The First NVAPS Congress: Mobility in Asia
The Netherlands Association for Asian and Pacific Studies (Nederlandse Vereniging voor Azie en Pacific Studies NVAPS) aims to facilitate the discussion between Asianists working on a wide range of disciplinary and regional specializations. Having been founded in 1996, the association organized its first congress, which was attended by approximately 150 Dutch and Flemish scientists, in Utrecht on 4 October 1997By Hans Gooszen and Marloes Beers
The congress started with a forum about the future of Asian and Pacific Studies in the Netherlands and Flanders. Several prominent speakers from the Netherlands and Flanders commented on questions such as: Whether there is a specific Dutch (language) contribution to be made to the study of Asia and the Pacific, or if this is more to be found at a European level? And how can the institutes and schools of research together contribute to the knowledge of Asia and the Pacific? Of course, these questions were asked in connection with the way in which the NVAPS works. After the forum meeting more than thirty-five papers were presented in eleven panels.Forum: From 'grand tour' to 'tour de force': The future of Asian and Pacific studies in the Netherlands and Flanders'
In response to the question of the specific Dutch (language) contribution to be made to research on Asia and the Pacific, both Prof.Vande Walle (KUL) and Prof.Fasseur (CNWS) think that such a Dutch/Flemish contribution is useful only when the Dutch language is needed for a study of sources. This would be efficient in view of an international division of labour.
On the question of the usefulness of an organization such as the NVAPS opinions differ. The NVAPS should not, it was argued, deprive other recognized institutes and schools of research of their grounds for existence. Rather it should, as Prof.Van den Muijzenberg (IIAS) stated, be an independent institute unencumbered by a complicated hierarchical governing body, working alongside or, if necessary, opposed to other organizations. It was very important that the individual membership of the NVAPS should be emphasized. Most of all the organization should facilitate Dutch and Flemish experts in the exchange of their knowledge and experiences. Such an exchange forum is needed not only at the level of academical research. Experts from the media or other parts of the society should also take part. Dr Rutten (CASA) and Van den Muijzenberg pleaded for an active contribution by the NVAPS in attracting the attention of transnational matters in reference to Asia and the Pacific. It might be desirable, they argued, to avoid the sub-regional specialization divisions altogether in order to obtain a recognition of general Asian and Pacific themes. Finally it was stated that the NVAPS as an independent organization should have a kind of 'signal function' in relation to the research policies of the institutes and funding agencies. It should not be an advisory body, Sparreboom argued, the NVAPS should instead reflect the approaches and methods applied by researchers.
Panel: Cultural and intellectual property rights
The recognition of indigenous cultural and intellectual property rights has the potential to shift the power balance between indigenous peoples and the wider society. Cultural heritage is also swiftly moving towards the centre stage in the struggles over the worth and identity of the indigenous peoples of Australia and New Zealand. Australian Aborigines, for instance, have been urging for the repatriation of cultural objects and human remains kept in European museums.
In this session cultural and intellectual property rights issues were discussed not only with regard to the cultural heritage arena and empowerment, but also with regard to the implications for anthropological research. Also explored in the discussion were questions such as to what extent abstract geometrical designs can be claimed as cultural property and the effects of codification on cultural dynamics and established practices of cultural borrowing.
Panel: Local perspectives on global tourism
Co-ordinator: Toon van Meijl (KUN)
In recent years tourism has grown significantly in the Asia-Pacific region. International tourism is not simply an outcome of the globalization process and its associated mobility; it is one of the main reasons for the high economic growth in the region. For that reason, too, studies of tourism in Asia and the Pacific focus mainly on the impact of tourism development on the environment and local socio-cultural circumstances. This workshop examined the reasons local people in the Asian and Pacific 'pleasure periphery' of the West are often receptive to tourism development in their communities, and how they shape the changes in their cultural lifestyle that are consequent upon the growth of international tourism in their society. The seven papers presented in this workshop have provisionally been accepted for publication as a special issue of 'Pacific Tourism Review', an international journal published by Sage.
Panel: Islamization in the regions surrounding the Bay of Bengal (c.1200-1850)
Co-ordinator: J.J.L Gommans (RUL)
In this session four scholars from various disciplinary backgrounds and working on different geographical areas had a lively debate on the issue of Islamization in the regions surrounding the Bay of Bengal. The Leiden indologist Jan Heesterman attempted to relate the process of Islamization to the phenomenon of the frontier. Referring to the Roman limes and the Chinese wall, Heesterman claimed that frontiers should not be seen as closed boundaries but rather as highways facilitating close interaction between sedentary and nomadic societies. The Indian process of Islamization should be analysed from this perspective. Martin van Bruinessen of Utrecht University reviewed some existing theories about the Islamization of Southeast Asia. Mirjam Coelen, also from Utrecht, paid attention to the 18th-century Sufi network in Tamil Nadu. Finally Dick Kooiman from Amsterdam presented a more recent example of Islamization by focusing on the changing role of Islam in the post-Independence state of Hyderabad. The lively debate during the session showed that our understanding of the process of Islamization may be considerably improved by liberating it from the exclusive grasp of separate disciplines and area studies.
Panel: Freelance research: between hobby and commercial enterprise
Co-ordinator: Hans Gooszen (NVAPS)
Discussions in this session centred on an important question for many students who have specialized in Asia and/or Pacific studies: 'How do I find a job which suits my abilities, expertise, and research interests?'
Arjan Bos of Maastricht University started the session with an account of the results of his research into the professional careers of students in the Arts and Social Science disciplines in the Netherlands. The prospects of finding a job are rather bleak: 8.6% of his 1500 respondents (who majored between 1986 and 1996) were unemployed, while many of those who did find a job reported the feeling that it did not fully suit their abilities and interests. Some had succeeded in finding a more suitable job, mainly by means of networking.
Two non-profit service-organizations were presented, 'Historisch Platform' and NEDWORC. Historisch Platform supports historians in their professional career by giving lectures and organizing courses. Besides these services the platform gives special support to freelance historians through the acquisition of projects and advising about contracts, fees, salaries, publication rights etc.
NEDWORC is an organization of independent professionals in development co-operation. Its members have to do their own acquisition of consultancy projects. They have established a corporation for administrative assistance. To create the possibilities for networking and to improve professional abilities, lectures and training courses are given. To conclude the session, Professor Van Dusseldorp of Wageningen University elaborated on this last-mentioned theme in an interesting lecture about the ethics of social scientific research.
Secretariat NVAPS:
P.O. Box 131
2300 AC Leiden
The Netherlands
Tel: +31-71-5274138
Fax: +31-71-5272632
Email: nvaps@let.leidenuniv.nl
Website: http://www.iias.nl/institutes/holland/nvaps