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This Month in Mongolian Studies is a monthly listing of selected academic activities, resources and other material related to Mongolia. This list is based on information the ACMS has received and is presented as a service to its members. If you would like to submit information to be included in next month's issue please contact the ACMS at info@mongoliacenter.org This publication is supported in part by memberships. Please consider becoming a member of the ACMS, or renewing your membership by visiting our website at mongoliacenter.org/join.
Thank you!
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ACMS Announcements, News and Media References
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ACMS Board Met in May
One May 14, the Board of Directors met on the side of the XV Annual International Mongolian Studies Conference organized by the Mongolian Cultural Center in Washington DC. Present at the Board meeting were ACMS President, Dr. William Fitzhugh (Smithsonian Institution), Vice President Dr. Paula DePriest (Smithsonian Institution) Executive Director, Dr. Bolortsetseg Minjin.
During the meeting Dr. Paula DePriest presented the general report and financial report of the ACMS to the Board, while Dr. Bolortsetseg Minjin spoke about current and future programs.
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| | AFCP Workshop
As part of the ongoing "Conserving and preserving Mongolia's endangered textile collections and traditions" ACMS organized 2 in-person workshops on textile conservation for museum and cultural heritage professionals of Mongolia in Choibalsan and Ulaanbaatar. The Choibalsan workshop took place in May 12-14, 2023, while the Ulaanbaatar workshop took place in May 22-24, 2023. The project was generously funded by the U.S. Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) and aims to protect endangered textile and textile traditions, and training Mongolia's museum professional in textile conservation. This project has been implemented in a hybrid form - virtual and in-person with project team - Colleen O'Shea (leader, Smithsonian Institution), Dr. Angaragsuren Odkhuu (fellow, conservator) and Kristen Pearson (fellow, Harvard University PhD candidate).
Choibalsan workshop included participants from the Dornod museum staff, textile collectors in the community in that area, as well as high school students from the Choibalsan public school; Ulaanbaatar workshop included conservators from the Institute for Archaeology of the Mongolian Academy of Sciences, National Center for Cultural Heritage of Mongolia, the Chinggis Khaan museum, the Khovd museum, the Umnugovi museum.
The workshop covered conservation techniques and conservation standards used in the U.S., use of acid free materials, different types of damages that may impact textiles and other artifacts (humidity, dryness, light, acids and bases, light etc.), proper storage including the artifact display settings, use of measurement devices and tools (light, humidity, acidity).
For the textile conservation portion of the project, the project team are working on conservation and preservation of a unique textile find, discovered near a robbed grave from the 14th century. The textile is a traditional Mongolian garb called 'deel' with silk lining, which makes it the only such item ever found.
The workshops were praised by the participants and local partners alike for instilling love for Mongolian culture among children, conserving the rare textile and for sourcing local materials that can be used for conservation of various artifacts.
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| | | Choibalsan workshop: high school students learn about textile conservation. |
| | | Ulaanbaatar workshop: Project Fellow Kristen Pearson showing conservators the conservation progress of the rare 'deel'. |
| | Penn Global Seminar
ACMS worked as the local partner for UPenn's Penn Global Seminar, which is a semester-long intensive study that incorporates international travel experience that is available to students at the University of Pennsylvania. The international travel experience offers students a unique opportunity for a deep cultural exchange and immersion. ACMS has worked for the 2nd year with UPenn to organize the Penn Global Seminar's Mongolia travel experience.
In 2023 the Penn Global Seminar's Mongolia travel took place on May 11-16. In this week-long trip 15 juniors from the University of Pennsylvania led by 2 faculty members met with their pen pals from the Hobby School of Ulaanbaatar, a private school in Mongolia, where the main language of teaching is English. The students then paid a visit to Mongolia's lower income suburbs called the Ger districts. After visiting the Ger districts, the students went to the Khustai National Park, a land reserved for the wild takhi horses of Mongolia. The takhi aka Przewalski horses were extinct in their natural habitat in Mongolia and were reintroduced.
On the way to the Khustai Park the students stopped by the Mongolian Bankhar Dog Project, a project that operates the Mongolian bankhar mastiff kennel. The dogs are raised as shepherds that protect the flock from snow leopards and wolves without actually harming the wild animals.
At the end of the trip each student shared the key observation they made or what stuck out to them most.
