Projects

Frontier Urbanism

Led by Dr Markus Daechsel and Dr Paris Chronakis

“Frontier Urbanism” refers to two fault lines that have shaped the cities in South Asia and the Eastern Mediterranean: the ever-expanding frontier between urban and rural, and the frontiers created by ethnic cleansing and religious communalism in the process of nation formation.

In a series of events, we seek to illuminate how these two frontiers have intersected and overlapped in surprising ways, often long after traumatic events of Partition and displacement have passed into memory.

Exhibit Asia

Led by Dr Mrinalini Venkateswaran and Dr Weipin Tsai

“Exhibit Asia” hosts our vision – personal and collective – of exploring Asia’s history, people, and societies by mining the interpretive possibilities of exhibitions.

Exhibitions – whether in small museums, large galleries, specialist trade fairs, or international ‘expos’ – offer historians a wealth of analytic opportunities to unpack the visual, cultural, material and social properties of identity through display. By comparing exhibitions of Asia held in a wide range of contexts – in Europe; in colonised countries; and within Asia itself – we are able to reflect on the multiple layers of meaning conjured in these displays for exhibition visitors, whether related to the nation, economy, or politics. 

This is a space where we display our curiosity about Asia, construct and share our understanding of Asia, and seek to build new relationships with Asia: for ourselves, and in collaboration with others. Our interests are diverse, reflecting Asia’s breadth; and our approaches are multiple, in order to do justice to Asia’s complexity.