Celebrating 100 Issues of "The Newsletter"
The Newsletter has been an integral part of the International Institute for Asian Studies since its inaugural issue in 1993, the same year IIAS was established. Over three decades later, this special edition of “The Focus” marks the 100th issue of the publication. Milestones such as this offer opportunities for self-reflection and evaluation. Rather than engage in retrospection or commemoration, however, this edition looks to the publication’s present and future.
There are many facets that distinguish this publication from both academic journals or popular media outlets. The Newsletter falls somewhere between these two poles, thereby constituting a unique venue in which scholars, artists, students, and practitioners can join together in extended, critical discussions about key issues regarding Asia and its place in the world. The following pages present and discuss a series of core values and priorities held by the publication and its editorial team: (1) Diverse Voices and Multiple Languages, (2) Mappings and Re-mappings, (3) Accessibility and New Formats, (4) Creative Expression and Artistic Collaboration, (5) Critical Insights and Timely Interventions, and (6) Readers around the World. Taken together, this constellation of values undergirds the continued significance, impact, and singularity of The Newsletter within Asian Studies and well beyond.
When fellows and visitors arrive at the International Institute for Asian Studies, they frequently express surprise at the relatively small size of the operation. In general, IIAS maintains an outsized impact by serving as a platform that connects, facilitates, and amplifies the most exciting strands of research and pedagogy. The Newsletter is a pillar of this strategy, always striving to develop new modes of engagement and dissemination for colleagues and partners representing a diverse variety of disciplines, institutions, topics, and regions. Furthermore, much like IIAS itself, the scope and reach of The Newsletter far outpaces the relatively small team behind it. Subscribers hail from all over the world, and any given issue comprises a diverse array of contributions, including research articles, timely essays, relevant announcements, contributions on creative practice and curation, as well as regular updates from regional partner institutions in Europe, Southeast Asia, Australia, Northeast Asia, China, and more.
Since its first issue, The Newsletter and its editorial teams have produced a publication that bridges scholastic ivory towers and popular audiences, one that consistently transgresses the boundaries imposed by conventional systems of academic dissemination. That core mission persists to this 100th issue, and it will continue to guide the publication moving forward.
Paramita Paul is Chief Editor of The Newsletter at IIAS. Email: p.paul@iias.nl
Benjamin Linder is Assistant Editor of The Newsletter at IIAS. Email: b.linder@iias.nl