| Date | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday, March 6, 2014 | 12:30PM - 5:00PM | Seminar Room 108N, Munk School of Global Affairs 1 Devonshire Place |
The University of Toronto Comparative Politics Study Group (CPSG) invites current graduate students and faculty from across all disciplines to submit papers for its first area studies conference on East Asia.
East Asia is a political space under constant construction, ripe with possibility and potential. The year 2013 has been marked by significant political changes. New leaders assuming positions of power atop governments across East Asia were subject to extensive commentary around the world. To the surprise of only a few, East Asia’s new political leaders handled the periods of transition with a great degree of efficiency and competence. Even North Korea, a state popularly portrayed as always on the brink of collapse, saw the ascension of Kim Jong-un to his hereditary position of Supreme Leader without incident. Transitions from one government to the next proceeded with relative ease all across the region.
But a closer look at the narratives and presentational threads of the new regimes uncovers cracks and inconsistencies. In China, President Xi Jinping, despite his affable demeanor and expectations as a leader capable of “breaking with the past,” is presiding over an increase in online censorship and the number of jailed “dissidents.” In South Korea, President Park Geun-hye is caught in the shadow of the country’s authoritarian legacy, facing a potential crisis of legitimacy after revelation that at least two government institutions illegally “intervened” in the presidential election. Indeed, stability and stasis are ideal conditions, not a reflection of things as they are. It is clear that elements such as the transfer of power between generations, institutional and economic evolution, the place of charisma as a mode of political functionality, the usage of popular culture and cultural production to support national narratives and the construction of popular myths continue to shape the region. In order to explore the notion of “polities in motion,” this conference seeks papers from multiple disciplines that engage with these elements in various ways.
The theme of this year’s conference is “Polities in Motion.” The conference will host papers from across disciplines that engage with questions of power transfer, institutional change and every day politics in East Asia.
For detaild program schedule and registration, please go to link below.
If you are attending a Munk School event and require accommodation(s), please email the event contact listed above to make appropriate arrangements.
Disclaimer: Please note that events posted on this website are considered to be public events – unless otherwise stated – and you are choosing to enter a space where your image and/or voice may be captured as part of event proceedings that may be made public as part of a broadcast, webcast, or publication (online and in print). We make every effort to ensure your personal information is kept and used in compliance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA). If you have any questions please get in touch with our office at munkschool@utoronto.ca or 416-946-8900.