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| | | UPenn students pose in front of the Hobby School of Ulaanbaatar, where they met their pen pals |
| | Mongolia Field School 2023 Successfully Launched
The first course of Mongolian Field School 2023 "Discovering the Sonic World of the Mongolian Countryside" was successfully launched on June 2 with 6 participants from U.S., China and South Korea. The course is led by 4 instructors from the Purdue University, Colorado State University. The course began with a 2 day orientation in Ulaanbaatar, which included language, cultural and historical brief and a museum visit, as well as research methods in soundscape. After the orientation the course traveled to Ikh Tamir sum, Arkhangai province in Central Mongolia, where they will get to learn from the scientists, who are working on a soundscape research project funded by the National Science Foundation and NASA, and from local pastoral nomads. |
| | | "Discovering the Sonic World of the Mongolian Countryside" participants and instructors working in the field. |
| | Last Week's Word
In lieu with Vesak, ᠪᠤᠷᠬᠠᠨ /burqan/ - (Cyrillic: бурхан /burkhan/, English: the/a Buddha, the/a God) - [1] (religious) a person who managed to avoid all faults and mastered all tenets laid out in Buddhism, [2] a representation of a religious idol, a religious icon, [3] a tomb, бурхан суварга (a tomb encrusted in a stupa), [4] a spirit in shamanism, the lord of brushwood and bushes, [5] an ancestor, supreme idol, [6] (shifted meaning) smallpox: улаан бурхан.
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| | Becoming a Member
ACMS membership is another way to support and engage with the ACMS. Individuals and institutions can become members of ACMS, both come with corresponding benefits. In May, 1 new person signed up to become ACMS members and 1 member renewed their membership.
ACMS welcomes new member(s): And thanks, renewing member(s):
If you are in Ulaanbaatar, you can also visit our office to sign up for membership in-person. Our UB office address is Natsagdorj Library, East Entrance, Seoul St – 7, Sukhbaatar District, Ulaanbaatar 14521
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ACMS Sponsored Programs and Events
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| In May ACMS hosted 2 in-person Speaker Series events. We have reco of both Speaker events and will make them available for viewing on our YouTube Channel.
- On May 9, Jeff Dolphin, 2023 Field Research Fellow gave a talk on "Wolves, dogs, and human dimensions in a UNESCO biosphere reserve, Mongolia"
- On May 30, Charlotte D'Evelyn, 2023 Field Research Fellow gave a talk on "Mongol music on Global Stage"
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| | | For May Language Methodology Seminar, we invited Mrs. Gantsetseg again to share her expertise in Language Ability Assessment, when teaching Mongolian as a foreign language. To watch the video please click on the button. |
| | | | Interview of ACMS Field Research Fellow Charlotte D'Evelyn. Charlotte D'Evelyn is an ethnomusicologist and assistan professor at Skidmore College. Her research focuses on cross-border music exchange between Mongolian and Inner Mongolia. Charlotte D'Evelyn received her fellowship in 2022 and deferred to 2023. Click the button to view. |
| | | Visit our YouTube channel to see more series of the Virtual Speaker and Virtual Panel Series, as well as our videos on Cultural Heritage Project, interviews with our Field Research Fellows and more.
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| Upcoming Events
- Documentary screening "Transition" and a book launch "Marrying Mongolia, a Memoir" by Sas Carey on July 27, 2023. This will be an in-person event held at the American Corner, UB Public Library
"Transition" the 4th documentary by filmmaker Sas Carey and is about a 27-year-old medical doctor Khongoroo, who grapples with whether to remain in Mongolia’s capital Ulaanbaatar. She misses the beautiful but remote East Taiga, where two-dozen families and relatives live in a tight-knit Dukha (Tsaata"n) reindeer herding community. Ulaanbaatar offers her a job when the countryside does not. With work in the city, Khongoroo must decide whether to risk the health of her three-year old daughter in the polluted capital or leave her with her grandmother where the air is clean. Through the eyes and heart of Khongoroo, we experience the challenges that modern life brings.
“Transition" has received 46 laurels and been shown on five continents.
Sas Carey is a child of the ’50’s, and was raised to marry and rear children. She did that, but with the care and morals shared by her parents, along with a lust for life, learned she could follow her own path, strewn with heartache, yet leading to transcendence and Mongolia. Her story is one of empowerment. In overcoming expectations, Sas becomes a healer of body and soul, learning that she need not devote herself to a single person to substantiate herself. She instead spent the past thirty years devoted to Mongolia.
Her non-profit Nomadicare’s mission is to “support and preserve traditional Mongolian nomadic life through health care, documentaries, and stories”. |
| We are working to bring back in-person speaker events, we will be putting these events up as more in-person speaker become available. If you would like to speak in-person for an ACMS Speaker event, please email buyandelger@mongoliacenter.org
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Vacancies, Scholarship, and Fellowships
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The Institute for Mongolian Studies: 3 Scholarships for Foreign Mongolists
The Institute for Mongolian Studies of the National University of Mongolia announced the Damdinsuren, Luvsanvandan, and Rinchen Scholarships for doctoral and postdoctoral researchers, with the aim of supporting up and coming scholars engaged in Mongolian studies and are conducting field work in Mongolia.- The Damdinsuren Scholarship is granted to scholars whose research focuses on Mongolian literature and history.
