I. INTRODUCTION
Nowadays, political and economic problems occupy most of the concern and interest of people and researchers. People seem to forget the foundation of these problems - human beings and social structure and development. Among these issues civilization, or more specific culture including races and religion as well as life style, plays the main role in shaping new ideology, new view and thinking as well as new behaviour of people. Too much concentration on political reform and economic development without paying enough attention to social restructure has led to adverse effects. Some examples can be quoted here are East Timor case in Indonesia or Kosova case in Yugoslavia. In addition, economic crisis and political instability have certainly had strong relationship to cultural aspects.
II. OBJECTIVES
The objective of this session is to explore the vast impacts of the regional economic crisis on cultural aspects in Southeast Asia. It also aims at discussing changes and major issues related to new concepts and new views about culture in the new millenium. Moreover, new approaches for maintaining traditional values and at the same time for combining global culture and distinctive traditions will also be explored. The session organizer seeks the answers for these following questions:
Can traditions be combined with modernization? Can Asian values be combined with Western Values? If yes, how can the process be planned?
Academics, researchers, practitioners and members of cultural communities are invited to submit their papers and posters for presentation at the conference.
III. TOPICS
As Huntington argued that "the future conflicts will be cultural conflicts", while Fukuyama emphasized on global culture in which all civilizations and cultures will be uniform. However, what ha happened recently seems to explain more for Huntington's hypothesis since civilization is a combination of all aspects of the whole community in one or more nation states. Thus, possible topics might include (but are not limited to):
- Traditional values and cultural aspects in Southeast Asia (SEA);
- Traditions versus Modernization in SEA;
- Asian values versus Western values in SEA;
- Impacts of the economic crisis on culture and life-style of people in SEA;
- Preservation of culture and traditional values in SEA;
- Globalization and culture in SEA.
Note: All papers should reflect issues in SEA context.
Inquiries and submissions, which are preferred in Word (version 6.0) format with a separate tittle page and authors details) can be forwarded to Ms. HA HUONG at the address below.
IV. EXPECTED OUTCOMES
Presented papers and posters may be published in the conference proceeding and suggested to be published by well-know publishers.
V. IMPORTANT DEADLINES
Deadline for full paper: 30 January 2000 (abstract is welcomed by 31 December 1999)
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