International Convention of Asia Scholars (ICAS)

Info

ICAS has grown into the largest biennial Asia studies event outside the US covering all subjects of Asia studies. Thus ICAS now has become the only major, regular Asia studies event to take place in Asia.

Geschiedenis

ICAS was at the outset an experiment in terms of the parties involved, the nature of the participants, the contents, the manner of organization, and its size in terms of participants. How did the ICAS come about? As of 1995 the Association for Asian Studies (AAS) and the International Institute for Asian Studies (IIAS) had been thinking of ways of internationalizing Asia Studies. This transatlantic dialogue gradually matured and was thought of as a process involving American and European Asia scholars. Its main goals are to transcend the boundaries between disciplines, between nations studied, and between the geographic origins of the Asia scholars involved.

It acquired a name: International Convention of Asia Scholars. IIAS, in close cooperation with the AAS, officially launched the idea of ICAS in 1997. Apart from the AAS and the IIAS the six European Asian Studies Associations joined in (AKSE: Association for Korean Studies in Europe, EACS: European Association of Chinese Studies, EAJS: European Association for Japanese Studies, EUROSEAS: European Association for Southeast Asian Studies, ESCAS: European Society for Central Asia Studies and EASAS: European Association for South Asian Studies), and a programme committee consisting of representatives of all parties involved was established.

There was never any doubt that Asia scholars from all over the world should have the chance to participate and once the convention was announced, enthusiastic replies came from every quarter of the world, especially Asia. Thus ICAS became a platform on which Asia researchers from all corners of the world could study problems of interest to all.

ICAS has grown into the largest biennial Asia studies event outside the US covering all subjects of Asia studies. Thus ICAS now has become the only major, regular Asia studies event to take place in Asia. On average the number of participants varies between thousand and fifteen hundred.

ICAS does not perceive itself as an isolated academic event. ICAS clearly links to the city and the country wherein it is held. This is brought about by way of a wide variety of cultural events such as exhibitions, performances, concerts and movies.