The 2023 Myanmar Update aims to understand, celebrate, and explicate the Myanmar people’s resistance to the 1 February 2021 coup. The military’s violent crackdown on what was initially a peaceful popular uprising provoked a near-countrywide revolutionary movement, which has brought together an array of different political, ethnic, and religious groups fighting for the shared goal of ending military rule. While differences exist in objectives and strategies, the establishment of organisations like the National Unity Government (NUG) and the National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC), as well as the numerous other formal and informal alliances, has arguably created an unprecedented sense of unity among Myanmar’s diverse peoples and raised widespread hope that this time the struggle may succeed.    

The conference seeks to explore the complexities of the revolutionary struggle; the effects of the coup on the state and economy; and, the myriad ways in which the people in Myanmar are coping with deepening violence and poverty.

  • How has the coup and the popular response to it reshaped Myanmar politics?
  • How are new armed groups forming, and how are they sustained?
  • What has happened to the civil disobedience movement?
  • What are the social, economic, and psychological implications of continued violence?
  • How is the diaspora contributing to the revolution?
  • How can foreign governments and the international aid community best support resistance to dictatorship?

We aim to address these kinds of questions, among others, in this conference.

The conference will take place at The Australian National University on Friday 21 July – Saturday 22 July 2023.

The two-day conference will feature scholars and experts from Australia, Myanmar, UK, North America and around the regions.

There are also pre-conference events on Thursday 20 July that we will list on our conference program with more information:

Convening Committee

  • Cecile Medail - Visiting Fellow, Department of Political and Social Change, ANU, cecile.medail@anu.edu.au
  • Morten Pedersen - Board member, Myanmar Research Centre, ANU, Morten.Pedersen@adfa.edu.au
  • Yuri Takahashi - Lecturer and Convenor of the Burmese Program, ANU, Yuri.Takahashi@anu.edu.au
  • Samuel Hmung - Research Officer, Myanmar Research Centre, ANU, Samuel.hmung@anu.edu.au

Sponsors

The 2023 ANU Myanmar Update is supported by the ANU College of Asia and the Pacific, the International Development Research Centre, Canada, the International IDEA, and the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Conference Participation

IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE 
We would love for you to join us in person, in the Auditorium, Australian Centre on China in the World Building #188 on the ANU Campus, on Friday 21 July and Saturday 22 July. 

ONLINE-ATTENDANCE
The 2023 Myanmar Update will be live streamed via Zoom Events. Please note no Q&A from the online audience, and some sessions are in-person only, we apologies for this inconvenience.

REGISTRATION 
Please register in-person and online tickets via Zoom Events. You will get both in-person and online tickets via Zoom Events. If you have any queries, or need assistance to register in the Zoom Eevents platform, please let us know. Email: parnerships.cap@anu.edu.au 

PLEASE NOTE: 

Free of charge

  • Reception for the launch of exhibition and guest lecture (20 July 2023)
  • Pre-conference dinner for speakers, chairs and invited guests (20 July 2023)
  • Conference reception (21 July 2023)
  • Morning tea and afternoon tea (21 July 2023)
  • Afternoon tea (22 July 2023)
  • Lunch for speakers, chairs and organisers (21-22 July 2023)

Fees for general participants

  • Conference lunch (21 & 22 July) is proudly provided by the Australia Mon Association in Canberra: $10 per meal for participant.
ANU College of Aisa and the Pacific Logo

The ANU College of the Asia and the Pacific
International Development Research Centre logo

The International Development Research Centre, Canada
International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance logo

The International IDEA
Australian Government, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Logo

The Australian Government, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

PRELIMINARY PROGRAM

Pre-conference Events (Thursday 20 July)

8.30am-4.30pm Early Career Researcher workshop (by invitation)

4.30-5pm Launch of Myanmar Update photo exhibition by Mayco Naing (Artist and Curator)

Venue: Auditorium Foyer, Australia Centre on China in the World Building 188, Fellows Lane, ANU

  • Introduction by exhibition curator Mayco Naing
  • Photo exhibition by Mauk Kham Wah and Mayco Naing
  • Video documentary -1 minute per day in the 60 days following the coup by M. (screening all day on 21-22 July only, CIW seminar room)

5-5.30pm Refreshments (for exhibition and guest address)

5.30-6.30pm Guest Lecture - De-‘Area Studies’-izing Burmese History: the African (and African American) ‘Burma” Experience in the Twentieth Century