- The Luvsanvandan Scholarship is granted to scholars whose research focuses on Mongolian language, script and Altaic studies.
- The Rinchen Scholarship is granted to scholars whos research focuses on Mongolian culture, and tradition, anthropology and ethnology.
Requirements: - Under the age of 40
- Pursuing doctoral or postdoctoral research in Mongolian studies
- Be able to start their research in 2023-2024 academic year
- Conduct research in Mongolia for the period of 3 months (the recipient may choose their research period in Mongolia)
Documentation: - Curriculum Vitae
- List of publications including research projects undertaken
- Letter of Intent, clearly stating the applicant's objectives and scope of studies, name and department of the supervisor at the National University of Mongolia and specifying which scholarship the applicant is applying for
- HIV test for Mongolian visa (required if accepted)
Once selected, the following terms and conditions shall apply: - Work under the supervision of a professor at the National University of Mongolia, who has agreed to supervise the proposed research proposal
- IMS will provide accommodation the International Student Dormitory of the NUM. recipient may choose not to occupy the dormitory. If so the recipient shall arrange their own accommodation
- Recipient shall receive a monthly scholarship award of ₮800000
Recipients also must: - Give a lecture or a seminar on their research area at IMS/NUM
- Publish a research paper in an academic journal
- Submit a written report to the IMS on their research
- Abide by the rules and regulations of NUM during scholarship period
Send your application documents to infomonstudies@gmail.com by July 11, 2023 Scholarship recipients shall be notified by email on July 25, 2023
Visit the IMS website at: http://ims.num.edu.mn/?p=901
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| | Scholarship: Fulbright Scholar Award
Application deadline: Friday, September 15, 2023
Award start period:
August 2024 - September 2024 or January 2025 - February 2025
Award length:
7 months - 10 months
Disciplines:
Projects are sought in all disciplines
Award Activity:
Fulbright scholars will teach and/or conduct their own research, work collaboratively with new colleagues at the host institution, engage with students, and become involved in the local community. Applicants may propose teaching projects, research projects, or a combination of both in a range of subject areas relevant to Mongolia, the United States, or U.S.-Mongolia relations. Scholars may also be asked to assist the host institution with curriculum and program development and/or supervise graduate student research projects. For teaching/research grants, research should make up no more than 50 percent of grant activities.
Locations:
Location Selection: Applicant may propose an appropriate host
Two-semester grants must begin in August 2024 or September 2024; one-semester grants may begin in August 2024, September 2024, January 2025, or February 2025. Fall semester begins in August or September (until late December); spring semester begins in January or February (until mid-June). Academic calendars vary by institution.
Areas of Interest
Fulbright Mongolia is particularly interested in encouraging research on contemporary issues relevant to Mongolia, the United States, or U.S.-Mongolia relations in the following fields: artistic and cultural, agriculture, anthropology, archaeology, computer science, education, engineering, environmental sciences, geology, information sciences/systems, journalism, medical sciences, public administration, public health, social work, tourism, urban planning.
Special Features
Fulbright East Asia Pacific Regional Travel Program
As conditions allow, Fulbright Scholars in the East Asia and Pacific (EAP) region may have the opportunity to apply for funds to support short-term (3-14 days) travel to other countries in the EAP region for activities such as lectures, workshops, graduate or faculty seminars, master classes or recitals, curricular advising or panel presentations. EAP Regional Travel Program funding covers transportation only. Regional Travel Program activities/host sites should not be included in the initial Fulbright application. Scholars may start the process of seeking out invitations for short-term activities in other EAP countries once notified that they have been selected for a Fulbright grant, but will only be able to apply for travel program funds, conditions permitting, once they have actively started their Fulbright grant in their host country. Scholars on Flex grants are not eligible for the regional travel grant.
Visit their website for more details on requirements, award benefits and to apply online:
URL link: https://fulbrightscholars.org/award/all-disciplines-694
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Grants and Calls for Paper
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CFP: Precarious Racial Superiority: Imperial Prestige and Deviance in colonial Asia, ca. 1800-1940
The rhetoric of racial and/or civilizational superiority was unequivocally the basis on which imperialism and colonial rule were legitimised in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Difference between ‘colonisers’ and the ‘colonised’, and the incapability of the latter to rule themselves evidently provided the justification for colonial rule. Such difference was, however, unfixed, thus Ann Laura Stoler posited, in her formative essay, to examine the ‘coloniser’ and the ‘colonised’ as “an historically shifting pair of social categories”.
