===================================== MONASH ASIA INSTITUTE BULLETIN 2/2007 16 February 2007 ===================================== In this bulletin 1. Special screening of the film "In Search of a Road" 2. Conference: Negotiation, Conflict Prevention & Resolution in Everyday Life 3. MAI Reports from Asia: Thailand 4. Seminar: On the dialectics of friendship and interculturality in Indonesia 5. Seminar: Corporate rescues in Malaysia 6. Seminar: Fiqh, pesantren and awam 7. Seminar: Negotiating bun khun 8. Seminar: Islam's other nation: a fresh look at Indonesia 9. Seminar: Computer techniques for Tibetan texts 10. Talk: The art and architecture of two temples styles of Karnataka 11. Symposium: Australia and Asia in the 21st Century 12. Conference: Harvard (CIDRS) 13. HPAIR Academic Conference 2007 14. HPAIR Business Conference 15. Website of the month ===================================== Monash Asia Institute and Monash University News and Events ===================================== Item 1. Film Screening A screening of Dharmasena Pathiraja's film "In Search of a Road" will be held on: Sunday 18 February 2007, 4.00pm - 6.00pm Venue: University Theatre, Monash University Clayton campus “In Search of Road” takes as its main motifs, the northern railway line in Sri Lanka and the A9, the two main links running parallel from the north to the south of the country. The railway line and the A9 narrate the story of war and peace, of travel, mobility, place and displacement in this road movie turned documentary on the history of the Sri Lankan State and the ethnic conflict. The story unfolds even as its people embark on a long journey on 1 August 1905 though place, land, territory, war and peace, home and state into the land of the unknown, to a no-man’s land blurring the lines between fiction and reality, the film takes us on a 100 year journey through history and memory, into the future. -------------- Item 2. Japanese Studies Centre “Changing Identities and Networks in the Globalising World: Negotiation, Conflict Prevention and Conflict Resolution in Everyday Life” 23 February 2007, 9:00-17:30 Japanese Studies Centre, Building 54, Monash University Clayton Campus Organised by Afrasian Centre for Peace and Development Studies, Ryukoku University and Japanese Studies Centre, Monash University Funded by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan and Ryukoku University The symposium will address the following issues through four different panels: Panel 1: Global-Local Connections and Networks in Japanese Educational Settings Panel 2: The Ties that Bind: Social Networks and Remittances of Transnational Migrants in Asia Panel 3: The Role of Cultural Perceptions in Conflict Prevention Panel 4: Identity, Conflict and Diasporic Politics Registration is essential. Please send your name, affiliation and e-mail address to pauline.kent@arts.monash.edu.au by 20 February 2007 -------------- Item 3. MAI 'Reports from Asia' seminar Wednesday 28 February 2007, 1.00 pm - 2.00 pm Room S822, Level 8 South, Building 11 (Menzies), Monash University Clayton campus "Violence in Southern Thailand: A Clash between Two Islams?" Virginie Andre is a Phd candidate and researcher with the Global Terrorism Research Unit at Monash University. Virginie’s research is focusing on the framing of terrorism in Southern Thailand. Related areas of research are security, disarmament, conflict resolution, ethno-nationalism, separatism, democracy and military, especially in Thailand and Southeast Asia. The New Year’s bombings in Bangkok have once again brought the attention of the security community to the southern border provinces of Yala, Pattani, and Narathiwat, the three Muslim-majority districts, where over 2,000 people have died in the conflict. Despite the reconciliation efforts of the new Thai administration, violence continues to escalate and threatens the stability of the country. This seminar will contextualise and offer perspective on some of the important events of 2006. Virginie Andre conducted research in Thailand in November 2006 and met with key actors who are shaping an understanding of the conflict in Southern Thailand. She has also worked with NGOs in Thailand on conflict resolution issues. Before coming to Monash University, she was project officer for the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) in Brussels, and worked for the Asia-Europe Foundation in Singapore. ALL WELCOME RSVP with subject heading "Thai seminar" to Dr Tony Donaldson, tony.donaldson@adm.monash.edu.au -------------- Item 4. Seminar hosted by Centre of Southeast Asian Studies (Monash Asia Institute) Thursday 8 March 2007, 11.00 am SG02 (Manton Rooms), Menzies Building (11) Monash University Clayton campus “On the dialectics of friendship and interculturality in Indonesia” Speaker: Mr Eric Heuser PhD candidate, Institute of Cultural and Social Anthropology, University of Freiburg ALL WELCOME Enquiries: Dr Trudy Jacobsen, Post doctoral Researcher, School of Political & Social Inquiry, Monash University, Trudy.Jacobsen@arts.monash.edu.au -------------- Item 5. Joint Centre for Malaysian Studies/Centre for Southeast Asian Studies Seminar Thursday 15 March 2007 11.00 am - 12.30 pm Manton Room SG02, Ground Floor, Menzies Building (11) South, Monash University Clayton campus “Corporate rescues in Malaysia - An agenda for law reform” Associate Professor Aishah Bidin The talk will evaluate the adequacy