Venue: Auditorium, Australia Centre on China in the World Building 188, Fellows Lane, ANU

  • Michael Charney, SOAS, University of London

7-8.30pm Preconference Dinner (by invitation) 

Day 1 (Friday 21 July)

Venue: Auditorium, Australia Centre on China in the World Building 188, Fellows Lane, ANU

9-9.30am Welcome

  • Welcome to the Country by Paul Girrawah House, First Nations Portfolio, ANU
  • Opening remarks by Helen Sullivan, Dean of the ANU College of Asia and the Pacific

9.30-10.30am Keynote Address 

Chair: Nick Cheesman, ANU

  • H.E. Zin Mar Aung, Minister of Foreign Affairs, National Unity Government of the Union of Myanmar (online)
  • Discussant: Tun Aung Shwe, Representative to Australia of the National Unity Government of the Union of Myanmar

10.30-10.45am Morning Tea

10.45am-12.45pm Political Update

Chair: Andrew Selth, Griffith University

  • Ardeth Maung Thawnghmung, University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • Ye Myo Hein, Wilson Center (online)

12.45-1.45pm Lunch Break

1.45- 3.15pm Panel 1: The Revolutionary Movement

Chair: George Lawson, ANU

  • Samuel Hmung and Michael Dunford, Australian National University - “Understanding Myanmar’s Civil Disobedience Movement”
  • Ellen, McMaster University, Canada - “Women's agency in armed struggles in Myanmar's Spring Revolution”
  • Lukas Nagel, Griffith University - “Creative resistance and nationalism among youth activists in post-coup Myanmar”

3.15-3.30pm Afternoon Tea

3.30-5pm Panel 2: Revolutionary Governance

Chair: Jane Ferguson, ANU

  • Gerard McCarthy and Kyle Nyana, Erasmus University - “Governing revolution: Post-coup insurgent social order in Chin State and Sagaing Region” (online)
  • Tay Zar Myo Win, Deakin University - “Emerging local governance in Anyar”
  • Khin Zaw Win, Tampadipa Institute - "Reimagining the goals of the Spring Revolution"

5-6.30pm Conference Reception (In-person only)

Venue: Auditorium Foyer, Australia Centre on China in the World Building 188, Fellows Lane, ANU

  • Promotion of Art Exhibition: How to quantify FEAR? by artist and curator Mayco Naing 

Day 2 (Saturday 22 July)

Venue: Auditorium, Australia Centre on China in the World Building 188, Fellows Lane, ANU

9.30-10.00am Book Launch: "Myanmar in Crisis" (In-person only)

  • Book author: Michael Dunford, Australian National University 
  • Discussant: Cecilia Jacob, Australian National University 

Book Sale - A limited number of books are available for sale for AUD $25 (card only).

10am-12pm Economic Update and Humanitarian Issues 

Chair: Paul Burke, ANU

  • Jared Bissinger, Independent analyst
  • Tom Kean, International Crisis Group
  • Anne Décobert, and Tamas Wells, University of Melbourne -“Myanmar’s humanitarian crisis and the conflict paradox for local aid organisations"

12-1pm Lunch Break

1-3pm Policy Panel & Closing Remarks (In-person only)

Chair: Morten Pedersen, UNSW Canberra 

  • Ardeth Maung Thawnghmung, University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • Khin Zaw Win, Tampadipa Institute
  • Jared Bissinger, Independent analyst
  • Representative, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

3-3.15pm Afternoon Tea

3.15-4.45pm Burmese Language Roundtable: "Researching and reporting in post-coup Myanmar" (In-person only)

Venue: Seminar Room, Australia Centre on China in the World Building 188, Fellows Lane, ANU

Chair: Samuel Hmung, ANU

  • Swe Win, Myanmar Now 
  • Ardeth Maung Thawnghmung, University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • Khin Zaw Win, Tampadipa Institute

 

မြန်မာဘာသာ စကားဝိုင်း၊ “အာဏာသိမ်းပြီးမြန်မာနိုင်ငံတွင် သုတေသနပြုလုပ်ခြင်းနှင့် သတင်းတင်ဆက်ခြင်း”

သဘာပတိ - Samuel Hmung (ANU)

  • ဦးဆောင်ဆွေးနွေးသူ - Ardeth Maung Thawnghmung (University of Massachusetts Lowell)၊ ဆွေဝင်း (Myanmar Now)၊ ခင်ဇော်ဝင်း (Tampadipa Institute)

The ANU Korea Update is the University’s flagship annual conference on Korea. For this year's conference, the ANU Korea Institute is bringing together academics from all over the world and discuss various topics related to Korea.