In colonial societies, concepts of whiteness intersected with not least ideas of race, class, gender, age, and respectability to determine membership in the colonising group. In British India for example, racial prestige could be tarnished, when ‘low and licentious Europeans’, exposed themselves to the colonised population. Thus warranted reactive measures from colonial authorities and social movement organisations to keep them in line or out of sight. While a focus on subalterns of the colonising group is instructive in delineating the internal boundaries within said community, an investigation into the processes underlying anxieties surrounding the presence of colonial subalterns in the colonies could prove useful in explaining seemingly contradictory narratives about ‘problematic’ behaviour.
Will Jackson and Emily J. Manktelow have shown how the approach of ‘thinking with deviance’ allows historians to re-evaluate the dynamics of colonial rule. Behaviours, situations or persons labelled as ‘deviant’ reiterated colonial expectations of what was considered acceptable while seemingly undermining them. Deviance as a lens, thus, allows the historian to examine how the proscription of some behaviours and persons was designed to reinforce the boundaries of the ‘coloniser’ category while revealing the fissures within which. It furthermore illustrates the precarity of imperial rhetoric; episodes of moral panic over ‘deviant’ behaviour or persons were reflective of a sense of insecurity that prompted vigilant maintenance of ostensible racial superiority.
The transimperial approach, according to Daniel Hedinger and Nadin Heé, brings together multiple empires and focuses on “imperial competition, cooperation and connectivity” as “entangled processes”. Informed by this approach, this workshop invites scholars at all levels to consider how the interplay of concepts of deviance and whiteness reified and/or challenged the rhetoric of racial superiority in colonies across Asia, specifically East, South, and Southeast Asia, ca. 1800-1940. More broadly, the workshop aims to address the use of ‘deviance’ as a lens to understand imperial/colonial socio-political hierarchies. Topics might include:
Definitions and types of deviance e.g. intoxication, madness, prostitution
Experiences and agency of those labeled as deviant
Reading deviance in colonial archives
Functions of deviance in colonial societies
Inter- and/or intra-imperial circulation of knowledge of deviance
Effects of ‘deviance’ on relationships between the ‘coloniser’ and the ‘colonised’
Proposals
This workshop will take place on 1-2 February 2024 at Villa Hatt (ETH Zürich) in Zürich, Switzerland. For individual paper proposals, please submit a title, 250-word abstract, and a short CV (max. 1 page) to Denise Lim (zhiqingdenise.lim@gmw.gess.ethz.ch) by 20 June 2023. Confirmation of acceptance of papers will be sent by end July 2023.
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| | Call for Papers: 2023 Annual Members Meeting and Conference of the Mongolia Society
The Mongolia Society is pleased to announce that its 2023 Annual Members Meeting and Conference will be held in conjunction with the Central Eurasian Studies Society, on the weekend of October 19-22, 2023, at the University of Pittsburgh.
At this time, The Mongolia Society is placing a CALL FOR PAPERS: We invite scholarly submissions in all fields of the humanities and social sciences relating to Mongolia and the Mongols. Abstracts from individuals and fully formed panels should be submitted to The Mongolia Society office, no later than
July 1, 2023.
Each abstract must contain the paper title, be no more than 300 words, and include your contact information (email address and telephone number). If your abstract is accepted, you will have 20 minutes to present your paper.
Please send your abstract to Susie Drost at monsoc@indiana.edu
Please note that you must be a member of The Mongolia Society in order to present a paper.
The meeting and conference will be fully hybrid, so we welcome both in-person and virtual participation.
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Interesting digital resource we discovered in May, 2023:Member contribution publications: (If you would like to announce your publication, please reach out to us at info@mongoliacenter.org. Make sure you put Member contribution publication in the Subject field of your email.
Selected scholarly articles published in May, 2023:
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| | FEATURE ARTICLES AND EVENTS ON MONGOLIAN STUDIES |
| Nomadic Ethics and Intercultural Dialogue Conference 2023/IISNC (UNESCO)/ On June 22-23 the Nomadic Ethics and Intercultural Dialogue Conference 2023 will be held in Ulaanbaatar. The conference is organized by the International Institute for the Study of Nomadic Civilizations under the auspices of UNESCO (IISNC), which is funded by the Participation Programme of UNESCO, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Commission on Nomadic People, the National University of Mongolia, the Mongolian Anthropological Association and UNESCO. At the conference, 77 academics and scholars from 23 countries will discuss nomadic ethics and intercultural dialogue. Keynotes will be delivered by professor emerita Dawn Chatty (Oxford University) and professor David Sneath (Cambridge University). Find out more
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| | Enhancing aspen biodiversity: A world strategy for conservation
On June 23 Dr. Paul Rogers, director of Western Aspen Alliance will be holding an open seminar on aspen conservation. Bellow are the details:
Aspen species (upland Populus) span the northern hemisphere and comprise some of the most widespread tree species in the world. However, many aspen systems have been overlooked, are in decline, or have even been intentionally eliminated. With a renewed effort to stabilize global biodiversity a large-scale "mega-conservation" approach preserving the six aspen species - often considered "keystone" systems - and their obligate flora and fauna.
