Korea University Graduate Student Conference in Asian Studies in conjunction with the 2017 AAS-in-ASIA Conference
Korea University, Seoul, South Korea
Friday, June 23rd, 2017
The Korea University Graduate Student (KUGS) Conference invites graduate students from around the world conducting research in Asian Studies to submit abstracts for individual papers for our 2017 conference. This conference will be held in conjunction with the 2017 AAS-in-ASIA Conference, one day before the AAS conference commences. The KUGS Conference aims to provide a forum for graduate students to exchange ideas and discuss current research on Asian Studies. This conference, on Korea University’s Anam campus in Seoul, is an opportunity for young scholars to present their research to both their peers and eminent scholars. The conference will also enable participants to meet others in their field conducting similar research, and to gain experience in presenting their work for discussion. All panels and presentations will be presided by senior scholars in related fields, and a select number of papers will be chosen for publication in the Cross Currents: East Asian History and Culture Review. Limited travel grants are available (amount to be determined), and accommodations will be provided.
The 2017 Korea University Graduate Student Conference special theme is “Beyond Borders and Boundaries” which can be understood on multiple levels and is inclusive of a wide variety of topics and time periods. First, the theme emphasizes adaptability and adjustability, and encourages scholars to imagine an Asia before it was defined as “Asia.” This includes not only re-considering state borders that demarcate the outermost boundary of a country, but also what constitutes the bounds of culture or intellectual influences. Second, the special theme invites scholars to consider the peripheries and what happened beyond the center, either literally or figuratively. Rather than focus on the mainstream, future studies that examine the frontier or the perimeter can enhance our understanding and add depth. Lastly, the conference theme aims to remind participants that Korea was not always a divided nation, but only in recent history seen as separated between north and south. Next year’s conference hopes to encourage graduate students studying abroad to include innovative interpretations, new perspectives, and fresh approaches to Asian Studies.
Eligibility and Application Guidelines:1. Applicants must be currently enrolled in a program of graduate study (“postgraduate” in British degree classification systems).
2. Papers must be related to Asian Studies.
3. Abstracts must be no longer than 250 words.
4. Deadline for abstract submission: Saturday, December 31st, 2016 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Email submissions to: 2017kugs@gmail.com