Conference Participation

  • IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE: We would love for you to join us in person, in the Lotus Theatre, Australian Centre on China in the World Building on the ANU Campus.
  • REGISTRATION: Please register tickets here.(Eventbrite: "2023 Korea Update") If you have any queries, or need assistance to register, please let us know. Email: Korea.institute@anu.edu.au

 

PROGRAM

 

ANU Korea Update 2023: “Remaking South Korea”

Friday 22 September, 9:00am - 5:00pm

 

Introductions and Welcome, 9:00 - 9:15am

  • 9:00 Prof. Kyung Moon Hwang (Director, ANU Korea Institute)
  • 9:05 Prof. Maryanne Dever (Pro Vice-Chancellor, Education & Digital, ANU)
  • 9:10 His Excellency Mr Kim Wan-joong (Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Australia)

 

PANEL 1: Keynote, 9:15 - 10:30am

Moderator: Prof. Kyung Moon Hwang

  • 'Popular Sovereignty and the Rule of Law in South Korea' (9:15-10:00am): Chaihark Hahm, Yonsei University School of Law
  • Response and Comment (10:00-10:10am): Elizabeth Lee, Member of the ACT Legislative Assembly
  • Discussion (10:10-10:30am)

10:30-10:45am: Morning Tea

Read more
  • 'Popular Sovereignty and the Rule of Law in South Korea' (Chaihark Hahm, Yonsei University School of Law)

South Korea has achieved the twin goals of economic prosperity and constitutional democracy, a rare feat among nations that (re)gained independence after the Second World War. Its current constitution, adopted in 1987, was the result of the people's struggle for democracy. As such, enforcing the constitution and implementing the rule of law was regarded as a crucial means to facilitate the transition to democracy and to realise popular sovereignty. With the entrenchment of democracy, however, many South Koreans are questioning whether the constitution, which has never been revised since 1987, accurately embodies or represents the will of the people. These debates raise fundamental questions regarding the legitimacy of the judiciary and democracy's relationship with the rule of law.

PANEL 2: Foreign Relations, Security, and Economy, 10:45am-12:45pm

Moderator: Prof. Ruth Barraclough

  • 'North Korea’s Evolving Political Economy: Implications for South Korea and the World' (10:45-11:25am): Peter Ward, Kookmin University
  • 'Growing into Responsibility: South Korea's Emerging Role as a Regional Player in the Indo-Pacific' (11:25am-12:05pm): Yoon Jung Choi, Sejong Institute
  • 'South Korea’s Place in the Northern Flank of the US-led Security Network' (12:05pm-12:45pm): Jae Jeok Park, Yonsei University

12:45-1:45pm: Lunch

Read more
  • 'North Korea’s Evolving Political Economy: Implications for South Korea and the World' (Peter Ward, Kookmin University)

Since 2018, North Korea has turned its back on additional reforms, and during Covid, the country has become all but locked out of the international trade system. How has life changed inside the country, and what are the implications for South Korea and the world?

  • 'Growing into Responsibility: South Korea's Emerging Role as a Regional Player in the Indo-Pacific' (Yoon Jung Choi, Sejong Institute)

South Korea aspires to pivotal status in the Indo-Pacific region. It has developed special economic relations with Southeast Asia and India under the New Southern Policy. Correspondingly, it seeks to broaden the area and spectrum of its engagement with more countries in the region. Specifically, South Korea has emphasised building a peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific, thereby both alleviating security concerns while simultaneously improving its global standing. 

  • 'South Korea’s Place in the Northern Flank of the US-led Security Network' (Jae Jeok Park, Yonsei University)

Over the past year, the Yoon government in South Korea has pursued foreign policies distinct from the previous Moon government. Among these policies, it has strengthened its alliance relationship with the US, restored soured relations with Japan, and expressed its willingness to contribute more actively to regional security issues. In such a context, this presentation examines the security dynamics in East Asia and the status of South Korea's positional power within the US-led security network.

