HPAIR On-Campus Conference at Harvard

Introduction

Dates: February 19-22, 2009
Location: Harvard Campus

Description

For almost 20 years, Harvard Project for Asian and International Relations (HPAIR) has been the premier gathering place for students from around the globe as the largest student conference in Asia. For the second time, HPAIR will host an academic conference held on the Harvard University campus. The second annual HPAIR Harvard Conference will be the first forum of 2009 as part of HPAIR's showcase of conferences for its 18th year in running.

Continuing its tradition of academic excellence, the HPAIR Harvard Conference seeks to create a rigorous forum for dialogue and exchange. Covering topics spanning development, globalization, public health, international relations, and cultural transformations, the Harvard Conference will invite both foreign delegates and Harvard students to engage in thoughtful conversations regarding critical issues affecting Asia and the world today. HPAIR, continually striving to provide diverse experiences in every conference, is introducing a new interactive format for the 2009 Harvard Conference. In an effort to create more interaction and direct cooperation among delegates, the 2009 Harvard On-Campus Conference will feature twice as many workshops. In each workshop, a smaller group of delegates will work together to tackle a problem or issue specific to their workshop theme. Preeminent speakers from Harvard and beyond will supplement these discussions with their critical perspectives. Finally, at the end of the conference the delegates will come together to demonstrate their conclusions to the rest of the conference attendees.

The delegates at the 2009 Harvard On-Campus Conference will not only be able to tour this four-hundred-year-old campus, but also interact with Harvard students and professors in both academic and informal settings. In addition, early applicants have the opportunity to live in a Harvard dorm for the duration of the conference with a student host.

Conference Program

Plenary Sessions

• China After the Olympics

  With a dazzling performance in the athletic arena and well-received opening and closing ceremonies, the 2008 Beijing Olympics concluded on August 24th. As many Chinese people celebrated the success of the Chinese athletic team as well as that of Beijing as a host city, others pondered over China's gains and losses from the Olympics. How did the national image of China and its self-image change after the Olympics and what impact would these changes have on China's future? Also, post-Olympic China now faces many challenges with the faltering credit and housing markets and the present financial crisis. This plenary session will examine the economic, social, political and cultural influence of the Beijing Olympics as well as study its effects on China's future goals.

• The Global Financial Crisis: Reactions, Adaptations, and Transformations in Asia

  The recent Wall Street slump seems to have triggered a global financial crisis, driving down stock market prices as well as real estate mar- kets in several Asian countries. With the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis still fresh in our memory, what should the next step be? In the 1997 crisis, banking systems in several newly industrialized East Asian nations were criticized by the international community. Now that a decade has passed, how can Asia learn from its past experiences to deal with this current credit and financial crisis? Will the economic miracle of East Asia's newly industrialized countries continue? What socio-political changes will the current financial downturn bring? Speakers for this plenary will include renowned figures with expertise in economics, East Asian regional studies, and social policy.

Workshops

Allow groups of delegates to engage in and tackle 1 of 6 challenging questions assigned prior to the conference, and collaborate with each other under the guidance of speaker to formulate a proposed solution by the conclusion of the conference.

• Economics: How Much Regulation Does a Developing Asia Need?

  The economic miracles of newly industrial- ized East Asian countries, such as Japan and South Korea, led to a revolution in the field of economic develop- ment theory, giving strong support to a governed market developmental model. In this paradigm, government regulates industry development, supports industries with tax benefits, massive loans, and protection from inter- national competitors. Ironically, a complete lack of regulation and government oversight when it comes to health, quality, and labor wages has accompanied stringent government regulation protecting and promoting industries. Recent news reports of several popular Chinese products contaminated with hazardous chemicals have highlight- ed this lack of quality regulation. This economics workshop will analyze the role of regulation in the context of developing Asian nations. Delegates will investigate whether or not protectionist policies are necessary to protect developing economies and whether the international community is expecting too much out of quality, health, and labor regulation. At the end of this workshop, delegates will cooperate to develop a solution to balance economic growth and inter- national concerns as they determine the role of state regulation in government policy and industry.

