Monolith2008: A Message from the Directors

As Director of the Centre for East-Asian Studies at the Universite de Montreal, I am delighted to invite you to partipate, virtually or otherwise, in our Monolith2008 series. Our dual goals are to break through barriers of distance and time-zones to discuss and debate themes of common interest concerning contemporary North East Asia, in the process building innovative educational initiatives based on newly available communications technology. Anyone who has ever felt, as a professor or a student, that the traditional classroom seems stuck in the nineteenth century is invited to jump on board.

Sincerely,

David Ownby
Director, CETASE
Professor of History, Universite de Montreal
Co-director, Monolith2008 Lecture Series

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In 2008, the Universite de Montreal’s CETASE (Centre for East-Asian Studies) in collaboration with Waseda University’s GSAPS (Graduate School of Asia Pacific Studies) will host the 2nd Annual International East-Asian Studies videoconference lecture series entitled:

In the Shadow of a Monolith: Contemplating the rise of Asia’s new giants
Entre Prosperite et Coprosperite : Regard sur l’emergence d’une hegemonie asiatique

This project builds on elaborate network of institutional partnerships, created in 2007, for the purpose of sharing ideas and research on a rapidly globalizing North-East Asia. It proudly counts among its many members some of Canada’s finest research institutions: OISE – Ontario Institute for Studies in Education; Asian Institute at the Munk Centre for International Studies (University of Toronto) and the Center for Japanese Research at the Institute of Asian Research (University of British Columbia).

In an ambitious step forward, seeking to promote inter-university dialogue and collaboration, the Monolith2008 project will enlarge our original network to include additional international research centres and universities, to create a more dynamic and enriching atmosphere for exchange and learning. The scope of this partnership has been expanded to accommodate a total of 6 international university-sponsored research institutions. Emphasizing local knowledge and expertise, we adopt a multi-disciplinary approach to study the rise of Asia’s economic and political powerhouses and the impact their economic, social and political transitions have had both locally, and globally. Supported by the latest videoconferencing technologies and driven by the spirit of academic cooperation, the Monolith2008 project will engender a vibrant environment for academic discourse. Throughout the lecture series students will enjoy the possibility of exchanging in real-time with their counterparts in 6 remote locations around the globe.

The theoretical framework underpinning this initiative echoes the objectives of Futures Thinking as delineated by the OECD-CERI (Center for Educational Research and Innovation):

Futures thinking can stimulate reflection on the major changes taking place in education and its wider environment. It helps to clarify our visions of what we’d like schooling to be and how to get there, and the undesirable futures we wish to avoid. It provides tools to engage in strategic dialogue, even among those who might usually be worlds apart. It is about helping us to shape, not predict, the future.

Discussions of the global economic balance of power often focus solely on the major players and final outcomes, attempting for instance to calculate the exact moment at which China will surpass the United States as the world leading economy. This approach often ignores smaller regional economies who function in the shadow of the giants. A valuable perspective on the global shift of economic power can be gained by examining how smaller Asian economies - such as the Philippines, Mongolia and Malaysia - navigate and negotiate the treacherous waters of the global economy in a time of major transitions.

Too often, journalistic potrayals of the rise of China, India, and - previously -Japan, paint these developments as economically appealing, environmentally questionable, and at times, politically disquieting. Seen out of context, the tendency is to depict these countries as juggernauts whose economies are nearly out of control. Seeking a different perspective, the Monolith2008 project seeks to canvass the opinions of those experiencing this rise firsthand within the region, and those observing it from without. The international character of this lecture series will bring together professionals, academics and students on 3 continents in an unparalleled opportunity to breach the spatial constraints that would otherwise hinder this global academic participation.

We welcome all new participants and look forward to seeing you on-screen!

Sincerely,

David Passarelli
Director, Monolith2008 Lecture Series