PANEL 3: Multi-Cultural South Korea, 1:45 – 3:15pm

Moderator: Dr. Eunseon Kim

  • 'Understanding South Korea-Japan Relations through Webtoon Culture' (1:45-2:30pm): Jin-kyung Park, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies
  • 'Decentering Multiculturalism: Marriage Migrant Women’s Stories between Vietnam and South Korea' (2:30-3:15pm): Hayeon Lee, Australian National University

3:15-3:30pm: Afternoon Tea

Read more
  • 'Understanding South Korea-Japan Relations through Webtoon Culture' (Jin-kyung Park, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies)

Webtoon (web-based comics) is a neologism coined in 1990s Korea. Although it is a latecomer to the Korean Wave, the webtoon is currently becoming part of global popular culture, typifying the convergence of cultural content and digital technologies. In this presentation, I explore the rise of webtoon culture and show how contemporary webtoon culture in Korea builds on the cultural industrial complex of animation/cartoons, as well as on the “cultural exchange” between South Korea and Japan from the 1970s forward.

  • 'Decentering Multiculturalism: Marriage Migrant Women’s Stories between Vietnam and South Korea' (Hayeon Lee, Australian National University) 

This presentation will highlight the diverse, multifaceted stories of Vietnamese marriage migrant women to South Korea at various phases of their migration process. It will also discuss how their stories resist South Korea's nationalist, patriarchal, and racist discourses that continue to characterise the country's brand of multiculturalism.

PANEL 4: Popular Culture in South Korean Society, 3:30 – 5:00pm

Moderator: Prof. Roald Maliangkay

  • 'Projecting the Future of South Korean Cinema' (3:30-4:15pm): Darcy Paquet, Busan Academy of Film Studies
  • 'Urban Apocalypse and Korean Youth: Unveiling Anxieties in Media' (4:15-4:45pm): Hee-seung Irene Lee, University of Auckland

Closing Remarks

Read more
  • 'Projecting the Future of South Korean Cinema' (Darcy Paquet, Busan Academy of Film Studies)

In the months leading up to the pandemic, South Korean cinema was enjoying unprecedented levels of success, setting box office records and reveling in Parasite’s triumph at the Oscars. However the industry now faces a wide-ranging crisis, as falling attendance and competition from streaming services have called the film industry’s basic economic model into question. This talk will consider various factors that shape filmmaking in South Korea today, and attempt to project what might be in store for this much-lauded industry in the future.

  • 'Urban Apocalypse and Korean Youth: Unveiling Anxieties in Media' (Hee-seung Irene Lee, University of Auckland)

This presentation delves into the apocalyptic scenarios prevalent in contemporary Korean media, with a particular focus on the portrayal of Korean youth amidst chaos and destruction in Seoul. Despite the city's reputation as a vibrant and modern hub, a darker undercurrent of apocalyptic imagination reveals hidden layers of fear and trauma resulting from compressed modernisation and harsh urbanisation. The analysis suggests that select films and OTT series, such as ‘Train to Busan’ (2016) and ‘All of Us Are Dead’ (2022), portray the anxieties and impulses of younger generations who grapple with extreme class polarisation, economic crises, and the looming spectre of climate change. Monsters, zombies, viruses, and natural disasters thus serve as compelling metaphors, offering chilling glimpses into Korea's future.

About the Speakers
Chaihark Hahm
Chaihark Hahm

Chaihark Hahm

Chaihark Hahm, Professor at Yonsei University Law School, studies constitutional theory, comparative constitutional history, theory of rule of law, and Confucian constitutional theory. His many publications include Making We the People: Democratic Constitutional Founding in Postwar Japan and South Korea (Cambridge UP, 2015).

 

Elizabeth Lee
Elizabeth Lee

Elizabeth Lee

Elizabeth Lee is the Leader of the Canberra Liberals, and the Liberal Member for Kurrajong in the ACT Legislative Assembly. Previously, she served as a lawyer and lecturer at the Australian National University and the University of Canberra.

Peter Ward
Peter Ward

Peter Ward

Peter Ward, PhD, is a senior researcher at Kookmin University specialising in North Korean political economy and South Korean migration issues.

 

 

 

Yoon Jung Choi
Yoon Jung Choi

Yoon Jung Choi

Yoon Jung Choi is the Director of the Center for Indo-Pacific Studies at the Sejong Institute. Her principal research fields include inter-regional cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, with a particular emphasis on countries in South and Southeast Asia and Europe.

