Japanese Pan-Asianism and its afterlives in Southeast Asia, Micronesia, Korea and Manchuria

A panel proposal for the 8th Association of Asian Studies in Asia conference to be held at Kyungpook National University in Daegu, Korea, June 24-27, 2023

This panel seeks to examine the impact of early-twentieth century Japanese political thought on nationalisms in Southeast Asia, Micronesia, Korea and Manchuria. Asian nations are often presumed to follow Western models of nationalism. Indeed, Partha Chatterjee asks the question, “If nationalists in the rest of the world have to choose their imagined community from certain ‘modular’ forms already made available to them by Europe and the Americas, what do they have left to imagine?” This panel will respond to this question by examining Japanese impact on national imaginations outside of Japan.
The panel’s broad geographic focus is deliberate to reflect the topical geography of Japanese imperialism (as opposed to the Eurocentric geographical framework of “Southeast Asia,” “Micronesia” etc.) The papers can analyse local case studies, or a broader phenomenon. The papers address questions such as, what elements of Pan-Asianism or Japanese imperial political philosophy have survived outside of Japan in localized forms? How did political sojourn or study in Japan influence the thinking of nationalist leaders? What were the long-term impacts of Japanese imperial ideals? How are Japanese ideas reflected in nationalist literature and postcolonial studies? What elements of Japanese imperialism have lingered in the post-colonial world?  How do these relate to ultra-nationalisms and/or inter-Asia regionalism? By responding to these and other questions, this panel seeks to illustrate how Asian and Pacific Island nations embraced and developed models apart from those of the West. 

Interested panellists should send a paper abstract of no more than 250 words to the co-convenors by 27 October, 2022: Kathryn Wellen, Royal Institute of Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies, wellen@kitlv.nl and Mala Rajo Sathian, University of Malaya, malarajo@um.edu.my

Japanese Pan-Asianism and its afterlives in Southeast Asia, Micronesia, Korea and Manchuria

A panel proposal for the 8th Association of Asian Studies in Asia conference to be held at Kyungpook National University in Daegu, Korea, June 24-27, 2023

This panel seeks to examine the impact of early-twentieth century Japanese political thought on nationalisms in Southeast Asia, Micronesia, Korea and Manchuria. Asian nations are often presumed to follow Western models of nationalism. Indeed, Partha Chatterjee asks the question, “If nationalists in the rest of the world have to choose their imagined community from certain ‘modular’ forms already made available to them by Europe and the Americas, what do they have left to imagine?” This panel will respond to this question by examining Japanese impact on national imaginations outside of Japan.
The panel’s broad geographic focus is deliberate to reflect the topical geography of Japanese imperialism (as opposed to the Eurocentric geographical framework of “Southeast Asia,” “Micronesia” etc.) The papers can analyse local case studies, or a broader phenomenon. The papers address questions such as, what elements of Pan-Asianism or Japanese imperial political philosophy have survived outside of Japan in localized forms? How did political sojourn or study in Japan influence the thinking of nationalist leaders? What were the long-term impacts of Japanese imperial ideals? How are Japanese ideas reflected in nationalist literature and postcolonial studies? What elements of Japanese imperialism have lingered in the post-colonial world?  How do these relate to ultra-nationalisms and/or inter-Asia regionalism? By responding to these and other questions, this panel seeks to illustrate how Asian and Pacific Island nations embraced and developed models apart from those of the West. 

Interested panellists should send a paper abstract of no more than 250 words to the co-convenors by 27 October, 2022: Kathryn Wellen, Royal Institute of Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies, wellen@kitlv.nl and Mala Rajo Sathian, University of Malaya, malarajo@um.edu.my