Semester of Joint Research at U.S. National Resource (Title VI) Center on East Asia
Fall semester 2024 or Spring Semester 2025
Each Central Asian scholar will spend one semester at a U.S. National Resource Center for East Asian Studies, where they will collaborate with their U.S. counterpart on a joint article to be completed by the end of the semester. At the semester’s start, scholars will create a tentative timetable for researching and drafting the work in question. While revisions may continue until July 1, 2025 (when all articles must be finalized in order to begin editing and translation), a working draft of the article will be completed by the semester’s end. Articles will draw on the expertise of both scholars to present objective, rigorous research analyzing China’s activities and interests in Central Asia in a wide range of fields, including economic investment, infrastructure development, educational programming, and cultural initiatives. Scholars will present their articles during the program’s final conference in August, 2025. A volume containing the completed articles in English, Russian, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Tajik, Turkmen, and Uzbek will be printed and distributed in Central Asia in approximately September 2025.
In addition to their collaboration on at least one article, U.S. scholars will help ensure their visiting colleagues gain a broad experience of Chinese and East Asian studies in U.S. higher education. As part of this effort, they will encourage their Central Asian colleagues to regularly visit classes on topics broadly relevant to their research and teaching at home. In addition to facilitating classroom visits, U.S. scholars will inform their Central Asian colleagues of campus-wide lectures, symposia, and other events relating to China; introduce them to colleagues in the field; and help them take full advantage of the wide array of research materials and other resources available on campus. Visiting scholars will also be encouraged to submit brief proposals to American Councils, in consultation with their U.S. counterparts, to attend at least one national academic conference, where they will present papers, attend presentations, and develop important new connections with scholars in their field. Funding will be provided for meals, housing, and conference attendance.