 

Jae Jeok Park
Jae Jeok Park

Jae Jeok Park

Jae Jeok Park is Associate Professor at the Graduate School of International Studies, Yonsei University in Seoul. His research interests include alliance politics, US security policy in Indo-Pacific, the US-ROK alliance, and the US-Australia alliance.

jin-kyung.park
jin-kyung.park

Jin-kyung Park

Jin-kyung Park is Professor of Korean Studies in the Graduate School of International & Area Studies at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in Seoul, South Korea. Prof. Park’s research focuses on postcolonialism, popular culture, and gender in modern and contemporary Korea.

Ha Yeon Lee
Ha Yeon Lee

Hayeon Lee

Hayeon Lee is an anthropologist of Korea and Vietnam, and a social worker. She earned her PhD at the University of Michigan and is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the Korea Institute, College of Asia and the Pacific, the Australian National University.   

Darcy Paquet
Darcy Paquet

Darcy Paquet

Darcy Paquet is the founder of koreanfilm.org and the author of New Korean Cinema: Breaking the Waves (2010). A former correspondent for Screen International and Variety, he currently teaches at the Busan Asian Film School, and has translated the subtitles for many Korean films, including ‘Parasite’ and ‘Decision to Leave’.

Hee Seung Irene Lee
Hee Seung Irene Lee

​​​​​​​Hee-seung Irene Lee

Hee-seung Irene Lee is a Korea Foundation Lecturer in Korean Studies at the University of Auckland. A PhD in Media Studies, Irene has been teaching and researching contemporary Korean cinema and media, East Asian popular culture, screen adaptation, film theory, and critical theory.

We are delighted to invite you to a guided tour showcasing the work of Australian First Nations artists currently on display in the ANU HC Coombs Building.

National Reconciliation Week (27 May - 3 June) is an important time for the ANU community to learn about and celebrate Australian First Nations peoples, their histories and cultures, and to explore how each of us can contribute to the reconciliation movement.

Join us as we commemorate this occasion by celebrating the diverse and profound artistic expressions that encapsulate the cultural significance of Australia's First Nation communities. This tour will enable you to gain a deeper understanding, appreciation, and respect for the remarkable artistic traditions nurtured by these communities.

ANU College of Asia and the Pacific Dean, Professor Helen Sullivan, will deliver an introductory welcome to the tour. Following this, Dr Rose Faunce, from the School of Culture, History and Language will guide the tour providing insightful narratives, contextualising each piece and shedding light on the significance of these artistic traditions within the broader cultural landscape.

Please note that the tour will depart from the main entrance of the Coombs Building.

*Registration is essential.

Call for applications - Workshop for PhDs & ECRs

Workshop for graduate research students and early career researchers

Applications due date: Friday 19 May 202
Workshop date: Thursday 20 July 2023
Workshop venue: The Australian National University, Canberra

Eligibility

The workshop is open to all students currently enrolled in a humanities, arts, or political or social science research degree (undergraduate honours, masters with research component, MPhil, PhD) at a higher education institution in Australia or New Zealand, as well as Myanmar nationals or early career researchers in Myanmar or Southeast Asia. Myanmar nationals in Australia are strongly encouraged to apply.

While in-person attendance is preferred for those that can travel within Australia, we will seek to accommodate participants who are unable to travel to Australia by offering the possibility of online participation.

Travel costs and stipends

Participants in Australia will be eligible to receive a travel stipend to offset the costs of travel and accommodation associated with attending the conference.

Expectations

Participants are expected to attend all workshop sessions and to contribute to group discussion. Pre-reading material will be circulated ahead of the workshop. After the workshop, participants will be encouraged to submit a short research paper for publication on the ANU MRC website, in English or Burmese. Participants who have been selected to present a paper at the Myanmar Update will not be required to submit a paper for the workshop but have the option of doing so. Myanmar Update participants whose expenses will be offset by the conference organisers will be expected to attend the workshop.

Application process

Please submit:

  1. a 250-word expression of interest outlining your current research, previous research experience, and interest in attending the workshop; along with
  2. a brief curriculum vitae (2 pages max) to Hunter Marston at Hunter.Marston@anu.edu.au or Samuel Hmung at Samuel.Hmung@anu.edu.au.

Deadline

Deadline for expressions of interest is Friday 19 May 2023.

Successful applicants will be notified shortly after the closing date.

Contact

For further information, please contact: 

ECR Workshop Call for EOI Burmese version: click here. 

