Dr. M.K. Long from Dartmouth University giving her presentation, "Buddhism, Politics, and Belonging in Myanmar."
As part of this year’s Warrior Week activities, Texas A&M University–Central Texas hosted a one-day academic workshop, featuring scholars from Dartmouth University, Wake Forest University, and the East-West Center. Part of a national series led by the Asian Studies Development Program, the event brought students and faculty together to discuss religion, politics, and culture in Southeast Asia.
Held in the Bernie Beck Lecture Hall, the workshop featured lectures from Dr. MK Long, Dr. Nelly van Doorn-Harder, and Dr. Peter Hershock. Topics included “Buddhism, Politics, and Belonging in Myanmar,” “Youth Culture in Islamic Southeast Asia,” and “AI, Attention, and Autonomy: Some Buddhist Reflections.”
“The purpose of the event was to provide students and other members of the university community an opportunity to attend academic lectures given by scholarly experts about the histories, cultures, and experiences of southeast Asians, with a broad emphasis on religion,” said Dr. Christine Jones, associate professor of anthropology and the event organizer.
The event attracted students and faculty from diverse majors such as anthropology, political science, and criminal justice, many of whom connected the presentations to their current coursework and lessons. Each session concluded with a brief Q&A and informal discussion. Attendees praised the speakers and the opportunity to gain new insights.
Dr. Jones said she was approached by several students and faculty after the event who indicated that they learned new things from each presentation.
“Many stated they appreciated the opportunity to learn about topics without having to take a whole class,” she said. “And that they wanted to have more events like this one in the future.”
Jones said the event connected with many of the university’s academic disciplines including history and social sciences. She also said anyone interested in learning more can take the Modern Southeast Asia course that will be offered in the Fall and relate directly to the workship topics.
Students or faculty interested in future speaker events can contact Dr. Jones at christine.jones@tamuct.edu for additional opportunities to participate in upcoming academic programming.