Call for Papers - Thai Studies Conference in Melbourne
Thainess: Thailand at the Crossroads
11-12 August 2011
Hosted at RMIT University in partnership with the Asia Institute, University of Melbourne and sponsored by the Royal Thai Embassy.
Thailand retains its significance in the region as one of the key players in the global political-economy and contemporary culture. Thailand has been in the media limelight over last 5 years, due to its drastic political and economic challenges. Like all countries in South East Asia, a number of global factors affect domestic situations in Thailand. Thailand has been challenged by globalisation, a worldwide phenomenon that touches every aspect of human life from cradle to cremation. Science and technology, economic developments, information technology and media, tourism, consumerism, global climate change and financial crisis: all are globalised phenomena that affect Thailand. How Thailand handles the influences of globalisation,, that range from materialism to militarism and terrorism, is a subject of major concern for students of Thai Studies.
At the 10th International conference on Thai Studies at Thammasat University in Bangkok (9-11 January 2008), the key question of the conference was what the effect of a transnationalised world on modern Thailand is. Yet, a transnationalised world can refer also to a world where the distortion of truth, ideological domination and censorship by the state are the norms and not the exceptions. Questions on “Thai Identity” or “Thainess” and the way it affects social, political and organisational factors remain unanswered in contemporary Thailand.
It is important, from the academic view, that the studies of Thailand in terms of social, political, economic and institutional development are continuously undertaken and disseminated by scholars who are interested in Thailand from various angles.
As an active global player in business and management education in the Asia Pacific, RMIT University’s business college will host this important conference in Melbourne. This conference will offer the fruits of academic researches to help alleviate the suffering caused by the impact of poor understanding of contemporary Thai state and society. It will also serve as a forum of discussion among scholars and members of the Thai community in Australia.
This conference will also serve as an academic platform to discuss various issues that reflect upon the value of Thainess, and what it means for modern Thailand and scholars in Thai studies in Australia
Conference Sub- Themes:
A) Politics and Governance in Thailand
B) Business and Management in Thailand
C) Media, Technology and ICT in Thailand
D) Thai Language, Society and Culture
Submission Guidelines:
- Abstracts are welcome!!
- Though submissions relating to the major theme of the Thai Studies Conference are encouraged, papers can deal with other issues relating to the broad topic of contemporary Thailand, Thai society and business. The papers may be grounded in any major Thai Studies disciplines including business, politics, culture, history, education, policy and governance in Thailand. Conceptual, theory building, or empirical papers from the above disciplines are welcome.
- All submissions must be original and should not have been previously accepted for publication in a journal or be under review at another conference.
- All papers will be blind reviewed. Accepted papers will be assigned to paper or interactive paper sessions by the Program Chair. Papers presented at the conference will be published in the CD proceedings of the conference.
- Papers should be prepared and presented in English. There is no page limit but contributors are encouraged to limit their paper to less than or equal to 10 pages (A4 paper, font 12, double spacing with margins of 1 inch) including the cover page, abstract, text, references, table and figures.
- As least one of the authors must register before the deadline of registration, attend and present the paper in the conference. Otherwise, the paper will not be included in the conference program and proceedings.
Abstract can be submitted directly to the Convener at
Nattavud.pimpa@rmit.edu.au
Schedule for submissions and registrations:
1 April- 15 June 2011 : Call for Papers/Abstracts
15 July 2011 : Deadline for submission of papers
22 July 2011 : Notification of Acceptance/Rejection
1 June - 30 July 2011 : Registration (send your request to the convener)
11-12 August 2011 : Conference Period
Academic and Social Panel discussions:
This conference will include one panel discussion on “Thailand and Australia.” The panel will investigate various aspects of Thais in Australia, Thailand in the eyes of Australian media and relationship between both countries. More information will be updated.
Peer-Reviewed Panel Members:
Professor Brian Corbitt
Deputy PVC, Business Research, RMIT University
Professor Pookong Kee
Asia Institute, The University of Melbourne
Associate Professor Paul Battersby
RMIT University
Dr. Nattavud Pimpa
RMIT University
Dr. Suradech Choti –udompan
Chulalongkorn University
Dr. Pimrawee Rojroongsak
Rajabhat Petchaburi University
Dr. Sopha Coles
The Thai Language School of Melbourne Inc.
Conference Convenor:
Dr. Nattavud Pimpa, (Senior Lecturer, School of Management)
RMIT University
Nattavud.pimpa@rmit.edu.au
+61 3 99251531
0432011453