Please note this workshop is by-invitation only. 

 

Myanmar studies since the 2021 coup - Workshop for graduate research students and early career researchers

This workshop will bring together early career researchers and PhD scholars of Myanmar to share experiences and lessons learned regarding fieldwork, methods, research, and writing since the February 2021 coup.

The workshop will comprise of several panels over the course of one day, immediately prior to the ANU Myanmar Update conference on 21-22 July 2023.

The sessions will address fieldwork and data generation, researching at a geographic distance, ethics, policy engagement, and new challenges for those wanting to speak, write and publish about Myanmar.

The ANU Myanmar Research Centre will provide ongoing support to participants who are interested in submitting a paper to the working paper series or sharing their research as part of the MRC Dialogue Series.

Sponsors

ANU College of Asia & the Pacific
CAP logo vertical
ANU College of Asia & the Pacific

IDRC : CRDI
International Development Research Centre logo
International Development Research Centre, Canada

IIDEA
International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance logo
International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance

CONFERENCE CONVENORS & SPONSORS

This conference is organised and convened by

The conference is supported by:

“We need stories. And not just stories about the stakes, which we know are high, but stories about the places we call home. Stories about our own small corners of the Earth as we know them. As we love them.” – Julian Aguon, To Hell With Drowning, 2021

The 2023 AAPS conference theme emphasises the need to resist and reframe fatalist and narrow representations of Oceania.

From the highlands to the islands, the conference aims to advance multiscopic understandings of Oceanic people’s relationships and relationality of places through storytelling rooted in a trans-disciplinary, critical and creative Pacific Studies.

Endorsing Indigenous human rights lawyer and writer Julian Aguon’s call for “stories about the places we call home”, we seek stories and conversations that illuminate fierce attachments to place and the immense beauty, magic and abundance of Oceania.

The Pacific Studies community recognises both ancestral and contemporary kinships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, South Sea Islanders, Māori and Pacific Islanders.

The 2023 conference will take place at the Australian National University, an institution that is located on the unceded lands of the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people and central to the Australian coloniality that continues to impinge upon the sovereignties of First Nations of this Country and beyond in Oceania. It is also an institution central to the decolonial possibilities envisaged by Pacific Studies.

This conference understands this place as a site for meaningful solidarities and approaches to Pacific Studies that are both place-based and multi-sited in scope.

Ticket information:

  • Early Bird tickets and prices for participation (for the full four days of the conference) are currently available until 11.55 pm on Friday 17 February 2023.
  • From Saturday 18 February 2023, Standard Registration tickets and prices for participation (for the full four days of the conference) will apply.
  • If you want to be eligible for members' prices, please be sure to join AAPS via our website.
  • Registration includes an evening reception on Tuesday evening and morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea from Wednesday-Friday.
  • Aside from this, don't forget to make sure you get a ticket to the conference dinner as well in your purchase!
  • In the checkout questions, you will be able to list your dietary requirements, access needs and if you are a postgraduate/ECR if you would like to participate in the Tarcisius Kabutaulaka's masterclass on the afternoon of Tuesday,11 April 2023.
  • If you would like to participate in only one day of the conference, you can purchase one of the 'Daily flat rate' ticket.

Please note that this conference is an in-person event. However, the Epeli Hau’ofa public lecture will be recorded and uploaded at a later date.

Postgraduate/ECR workshop:

The postgraduate/ECR workshop will take place on Tuesday afternoon, 11 April 2023. We encourage postgraduates and ECRs to join us in the afternoon from 12pm for the workshop with lunch provided. Registrations are limited to 30 places and are essential. 

Program:

Tues 11 April - The Welcome to Country and the Epeli Hau’ofa public lecture - late afternoon. This will be followed by an evening reception for all registered participants of the conference.

Wednesday 12 April - Friday 14 April 2023 will consist of a series of keynote plenaries, as well as, three parallel streams of sessions across multiple sites on The Australian National University campus including the HC Coombs Building, the Hedley Bull Building, the Menzies Library, the Coombs Extension and other locations.

