JSASJapan Society for Afrasian Studies

Call for Papers
Deadline: August 1, 2025

Date: Saturday, October 11, 2025

Time: 10:00 – 16:00 (Social gathering: 16:00 - 18:00)
Venue: Hiroshima University Higashi-Hiroshima Campus, IDEC Building on the 1st and 2nd floors

Theme

Enhancing Asia-Africa Partnerships in the Global Paradigm Shift

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This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Asian-African Conference (Bandung Conference).　Reviewing the past, we have made progress toward realizing a world in which the fundamental human rights of all people are respected. However, the international order is about to change drastically with policy changes by the U.S. government. The JSAS Hiroshima Conference will provide a forum for researchers and practitioners in African studies and Asia-Africa collaboration to gather and discuss Asia-Africa partnerships from a multifaceted perspective.

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Among the possible topics that could be addressed at this conference are:

• Youth, Leadership, and Social Movements

  • Youth activism, community resilience, and social justice efforts across continents.

• Identity, Inequality, and Reconciliation

  • Race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, nationalism, and efforts toward reconciliation.

• Education and Decolonization

  • Educational development, decolonizing curricula, and historical legacies in learning.

• Development, Justice, and Sustainability

  • Intersection of development with social justice, SDGs, and equitable growth.

• Migration and Diaspora Connections

  • Mobility, diaspora networks, and transregional ties between Africa and Asia.

• Geopolitical and Economic Shifts

  • China, the U.S., Japan, and the evolving dynamics of Africa-Asia relations.

• Trade and Infrastructure Partnerships

  • Trade, diplomacy, and development from Bandung to Belt and Road initiatives.

• Climate and Environmental Cooperation

  • Cross-continental responses to climate change and environmental challenges.

• Peace, Identity, and Reconciliation

  • Conflict and peacebuilding, race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, nationalism, and efforts toward reconciliation.

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Application Instructions

Those who wish to participate in paper presentations are requested to submit relevant information, including name, affiliation, title of the paper, 4-6 keywords, and a 300-400 word abstract, from the following form by August 1, 2025.

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https://forms.office.com/r/t7sTeef9EQ

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The organizing committee will shortlist prospective presenters after carefully reviewing the abstracts.

Fees

Regular members: 3,000 JPY

Non-members: 3,500 JPY

Keynote Session only: Free

Students: Free

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Keynote Session

Peace and Conflict in Afrasia:

Seventy Years after the Bandung Conference, Where Are Asian–African Relations Today?

2025 marks the 70th anniversary of the historic 1955 Bandung Conference, a foundational moment in developing Asian–African solidarity and South–South cooperation. The Asian-African solidarity spirit that emerged from the conference, encapsulated in the Ten Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, emphasized respect for sovereignty, non-interference, equality among nations, and the promotion of mutual interests and cooperation. This keynote session critically examines the extent to which these foundational commitments have been realized over the past seven decades, including assessing an ongoing violent conflict in South Sudan. The session will also explore whether contemporary Asian–African cooperation embodies the original spirit of Bandung or has moved into a new paradigm shaped by pragmatism in light of current geopolitical and economic transformations.

Panelists

- Jean-Claud Maswana, Professor, Ritsumeikan University

- Opiew Peter Owar Okello, Research Student, Hiroshima University

Moderator: 

- Seifudein Adem, Research Fellow, JICA Ogata Research Institute for Peace and Development

About JSAS

JSAS is a multidisciplinary research platform for African studies in Japan/Asia and, potentially, for Japanese/Asian studies in Africa. We focus on creating intercultural and intergenerational links to facilitate dialogue among participants on issues affecting Africa and Asia. URL: https://www.afrasia.org/

Organizing Committee

Kyoko Taniguchi（Hiroshima University）

Mari Katayanagi（Hiroshima University）

Kazuyo Hanai (The University of Tokyo, JSAS President)

Rangarirai Muchetu (Rikkyo University, JSAS Secretary General)

Atsuko Munemura (Chiba Keizai University, JSAS Treasurer General)

Contact Email: hiroshimajsas2025@gmail.com