When: 23 June 2023 14-15:30p.m.
Where: MULS Administration Building 1 Fourth Floor: Conference hall -№ 43 (ХААИС–н захиргааны байр хурлын танхим)
Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87478519957?pwd=eERYK3dtTmNVOWZtZ2N1TWloVjZuUT09
ID: 874 7851 9957 Passcode: 108019
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| | The XII International Congress of Mongolists will be held in August 2023
The International Association for Mongolian Studies will be organizing the XII International Congress of Mongolists in August 9-14 in Ulaanbaatar.
Details of the congress can be obtained through email at iamsmongolia@gmail.com and announced on their social media at: https://www.facebook.com/iams.mongolia
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| | Macron makes first French presidential visit to Mongolia
/France24/ May 21. Emmanuel Macron on Sunday made a brief but symbolic visit to Mongolia, the first by a French president to the country nestled between China and Russia that is of growing strategic interest in the West. The French head of state was greeted by a traditional Mongolian guard of honour after landing in the capital Ulaanbaatar following the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan. In Ulaanbaatar, Macron attended a state dinner at the museum of Genghis Khan, named for the 13th-century Mongol conqueror. The institution will lend part of its collection to the Nantes History Museum in western France for an exhibition scheduled for October. Read more |
| | Undisturbed grave of a Yuan empress found in Sukhbaatar province
/Ikon/ May 1. A grave of a 13th century Yuan Dynasty Mongolian queen (khatun/empress) was found intact in Ongon sum, Sukhbaatar province. Another grave found alongside, belonging to a male warrior, was robbed, but the grave of the queen was left intact. There was gold ring embedded onto the queen's mandibular tooth - an unusual burial ritual. The dig was led by Assistant Professor, Dr. Turbat Tsagaan, Director of the Center for Archaeological Studies, National University of Mongolia heading a team of archaeologists from the CAS, NUM and Institute for Archaeology of the Mongolian Academy of Sciences.
Read more in Mongolia
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| | Illegal sale of paleontological discoveries was prevented in Darkhan.
/Ikon/ May 3. A cache of fossilized bones, eggs as well as taxidermized animals and body parts, prepped for sale, were seized by police as evidence of crime in Darkhan sum of Darkhan-Uul province. These include a wholly rhinoceros, that lived 15-30 thousand years ago; 2 fossilized herbivorous dinosaur remains from the cretaceous period; and taxidermies of crocodile head, skull, and sea turtle. Penalties for illegal archaeological and paleontological excavations include hefty fines, 6 to 32 month of movement restriction or prison time. Penalties for illegal sales and mediation with even larger fines, 12-60 months of movement restriction or prison. Read more in Mongolian |
| | | Mongolia detains 4 North Koreans who illegally crossed into country from China /NK News/ May 18. Mongolia detained four North Koreans this month for illegally entering the country, immigration authorities announced Wednesday, in a rare press release from a country that usually helps defectors by allowing them to travel elsewhere once they cross the border. “On the 10th of May, four citizens of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea were found illegally crossing from the People’s Republic of China to our country,” the General Authority for Border Protection stated in a press release that has since been deleted from its website.
“These individuals have been transferred to legal facilities,” the agency added.
