ASIA_NEWS: conference, 'Democratisation...East...Southeast Asia'

[Greg Young]

From: John Monfries <u3921855 at anu.edu.au>
About: Conference, 'Democratisation in East and Southeast Asia'


SCOPING CONFERENCE
DEMOCRATISATION IN EAST AND SOUTHEAST ASIA
MILLS ROOM, CHANCELRY
7-8 FEBRUARY 2002

The Scoping Conference is intended to launch a research project
analysing the democratisation process in East and Southeast Asia.
Many countries of the region, perhaps now forming a critical mass,
have adopted the forms and public rhetoric of democracy.  They are
Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan,
Thailand and Singapore, along with Japan.  They will soon be joined by
East Timor.  At the same time there remain countries continuing to
rely on the one party system, on military rule and on inherited forms
of leadership.

This research project is intended to examine the democratisation
phenomenon from a sectoral and comparative perspective, attempting to
look at the region as a whole to plot the direction of developments,
assess the depth of change and identify key issues.  While the focus
will be on the democratising countries of the region, reference to the
non-democratising countries may be necessary to provide a broader
context.  And Japan will be relevant insofar as some countries have
adopted it as a model.

The aim of the Scoping Conference is to identify the questions that
should guide the research project ? not to arrive at definitive
analyses.  The challenge is to pose the right questions and to isolate
the key issues.  The papers presented are intended to introduce the
discussion and strong participation from the floor will be encouraged.
Country specialists are invited to test the argumentation put forward
in the thematic papers.  Sectoral experts should ensure that the
issues raised are those at the forefront of scholarly discussions.

The Scoping Conference is privileged to be able to draw on the
experience of two leading international figures in democracy studies.
Larry Diamond (Stanford) and Jean Blondel (European University
Institute, Florence) will act as academic mentors for the project.
The Scoping Conference is intended to lead to a broad research project
between the ANU (Political Science Program and the Centre for
Democratic Institutions of RSSS) and the University of Melbourne, led
by Cheryl Saunders of the Centre for Comparative Constitutional Law.

Below is the tentative program for the Scoping Conference.  Each
session will be roughly equally divided between the discussion
leader?s presentation and the ensuing discussion.  To assist with
catering, participants are invited to indicate their intention to
participate on 61250605 or emailing cdi at anu.edu.au.

PROGRAM
Mills Room Chancelry
Thursday 7 February

09.00		Welcome

09.15		Legislatures		Ian Marsh (ANU)

10.15		Morning Tea

10.30		Electoral Systems	Ben Reilly (ANU)

11.30		Elites			Rawdon Dalrymple (U of Sydney)

12.30		Lunch			tba

14.00		Rule of Law		Roland Rich (ANU)

15.00		Afternoon Tea

16.00		Constitutions		Cheryl Saunders (U of Melbourne)

17.00		Close

Friday 8 February
Mills Room, Chancelry

09.00		Political Parties	Jean Blondel (EUI Florence)

10.00		Morning Tea

10.30		Civil Society	Beris Gwynne (Foundation for Development Coop.)

11.30		Gender		Sharon Bessell (ANU)

12.30		Lunch			tba

14.00		Media			Roland Rich (ANU)

15.00		Afternoon Tea

16.00		Conclusions		Larry Diamond (Stanford)

17.00		Close





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