Central Asia: A Maturing Field

Cambridge Central Asia Forum in collaboration with Cambridge Kazakhstan Centre and the UK Committee for Central and Inner Asia is organising the twelfth European Society for the Central Asia Studies (ESCAS) international conference in Cambridge on the 20-22 September 2011. ESCAS dates back to 1985 when scholars from Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, France and Great Britain set up an informal network to forge academic and research links in the study of Central Asia. The first conference was held in Utrecht University, Netherlands in 1987 and invited scholars from Central Asia and Europe. Since then this conference has taken place every two years and has gained prominence in being the forerunners in research in Central Asian studies. The theme of this year’s conference is ‘Central Asia a Maturing Field’ and celebrates twenty years since independence for the states of Central Asia. “ESCAS welcomes proposals relating to all aspects of research in the arts, humanities and social sciences on Central Asia – namely the republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, together with Xinjiang, Mongolia, Afghanistan and adjacent regions of Russia, China, Iran, Pakistan, India and the Caucasus. Scholars and practitioners of anthropology, archaeology, architecture, art & art history, cinema, development studies, economics & finance, history, musicology, philology, political science, sociology and other related disciplines are encouraged to participate. We particularly welcome proposals which will cross disciplinary boundaries, bringing together experts from different fields.” There were over three hundred abstracts submitted for the conference. We are expecting up to two hundred delegates from Central Asia, Europe, India, Japan and the United States. The plenary speaker is Emeritus Professor of Arabic Studies Edmund Bosworth.