Online Week of Central Eurasian Studies (CESS Week)

Based on members’ feedback on community building options and in light of the postponement of the 2020 Annual Conference to 2021, CESS hosted a free of charge public Online Week of Central Eurasian Studies (CESS Week) from October 12-17, 2020. The overview of the week is below and a full timetable is also available.

Monday October 12Migration, Mobility and Religion: Central Eurasian People, Institutions, and Ideas on the Move
Panel with pre-recorded talks and live discussion
Speakers: Gulnaz Sibgatullina, Till Mostowlansky, Madeleine Reeves
Moderator: John Schoeberlein
Tuesday October 13 Arts and Activism in Central Eurasia
Roundtable with pre-recorded talks and live discussion
Speakers: Hamid Ismailov, Diana Kudaibergenova and Suinbike Suleimenova, Zukhra Kasimova
Moderator: Claire Roosien
Wednesday October 14CESS Members’ Business Meeting and Awards Ceremony
All CESS members are invited to join the incoming CESS President and CESS Board to learn about the Society’s activities over the past year, our future plans, and participate in a Q&A session. The winners of the 2020 Book Awards will also be announced.
Thursday October 15Faith, Violence, and Identity in Contemporary Xinjiang: A Conversation with Three Authors
Panel with pre-recorded talks and live discussion
Speakers: Rachel Harris, Sean R. Roberts, Timothy Grose
Moderator: Darren Byler
Friday October 16Workshops (W) and Networking Conversations (NC)
Delegates will be able to register to attend one of the following events (except the publishing workshops, see note below):
1) Publishing in Peer Reviewed Journals: Introductory Workshop (W)
2) Publishing in Peer Reviewed Journals: Small Group Workshop (W) [note: this workshop is additional for those who also attend the Introductory Workshop]
3) China’s Rising Role in Central Asia (NC)
4) Building up solidarity: New formats for supporting academic freedom and scholars at risk (NC)
5) Writing Central Asia: how to address challenges and opportunities in academic writing about our region (NC)
6) History of Islam in Central Asia (NC)
7) Premodern History of Central Asia (NC)
8) Central Asian Literary Studies: Research and Reflections (NC)
9) Regimes and States: Political Science in Central Asia (NC)
10) Studying Central Eurasia in the Soviet Period (NC)
Saturday October 17Workshops (W) and Networking Conversations (NC):
Delegates will be able to register to attend one of the following events:
1) Autoethnographies of Spiritual Practices in Central Asia (W)
2) Distributional patterns in the era of finance capitalism: A new research agenda for the Central Eurasia region (NC)
3) Digital Humanities for Cultural Heritage: State of Work, Challenges, Opportunities (NC)
4) Oral History practices and projects (NC)
We gratefully acknowledge the support of our hosting partner for CESS Week, the Central Asia Program at George Washington University.
American Councils for International Education is a longstanding Institutional Member of CESS. We thank them for their ongoing support and encourage you to watch this short video they have made for CESS Week delegates.

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