The Newsletter 78 Autumn 2017

ICAS10 - A reflection

Paul van der Velde

<p>ICAS10 in Chiang Mai, Thailand (20-23 July 2017) was an extremely productive and gratifying meeting, which brought together over 1300 Asia scholars from across the globe. These pages give a visual impression of the undeniably successful event, organised by the ICAS Secretariat (at the IIAS offices in Leiden, Netherlands) and our local hosts of RCSD at Chiang Mai University (Regional Center for Social Science and Sustainable Development).</p>

ICAS10 took place in the Chiang Mai International Convention and Exhibition Center. The imposing venue was the stage for a variety of activities ranging from cultural exhibitions organised by various academic departments, individual scholars and civil society groups; and an outdoor market place with local arts and crafts; to more than 300 panels, roundtables, keynotes, book and dissertation presentations, publisher and institute exhibits and bookstalls, and the multilingual ICAS Book Prize ceremony. Memorable were the Lanna cocktail reception on the opening day, the catchy speech by former Secretary General of ASEAN, Dr Surin Pitsuwan, and the highly impressive on-site skills of Rhinosmith’s design and production wizards (www.rhinosmith.com). We would like to thank everyone involved for their unrelenting hard work and dedication; together we made this an event to never forget.

ICAS10 as an experience will be difficult to beat, but as we speak, the ICAS team and Leiden University – together with the city of Leiden – are already working hard to meet the high standards set in Chiang Mai. Only 641 days and counting before we all meet again, at ICAS 11 (16-19 July 2019) in Leiden, with the overarching theme: ‘Asia and Europe, Asia in Europe’. If you have not yet signed up to our mailing list please do so in order stay updated about submissions, registrations and exhibitions (https://icas.asia/icas-11). In the meantime, mark the dates in your agendas!

On behalf of the ICAS Team, Paul van der Velde (ICAS Secretary)

Keynote speaker Professor Aihwa Ong.

Panel discussion in progress.

A well-attended opening ceremony, which included a number of keynotes, the Book Prize awards and the announcement of Leiden as the location for ICAS11

Keynote speaker Dr Surin Pitsuwan.

Alex McKay (Tibet Scholar and IBP reading committee member) and Chunyan Shu (Brill Publishers, Singapore).

ICAS participant Julia Cassaniti browsing titles at the HKU Press exhibition booth.

The ICAS public plenary round-table ‘Upholding Democratic Values in Southeast Asia’ (from left to right): Chayan Vaddhanaphuti, Son Soubert, Maria Serena I. Diokno, Jon Ungpakorn and Philippe Peycam

Paul van der Velde, ICAS Secretary, opening the award ceremony and thanking the valued sponsors of the ICAS Book Prize.

ICAS Book Prize winners in attendance (from left to right): Seth Jacobowitz, Gauri Bharat, Hans van Ess, Adams Bodomo, Jaehun Jeong, Han Vermeulen, Lui Tai-Lok.

Akkanut Wantanasombut, Director of Rhinosmith, and head of the design and production team at ICAS 10.

Just a small group of the many indispensable and wonderful ICAS10 volunteers.

Interactive traditional weaving demonstration.

One of the cultural exhibitions organised by various academic departments, individual scholars and civil society groups.

The collective bookstall: Sonja Zweegers (managing editor of The Newsletter, newbooks.asia, and ICAS exhibitions coordinator) manning the bookstall organised by ICAS especially for those publishers unable to attend the conference themselves.

IBP party 2017: Paul van der Velde hosting a special event for all involved with IBP 2017.