The border authority did not specify whether the North Koreans intended to defect and Mongolian authorities did not respond to an NK News question about whether they will be repatriated to the DPRK. Read more |
| | ‘If Only I Could Hibernate’ Makes History at Cannes as Mongolian Film Biz Increases Its Reach
/Variety/ May 22. Zoljargal Purevdash’s “If Only I Could Hibernate,” the first Mongolian film to be shown in Cannes’ official selection, marks another important step for the industry that’s ready to make some moves. “Things are looking up,” observes the director, mentioning the newly established Mongolian National Film Council and Mongolian Film Fund. “Mongolia just introduced its new film law [which came into force in January 2022] so it’s really starting right now. I hope we will be able to make more films in the future.” Her debut feature, presented at Un Certain Regard, was produced by Amygdala Films and France’s Urban Factory, with Urban Sales also on board. “It’s still not that easy to co-produce with Mongolia, but there is finally a new fund in place for these films. When you start supporting local producers and then you end up in Cannes, it’s a very good sign,” notes Urban Factory’s Frédéric Corvez. Read more |
| | China Kidnaps Southern Mongolian Dissident in Mongolia
/Bitter Winter/ May 15. On May 3, 2023, two vehicles of the Chinese police arrived at a private residence and arrested a dissident writer. These are daily occurrences in China but this time the incident did not happen within Chinese borders. Lhamjab Borjigin was arrested in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of the independent country of Mongolia, and promptly taken to China by his captors. This is the fifth case of a Southern Mongolian dissident kidnapped from Chinese police in Mongolia. One of them, called Batzangaa, was arrested in front of the UNHCR office building in Ulaanbaatar.
The Chinese police, however, were not able to recover the manuscript of Borjigin’s book. It is in the safe hands of Mongolian friends, who plan to go on with the publication. But not even this is sure now, with the Mongolian government increasingly subservient to Beijing. Read more |
| | Chinese FM holds talks with Mongolian counterpart/China Daily/ May 1. BEIJING - State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang held talks with Mongolian Foreign Minister Batmunkh Battsetseg in Beijing on Monday. Noting that China and Mongolia are good neighbors, good friends and good partners, Qin said that China stands ready to work with Mongolia to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, pursue mutual support on issues concerning each other's core interests and major concerns, and enhance political mutual trust and friendship between the two peoples. Read more
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| | United States Launches New Grant Program to Advance Clean Energy in Mongolia /U.S. Embassy in Mongolia/ May 17. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) today launched the Mongolia Energy Research and Innovation (MERI) Fund, a small grants program to bolster Mongolia’s economic growth by facilitating the transition to clean energy.
The grant program is part of USAID’s five-year, $12 million Mongolia Energy Governance project, which is assisting Mongolia in developing a more resilient and sustainable energy sector. Through the project, USAID is working with key government and private sector partners to develop a more competitive and financially sustainable energy sector that will increase economic competitiveness, create a more stable and secure domestic energy supply, and develop more renewable energy projects. Read more |
| | A Secret History of Mongolian Wolves/History Today/ May 5. Mongolians have always lived with wolves. During the imperial era, the relationship was an ambiguous one. Under socialism, it became existential. In Mongolia, where the dominant lifestyle is nomadic pastoralism, threat comes from the land. Wolves (chono) are found throughout the nation’s various ecosystems: steppe, semi-desert, mountains. Their existence has been lamented and romanticised for centuries. Read more |
| | Mongolian student wins top speaking prize
/The Pie News/ May 18. A 16-year-old Mongolian student has won a coveted public speaking prize, beating contestants from over 30 countries and regions across the globe. The English Speaking Union’s International Public Speaking Competition’s grand final took place on May 12 following 12 heats. The event saw six finalists compete for the overall title. Egsheglen Javkhlan from Mongolia, one of the youngest competitors, took the top prize. Read more
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| | 2 Week in-country summer course on Mongolian Language and Culture
/NUM News/ March 14. The Institute for Mongolian Studies at the National University of Mongolia will be running a 2 week in-country summer Mongolian Language and Culture course. In addition to classroom instruction participants will go on an Ulaanbaatar and countryside tour organized by the IMS. The course will run from August 3 to August 15, 2023. Those interested in participating in this course must submit an Enrollment Form before June 30, 2023 to the IMS. For details go to: https://news.num.edu.mn/?p=93647 |
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"The Nomadic Leviathan: A Critique of the Sinocentric Paradigm" by Lhamsuren Munkh-Erdene
Price: €175.00 (Both)
Devised to legitimize the Republic of China’s claim over Inner Asia, the Sinocentric paradigm stems from the Open Door Policy and Chinese nationalism. Advanced against the conquest theory, and rationalized as the pathfinding ecological theory, it is an evolutionary materialist scheme that became the vision of history.
Exposing the initial agenda of this paradigm and revealing its fundamental contradictions, The Nomadic Leviathan debunks it as a myth. Resurrecting the conquest theory, and reinforcing it with the idea of extrahuman transportation, this book places pastoralism at the origin of the state and civilization, and the Eurasian steppe at the center of human history; the political emerges as the primary and fundamental order defining the social and economic.
Lhamsuren Munkh-Erdene, Ph.D. (2004), Hokkaido University, is a Professor of History and Anthropology at the National University of Mongolia, and a visiting fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology. He is the author of The Taiji Government and the Rise of the Warrior State: The Formation of the Qing Imperial Constitution (Brill, 2021).
