Subject: This Month in Mongolian Studies: November 8, 2024

A black symbol with the letters “ACMS“ in the middle is to the left of the words “American Center for Mongolian Studies: Bridging Cultures, Supporting Scholars“ in black text.

November 8, 2024

A monastery located in the Mongolian countryside. People are walking out of the entrance. A blue sky full of clouds hangs above.

Erdene Zuu Monastery in Kharkhorin, Mongolia

What's New at ACMS?

ACMS U.S. Director Maggie Lindrooth Visits Ulaanbaatar

ACMS U.S. Director Maggie Lindrooth visited Ulaanbaatar from October 3-22, during which time she not only got better acquainted with the amazing and hardworking staff members in the UB office, but also met with a number of partners and stakeholders from local institutions including the National Museum, the US Embassy Public Affairs Section, the National Library, the National University of Mongolia, and the Mongolian Parliament. These meetings focused on building current partnerships, brainstorming new ways to collaborate, and even developing some exciting potential joint projects. Check out some of the highlights of Maggie’s visit below!

Three people sitting at a table with papers laid out in front of them. Far left: Dr. Munkhtogoo Dulamjav. Middle: Dr. Enkhbat Galbadrakh. Far right: Maggie Lindrooth

At the National Museum, Maggie met with Dr. Enkhbat Galbadrakh, Acting General Director, and Dr. Munkhtogoo Dulamjav, Head of the Training and Methodology Center

Professor Zayabaatar Dalai (left) and Maggie Lindrooth (right) stand in front of a world map holding up a copy of “The Secret History of the Mongols“ together.

Maggie and ACMS Program Manager Tuvshinzaya Tumenbayar had a fruitful meeting with Professor Zayabaatar Dalai, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Student Development at the National University of Mongolia.

Maggie and ACMS Director of Partnerships and Outreach, Davaa, met with Associate Professor Erdene-Ochir Tumen-Ochir, the Head of the Mongolian Language and Linguistics Department at the National University of Mongolia.

Maggie Lindrooth (left) and L. Undraa (right) stand in front of a portrait of Chinggis Khan and the emblem of Mongolia

A productive meeting with L. Undraa, member of the Mongolian Parliament.

Five women seated around a table wearing matching shirts that read “American Center for Mongolian Studies.“ From left to right: M. Davaasuren, B. Baigalmaa, Maggie Lindrooth, T. Tsermaa, T. Tuvshinzaya

The whole team in the ACMS office. Left to right: M. Davaa (Director of Partnerships and Outreach), B. Baigalmaa (UB Office Manager), Maggie Lindrooth (US Director), T. Tsermaa (Language Program Manager), and T. Tuvshinzaya (Program Manager)

University of Pennsylvania Lauder Institute

ACMS hosted the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School's Lauder Intercultural Venture Program Mongolia: Mining and Herding in the Heart of Central Asia, led by Professor Christopher Atwood, from October 12-19th, 2024. The Lauder Institute is a program for graduate students pursuing a dual M.B.A. and M.A. in International Studies. This year, the program's theme examined how Mongolia handles natural resources and the various cultural, economic, and political issues surrounding this topic.

During the LIV program, students gained valuable insights into local perspectives through lectures, discussions, and site visits. Notably, they visited the Oyu Tolgoi headquarters and the American Chamber of Commerce. The excursion also included site visits to Erdenet Mining and Hustai National Park.

The ACMS arranged a discussion with entrepreneurs, bringing together representatives from the natural resource management sector. Additionally, students met with government and non-government representatives in the mining sector, including Uyanga, a member of the State Great Khural of Mongolia, Baigalmaa from the Women’s Association of the Mineral Sector in Mongolia, and Zorigt from the Mongolian National Mining Association. These meetings were successful and included engaging Q&A sessions.

We are so grateful to the Wharton School for choosing to partner with us to deliver this program! You can see some highlights from the trip pictured below.

A group of students standing in the snow in front of a statue

In front of a statue of Erdenebileg, Founder of the Erdenet Mining Factory, at Erdenet Polytechnic College

A group of students in neon yellow safety vests and hard hats standing on the edge of a snow-covered pit mine.

Participants visited the Erdenet Pit Mine in Erdenet, Mongolia

Celebrating 20 Years of the American Corner in Ulaanbaatar

On Wednesday, October 23, we joined our neighbor the American Corner and MakeUspace, Ulaanbaatar to celebrate their 20^th Anniversary! We deeply value the long-lasting friendship and partnership we have shared throughout the years on programs like our Speaker Series, workshops, and various program orientations, and are so grateful to have them just across the building at the Natsagdorj Library.

We would like to congratulate them on their remarkable achievements and ongoing efforts to strengthen educational and cultural connections between the US and Mongolia. Cheers to another 20 years of successful collaboration!

A banner that says “American Corner Ulaanbaatar 20th Anniversary, October 24, 2024, Ulaanbaatar City Library“

ACMS Spotlight

Staff Announcement: Welcoming M. Davaasuren to ACMS

We are thrilled to welcome M. Davaasuren as ACMS Director of Partnerships and Outreach. In this role, Davaa will work strategically with local partners and other stakeholders to expand ACMS's programming, develop new initiatives, and contribute to the forward momentum gained after releasing our strategic plan last year.

Davaa holds a BA in Mongolian Language and Literature from the National University of Mongolia and an MLIS degree from the University of South Australia. With a specialisation in information management, stakeholder engagement, and project management, Davaa brings extensive expertise to ACMS. She has previously worked with government, non-government, and international organizations—including the National Library of Mongolia—where she led a diverse range of national and international projects in the library and education sectors.

