International Conference on Lao Studies - Call for Papers

International Conference on Lao Studies Call for Papers When: Friday, 08 July 2016 to Sunday, 10 July 2016 Where: Thammasat University; Bangkok, Thailand The Faculty of Liberal Arts, Thammasat University and the Center for Lao Studies (CLS) are pleased to announce that the Fifth International Conference on Lao Studies (ICLS V) will be held from July 8 to 10, 2016 on the Tha Phrachan campus in Bangkok, Thailand. The main objective of the conference is to promote Lao studies, broadly defined, by providing an international forum for scholars to present and discuss various aspects of Lao Studies. Theme The theme of the Fifth International Conference on Lao Studies is "Lao PDR in the ASEAN Context," with particular (though not exclusive) emphasis on the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC). All Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states have committed to creating a region which is highly competitive, equitable in economic development and fully integrated into the global economy. The establishment of the AEC in 2015 will bring enormous opportunities as well as great challenges for the individual member countries in the region, especially for Lao PDR . Suggested topics for the Fifth ICLS include, but are not limited to: Laos' trade integration within AEC Special economic zones (SEZs) Export survival Roles of the private and public sectors Human resources and effects on local employment Migration Infrastructure demands Balancing development growth and environmental conservation Tourism Traditional knowledge and cultural expressions in economic development Impacts on cultures and life ways Lao language, culture, and history Art, literature and music Buddhism Border Trade and culture Isan Regionalism Architecture Education Environment and Health Rural Development Other topics Submissions for consideration may be individual paper presentations, panels, exhibits, posters, artistic and musical performances, and/or cultural activities. Comparative perspectives are welcome and encouraged. The following are included within the target groups of the conference: All self-identified ethnic groups of Lao PDR (e.g. Lao, Khmu, Hmong, Iu-Mien, Akha, Phouan, Phou Tai, Nyouan, etc.); Lao/Thai Isan and other ethnic Lao groups in Thailand (e.g. Lao Song, Phouan, Phou Tai, etc.) Ethnic Lao living in Cambodia Cross-border ethnic groups living in Vietnam, China, Burma, Thailand and Cambodia (e.g. Akha, Hmong, Phouan, Ieu-Mien, Khmu, Tai Lue, Tai Dam, Lahu, Brao, etc.) Overseas diaspora originally from Laos or descendents of people from Lao PDR (including Lao Americans, Hmong Americans, Khmu Americans, French Lao, Australian Lao, Canadian Lao, etc.) Procedures and Timelines Deadline for submissions: Please submit abstracts in English before October 31, 2015. Abstracts should be submitted electronically, preferably as a Microsoft word document in an e-mail attachment to ICLS2016@gmail.com (see below for specific instructions regarding preparation of abstracts). The conference committee will review abstracts and send an acceptance letter (via email) in December 2015 with scheduling information and other instructions for submitting final abstract statements and full versions of papers. Abstracts and full versions of conference papers will be collected for distribution on-line.   Abstract preparation guidelines: INDIVIDUAL PAPERS will be grouped into panels by the conference committee. Submissions should include the following information: Title of the paper Name, institution, address and email address of paper presenter Abstracts (250 words or less) with identified keywords Related conference topic(s)     PANEL submissions should include 3 to 4 scholars presenting formal papers and 1 or 2 discussants. Panels will be approximately 75 to 90 minutes. Panel organizers are requested to supply the following information: Title of the panel Conference theme(s) related to the panel Name, institution, address and email of the panel organizer Name, institution, address and email of each paper presenter Names, institutions, addresses and email of the panel discussants Abstract (250 words or less) describing the panel as a whole  Contact information: Varisa Kamalanavin, Ph.D. (Co-chair)  Fifth International Conference on Lao Studies Faculty of Liberal Arts                                                                 Thammasat University Tha Phrachan, Bangkok 10200 Thailand Email: varisagoy@gmail.com   Or Vinya Sysamouth, Ph.D. (Co-chair)  Center for Lao Studies 405 Grand Ave., South San Francisco, CA 94080 Tel: 1-415-874-5578 Email: info@laostudies.org Updates will be posted on the conference website.