Director’s thoughts

It’s been a great few months with IAPS.  We’ve had some fantastic speakers at our seminar series, from issues as diverse as ‘extraordinary rendition’, the ‘developmental state in east Asia’ to ‘nation building in Vietnam’.  Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to come and speak, but also to the audience who have asked …

Indian Election Blog

IAPS will be running an Indian Election Blog over the next few weeks, focusing on aspects of the campaign, candidates, state level politics and personalities.  This will be run from the Ballots and Bullets Blog and will feature posts from academics working on India in the UK, Europe, America, India and Pakistan. See the first post …

Ethnic autonomy in South Asia: a prelude to secession?

Within South Asia in 2014, the states of Nepal and Burma/Myanmar are currently undergoing constitutional redesign and experiencing demands for recognition of territorially concentrated ethnic groups.  Similar demands are being made in Pakistan, with demands for Seriaki and Hazara speaking provinces receiving more support in recent years.  India is one presidential pen stroke away from creating its …

Losing the Great Game; Russia and China in Central Asian Energy Relations.

IAPS was delighted to welcome Davinia Hoggarth, PhD student at the University of Warwick who spoke on the subject of Losing the Great Game; Russia and China in Central Asian Energy Relations. In her extremely stimulating presentation, she argued against the presentation of Kazakhstan as a passive player in the Great Game’, pointing out that …

Tri-campus workshop on Identity and Recognition

This event has now been postponed.  An update will be posted when more information is available.  A tri-campus workshop will be held at the University of Nottingham UK under the auspices of the Institute of Asia and Pacific Studies (IAPS) and the Centre for the Study of Political Ideologies (CSPI).  We are inviting paper proposals from …

Call for applicants for a permanent post in Asian Politics

Permanent jobs! The School of Politics and International Relations has just advertised three permanent, full time posts.  They are open posts but one of the areas in which we’re very keen to appoint is Asian Politics. Please disseminate widely (or, indeed, apply yourself!). Keen to have really good applicants in this area to help expand …

Rights, Wrongs and Drones

IAPS was delighted to welcome Dr Peter Lee, Principal Lecturer in Military Ethics and Assistant Director (Academic) for Portsmouth Business School at Royal Air Force College Cranwell on the 6th February 2014.  Dr Lee gave a lecture on Rights, Wrongs and Drones: The Moral Standing of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Operations in Afghanistan and Pakistan. In …

Ethno federalism in Nepal?

Dr Mara Malagodi came to talk to the Institute of Asia and Pacific Studies (IAPS) on the 30th January 2014. Dr Malagodi was speaking on the topic of The Making of New Nepal? State Restructuring, Identity Politics and the Constitutional Impasse.  Her talk focused on explaining why waiting for federalism in Nepal was like ‘waiting …

PhD studentships available at the Institute of Asia and Pacific Studies

The Institute of Asia and Pacific Studies (IAPS) is seeking to co-fund two PhD studentships for a 2014 start.  Details of the first are given below. The second, in conjunction with the Department of History will be advertised shortly. The first one is (should a suitable applicant be found) in conjunction with the ESRC.  IAPS …

Typhoon aftermath will be Aquino’s legacy

Pauline Eadie writes: On 8 November 2013 super typhoon Yolanda (or Haiyan as it is known outside the Philippines) cut a swathe through the Visayan region. Yolanda was one of the strongest typhoons ever to make landfall and the damage left in her wake was catastrophic. At the time of writing more than 7000 are …