The York Centre for Asian Research (YCAR) is currently organizing a graduate student conference, titled "(Re)constructions: Researching and Rethinking Asia," April 26 – 27, 2013 on York University Glendon Campus, Toronto, Canada. How does scholarship of or about “Asia” contribute to dispelling geographies of ignorance? How can our own work better contribute to understanding, and pointing out the misunderstandings, of the categories, spaces and frameworks constructed as part of Asian Studies within and beyond the territorial limits of “Asia”? The question of reconstructing the conceptual frameworks for research in Asia and Asian Diaspora has been actively debated in the last few decades, reflecting dynamic changes in both scholars' and broader society’s notions of Asia. These discussions pay critical attention to the modern politics of constructing Asian spaces and identities, and of disseminating knowledge of the area throughout the world. The disciplinary divides traditionally associated with Area Studies are also being contested, and more interdisciplinary approaches are being demanded for researching Asia. Taking up this challenge, the conference seeks graduate student research that can speak to ways of rethinking the epistemologies and methodologies of researching Asia, and reconstructing conventional categories and frameworks from a broad range of disciplines
 

Interested participants should submit a paper title, abstract with keywords (250 words maximum) along with brief biographical information including name, affiliation and stage of graduate study by December 1. Please email submissions to the conference organizers.