International Workshop on Mob Politics Asia
12-13 March 2015
Asia Research Institute, National University of Singapore

Over the past few years, several Asian countries have seen mass demonstrations and occupation of public spaces for sustained duration, the recent examples being the still ongoing ‘Occupy Hong Kong Central’ movement, the Sunflower Student Movement in Taipei and the alternating Red and Yellow Shirt occupation of Bangkok. These mass movements may also be placed within two possible lineages: first, a more recent international lineage from Arab Spring through Occupy Wall Street to the two Occupy Movements and, secondly within an Asian lineage, starting from People’s Power in the Philippines through the Anti-beef Candle Light Demonstrations in Seoul to the present examples. Each has its own political objectives, with varying degrees of success. The international workshop on ‘Mob Politics in Asia’ proposed to bring Cultural Studies scholars in the different Asian locations who have been participants, observers and analysts of these events to compare their experiences.

Two specific foci will be explore: first, ethnographies of the movements which documents the cultural practices during the occupation periods in situ and, second, as such events are always conducted with the awareness of its media representations, the contestation of the events on social media.

SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS

Paper proposals should include a title, an abstract of 250 words maximum and a brief personal biography of 150 words for submission by 9 January 2015. Please send all proposals to Ms Valerie Yeo valerie.yeo@nus.edu.sg. For a copy of the submission form, click here.

Successful applicants will be notified by mid January 2015 and are required to send in a completed draft paper (5,000 – 8,000 words) by 1 March 2015. Based on the quality of proposals and availability of funds, partial or full funding will be granted to successful applicants. Participants are therefore encouraged to seek fund for travel from their home institutions. Full funding covers air travel to Singapore by the most economical means, plus board and lodging for the duration of the workshop.

Ms Valerie Yeo
Asia Research Institute
National University of Singapore
469A Tower Block, #10-01, Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 259770

DID | 65-6516 5279
FAX | 65-6779 1428

Email: valerie.yeo@nus.edu.sg 

Visit the website at http://www.ari.nus.edu.sg/events_categorydetails.asp?categoryid=6&eventid=1597