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Centre for Inner Asian Studies
Centre for Inner Asian Studies
Centre for Inner Asian Studies
Centre for Inner Asian Studies

CIAS

CIAS

Centre for Inner Asian Studies

The Centre for Inner Asian Studies, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University is engaged in teaching and research on the whole of Central Asia, that is the five Central Asian Republics of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan; Tibet and Xinjiang regions of China; Mongolia and Afghanistan, as was being done by the erstwhile Central Asian Studies Programme, Centre for South, Central, Southeast Asian Studies and Southwest Pacific Studies from the beginning. Over the years, this Programme has evolved as the advanced Center of Central Asian Studies in India and is known for its excellent research work and publications both at the national and international level. This academic programme has not only helped in sensitizing Indian public and official opinion about the important developments taking place in Central Asia, but also has contributed to strengthen Indian cultural ties with its extended neighbourhood in Central Asia. Keeping in view its contribution, University Grants Commission accorded in 2001 the status of Area Studies Programme to this Programme. The Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India started in 2007 its scheme for the attachment of three visiting scholars from Central Asian Republics at this Programme, for each Semester (that is for a period of six months) on a regular basis. The university has also allocated accommodation for hosting these visiting scholars from the Central Asian Republics, on a regular basis. All the academic activities including teaching and research have been designed to study and analyze history, politics, society, economy, geopolitics of energy and transport networks, besides the contemporary developments in Central Asia, Chinese Central Asia, Afghanistan and Mongolia, and relate them to Indian experience and policy.

Since 1987, more than 120 M.Phil and 85 Ph.D research scholars have been engaged in research in Central Asian Studies. Whereas 100 M.Phil and 53 Ph.D. scholars have been awarded their degrees, 20 M.Phils and 32 Ph.Ds are in progress. Obviously, there is increasing interest amongst the students and the scholars in general in the research programmes offered. As such the Centre for inner Asian Studies is striving to develop itself into a centre of academic excellence so far as the above mentioned areas are concerned.

 

List of courses being offered in Winter Semester 2022

A warm welcome to the modified and updated website of the Centre for East Asian Studies. The East Asian region has been at the forefront of several path-breaking changes since 1970s beginning with the redefining the development architecture with its State-led development model besides emerging as a major region in the global politics and a key hub of the sophisticated technologies. The Centre is one of the thirteen Centres of the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi that provides a holistic understanding of the region.

Initially, established as a Centre for Chinese and Japanese Studies, it subsequently grew to include Korean Studies as well. At present there are eight faculty members in the Centre. Several distinguished faculty who have now retired include the late Prof. Gargi Dutt, Prof. P.A.N. Murthy, Prof. G.P. Deshpande, Dr. Nranarayan Das, Prof. R.R. Krishnan and Prof. K.V. Kesavan. Besides, Dr. Madhu Bhalla served at the Centre in Chinese Studies Programme during 1994-2006. In addition, Ms. Kamlesh Jain and Dr. M. M. Kunju served the Centre as the Documentation Officers in Chinese and Japanese Studies respectively.

The academic curriculum covers both modern and contemporary facets of East Asia as each scholar specializes in an area of his/her interest in the region. The integrated course involves two semesters of classes at the M. Phil programme and a dissertation for the M. Phil and a thesis for Ph. D programme respectively. The central objective is to impart an interdisciplinary knowledge and understanding of history, foreign policy, government and politics, society and culture and political economy of the respective areas. Students can explore new and emerging themes such as East Asian regionalism, the evolving East Asian Community, the rise of China, resurgence of Japan and the prospects for reunification of the Korean peninsula. Additionally, the Centre lays great emphasis on the building of language skills. The background of scholars includes mostly from the social science disciplines; History, Political Science, Economics, Sociology, International Relations and language.

Several students of the centre have been recipients of prestigious research fellowships awarded by Japan Foundation, Mombusho (Ministry of Education, Government of Japan), Saburo Okita Memorial Fellowship, Nippon Foundation, Korea Foundation, Nehru Memorial Fellowship, and Fellowship from the Chinese and Taiwanese Governments. Besides, students from Japan receive fellowship from the Indian Council of Cultural Relations.