Entitled ‘A New Asia? Politics, Society and Culture in the 21st Century’, the free, two-day event will explore topics such as Asian politics and literature, how the continent is changing, and what these changes mean for the balance of power in Asia.

It will feature a number of eminent speakers, including Dr John Swenson-Wright from the Univeristy of Cambridge, Prof Takehiko Kariya from the University of Oxford, and Hokkaido University’s Professor Ken Endo.

Additionally, there will be a key-panel discussion in the evening session on June 28 from 6pm, titled ‘Asia from Europe; Europe from Asia’, chaired by UEA visiting professor and former Home Secretary Charles Clarke.

The conference has been organised by UEA’s School of Political, Social and International Studies, along with the Centre for Japanese Studies and the Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures.

Prof Hussein Kassim, head of the School of Political, Social and International Studies, said:

“Although there is a general awareness that Asia has become more important, much about the continent is not known or is poorly understood. The symposium brings together international experts to discuss Asia from a variety of disciplinary perspectives, and to explore the influence of Japan and China on global security, the international economy and culture in the West.

“This initiative, motivated by a desire to understand the nature of the continent and evaluate its impact on the rest of the world, brings together leading experts to further understanding of Asian society and politics, as well as to explore the influence of Japan and China on global security, the international economy and culture in the west.”

The conference takes place from 28-29 June, at UEA London, 102 Middlesex Street, London, E1 7EZ. To register for a free place, email politicsevents@uea.ac.uk by June 25.

For more information, visit www.uea.ac.uk/psi/events/new-asia.