7th Annual Convention of the Association for the Study of Nationalities (ASN)

Columbia University, 11-13 April 2002 PRELIMINARY PROGRAM NOW ON THE WEB

The full preliminary program of the ASN Seventh Annual World Convention is now available on the ASN web site: www.nationalities.org. The Convention will feature 104 panels and events, spread over eleven sessions from Thursday April 11, 1 PM, to Saturday April 13, in the evening. More than 500 people will be on panels.

All post-Soviet areas will be covered in tremendous depth, with thirteen panels on the Balkans, eleven on Central Europe, thirteen on Central Asia (plus four on Turkey), eleven on the Russian Federation, fourteen on Ukraine, five on the Caucasus, and twenty-one on thematic and cross-regional themes. Special roundtables will include "Nationalism, Sectarianism, and Terrorism," with Jack Snyder and Susan Woodward; "Can Liberal Pluralism be Exported to Eastern Europe," featuring Will Kymlicka; "Eurasia as a New Post-Soviet Paradigm," with Mark von Hagen and Andreas Kappeler; two roundtables on Afghanistan; and a session on publishing in Slavic Studies, featuring the incoming editor of ASN flagship journal Nationalities Papers.

FILM LINEUP OF THE 2002 ASN WORLD CONVENTION

For the third consecutive year, the ASN World Convention will be screening brand new documentaries on themes related to the post-Communist world. This year's lineup includes L'OPIUM DES TALIBANS, a riveting French documentary on the opium trade shot illegally under the Taliban regime; QALA JANGI, a short feature (work in progress) on the uprising in Mazar-e Sharif during the Fall 2001 Afghan war; ALLIES AND LIES, a stunning British BBC report on American covert operations during the Bosnia war; A HIGH LEVEL DELEGATION, about a surreal visit by a Belgian parliamentary delegation to the world's most secretive country: North Korea; MY MOTHER'S VILLAGE, an acclaimed Canadian documentary on Ukrainian diaspora identity; TIME TO GATHER STONES, an account of the Transdniestria conflict, produced by Moldova television; SS IN BRITAIN, a controversial British report on war crimes committed by members of the Waffen-SS Halychyna Division in wartime Ukraine; BRING ME THE HEAD OF GEORGIY GONGADZE, a work-in-progress on the political scandal surrounding the disappearance of Ukrainian journalist Gongadze; YUGOSLAVIA--THE AVOIDABLE WAR, which has recently made the headlines at The Hague during the trial of Slobodan Milosevic; OIL ODYSSEY, a travelogue along the Caspian pipeline; two documentaries on AFGHAN REFUGEES, and short films from CINEMA VERITE INTERNATIONAL. Each screening will be followed by discussion.

The ASN Convention runs from 11-13 April 2002 at Columbia University, International Affairs Building, and will feature a hundred panels, in addition to the films.

Dominique Arel (darel@brown.edu)
Film/Video Section Chair

PANEL THEMES INCLUDE:

Approaches to Peace in Chechnya

The War in Afghanistan

Nationality and Language in the 2001 Ukrainian Census

Nationality and Language in the Russian Census, Past and Present

Rethinking Institutional Design Approaches to Self-Determination Conflicts

Refugee Policy and Humanitarian Action in the New Century

Issues of Jewish Identity

Dilemmas of Immigration and Migration (two panels)

Partitions between Histories and Destinies

Building the Crimean Tatar Nation

The Logic of Russian Federalism

Ethnicity and Political Culture in Turkey

Ethnic Cleansing and Statehood

Issues of Eastward Enlargement

A number of slots for chairs and discussants, for panels created from individual paper submissions, remain open. If you are interested in being chair or discussant, please contact Troy McGrath. Panelists can appear on a maximum of two panels.

The convention is consolidating its status as the World Annual Event on Nationalities Studies. As in the past, over one hundred and fifty panelists will be travelling from overseas for the event (plus an additional three dozens from Canada). Almost 40 percent of paper-givers are international participants (and this does not include the large amount of non-US born participants currently residing in the United States).

LOCATION. The convention will be taking place in the International Affairs Building (IAB) of Columbia University, 420 W. 118th St. (metro station: 116th St., on the Red Line). Registration will be on the 15th Floor of IAB and the panels will be held on several floors.

REGISTRATION. $40 for ASN Members, $60 for Non-Members ($30 for Non-Members residing in Eastern Europe at the time of the convention) and $25 for Students. Preregistration payments are non-refundable after 15 March 2001. A registration form can be downloaded from the ASN web site (www.nationalities.org) or requested from Alex Brideau (awb40@columbia.edu). People who plan to attend the convention are strongly encouraged to pre-register, since places are limited.

SCHEDULE. Registration will begin at 11 AM, Thursday April 11, on the 15th Floor of IAB. People who sent preregistered will need to pick up their name tag and the convention program. On the Thursday, the panels will run from 1 PM-7.30 PM. On Friday and Saturday, from 9 AM to 6.30 PM. The convention will end on the Saturday evening, April 13.

ACCOMMODATION. The convention does not have arrangements with a particular hotel. A list of nearby hotels can be found on the ASN web site.

ASN MEMBERSHIP. People can now directly join a fast growing ASN on the convention pre-registration form. In addition to getting a significant discount at the ASN convention, ASN members receive annually four issues of Nationalities Papers, the field's leading journal; four issues of the Analysis of Current Events, containing up-to-the-minute analyses of ongoing events; and two issues of ASNews, the association's newsletter. An annual membership costs a remarkably low $55 annually-$33 for students.

BONUS FOR ASN MEMBERS. ASN members have also the option of subscribing to Europe-Asia Studies (formerly Soviet Studies), which publishes eight issues a year, for $60, almost a hundred dollars less than the regular subscription price. Convention panelists can take advantage of this offer directly on the convention registration form.

BOOK EXHIBIT/SALE OF PAPERS. Publishers will exhibit their wares in the exhibit room, located in the spacious Room 1501 on the 15th floor. Convention papers will also go on sale for $2 apiece. At least 20 copies of each paper will go on sale in the book exhibit on Friday, April 12, at 11.15 AM.

We look forward to seeing you at the convention!

For information on panels:

Troy McGrath
ASN Convention Program Chair
Political Science Department
Arnold Hall, Box 76
Hartwick College
Oneonta, NY 13820
tel.: 607-431-4586
fax: 607-431-4351
mcgratht@hartwick.edu

For information on exhibits and advertisements in the convention program:

Gordon Bardos
ASN Convention Director
Harriman Institute
Columbia University
1216 IAB
420 W. 118th St.
New York, NY 10027
212.854.8487 tel
212.666.3481 fax
gnb12@columbia.edu