Speakers, sessions and convenors

Announced speakers:

  • Maureen Penjueli - Pacific Network on Globalisation, Keynote panellist
  • Yuki Kihara - Artist, Keynote panellist
  • Ronny Kareni - United Liberation Movement for West Papua – Pacific Representative, Keynote panellist
  • Professor Alice Te Punga Somerville - University of British Columbia, Keynote panellist
  • Kim Kruger - Moondani Balluk Academic Centre at Victoria University, Keynote panellist
  • Professor Emeritus Terence Wesley-Smith - Center for Pacific Islands Studies at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa, Keynote panellist
  • Joy Lehuanani Enomoto - Koa Futures/Hawai’i Peace and Justice, Keynote panellist
  • Aunty Sana Balai - Living Museum of Logan, Keynote panellist
  • Dr Melinda Mann - CQUniversity, Keynote panellist
  • Lisa Hilli - School of Culture, History and Language, ANU, Keynote panellist
  • Professor Katerina Teaiwa - School of Culture, History and Language, ANU, Keynote panellist

Sessions and convenors:

  • Pacific Studies Fight Club?: ethics, politics and possibilities of critique, Professor Alice Te Punga Somerville
  • But whose lands are you on? Positioning Pacific diasporas on Aboriginal lands, Dr Melinda Mann and Kim Kruger
  • Stories of Environment and Disability in Oceania, Dr Bonnie Etherington
  • Navigating the Archives, Kathryn Dan
  • West Papua: Our Pacific Struggle, Joey Tau
  • Articulating Em(OCEAN): Survivance on a Sea of Islands, a Youngsolwara Tale of Beautiful Chaos, Jason Wesley Ravai Titifanue
  • ‘Oceanic Diplomacy’: Indigenous Diplomatic Pathways in the Contemporary Pacific, Honorary Associate Professor Greg Fry and Salā Dr George Carter
  • Rethinking Australian Coloniality through Pacific Biography, Professor Katerina Teaiwa, Dr Nicholas Hoare and Talei Luscia Mangioni
  • Ongo, lau tohi, pese (listen, read, sing): create!, Associate Professor Mandy Treagus and Rita Seumanutafa
  • Constructing belonging: Situating Indo-Fijian gendered narratives in Oceania, Domenica Gisella Calabrò and Romitesh Kant
  • Vā Hine: Embodied Relationality, Dr Tia Reihana and Dr Nālani Wilson-Hokowhitu
  • Embodying Vā: An activation through research, artistic expression and movement, Jasmin ‘Ofamo’oni
  • Suiga: A decolonial choreographic exploration of Christianity within the Pacific, Chas Mamea
  • Justice for Creation: Indigenous perspectives and the role of the church, Talitha Fraser and Raisera McCulloch
  • Navigating unchartered waters: critical approaches to law and Pacific Peoples, Associate Professor Rebecca Monson
  • Reframing and transforming oceans governance in Oceania, Pip Louey
  • To hell with the status quo! Translating equitable principles into meaningful actions in Pacific Fisheries, Dr Bianca Haas
  • Just Restore: what do Oceania communities tell us about ways to do Justice in Australia, Sarouche Razi
  • Environment Law in Practice: Perspectives from working in the Pacific, Dr Bal Kama
  • The Flying Canoe, Marita Davies
  • Mapping Otherwise Realms, Dr Emma Powell, Dr Jess Pasisi and Melanie Puka Bean
  • Refusing Fatalism: Voices for climate justice and decolonial futures, Emerita Professor Margaret Jolly, Dr Siobhan McDonnell and Vehia Wheeler
  • Decolonial Feminisms in Oceania: Localised and Regional Perspectives, Dr Cammi Webb-Gannon, Dr Jenny Munro and Elvira Rumbaku

Session types

These will be one of three types of sessions – presenting, creating and relating.

Presenting

Presenting sessions, or a session with prepared papers, may follow a more conventional format with a chair, a panel of presentations, and papers shared with the audience. We recommend keeping presentations brief (15 minutes maximum) and highly focused on stimulating discussion between panellists and the audience. We also encourage the possibility of multi-session seminars or ‘streams’, to promote deeper discussion of relevant themes. 

Relating

Relating sessions, or a session without papers can be based on Pacific modes of oral practice, including tok stori, talanoa and yarning circles. These include a dialogue or roundtable format or a workshop format in which presenters create interactive spaces between presenters and audiences. We encourage these sessions to intentionally engage trans-disciplinary Pacific studies, which incorporate participants who are community members, students, activists, practitioners and public officials, to move knowledge production beyond the academy. 

