(U N) B O U N D I N G  T R A D I T I O N :The Tensions of Borders and Regions
December 12-15, 2002

IASTE 2002 call for papers poster
IASTE 2002 conference poster
IASTE 2002 conference program
IASTE 2002 conference photos
IASTE 2002 Working Paper Series

The theme of the Eighth IASTE Conference is [Un]Bounding Tradition: The Tensions of Borders and Regions. The goal of this conference is to push the boundaries of the study of traditions, which has for the most part been grounded in neatly bounded regions defined by the academy, by regional genres of research or by the boundaries of separate disciplines.

The current moment of globalization, however, necessitates and provokes a remapping of such intellectual cartographies. The study of tradition, which has till recently been bounded by preordained geographical regions and accompanied by a belief in the inherent stasis of the “traditional” condition, has been challenged by the contemporary processes of migration, diasporas and hybrid cultures. At the same time, there is a growing recognition that despite porous borders and shape-shifting regions, despite e-freedom and e-trade, social and spatial fixities continue to intensify.

In a world bearing the premise of global citizenship, the legacy of political borders — and thus of identities — is creating unprecedented tensions between groups of people, which is manifested in practices of exclusion, segregation and conflict. But the border has always had a dual role, which, while defining the “other,” has simultaneously validated the self. It is not surprising that the very borders which once served to exclude and differentiate have now reemerged as celebrated icons of cultural overlap and political mediation.

IASTE’s Eighth Conference in Hong Kong, brings together over 130 scholars from a variety of disciplines to address these issues by presenting papers structured around three broad themes: Reconfiguring Regions, The Space of Borders and The Tensions of Ethnicity and Hybridity.

We would like to thank our principal sponsors in Hong Kong, the Lord Wilson Heritage Trust, the Department of Architecture at the University of Hong Kong, and the College of Environmental Design at the University of California, Berkeley.

ORGANIZING COMMITTEE
Nezar AlSayyad, Conference Director, University of California, Berkeley
David Lung, Conference Local Co-Director, University of Hong Kong
Jean-Paul Bourdier, IASTE Advisor, University of California, Berkeley
Sidney Cheung, Conference Advisor, Chinese University, Hong Kong
Jeffrey Cody, Conference Advisor, Chinese University, Hong Kong
Madhuri Desai, Conference Advisor, University of California, Berkeley
Lynne DiStefano, Conference Advisor, University of Hong Kong
Mark Gillem, Conference Advisor, University of California, Berkeley
Puay-Peng Ho, Conference Advisor, Chinese University, Hong Kong
Mina Rajagopalan, IASTE and Conference Coordinator, University of California, Berkeley
Montira Horayangura, Conference Assistance, University of California, Berkeley
Hoyin Lee, Conference Local Coordinator, University of Hong Kong
Elizabeth Sinn, Conference Advisor, University of Hong Kong
Frank Sun, Conference Advisor, University of Hong Kong
Weijing Wang, Conference Advisor, University of Hong Kong
Kathleen Kuhlmann, Conference Assistance, University of California, Berkeley

ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND SESSION CHAIRS
Dieter Ackerknecht, Nadia Alhasani, Joseph Aranha, Mike Austin, William Bechhoefer, Sidney Cheung, Jeffrey Cody, Jeffrey Cook, C. Greig Crysler, Lynne DiStefano, Dalila Elkerdany, Harrison Fraker, Mia Fuller, Mui Ho, Puay-Peng Ho, Montira Horayangura, Anne Hublin, Clara Irazabal, Derek Japha, Basil Kamel, Heng Chye Kiang, Ho Yin Lee, John K.C. Liu, Morna Livingston, Eva K.W. Man, Mike Martin, Robert Mugerauer, Alona Nitzan-Shiftan, Paul Oliver, Marcela Pizzi, Ananya Roy, Magdalena Saura, Elizabeth Sinn, Frank Sun, Gunawan Tjahjono, Weijing Wang, Don Watts, John Webster

PRINCIPLE CONFERENCE SPONSORS
Department of Architecture, University of Hong Kong
The Lord Wilson Heritage Trust, Hong Kong
Center for Environmental Design Research and the College of Environmental Design, University of California, Berkeley

CO-SPONSORS
Hong Kong Tourism Board
Star Ferry, Hong Kong

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Ackbar Abbas, Hong Kong
Margaret Crawford, U.S.A
Neil Leach, U.K.
Matthew Sparke, U.S.A.