of the current legal framework of corporate insolvency in Malaysia. The speaker is of the view that the current system is inadequate and that there is a need for the introduction of a corporate rescue or rehabilitation legal framework for Malaysia. In the process of introducing areas of reform on corporate insolvency and corporate rescues, a comparative analysis was made with other jurisdiction in an effort to set a benchmark in line with international standards. This includes comparative studies with the position in United Kingdom, Australia and Singapore. The talk will conclude with a legal framework for corporate rescue in Malaysia incorporating reform in terms of providing a rehabilitation plan, formulation of moratorium, a realistic framework and the emphasis on protection of creditors’ interests. Dr Aishah Bidin is an Associate Professor of Law and the former Deputy Dean at the Faculty of Law, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. Currently she is an Honorary Research Fellow at the Centre for Malaysian Studies in the Monash Asia Institute. She is also a Visiting Research Fellow in the Department of Business Law and Taxation Faculty of Business and Economics, Monash University. -------------- Item 6. Seminar hosted by Centre of Southeast Asian Studies (Monash Asia Institute) Thursday 22 March 2007, 11.00 am SG02 (Manton Rooms), Menzies Building (11) Monash University Clayton campus “Fiqh, pesantren and awam: non-specialists and the circulation of Islamic knowledge in Bandung” Speaker: Dr Julian Millie ARC Postdoctoral Fellow, Anthropology/CSEAS, Monash University ALL WELCOME Enquiries: Dr Trudy Jacobsen, Post doctoral Researcher, School of Political & Social Inquiry, Monash University, Trudy.Jacobsen@arts.monash.edu.au -------------- Item 7. Seminar hosted by Centre of Southeast Asian Studies (Monash Asia Institute) Thursday 29 March 2007, 11.00 am SG02 (Manton Rooms), Menzies Building (11) Monash University Clayton campus “Negotiating bun khun: Interpreting and reproducing the idea of ‘debt of gratitude’ in the context of education in Thailand” Speaker: Patawinee Yooyaem MA Candidate, School of Political and Social Inquiry, Monash University ALL WELCOME Enquiries: Dr Trudy Jacobsen, Post doctoral Researcher, School of Political & Social Inquiry, Monash University, Trudy.Jacobsen@arts.monash.edu.au -------------- Item 8. Seminar: Computer techniques for Tibetan texts Thursday 29 March 2007, 1.15 pm Room S822, Level 8 South, Building 11 (Menzies), Monash University Clayton campus “Personal computer techniques for Tibetan texts” Mr Jim Valby Personal computers can be very useful tools for research and translation of Tibetan texts. In this seminar I will explain how I enter Romanized Tibetan texts and prepare Tibetan-English dictionaries. I will also explain how I prepare keyword-in-context indices of technical terms, identify the locations of quotations, make lists of quoted texts, prepare critical editions from different editions of the same text, and create linguistic signatures based upon vocabulary frequency distribution. These concepts are applicable for research in texts of different languages. Jim Valby grew up in Rochester, New York, USA. He graduated from Middlebury College with a Physics degree and worked as an engineer. Subsequently, he gained Masters and Doctorate degrees in Tibetan Buddhism from the University of Saskatchewan. His theses, under Professor Herbert Guenther’s supervision, focused on Shrisingha, Vimalamitra and computers. Since 1989 he has lived in the Tsegyalgar area where he works on translations from Tibetan, transcripts of Chögyal Namkhai Norbu retreats, and other Dzogchen Community projects. He has led a number of Santi Maha Sangha (SMS) practice retreats, and is an authorized SMS instructor for Base and First levels. RSVP with subject heading "Tibetan seminar" to Dr Tony Donaldson, tony.donaldson@adm.monash.edu.au -------------- Item 9. Seminar hosted by Centre of Southeast Asian Studies (Monash Asia Institute) Thursday 5 April 2007, 11.00 am SG02 (Manton Rooms), Menzies Building (11) Monash University Clayton campus “Islam's other nation: a fresh look at Indonesia” Speaker: Professor Greg Barton Herb Feith Research Professor for the Study of Indonesia, Monash University ALL WELCOME Enquiries: Dr Trudy Jacobsen, Post doctoral Researcher, School of Political & Social Inquiry, Monash University, Trudy.Jacobsen@arts.monash.edu.au ===================================== Other News and Events ===================================== Item 10. The Asian Arts Society of Australia presents “The art and architecture of the Chalukya (6th – 7th centuries) and Hoysala (13th century) temples of Karnataka, South India.” A talk by Debra Parry Tuesday, 27 Feb 2007, 6.15 pm Victorian Writers' Centre, 1st Fl, Nicholas Building, 37 Swanston St, Melbourne The Chalukya style temples of Badami, Aihole and Pattadakal were built in the northern part of Karnataka in the 6th and 7th centuries and were early examples of temple building. The Hoysala style temples of Belur, Halebid and Somanathapur were built in the southern part of Karnataka in the 11th to 13th centuries. The Hoysala style is influenced by the Chalukya style, but is an amalgamation of styles. Debra is an art conservator. She travelled extensively in the State of Karnataka, while living there in the early 1990s. Entry fees: Members ($5), Non-members ($10), Refreshments