(Re-)Making, (Re-)Inventing Culture and Identity in The Vietnamese, Cambodian and Lao Diasporas
A Two-Day Workshop – 20th-21st November 2004
Centre for Cross-Cultural Research, Australian National University
Since 1975 over two million Southeast Asian refugees have migrated to Western countries from the three mainland Southeast Asian countries of Laos, Cambodia and Viet Nam — making Hmong-Mien, Khmu, Lao, Khmer, Vietnamese, Chinese-Vietnamese, and Amerasians/Eurasians some of the largest contemporary refugee and migrant populations in Australia, France, Canada and the United States. Refugees from mainland Southeast Asia are still coming to the West with recent reports revealing that the U.S. expects to resettle an additional 5,000 Hmong in 2004 (June 1, 2004 Star Tribune). Additionally, the U.S. recently signed a bi-lateral agreement with the Philippines to resettle 1,855 Vietnamese asylum seekers who fled Philippine refugee camps in the late 1980s for fear of being repatriated back to Viet Nam (April 15, 2004 AP).
Southeast Asians refugee/migrants have steadfastly woven themselves into the fabric of their respective host countries. Communities such as Little Saigon in Southern California (USA), Cabramatta and Footscray (Australia) have grown and flourished over the past thirty years with foods such as “pho” entering the culinary vernacular in these host countries. In a number of cases these ethnic groups have achieved political representation in mainstream politics. This has led some to view Southeast Asian communities as (trans)migrant as opposed to strictly refugee in nature.
As they made spaces for themselves in their new homes, many Southeast Asian migrants retained deep-rooted connections with their country of origin. Now, second and third generation migrants are reaching maturity and exerting economic, cultural and political influence. Technologies in communication and travel has allowed for this population to strengthen ties with individuals back home. This linkage has also facilitated interesting transnational networks and culture productions ranging from music to enterprise.
We are seeking papers focusing on the following three themes:
1) Cultural Production
2) Cultural Maintenance
3) Diasporic Identity Formation
Papers can address these themes from various angles, topics and theoretical approaches including, but not limited to: transnationalism, globalization, cosmopolitanism, international relations, (post-)colonialism, imperialism, neo-imperialism, nationalism, geopolitics, refugee/immigrant movements and policies, refugee camps, resettlement policies, secondary/tertiary movements, resettlement organizations, refugee/immigrant organizations, youth, education, gender, media, religion, culture and ethnic community building.
We envisage that there will be space for 12 presentations. Please submit abstracts of 250 words or less to adam.chapman@anu.edu.au by August 31st. Successful applicants will be required to pre-submit their paper on or before November 1st so that they can be copied and circulated to participants in good time before the workshop.
Questions can be addressed to:
Dr. Adam Chapman
Postdoctoral Fellow
Centre for Cross-Cultural Research
adam.chapman@anu.edu.au
Or
Dr. Kieu Linh Valverde
ANU South East Asian Studies Fellow
Centre for Cross-Cultural Research
kieulinh.valverde@anu.edu.au