• Education: The Importance of Learning in Asia

  Possibly because of the widespread influence of Confucianism, Asian countries have long held education as an important, sometimes even sublime matter. Arguably, the state- led education reforms after World War II have helped greatly to cultivate skilled labor forces in several Asian countries such as South Korea and Japan, which has contributed to rapidly growing productivity. In the informa- tion age, however, learning patterns have changed significantly, especially for younger generations. To keep up with the rapid pace of information technology, several Asian countries such as China are going through major curricular reform, hoping to attune the traditional concept of learning with the challenges of the new century. Furthermore, different perspectives among Asian nations today have led to state-sponsored textbooks that often skew objective history.

• Environment and Energy: The Dark Cloud Over Asia

  Cities with rapid industrial and urban development have seen the rise of dense smog, billowing smoke stacks and heavy traffic in many parts of Asia. Such activity has created heavy amounts of pollution in both the air and water. Pollution, however, does not only cloud city skylines, but also poses a great threat to the environment, to public health, and to the general welfare of the Asian population. According to a recent Harvard study, in the next 30 years, smoke pollution will contribute to millions of deaths in China. This Environment and Energy workshop will analyze the nature of pollution associated with Asia's rapid development and will ask how pollution affects the environment and health of Asia. More importantly, this work- shop will look into how Asian nations have responded to this pollution crisis and how global pressure has influenced the policies today. At the end of the workshop, delegates will use what they have learned from many influential speakers to develop a new set of goals and policies to combat pollution in Asia while preserving the rapid development of the region.

• Health Policy: Disease, Epidemics, and New Solutions

  New diseases and fast-growing epidemics have capitulated on the dynamic and rapid population growth of many Asian regions. HIV/AIDS, a deadly and rapidly growing disease, disproportionately affects regions of southern China, Southeast Asia, and India. Hepatitis B, a disease that leads to liver failure, runs rampant in China and Vietnam. Recent outbreaks in poor, heavily populated regions have created fears of massive epidemics. In addition, some health epidemics are not caused by viruses or bacteria, but are a direct result of people's actions. According to several studies, rampant smoking and increasing air pollution will lead to the loss of millions of lives in Asia. The Health Policy workshop will attempt to understand the causes and effects of these health crises as well as understand the current means that Asian countries have used to deal with these issues. The workshop will ask how effective these polices have been in fighting against diseases and learn from the mistakes as well as the many victories that public policy has had in addressing these problems. At the end of the workshop, delegates will have an opportunity to synthesize what they learn in developing their own solutions to these important issues.

• Security: The Transforming US-Asia Security Landscape

  In the past year, several key events have drastically changed the security landscape among several Asian nations and the United States. In October 2008, the United States took North Korea off the "terror"list after the North Korean government agreed to nuclear disablement. Such actions have disturbed other nations in the region, most notably Japan, who do not yet have full confidence in North Korea's promise and who are still angered over previous acts of "terror"against Japan by Pyongyang. Furthermore, an agreement between South Korea and the United States in the summer of 2008 to allow US exports of beef to Korea led to violent protests and government insecurity. Protesters believed that the agreement acted to appease the US and allowed for the importation of beef possibly infected with Mad Cow Disease. This Security workshop will investigate both international and domestic security policy in response to recent changes in political relations among many Asian countries and the United States. The workshop will address security concerns in the region and will look into how US policy affects Asian security policy, especially in the northeast. By the end of this workshop, delegates will have a broader understanding of Asian-US security relations and will attempt to develop their own policies to address these security issues.

• Social Policy: Culture, Belief, and Gender in Changing Asia

  As Asia begins to play an increasingly important role in global policies, cultural practices and tensions between different beliefs in Asian countries have come under the scrutiny of the international community. With many different belief systems and cultures present in each Asian nation, minority groups are often persecuted by governments and by the majority. Furthermore, differing cultural beliefs have led to border disputes and independence movements. The role of women has also changed drastically as Asia begins to play a more important role in international policies. Asian countries have tried to maintain a balance between traditional notions of gender roles with those of other influential members of the international community. This Social Policy workshop will analyze how different beliefs and cultures as well how as the conflict between traditional and changing gender roles influence Asian social policy today. The workshop will look into the nature of cultural conflicts and investigate the role of both men and women in today's changing society. Delegates will have an opportunity to synthesize what they learn from prominent speakers to develop new policies to address some of these cultural and gender role issues.

Fact Sheet

Please click here for an informational PDF file.

More information will be made available shortly.