A new international organization for world history was founded with the name of The Asian Association of World Historians (AAWH) on May 4, 2008 at Nankai University, Tianjin, China.
Background:
The interest in and need for world/global history have been growing in the Asia-Pacific region in recent years, as is shown in the increase of faculties and departments in the universities, independent organizations and publications on the topic in this region. The number of students and researchers dealing with this kind of global-scale study of history is rapidly increasing. At the same time the concepts and methods of world/global history differ considerably from country to country in this region. Considering these trends, the participants at the academic meeting in Tianjin, coming from 7 countries, decided to found a new association devoted to world/global history and signed the Statutes of the Association, with its headquarters at Osaka University, Japan.
Purpose:
The purpose of the Association is to advance research, teaching, and public discussion on large-scale historical studies in or for the Asia-Pacific region.
Membership:
The Association will be composed of individuals and institutions who identify themselves as 'global', 'world', 'transregional', 'comparative', 'international', and 'big' historians, and all others with interest in large-scale study of the past. It will include not only those who specialize in world/global history working within the Asia-Pacific region but those who, working outside of Asia, wish to further the cause of world/global history through the global perspective of Asian history. The members of the Association will receive information on world/global history from members of the Association and will have opportunities to make presentations or to take part in the conferences that the Association will hold.
Mission Statement:
The Association seeks collaboration of historians with scholars in adjoining disciplines and with global historical scholars in all parts of the world. It seeks to bridge studies and educations on world/global history. It will include not only researchers and teachers but also publishers and journalists who are interested in world/global history.
Vision Statement:
Considering the fact that there is no common base of understanding world/global history among peoples in the Asia-Pacific, the Association will seek to overcome the gulf in the historical understandings among peoples in the Asia-Pacific through common projects. If the membership increases and the funding becomes adequate enough, it will improve services for its members, expand professional development programs for education in world history, stimulate research and publication on world history, and further internationalize its scholarly activities.
Enrollment:
The Association appeals to all who are interested in the purpose and statements of the Association to become a member of it by filling out and sending us the application form attached here.
Transitional procedure:
Although the Association has established an Interim President, the Board of Directors and the Executive Secretary, it will formally be established by the Founding General Assembly to be held on May 29, 2009 in Osaka in order to adopt the Statutes and elect a new administrative body. Special notice must be made of the fact that members are not asked to pay Annual Dues for the first year that will end in May 2009.
First international Conference:
The Association holds its first Conference from May 29 to 31, 2009 in Osaka.
The Executive Secretary will circulate an initial call for papers for the Conference by the end of July 2008 in order to invite members to participate through presentations and other activities, with the final composition of the Conference to be decided by the end of December 2008.
Board of Directors
Shingo Minamizuka (Hosei University, Japan, President)
Patrick Manning (University of Pittsburg, USA)
Ji-Hyung Cho (Ewha Women's University, Korea)
Ahmed Ibrahim Abushouk (International Islamic University, Malaysia)
Zhang Weiwei (Nankai University, China)
Executive Secretary:
Shigeru Akita
Application for Membership for Academic year 2008-2009
Note: The Asian Association of World Historians formed in May 2008. For the first year of its existence, memberships are welcomed without any requirement for dues or membership fee. The first conference of the association will be in Osaka, 29-31 May 2009.
Individual Membership
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Institutional affiliation
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Topics of interest in world or global history:
Please fill out this form and return to:
(1) by e-mail to akita@let.osaka-u.ac.jp
(2) by postal service to:
Asian Association of World Historians
Department of World History,
Graduate School of Letters,
Osaka University
1-5, Machikaneyama-cho,
Toyonaka-city, Osaka
560-8532 Japan