provided Enquiries: Tel (02) 9428 0282 -------------- Item 11. “Australia and Asia in the 21st Century” Three interdisciplinary symposia will be presented by the Institute of Advanced Studies of the University of Western Australia this year: Theme 1: Labour, Migration and Economic Restructuring in the Asia Pacific (15-16 March 2007) Theme 2: Globalisation, Culture and Identity (17-18 May 2007) Theme 3: Australia and Asia: Issues of Global Security (16-17 August) Each theme includes a one day symposium and a public lecture the night before. Further information, see: http://www.ias.uwa.edu.au or contact UWA Institute of Advanced Studies at Tel: (08) 6488 1340 or ias@admin.uwa.edu.au -------------- Item 12. Harvard College China-India development and relations symposium (CIDRS) 30 March – 2 April 2007, New York City CIDRS is a four-day program of keynote speeches, breakouts, plenary sessions, and student paper presentations focusing entirely on China's and India's most pressing development and international relations topics. CIDRS seeks to foster a fuller understanding of the link between China and India through dialogue and exchange of ideas. CIDRS is organised by a team of Harvard students under the auspices of the Harvard Project for Asian and International Relations (HPAIR), a registered student group of Harvard College. Session topics will include: civil society, sustainable development, energy relations, human rights protection, China, India, and the U.S., and more! A list of session topics and speakers can be found at www.cidrs.org/about/program.aspx. Details and Registration: http://www.cidrs.org. -------------- Item 13. HPAIR Academic Conference 17-20 August 2007, Beijing Final application deadline: March 15th, 2007 The Harvard Project for Asian and International Relations (HPAIR) invites you to participate in their annual summer student conference in Asia. HPAIR is a partnership between the students and faculty of Harvard University, offering a sustained academic program and a forum of exchange to facilitate discussion of the most important economic, political, and social issues relevant to the Asia-Pacific region. HPAIR's international conference has emerged as the largest annual Harvard event in Asia and the largest annual student conference in the Asia-Pacific region, attracting a wide variety of distinguished speakers and future leaders as Harvard's student outpost in Asia. Past speakers at our conferences include former South Korean President Kim Dae-jung, Singapore President S.R. Nathan, Secretary-General of ASEAN Ong Keng Yong, and former Japanese Finance Minister Heizo Takanaka. The theme will be "Engaging Asia: Discourse and Dialogue" The HPAIR 2007 workshops will focus on the following six topics: -Economic Growth in Asia and its Effects on Society -Comparative Notions of Leadership -Understanding Security Issues in East Asia -Inequality and Social Policy in Asia -Asia's Information Society -Popular Culture in Asia Details and Registration: http://www.hpair2007.org/apply/ Enquiries, email help@hpair.org -------------- Item 14. HPAIR Business Conference "Engaging Asia: Collaboration and Competition" 24 – 26 August 2007, Hong Kong, Grand Hyatt and Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) Co-hosted by the University of Hong Kong Final application deadline: 15 March 2007 The HPAIR Business Conference annually brings together hundreds of international students and young professionals to interact and learn from the most prominent leaders in the world of business, government and law. The aim is to promote discourse on the critical issues influencing Asia's dynamic business landscape. Plenaries: - Made in China: the competitive advantage - Pan Asian integration: economic growth and foreign investment Panels: - Acres of diamonds: Asia's outstanding entrepreneurs and how to find them - Capital rules: risk, reward and innovation in Asia's financial institutions - Selling news, selling fun: media and entertainment in Asia - Home-grown dragons: how Asia's family firms became world leaders - Asia (TM): building a brand in Asia - Global investors: Asia's capital working at home and abroad - Law in the boardroom, law on the streets: corporate governance and regulation - Bright and green: the future of energy, infrastructure, and the environment Workshops: - Mergers and acquisitions - Consumer branding - Law and regulation - Managing and recruiting talent The HPAIR Business Conference now invites all university students to apply to participate as conference delegates. Graduate students, post-graduate students and professionals are also welcome to apply as a regular delegate. Details: http://www.hpair2007.org/bconf/ Enquiries, email help@hpair.org -------------- Item 15. Website of the month http://www.idsa.in/ The website for the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA) contains a wide range of article abstracts on Asia. =========================================================== The Monash Asia Institute Newsletter incorporates news items from the six research centres of the Monash Asia Institute, partner organisations and other groups working to promote Asian Studies in Australia. For further information about the Monash Asia Institute and this newsletter: http://www.arts.monash.edu.au/mai/ To unsubscribe, please send an email to: monash.asia.institute@adm.monash.edu.au ===========================================================