Current Research
Current Research, November 2021
Political Science with a Focus on Chinese and East Asian Area Studies
Academic Coordinator
(IZO and CEDITRAA)
IZO Events
Public Lecture on the Occasion of the IZO Advisory Board Meeting
Board meetings
Announcements
Policy consultation and direct public interaction with political decision makers play an important role in foregrounding the social relevance of Chinese and Asian Studies. It is for this reason that the IZO's Academic Coordinator, Bertram Lang, makes regular contributions to policy journals and to studies conducted by NGOs and public institutions.
When a controversial passage about non-profit organisations in the draft EU-China investment agreement became public in March 2021, the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament commissioned Bertram Lang to submit a study on the role of civil society in Europe's policy on China. In this study Mr Lang takes a critical look at the position of the European Commission and the European member states and makes specific suggestions on how expert knowledge in civil societies might be better integrated into European foreign and trade policy, so as to emphasize the European interest in an international order endorsed by a multiplicity of actors and to stress European values.
In a webinar chaired by Christina Sadeler on 8 December 2021, Bertram Lang and Reinhard Bütikofer, Member of the European Parliament and China expert of the Green Party, discussed the study's central arguments as well as options for future action with regard to the investment agreement which is currently on halt.
Addendum: The webinar is now freely accessible here.
Download link to the study:
IZO Events
On 29 November 2021 Professor Barry Naughton, chair of Chinese International Affairs at the UC San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy, took part in two events organised by IZO at the Forschungskolleg Humanwissenschaften in Bad Homburg. Under the title "China Summer 2021: From Industrial Policy to Comprehensive Steerage?" Naughton discussed the spate of far-reaching regulatory measures and radical reforms launched in recent months by the leadership of the Communist Party of the People's Republic of China.
In the afternoon, following a discussion with IZO research staff and guests, Prof. Naughton was available for the many questions of junior researchers from the recently established IZO Early Career Researcher Network. This opportunity for an informal exchange of ideas was eagerly seized upon and the discussion about Naughton's research work as well as the future perspectives of research about and in China could easily have exceeded the three hours that had been allocated for this.
We would like to extend our thanks to Barry Naughton for this inspirational debate and we look forward to further meetings of the IZO ECR network in the months ahead.
IZO Events
Dear friends of the IZO,
We are pleased to announce Prof. Barry Naughton's talk on “China Summer 2021: From Industrial Policy to Comprehensive Steerage?“ which is to be delivered on Friday, 29 October. Barry Naughton holds the So Kwan Lok Chair of Chinese International Affairs at UC San Diego and for many years he has been one of the most eminent political economists studying the People's Republic of China. It is his work on Chinese industrial policy which is of particular interest and relevance at the present moment since he was one of the few American economists who from an early date recognized a new management approach in Xi's economic policy and put it in a theoretical context.
This event will be in two parts. It takes place at the Forschungskolleg Humanwissenschaften in Bad Homburg.
In the morning between 9.00 and 12.00 am there will be a lecture by Prof. Naughton, followed by an extensive discussion in workshop format. Because of limited space and current hygiene regulations it is advisable to book in advance (izo@uni-frankfurt.de).
In the afternoon between 2.15 and 5 pm the first exclusive IZO Early Career Researcher Network event will take place. Network members will have an opportunity to exchange ideas with Barry Naughton about his latest book, The Rise of China's Industrial Policy, and also more generally about career prospects and research conditions in the Chinese context. Doctoral students and post-docs who are interested in participating are invited to contact Bertram Lang (izo@uni-frankfurt.de) and to apply for membership in the network.
Please note that in the Grosser Salon (large hall) we cannot space out the seats sufficiently. Participants have therefore to comply with the “2G rule". Access will be granted only on production of a valid vaccination pass or proof of full recovery from a Covid infection, and it requires prior registration in writing (first name, name, address or phone number).
We look forward to your participation and hope for a lively debate!
Current Research
Current Research, October 2021
Abstract
Before the Covid-19 pandemic deeply impacted the economies and societies of Southeast Asia, Malaysia had achieved many of the goals formulated in the so-called “Vision 2020" during the era of Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad (1981-2003). As this long-term development program emphasized strongly on knowledge society (k-society), knowledge economy (k-economy) and Information and Computer Technology (ICT), one important legacy of this era was the establishment of numerous excellent academic programs, including in technological disciplines. The post-Mahathir administrations since the early 2000s built on this asset and successfully transformed the country's Higher Education sector further, so that it attracted hundreds of thousands of international students from the early 2000s until the beginning of the Covid-19 crisis in early 2020. This paper examines the linguistic and cultural implications of Malaysia's emerging role as hub of both international Higher Education and Industry 4.0.
Announcements
Winter Semester 2021/22, Forschungskolleg Humanwissenschaften
During the winter semester 2021-22 Professor Zhivi Yang (Chinese Studies) will organized the lecture series “Sinophone Classicism" in cooperation with the Forschungskolleg Humanwissenschaften in Bad Homburg.
About the lecture series:
In recent years, literary and cultural works that evoke the cultural memories of classical Chinese traditions are gaining popularity in the global Sinophone space and cyberspace. From literary to visual culture, from pop music to fashion, from state policies to daily rituals, these classicist articulations present Chineseness as complicated, multifaceted, multilingual, and cross-cultural. The Forschungskolleg Humanwissenschaften is dedicating the lecture series »Sinophone Classicism: Chinese Cultural Memories in a Global Space« to exploring these contemporary forms of expression. We invite prominent scholars, writers, and artists to present case studies from their research or to reflect upon their aesthetic practices. The lecture series is conceptualized and organized by Zhiyi Yang, Professor of Sinology at Goethe University, who is currently Goethe Fellow at the Forschungskolleg Humanwissenschaften.
Current Research
Announcements
Members of the project (from left to right): Dr. Aimi Muranaka , Dr. Helena Hof, Dr. Ruth Achenbach , Dr. Megha Wadhwa and Dr. Joohyun Justine Park; Fotograf/courtesy of: M. Wadhwa |
We are pleased to announce that the website of the new project Qualification and Skill in the Migration Process of Foreign Workers in Asia"Qualification" in the migration process of foreign skilled workers in Asia is now live! At www.quamafa.de you will find up-to-date information on our work on qualified migration in Asia, including lecture series, publications, movies... QuaMaFA is a joint research project of the IZO of the Goethe University Frankfurt in cooperation with the FU Berlin and the University of Duisburg-Essen and the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity! |