9-10 January 1998
Aix-en-Provence, France
The Southern European Network of Asian Centres On 9-10 January 1998 the first meeting preparatory to the Southern European Network of Asian Centres at the Institute for Research on Southeast Asia in Aix-en-Provence was held. The meeting brought together Spanish, Italian, and French representatives from various centres and universities, and was sponsored by the Asia Committee of the European Science Foundation as well as the University of Provence.
By Charles Macdonald
The general aim of the meeting was to establish linkages between the various Asian Studies centres in Southern Europe in order to promote mutual knowledge, better information flows, and future co-operation.
There is a very strong network now established in Northern Europe, SOAS in London, and so forth, but no such network exists for the many centres and/or universities involved in Asian Studies in southern France, Spain, Portugal, and Italy. The gathering in Aix-en-Provence was preliminary in the sense that only a few such centres have been contacted and that other Asian studies centres, like those in Portugal, should be encouraged to join.
The Italian representatives described and analysed the situation of Asian Studies in Naples, Venice, Milan, Bologna, and Turin. Prof. Collotti-Pischel gave us a very interesting overview of the resource centres in Milan, Bologna, and Turin. Prof. Corradini reminded us that there was a very old tradition of Oriental Studies at the University La Sapienza of Rome. He gave us a very complete picture of the documentary resources in the university and the other research centres and libraries in Rome, including the Italian Institute for Africa and the Orient, founded in 1995 and he also mentioned the very important activities taking place in Naples, especially at the Institute of Oriental Studies, founded in 1732. Prof. Filippini explained the organization of research in Bologna and Milan, mentioning the various libraries that contained resources on the history of Asia. Professor Gatti gave a presentation of the situation in Venice, especially at the University Ca'Foscari and reminded participants of creation of the Marco Polo Centre in 1997 at the University of Venice. Prof. Samarani explained the kind of teaching and research going on at the Department of East Asian Studies of the University of Venice.
The next day the situation of Asian Studies in Spain were presented by Prof. Rodao, who gave us an extensive survey of the activities taking place at the Complutense University in Madrid; in Barcelona, where two centres are established for Japanese and Chinese Studies; in Seville, and in Salamanca. He also gave us a glimpse of area studies concerning Asia and Portugal. Prof. Pelletier, who represented Prof. Henriot, gave a comprehensive picture of the Institut d'Asie Orientale in Lyon, which was established in 1993 and specializes mainly on Japan and China. The author of this article described the activities of the Institute for research on Southeast Asian in Aix-en-Provence, also created in 1993, including its library and research programmes. Presentations were followed by a general discussion, concerning the differences between France, Italy, and Spain. Professor Collotti-Pischel noted the lack of a national research centre similar to the French CNRS in Italy. Therefore there are fewer resources devoted to full-time research on Asia. The discussion and the presentations also showed that Italy focuses on Japanese and Chinese Studies, with a growing interest on other areas like Southeast Asia. It was particularly clear that the areas of expertise in southern France, Italy and Spain showed a high degree of complementarity.
It was decided to launch a newsletter that would circulate information between the centres in southern Europe. Prof. Gatti proposed that the Marco Polo Centre in Venice could help put together, publish, and circulate this newsletter. The first issue will contain at least a report of the present meeting in Aix-en-Provence and also carry files containing extensive information about each of the Southern European Asian Centres. English will be the language for all topics of general interest. Topics of a more restricted interest, for instance, the descriptive files on each centre, can be written either in French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, etc.
Prof. Filippini proposed creating a website and Prof. Tino Rodao offered to organize a site at the University Complutense.
It was also decided that another meeting should be held at the end of the year. This meeting could serve to establish formally the existence of the southern European Network of Asian Centres. It would also provide a forum for discussion on a topic of mutual interest. Again, Prof. Gatti volunteered to provide a venue and facilities for the next meeting in Venice.
The general theme for the convention in will be 'European Models in East and Southeast Asia: successes and failures'