Mongolian and Inner Asian Studies News, Events, and Publications

Research Publications

"A Spectral Cavalcade: Early Iron Age Horse Sacrifice at a Royal Tomb in Southern Siberia."

William Taylor, ACMS Board Member and Assistant Professor of Archaeology at University of Colorado Boulder, recently co-authored a paper published in Antiquity. The article explores how findings from a burial mound excavation in the Uyuk Valley of Tuva, Sibera may point to the distinct role of domestic horses in cultural exchange and ceremonial traditions across Inner Asia during the Bronze and Iron Ages. Read the article here.

In the News

RadioFreeEurope / RadioLiberty: Mongolia, The Forgotten Soviet Satellite

Mongolia's legacy as a Soviet satellite state between 1924-1990 is often overshadowed by its imperial past. This piece details Mongolia's historical relationship with the Soviet Union alongside commentary from former U.S. ambassador to Mongolia, Jonathan Addleton, and photos spanning decades. Read the article here.

New York Times: How Two of the Rarest Horses on Earth Got Lost

The Przewalski's horse, also known as the Takhi, is one of the rarest horse breeds in the world. Once endemic to Central Asia, they are now considered endangered by the IUCN. This summer, a Colorado ranch purchased what they believed to be a mule but was in fact a Przewalski's horse. A viral TikTok video led to the discovery of another horse in Utah. Read the article to learn more about the mysterious origins of the "TikTok Takhis" and what they mean for the breed here. And if you're interested in the region's wild horses, ACMS offers a Summer Field School course on wildlife and rangeland management in Hustai National Park, home to the Przewalski's horse. Keep an eye on our newsletter or website for further details on this program, to be announced soon!

Upcoming Deadlines and CfPs

Call for Papers: XVII Annual Mongolian Studies Conference

Our friends at the Mongolian Cultural Center are pleased to announce their call for papers for the XVII Annual Mongolian Studies Conference! This conference will take place February 14-15, 2025 at the Embassy of Mongolia to the United States in Washington, D.C.

Papers in a variety of disciplines and topics, including language, history, religion, arts, culture, literature, and anthropology are welcome, as well as papers that address Mongolian social, economic, and cultural issues. All papers must be original work and can be written and presented in either Mongolian or English. However, presenters who are planning to present in Mongolian must submit a full English translation of the paper at least one month prior to the conference.

The submission deadline for paper abstracts is November 22, 2024. Abstracts must not exceed 500 words. Acceptance emails will be sent by December 8, 2023, and full papers must be submitted by January 12, 2025 to ensure it is included in the printed proceedings.

All presenters must pay a $50 registration fee, which includes two-day conference attendance, breakfast and lunch, a printed book of the conference proceedings, and an invitation to the closing reception.

Please send abstracts to info@mglcenter.org and saruul7@gmail.com.

Fellowship Opportunities

CAORC Multi-Country Research Fellowship

Application Deadline: December 5, 2024

The Multi-Country Research Fellowship enables US scholars to carry out transnational research in countries across the network of Overseas Research Centers as well as other countries. The fellowship supports advanced research in the humanities, social sciences, and allied natural sciences for US doctoral candidates, who are ‘all but dissertation,’ and scholars who have earned their PhD or a terminal degree. Applicants are eligible to apply as individuals or as teams. Six awards of $12,600 each will be granted. Funding is provided by the US Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

CAORC-NEH Research Fellowship

Application Deadline: January 15, 2025

The CAORC - National Endowment for the Humanities Research Fellowship provides the opportunity for scholars to carry out advanced research in the humanities and to spend significant time in one country with an Overseas Research Centers as a base. The fellowship supports advanced research in the humanities. Fellowship awards are for four to six consecutive months and selected fellows are awarded $5,000 per month of the award. This program is funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) under the Fellowship Programs at Independent Research Institutions (FPIRI).

CAORC Overseas Faculty Development Seminar: Climate Change and Public Health: What does Climate Change Mean for the People of Mongolia?"

Application Deadline: December 2, 2024

To support community colleges and minority-serving institutions, the Council of American Overseas Research Centers (CAORC) offers fully-funded overseas seminars that help faculty and administrators gain the requisite first-hand experience needed to develop and improve international courses, curricula, and teaching materials. This seminar, administered by CAORC in collaboration with its member center in Mongolia, the American Center for Mongolian Studies, funds participation in a two-week seminar from July 26 to August 9, 2025 in Mongolia focused on issues related to Climate Change and Public Health that will include stays in the urban capital Ulaanbaatar, rural communities in Kharkhorin, the historic capital of the Mongol Empire, and visits to Erdene Zuu Monastery, the oldest Buddhist monastery in Mongolia and Hustai National Park, home to the rare and endangered Przewalski’s horse.

Join the ACMS Today!

Interested in becoming more involved with the ACMS? In addition to checking out our website or following us on social media to stay up to date, consider becoming a member online or by stopping by our UB office located at Natsagdorj Library, East Entrance, Seoul St-7, Sukhbaatar District, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Additionally, keep your eye out for future newsletters that will include more resources, upcoming events, CfPs, and more.

As always, our Mongolian language classes are available on Zoom or in-person in our Ulaanbaatar office. Contact Tsermaa for more details. And don't forget, many of our library resources are available online as well! So until next time, happy reading and enjoy your fall.