BURMA STUDIES CONFERENCE 2006

organised by
Asia Research Institute,
National University of Singapore

with funding provided by the
Asia Research Institute, and
Faculty of Science, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences,
The National University of Singapore
and
Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, Singapore

The Asia Research Institute and the National University of Singapore’s Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences are pleased to announce that the biennial International Burma Studies Conference will convene in Singapore on July 13-15, 2006. This session’s theme, “Communities of Interpretation”, seeks to recognize and explore the various ways in which the idea of Myanmar/Burma has come to be epistemologically understood in contemporary times. The field of Burma Studies and the knowledge that supports it has been produced through a variety of historical, economic, cultural, and political contexts, each adding important and sometimes competing ways of thinking about what has and what has not come to define Myanmar/Burma. Within these contexts, communities of interpreters have all contributed to its representation by imagining it through key issues, questions, paradigms, agendas, institutions and themes, effectively shaping the way in which we have interpreted and constructed the Myanmar/Burma we know today. We hope to investigate not what constitutes “Burmeseness” but rather how it has come to be known through those who write about, build, lead, criticize, sculpt, resist, perform in and travel to Burma. In doing, so this conference seeks to embrace intellectual and phenomenological diversity by exploring the Communities of Interpretation that have contributed to the conceptualizing of Myanmar/Burma.

Participants have been asked to consider the ways in which Myanmar/Burma has come to be known, produced, and understood through history, anthropology, politics, economics, sociology, art, religion, popular culture, media, and literature. Specifically, we encouraged panels and papers that explore how communities---scholars, colonial administrators, missionaries, politicians, artists, writers, students, musicians, villages, kings, leaders, ethnic groups and nations---have shaped multiple images of Burma/Myanmar that often reflect particular perceptions of the Burmese past, the present, and its possible futures. The conference organizers have welcomed presentations that rigorously investigate the nature of these communities, the basis for these linkages and their overall role in the fashioning of Burma/Myanmar. The list of functioning panels will hopefully reflect some of the diverse and interesting ways in which Burma has come to be understood by interpretive communities throughout the world.

Registration Fees (Standard) SGD 250 (Early Bird Registration before 30Apr2006 - $200)
Grad Students SGD 150
ARI/FASS/NUS Staff SGD 50

Registration fees include: conference sessions, conference kit, conference dinner on 13 July 2006, and tea breaks & luncheons during conference days.

Applicants should send in their bank draft or cheques made payable to the “National University of Singapore” together with a completed Registration Form to the conference secretariat by 30 June 2006.

The following are links on the guides on public transport in Singapore. These e-guides will be a steady companion as it explains fares, use of transport systems and services and comprehensive tables which has detailed information on the different bus and train services.

You are able to search for a bus / MRT by its number, station, and street and even by places of interest and government buildings online. This electronic guide comes up with all bus and MRT numbers that lead to your chosen destination.

We encourage conference participants to stay at the host venue as it is located directly across Singapore's "Burmese" Mall, Peninsula Plaza. Boasting four Burmese restaurants, a Southeast Asian Foodcourt, and 3-4 floors of Burmese shops and businesses, the Peninsula Plaza offers conference participants the opportunity to take their meals at any one of the restaurants while conversing with local Singaporean-Burmese who are part of the 50,000-person community. We also recommend that you stay at least through the 16th April as many members of the community congregate at the Peninsula Plaza on Sundays (many attend the Burmese Christian fellowship service across the street), making the mall one of the most exciting centers for expatriat Burmese. The hotel is nearby the MRT (train), the National Library, the Singapore Art Museum, the Asian Civilizations Museum, the Esplanade Theatres on the Bay, Chijmes (shopping/restaurants/pubs), and the Raffles City Mall.

We have arranged a special accommodation rate at SGD 140+++ (single / twin) with The Grand Plaza Parkroyal for conference participants. Please book NOW to avoid disappointment. Limited rooms only, on a first-come-first-served basis.

Some of our friends in Singapore (Aung San Suu Kyi's Supporter) may attend to BURMA CONFRENCE but cost is high. Fund raising for 13-15 July'2006 conference is on-going.

There are some acadamic from Myanmar working for NUS especially at Southeast Asian Studies. Government also closed their eyes. Singapore government use name of Myanmar but government university use name BURMA. Interesting.

Singapore government is doing agent job in Business & Western arm sale and latest Burma booming Oil & Gas industry. Also Biggest foriegn investor of Burma. All Business and Government tour trip is Singapore including law and medical treatment of top Burmese. Burmese business and government payment to USA, Europe and Japan go through a government control back UOB. No other hundreds of local and foreign bank are not allow to deal with Burma because too much sensitive.

According to statistics publish by Chinese Customs, the bilateral trade value exceed US$30 billion to a record high of US$33.15 billion in 2005, a sheer increase of 25.78% as compared with last year. Chinese total import value from Singapore is US$16.52 billion, and total export to Singapore is US$16.63 billion, increased by 18% and 31.1% respectively. Singapore ranks the 7th largest international trade partner and the first among ASEAN countries.

The cumulative number of Singapore direct investment projects reaches 14,367, with contractual investment value US$53.2 billion and US$27.74 billion in terms of actual investment value.

Of course, BIG countries China, India and Russia (Nuclear reactor) will not go though Singapore. But small country Singapore so called AGENT COUNTRY is standing important role. Singapore get TRUST from Burmese Generals. Some activists such as Burma Point notice this and attack Singapore business. Singapore government and business men might persuade those very tough Junta. Alternately, Singapore may be cheated AGAIN and AGAIN by Junta :)

Mode of Transportation	Company Name	Website Address / Contact Numbers
Bus	Transit Link	http://www.transitlink.com.sg/
Train	SMRT	http://www.smrt.com.sg/smrt/index_travel_time.htm
Taxi	Comfort	Tel: (65) 6552 1111
Taxi	Citycab	Tel: (65) 6552 2222