Kong. WATCH EVENT VIDEO

Meet Your Council: South Asia Council Open House

November 13, 2020, 7:00pm Eastern Time

The South Asia Council invites its members to join us for an open house informational meeting to discuss what the council does, the structure of AAS governance, and how the SAC can support you. LEARN MORE

Promoting Gender Equity and Fair Practices in Asian Studies

October 14, 2020, 5:00pm Eastern Time

AAS Executive Director Hilary Finchum-Sung will moderate this roundtable with scholars Kathleen Cruz Gutierrez, Laura Lee Junker, Colleen Laird, and Enhua Zhang, about possible shifts in practices and methods to address systemic gender inequalities in our field and at our institutions.  We will focus on ways in which we can work together to promote equitable and fair practices in professional development and mentoring in Asian Studies. LEARN MORE

AAS Governance and You

August 25, 2020, 3:00pm Eastern Time

Presented by AAS Executive Director Hilary Finchum-Sung and Digital Media Manager Maura Cunningham, this webinar aims to enhance member understanding of the overall processes and procedures underscoring the day-to-day operations of the Association as well as provides fundamental information essential to understanding the function of our annual elections. WATCH EVENT VIDEO

Preparing Your Book Proposal

August 5, 2020, 7:00pm Eastern Time

Allison Alexy, a cultural anthropologist focused on Japan; Stephanie Chun, an acquisitions editor at the University of Hawai’i Press; and Sungyun Lim, a historian of Korea, will discuss how to craft a book proposal for an academic press. WATCH EVENT VIDEO

Meet Your Council: CIAC Open House

July 31, 2020, 6:00pm Eastern Time

Join members of the China & Inner Asia Council for an informational meeting about what the council does, the structure of AAS governance, and how members might get involved in CIAC. LEARN MORE

Asian Studies and Black Lives Matter

July 22, 2020, 7:00pm Eastern Time

AAS President Christine Yano moderates a discussion among scholars William H. Bridges IV, Keisha A. Brown, Yasmine Krings, and Marvin D. Sterling about how we can address concerns regarding diversity in Asian Studies programs and research. WATCH EVENT VIDEO

Preparing Your #AAS2021 Proposal

June 24, 2020, 3:00pm Eastern Time

AAS 2021 Program Committee Chair Brian Hatcher, past Program Committee Member Miriam Kingsberg Kadia, and Conference Manager Robyn Jones review the Call for Proposals process and explain how the Program Committee carries out its work. WATCH EVENT VIDEO

The AAS Digital Dialogues program was launched in June 2020 with generous support from the Henry Luce Foundation.