Organized by United Societies of China Studies (USCS)

In Collaboration with the Association of Chinese Professors in Social Sciences (ACPSS)

Hosted by the Center for Asian Democracy, the University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, the United States of America, March 20-22, 2009

    United Societies of China Studies (USCS) is calling for paper proposals that deal with issues related to China’s developments in the last three decades from the perspectives of politics, economics and culture. Papers that deal with China’s relations with other Asian countries are particularly welcome.  Proposals should be approximately 200 words and we welcome work from communications specialists, economists, historians, political scientists, sociologists, and other social scientists.  USCS website is at: http://www.uscs-us.org/

     Our keynote speaker is: Dr. Tu Wei-Ming, Harvard-Yenching Professor of Chinese History and Philosophy and of Confucian Studies, Harvard University.  The topic of his talk is: “China''s Quest for a New Cultural Identity.”

    USCS, established in 2006, is the largest scholarly organization about China studies in North America.  It is a coalition of five organizations: the Association of Chinese Political Studies (ACPS), the Association of Chinese Professors in Social Sciences (ACPSS), Chinese Communication Association (CCA), Chinese Historians in the United States (CHUS), and Global Forum of Chinese Political Scientists (GFCPS).  Recent USCS activities include: (1)  On April 4-6, 2008, USCS organized two panels and a reception at the Association for Asian Studies annual meeting in Atlanta, hosted by the China Program, the Carter Center. Professor Wang Gungwu from National University of Singapore gave a keynote speech on “China-ASEAN Relations” at the reception. (2)  On June 9-13, a USCS delegation consisted of council members visited Beijing, hosted by Renmin University of China.  The delegation had wide range of dialogues with Chinese government officials and scholars about issues related to China’s development and China studies in the world. (3)  USCS is planning to publish an electronic journal, “Global China Studies.” Inquiries should be sent to the journal editor Dr. Yawei Liu at: labywl@emory.edu

    The Center for Asian Democracy (CAD) runs an annual speakers series, holds two international conferences annually, runs three international research projects in Asia, hires at least three Visiting Scholars a year, publishes a book series in English on Asia with the University Press of Kentucky, publishes a book series in Chinese that introduces Western political science to China with Renmin University of China Press, and is recruiting an endowed chair in Asian studies.  At our 2006 ACPS conference, U. S. Senator Mitch McConnell gave a keynote speech on U.S.-China relations. Over half of the roughly 70 paper presenters had their creative works published in two edited books in English (Palgrave and Lexington), one special issue of an academic journal in English (Journal of Comparative Asian Development), and an edited book in Chinese (China Renmin University Press). The authors of these four volumes are social scientists from such fields as communication, history and political science. CAD website: http://louisville.edu/asiandemocracy/        

    Paper proposals should be sent electronically before November 1, 2008 to: Dr. Shiping Hua, USCS Council Chairman and CAD Director at: shiping.hua@louisville.edu; and Dr. Jieli Li, ACPSS President at: lij@ohio.edu.  Paper presenters will be provided with free accommodations of three nights and two days at the conference. The registration fee is $90 and the check should be payable to United Societies of China Studies.  The check should be sent to Dr. Yawei Liu, USCS Treasurer, before January 1, 2009, at: Dr. Yawei Liu, The Carter Center, One Copenhill, Atlanta, GA 30307, USA.