Creating 

Creating sessions are experimental sessions, including formats such as workshops, question-driven sessions, performances (weaving, dancing, spoken word, creative writing, etc.), film screenings, community engaged actions (zine-making, postering, etc.), reading groups with discussion of pre-circulated materials, resource and skills sharing sessions, and beyond. 

Event Speakers

Speakers

Various Distinguished Guests and Speakers

Various Distinguished Guests and Speakers

See the conference website for the program and other details. 

Rani Dwi Putri (Photo Supplied)
Rani Dwi Putri (Photo Supplied)

Meet Rani Dwi Putri: CHL’s M Phil Superstar
“ANU is the ‘best home’ for doing research, particularly in my field study; besides, I found the best supervisor right here.”
  • Language, Society, and Cultures of the Asia Pacific

The ANU, in association with the Japan Foundation, will once again host the annual ACT Japanese Language Speech Contest.

The ANU, in association with the Japan Foundation, will once again host the annual ACT Japanese Language Speech Contest. Now in its 53rd year, this contest aims to encourage Senior Secondary & Tertiary Japanese language learners to showcase their language skills in a challenging context.

The contest will be held on 19 August (Saturday) from 10:00am (specific division times will be finalised after registrations close).

The contest this year will be held virtually via Zoom, as it was last year. Both contestants and guests will receive a protected Zoom link upon registering via Eventbrite.

Participants must register here by 11:59 pm 12 August. Participants will need to provide the Japanese and English titles for their speeches at the time of registration.

High School Senior Division: 2.5–3 minutes

Open Division: 4.5–5 minutes

The subject, content and form of the speeches are left open to each contestant. Entrants who have competed in previous contests may not use the same speech (this includes title and content) presented in previous years.

See here for contest guidelines.

First prize winners in both divisions will progress to the National Finals in October via video entries. Exact dates will be shared at a later stage, with the winner being announced on 13 October.

For more information, visit the Japan Foundation website.

Professorial Lecture Series 

This public lecture is the first in a series of four lectures that aim to celebrate our esteemed academics and showcase their areas of expertise in research and teaching.

 

 

While time is commonly considered a universal, objective fact of life, it is also an important political tool. The political significance of the actions and events it coordinates in establishing social order causes notions of time to differ both between nations and within them. After 1910, when Japan annexed Korea, changes in schools, the workplace, and public life began to become undergirded by the fast growing appeal of a capitalist cosmopolitanism and the symbolism of timepieces and leisure.

Professor Roald Maliangkaij explores the introduction of time management systems in Korea under Japanese colonial rule (1910–1945) and examines the impact of new holidays, hourly pay, and punctuality on workers, the general public, and tourists. Why and how were the new time systems and concepts promoted and adopted? What forms of resistance did they encounter? Answers to these questions inevitably foreground the experiences of urbanites, but Roald seeks to incorporate also the experiences of the rural population.

 

Agenda

6-7pm Academic Lecture

7-7.30pm Networking drinks & canapes

 

About the Speaker

Roald Maliangkaij is a Professor at the School of Culture, History and Language in the College of Asia and the Pacific.

Roald specialises in Korean cultural industries, heritage preservation, performance, and fandom from the early 20th century to the present. He teaches and conducts research on popular culture in East Asia and is frequently asked to give talks on aspects of the Korean wave, including K-pop, advertising, consumption, fashion, and cinema.

Roald currently serves on the editorial boards of Korean Studies (Univ. of Hawai`i) and the Journal for Korean and Asian Arts (Korean National University of Arts).

Read more about Roald's profile here.

 

Myanmar in Crisis, edited by ANU School of Culture, History & Language (CHL) Visiting Fellow Dr Justine Chambers and CHL PhD Candidate Michael R. Dunford, investigates the combined impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and Myanmar’s 2021 military coup. Bringing together scholars from across the social sciences, Myanmar in Crisis provides a comprehensive picture of the social, political, and economic impacts of Myanmar’s current state of overlapping crises.

The launch of Myanmar in Crisis will take place during The 2023 Myanmar Update, the same conference that in 2021 produced the papers now contained in this volume. The book launch will be an opportunity to reflect on the book’s own contributions to Myanmar scholarship, but also on what has changed in the two years since its genesis.

Speaker: Michael R. Dunford, ANU School of Culture, History & Language

This book launch is part of the Myanmar Update program, for in-person attendees only. 

Book Sale - A limited number of books are available for sale for AUD $25 (card only).