AUSTRALIAN MEKONG RESEARCH NETWORK
AN INVITATION
In October 1996 the Monash Asia Institute at Monash University (MAI) and the National Thai Studies Centre at ANU sponsored in Melbourne a two-day research meeting on 'Development Dilemmas in the Mekong Subregion'. The workshop attracted nearly 100 participants and over 30 research papers,
with more than half presented by overseas contributors.
Amongst the contributors were the Minister for Environment from Cambodia,
senior staff from the Mekong River Commission and national Mekong Committees,
and representatives from the Yunnan (China) Provincial Commission for
Science and Technology, and the ADB. The papers were published shortly
afterwards by the Monash Asia Institute.
At the end of the Melbourne Workshop there was general support for establishing an 'international (and interdisciplinary) research network' on the six Mekong countries as well as for holding a further conference in 1998 or 1999. The groundswell of interest in Mekong issues, evident two years ago, has multiplied in the interim. It is timely then to establish an international network by electronic mail, primarily for the exchange of information and views about on-going, recent and prospective research
activities and development programs by individuals and
sponsoring agencies.
The Australian Mekong Research Network is a joint initiative
of the Monash Asia Institute and the Australian National University.
Initially the AMRN will be have Ted Chapman (ted.chapman@anu.edu.au)
and Bob Stensholt (mekong@arts.monash.edu.au)
as joint Directors.
There are no disciplinary limitations. The one request we shall be making of individual and agency members, following replies to this invitation, is that they identify their special topics of interest and
the geographic areas of their recent or planned research, or development activities in the Mekong countries. Once a list of members and their interests has been developed, it will be distributed to all
who agree to release their personal or agency information
to other members. Personal contacts can then be developed through the
consolidated list of names and addresses.
We plan to distribute a quarterly newsletter. This will
be sent by email or, where necessary, in hard-copy. Contributions are
now welcomed. A second Monash Mekong Conference is tentatively planned
for early 1999. A second circular (before the end of June) will invite
offers of papers.
Web sites including a page of Mekong "links"
are under construction, at:
http://www.monash.edu.au/mai/mekong.htm
and at:
http://www.anu.edu.au/asianstudies/mekong.html
HOW TO JOIN THE AUSTRALIAN MEKONG RESEARCH NETWORK MAILING LIST
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____________________________________________________
MEKONG is a mailing list for circulating information
on research, publications, and conferences about the Mekong Basin.
* email your announcement to mekong@anu.edu.au
* help at http://asia.anu.edu.au/mail/
* moderator Greg Young Greg.Young@anu.edu.au
Australian Mekong Research Network
Monash Asia Institute
Monash University, Clayton Vic 3168 Australia
Ph. +61 3 9905 5481 Fax: +61 3 9905 5370
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