ISSCO e-newsletter


The Third International Conference of Linguistics for Chinese Overseas Studies
on
"Maritime Asia and the Chinese Overseas (1405 - 2005)
18-10 AUGUST 2005, Singapore

*Organized* by
*Inter-Agency Committee on the Chinese Overseas Databank and Research, Singapore*
*and*
Ohio University Libraries, Athens, Ohio

In Association with:
International Zhenghe Society, Singapore
and
Friends of Zheng He, Singapore


Chinese overseas migration began many years ago. In the long process, Chinese contacts were established with the vast maritime world in Asia. This development in turn ushered in the world of maritime Chinese which spread from the Asia pacific to the Indian Ocean littoral. The Third International Conference of Institutes and Libraries for Chinese Overseas Studies with the theme "Maritime Asia and the Chinese Overseas (1405-2005)", scheduled for the year 2005, coincides with the 600th anniversary of Admiral Zheng He's first of the seven voyages to the South Seas and the Indian Ocean. The Zheng He expeditions in the early fifteenth century contributed to the development of the Asian maritime world in which the Chinese diaspora was a key Asian component. The Europeans subsequently entered this maritime world and participated in its trade activities. All these developments contributed to many important aspects of interaction among the Asians themselves, including the Chinese, and between the Asians and the Europeans. There emerged, as a result, the convergence and mutual adaptations of the various civilizations. The primary objective of the Third International Conference of Institutes and Libraries for Chinese Overseas Studies is to explore the long process of these interactions and the role played by the Chinese overseas. It will trace both the early and modern developments in the various aspects. The geographical areas, which the Conference will cover, include the Asia Pacific, Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, India, the Middle East and East Africa.

Major plenary sessions conducted in English and Chinese are as follows:
- Zheng He voyages / Maritime Asia / Chinese overseas (sessions in English, Chinese and Malay)
- Assimilation, Integration and Entrepreneurship
- Culture and Society (education, language, religion, gender issues)
- Political Participation
- Migration and Re-migration
- Institutions, Libraries and Documentation

Call for papers and panels
The organizing committee of the Conference invites proposals for organized panels as well as individual papers relating to the themes of the plenary sessions, or any other topics relating to Chinese Overseas. please submit your proposal with abstract to the following email address by 30 September 2004. Conferences languages English & Chinese (for all sessions) and Malay / Bahasa Indonesia (for session on Zheng He voyages / Maritime Asia / Chinese overseas) Finance Participants are expected to seek their own financial support for their travel and accommodation expenses. Sponsorship for invited speakers can be considered. Accommodation The organizing committee will provide information about accommodation possibilities in due course. Contact
Ms. Liu Wei Ho National Library Board 278 Marine Parade Community Road #B1-01 Marine Parade Community Building Singapore 449282 Email: [email protected] Tel:6342 4072 Fax:6342 4222

About the Organizers
(1) The Inter-Agency Committee on the Chinese Overseas Databank of Singapore comprises of 13 institutional members. They are also members of the Singapore Conference Organizing Commmittee.
	a) Chinese Heritage Center
	b) Institute of Southeast Asian Studies Library
	c) Nanyang Technological University Library
	d) Nanyang Technological University, Centre for Chinese Language & Culture
	e) National Archives of Singapore
	f) National Library Board of Singapore
	g) National University of Singapore, Chinese Library
	h) National University of Singapore, Department of Chinese Studies
	i) Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry
	j) Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations
	k) Singapore History Museum
	l) Singpapore Press Holdings, Information Resource Centre
	m) Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall

(2) Ohio University and Ohio University Libraries, Athens, Ohio, USA Founded in 1804, Ohio University is among the oldest universities in the United States. It is one of the top 126 universities over its 3,000 peers in the United States (US News & World Report: America's Best Colleges 2004). The University enrolls more than 27,000 students, including about 1,200 international students from 97 countries. Ohio University Libraries enjoys high international reputation. It has made particular efforts to collect materials on Chinese Overseas in Southeast Asia and around the world. It launched the Dr. Shao You-Bao Overseas Chinese Documentation and Research Center in 1993. The missions of the Center are to collect, preserve, and make accessible the manuscripts and published resources by and on the Chinese Overseas. Ohio University Libraries also actively promotes international cooparetion for Chinese overseas studies. In March 2000, it initiated and organized the First International Confererence of Institutes and Libraries for Chinese Overseas Studies that was held at Ohio University. In March 2003, it co-organized the Second International conference in Hong Kong with the University Library System of the Chinese University of Hong Kong.