The network will explore the nature of connections, comparisons and circulations across multiple Asian settings.
Building on the Inter-Asia studies framework, we will investigate interactions within Asia across the fields of politics and policy, economics and trade, education and migration, the environment and development, and religion and culture. In doing so the contributors to the network will address broader theoretical questions pertinent to regional studies more generally, especially those relating to globalisation, environment issues, and the politics of identity. The initial partners for the project are the Asia Research Institute (ARI) and the Middle East Institute (MEI) at the National University of Singapore, the newly established Koç University Asia Centre (KUASIA), Istanbul, and the Afghanistan Institute for Strategic Studies (AISS), Kabul.
Objectives
- To establish an institutional framework for research collaboration, policy elaboration and knowledge exchange about the dynamic nature of Inter-Asian connections, comparisons, and circulations.
- To develop an original comparative programme of research on Inter-Asian dynamics across the fields of religion, trade and commerce, politics and policy, education and migration, and the environment.
- To interrogate the concept of ‘Inter-Asia’ with respect to the comparative study of three axes of Asian interactions: Eurasia; West Asia/Middle East - East Asia; the Indian Ocean.
- To enhance the global profile of the Sussex Asia Centre.
- To build capacity and sustainability of early career researchers in the field of Inter-Asian studies via the inclusion of Sussex doctoral scholars/postdoctoral fellows in the project.
- To support the internationalisation and mobility of Sussex academic staff and doctoral scholars through secondments tothe University of Singapore/ Koç University.
- To provide a platform for applications for future research on the central themes addressed by network participants.
- To advance the publication of scholarship concerning the comparative analysis of different axes of Inter-Asian interaction.
- To attract the highest quality of international students to Schools across Sussex through the promotion of Sussex Asia Centre’s research and publications in the field of Inter-Asian studies.