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| | "Mongolia: becoming a nation-state (1911-1952): The history of Mongolia in the XX century" by Batsaikhan Ookhnoi
Price: $63.72 (Paperback) $140.00 (Hardcover)
The struggle of Mongols for their national independence and sovereignty conducted through the XX century was a struggle for the establishment of Mongolian nation-state which has developed in several periods and became a benchmark of the unique nation being able to liberate from the sphere of influence of Qing Empire.
It is true that the problem of national independence of Mongolia in the beginning of the XX century was successfully resolved thanks to the initiatives and participation of Mongols themselves. But there is a significant role and assistance played by the northern neighbor - Russia. I tried to demonstrate the struggle between the national leaders of Mongolia aiming to develop the country on one hand; and those leaders, who supported the Comintern and Communist Party of Soviet Russia arguing for the socialist model of development.
In my investigation I tried to use the archival sources opened last years in Russian Federation and Mongolia, also the documents of foreign relations of Japan and modern historical concepts of Japanese writers.
The book is very useful to people, who interested in the history of Mongolia or who have connection with Mongolia
Batsaikhan Ookhnoi an experienced historian who has got a high level of theoretical knowledge and methods. Received the highest Mongolian award for history books of Mongolia from the President of Mongolia in 2011, The best specialist of the Bogd Khaan and early socialist periods (1911-1946) in history of Mongolia.Well-educated and traveled scholar has a wide scholarly competence and linguistic skills (Mongolian, English, Russian), and has published a number of articles in English, Russian and Mongolian on various topics related to 20th century Mongolian history – international relations, laws and constitutions, great influential figures…The remarkable book on the Eighth Bogd Zhavzandamba (Mongolyn süülčiin ezen khaan VIII Bogd Žavzandamba. Am’dral ba domog (The Last Emperor of Mongolia Bogdo Jebtsundamba Khutukhtu. The Life and Legend, also translated into English), which broke new ground in the field of Mongolian history.
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| | "Asian Comparative Constitutional Law, Volume 1" edited by Ngoc Son Bui and Mara Malagodi
Price: £126.00 (Hardcover) £100.80 (eBook)
This is the first in a 4 volume set that provides the definitive account of the major issues of comparative constitutional law in 19 Asian jurisdictions.
Volume 1 explores the process and contents in the making of a new constitution. The book provides answers to questions on the causes, processes, substance and implantation involved in making new constitutions such as;
- What are the political, social, and economic factors that drive the constitution-making?
- How are constitutions made, and who makes them?
- What are the substantive contents of constitution-making?
- What kinds of legislation are enacted to implement constitutions?
- How do courts enforce constitutions?
The jurisdictions covered include: Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, North Korea, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. An essential reference for those interested in Asian constitutional law.
Ngoc Son Bui is Professor of Asian Laws at the Faculty of Law, University of Oxford, UK. Mara Malagodi is Reader in Law at the School of Law, University of Warwick, UK.
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| | "Northern Wei (386-534): A New Form of Empire in East Asia" by Scott Pearce
Price: $82.49 (eBook) $110.00 (Hardcover)
Emerging from collapse of the Han empire, the founders of Northern Wei had come south from the grasslands of Inner Asia to conquer the rich farmlands of the Yellow River plains. Northern Wei was, in fact, the first of the so-called "conquest dynasties" complex states seen repeatedly in East Asian history in which Inner Asian peoples ruled parts of the Chinese world.
An innovative contribution to East Asian and Chinese history of the medieval period, Northern Wei (386-534) combines received historical text and archaeological findings to examine the complex interactions between these originally distinct populations, and the way those interactions changed over time. Scott Pearce analyses traditions borrowed and adapted from the long-gone Han dynasty including government and taxation as well as the new cultural elements such as the use of armor for man and horse in the cavalry and the newly-invented stirrup. Further, this book discusses the fundamental change in the dynastic family, as empresses began to play an increasingly important role in the business of government. Though Northern Wei fell in the early sixth century, the nature of the state was thus fundamentally changed, in the Chinese world and East Asia as a whole; it had laid down a foundation from which a century later would emerge the world empire of Tang.
Trained in the history of China, inner Asia, and Japan, and in Chinese thought and religion, Scott Pearce specializes in dynasties of Inner Asian origin that ruled northern China during the 4th through the 6th centuries CE. He has just completed a book on the first major example of such regimes, the Northern Wei (386-534). From this work come scholarly and teaching interests in many related issues, such as the encounter and interaction of cultures, military history, and the arts and poetic forms of East Asia and worlds beyond.
