[Reader-list] Asian Borderlands Conference

[anupam chakravartty]

Asian Borderlands: Enclosure, Interaction and Transformation

2nd Conference of the Asian Borderlands Research Network,
Chiang Mai University (RCSD), November 5th - 7th 2010

State-centered views of the world continue to predominate, but it is
increasingly apparent that these restrict perspectives on dynamics within
broader regional fields. In an attempt to leapfrog a definition of the world
in terms of national economies, societies, cultures and histories,
‘borderland' centered perspectives have emerged. But whereas borderland
studies have quickly developed in Africa, Europe and North America, the
field is still in its infancy in Asia. ‘Asian Borderlands: Enclosure,
Interaction and Transformation' intends to encourage scholarship that looks
across Asian borders.

The conference takes its cue from an important new book by James C. Scott,
'The Art of Not Being Governed: An Anarchist History of Upland Southeast
Asia' (Yale UP, 2009). In this book, Scott focuses on the mountainous
regions of the Himalayas and its lower ranges that run from the Central
Highlands in Vietnam, most of Laos, Northern Thailand, Southwest China,
Northern Burma, Northeast
India, Eastern Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Tibet. The 200 million people
living in this huge region (over 15 million km2) are geographically
dispersed and culturally diverse, yet they share crucial cultural, economic
and social characteristics: hill agriculture, physical mobility, relatively
egalitarian social structures, as well as commonalities in material culture
and outlook.

National borders often appear utterly arbitrary to them as many groups spill
across two or more national borders. In this way they distinguish themselves
from the lowland populations who dominate the states in which they live.
Scott refers to this region as ‘Zomia', a term coined by Willem van Schendel
(2002/2005).

What is the viability and relevance of a concept such as Zomia for the study
of Asian borderlands? To what extend are people in such border zones sharing
ideas, practices and attitudes? Why and how do they remain different? How
are relationships, alliances and conflicts between hills and plains people
defined?

In what ways are cultural and social dynamics in and beyond such a region
influenced by political boundaries? How do people engage in, and are engaged
by, processes of modernization and globalization?
We invite conceptually innovative papers, based on new research, which
address questions such as these, in order to develop new perspectives on the
study of Asian borderlands. Panels will be considered that have a thematic
focus, are of a comparative character, and involve scholars affiliated to
distinct research
institutions. Please submit proposals through the webform that will be made
available at www.asianborderlands.net. Deadline: December 1st 2009.
Participants will be notified by February 1st, 2010.

Participants are expected to fund their own travel and stay. Very limited
financial support may be made available to specific scholars residing in
Asia.

Convenors: Dr. Chayan Vaddhanaphuti, Prof. Willem van Schendel, Dr. Erik de
Maaker