Welcome to the 2016–2017 academic year! The UCLA Program on Central Asia is pleased to announce a new lecture series, “Central Asia in Transition: Literature, Religion, and Society from the 11th to the 21st Century.” We will continue to offer programs on Afghan studies and on climate change in Central Asia, along with book talks and occasional guest lectures. The student-led Central Asia Workshop is now in its sixth year and welcomes new participants. We hope to see you at our events!
Fall 2016 Events
Wednesday, October 19, 4:00–5:30 p.m.
Afghan Studies Lecture
The Economic Role of the Jewish Community in Afghanistan (1880–1950)
Sara Koplik, Jewish Federation of New Mexico
6275 Bunche Hall
In collaboration with the Center for Near Eastern Studies
Thursday, October 20, 4:00–5:30 p.m.
Book Talk
When Hajji Baba Met Frankenstein: The Middle Eastern Encounter with the Scientific Revolution
Nile Green, UCLA
6275 Bunche Hall
Cosponsored by Center for European and Russian Studies, Center for Near Eastern Studies, Center for the Study of Religion
Friday, October 28, 4:00–5:30 p.m.
Climate Change in Central Asia Lecture
The Climatic Contexts of Trans-Himalayan Population Movements: 3000–1500 Years Ago
Mark Aldenderfer, UC Merced
Cotsen Institute of Archaeology, Fowler Museum A222
Cosponsored by Cotsen Institute of Archaeology, Departments of Anthropology and Geography
Monday, October 31, 4:00–5:30 p.m.
Central Asia in Transition Lecture
Performing Pamiri Identity in Central Asia
Gabrielle van den Berg, Leiden University
10383 Bunche Hall
Cosponsored by Program of Iranian Studies and in collaboration with the Center for Near Eastern Studies
Central Asia Workshop
The Central Asia Workshop is an interdisciplinary discussion group to encourage research on Central Asia by creating a space where students, faculty, and affiliates can discuss research, theory, and ideas with others who have experience or interest in the region. The workshop is a forum for exploring recent research and classical and contemporary theoretical perspectives that inform work in Central Asia. Weekly discussions are led by members on a rotating basis, and topics are determined by group interests. For more information or to enroll in the workshop for course credit, contact Mia Bennett (mbennett7@ucla.edu) or visit www.international.ucla.edu/asia/centralasia/caw.
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The UCLA Program on Central Asia is led by the Asia Institute and directed by Professor Domenico Ingenito (Near Eastern Languages and Cultures). The program promotes the interdisciplinary and interregional study of Central Asia, serving as an ‘intellectual crossroads’ at which scholars working on India, China, the Middle East and Europe can exchange ideas with visiting specialists on Central Asia itself to advance scholarship and understanding of the region.
Funding for the Program on Central Asia is provided by the UCLA International Institute and the US Department of Education Title VI International and Foreign Language Education Programs, with additional support from the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures and the Department Slavic, East European and Eurasian Languages and Cultures. For more information on upcoming events and activities and to subscribe to the UCLA Program on Central Asia listserv, visit www.international.ucla.edu/asia/centralasia.