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| | "Asymmetric Neighbors and International Relations
Living in the Shadow of Elephants" edited by Ian Roberge, Nara Park, Thomas R. Klassen
Price: £130.00 (Hardcover) £38.99 (eBook)
With a range of case studies from every continent, the contributors to this book analyze the challenges that arise for states living with much larger neighbors, and the policies they develop to account for this asymmetry.
Bringing together the perspectives of bilateral relations and the study of small states, this book analyzes a range of scenarios where one or more smaller countries must manage relations with a much larger neighbor or neighbors, from the perspective of the smaller countries. Each case presents different priorities, depending on the relationship between the states concerned, while highlighting the commonalities across the various scenarios. The range of cases and contributors is wide and diverse, with examples including Togo’s relationship with Ghana, Mongolia’s with China, and Colombia’s with Brazil – as well as more widely known examples such as Canada and the United States, or Australia and New Zealand.
A valuable resource for scholars and students of international relations, and public policy of small- and medium-sized states.
Ian Roberge is an Associate Professor in the School of Public Policy and Administration at York University in Toronto, Canada.
Nara Park is an Assistant Professor of Public Policy and Management at Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea.
Thomas R. Klassen is a Professor in the School of Public Policy and Administration at York University, Toronto, Canada.
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| | "Chinese Archery Studies: Theoretic and Historic Approaches to a Martial Discipline" by Hing Chao (Editor), Lianzhen Ma (Editor), Loretta Kim (Editor)
Price: €119.99 (Hardcover), €96.29 (Ebook)
This book, the first research publication on China’s archery culture to appear in the English language, introduces the historic development, key concepts, and research methodologies for archery studies. Archery was the most important weapon of war in pre-modern China; at the same time, archery practice was intimately tied to Confucius’ cultural and pedagogic ideals. Chinese archery was divided into the domains of military archery (wushe) and ritual archery (lishe), and may be further distinguished into han (Chinese) and hu (barbarian) archery traditions. Bringing together the leading scholars in this field, including Ma Mingda, Stephen Selby, Ma Lianzhen, Peter Dekker, and others, this book presents the most comprehensive statement on archery studies to date. In particular, it provides an in-depth survey of archery development during the Qing period and offers a unique cultural perspective to understanding China’s last imperial dynasty—through the lens of Manchu archery.
Hing Chao is the founder and Executive Director of Institute of Martial Studies, Executive Director of International Guoshu Association, and Trustee of Hong Kong Maritime Museum. He is also the founder of Hong Kong Martial Arts Living Archive, the largest 3D martial arts archive in the world, and has curated and produced several pioneering exhibitions including “300 Years of Hakka Kung Fu: Digital Vision of Its Legacy and Future” (Hong Kong: 2016, Melbourne: 2017), and “Kung Fu Motion” (Lausanne: 2018).
Lianzhen Ma is a professor at the Sports Science School of South China Normal University, and is the deputy director for Postgraduate Education in Traditional Physical Activities and Culture Major, and for the Exercise & Training Department. He is a well-known martial artist and the 3rd generation inheritor of Ma’s Tongbei Martial Studies. At the same time, he is the deputy director of Shaolin Changong Committee of Mt. Song Shaolin Temple, president of International Guoshu Association, president of Gansu Province Ma’s Tongbei Wuxue Association, chief editor of Wuxue, and the headmaster of Jiangong Academy.
Loretta Kim is assistant professor and director of the China Studies programme at the School of Modern Languages and Cultures, University of Hong Kong. She is a historian of late imperial and modern China. Her primary research areas include the comparative history of borderlands and frontiers, Sino-Russian cultural relations, and Chinese ethnic minority languages and literatures. She is the author of Ethnic Chrysalis: China’s Orochen People and the Legacy of Qing Borderland Administration (Harvard Asia Center, 2019).
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| | | "Sex in the Land of Genghis Khan: From the Times of the Great Conqueror to Today" by BAASANJAV TERBISH
Price: $95.00 • (£73.00) Hardback, $45.00 • (£35.00) Ebook
This book examines the history of sexuality in Mongolia over the last 800 years. As a culture-specific and time-specific system of values, practices and identities, sexuality in Mongolia, as elsewhere, has been subject to change as Mongolian society transformed from an empire to a post-imperial regional power to a Qing colony to a socialist country, before embracing liberal democracy in the 1990s. Since every social change tends to become reflected in sexuality, this study takes into account a range of intertwined topics, including religious ideologies, political ideologies, law, gender and relationships between individuals and the state, all of which have evolved throughout Mongolia’s history and require rethinking if one is to describe such a complex social phenomenon as human sexuality.
Baasanjav Terbish is affiliated researcher at the Mongolia and Inner Asia Studies Unit of the University of Cambridge.
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