21-26 August, 1995
Copenhagen, Denmark

THE FIFTH EUROPEAN SEMINAR ON CENTRAL ASIAN STUDIES: CENTRAL ASIA IN
TRANSITION

By T. Atabaki

In 1985 a group of Western European scholars from the Netherlands,
Germany, France, Great Britain, and Denmark working in Central Asian
Studies decided to establish an informal cooperation for the purpose
of promoting joint research and interdisciplinary studies among
European scholars of Central Asia. The University of Utrecht,
Department of Oriental Languages and Cultures took the initiative of
organizing the first and founding conference of a European Seminar
on Central Asian Studies (ESCAS), to which scholars from Central
Asia were also invited. 
The purpose of the conference was to define the geographical area of
Central Asia, which it was agreed upon would cover the, at that
time, Soviet Republics of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kirghizstan,
Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan as well as adjacent areas of Mongolia,
northern Iran, northern Afghanistan, and northwestern China. 
One of the main aims of establishing the ESCAS was to give Central
Asian Studies status as a research field in its own right,
independent of Soviet and Eastern European studies. It was also
vital to re-establish research links with disciplines working within
the same historical and cultural continuum in adjacent areas, and to
create opportunities for direct cooperation between scholars of the
former Soviet Central Asia and scholars in adjacent areas.
It was agreed to hold biennial conferences in order to maintain and
develop European research cooperation and information exchange.
ESCAS II, III, and IV were held successively in London (1987),
convened by the School of Oriental and African Studies, Paris
(1989), convened by the Centre de Recherches Scientifiques en
Sciences Sociales et Politiques, and Bamberg (1991), convened by the
University of Bamberg, Department of Oriental studies.
The 5th ESCAS conference is scheduled to be held at Copenhagen
University. The conference will take place 21 - 26 August, 1995. The
general theme will be 'Central Asia in transition', divided into
four workshops, covering the following themes: 'The past and the
present', 'Identity and nation building', 'Central Asia's place in
the world', and 'Environment and resource management'. One of the
major results of the conference is expected to be the formal
establishing of a European Association for Central Asian Studies. 

Further information about ESCAS V and application forms can be
obtained from:

The Organizing Committee for ESCAS V
Nordic Institute of Asian Studies
84 Njalsgade
DK-2300 Copenhagen
Denmark
Tel: +45 31 54 88 44
Fax: +45 32 96 25 30