The Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center (APARC) of Stanford University and the Observer Research Foundation, had co-sponsored a conference entitled "Does South Asia exist? - Prospects for Regionalism in South Asia." As the title suggests there was considerable and intense debate on this subject during the two-day conference.
The Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center (APARC) of Stanford University and the Observer Research Foundation, had co-sponsored a conference entitled "Does South Asia exist? - Prospects for Regionalism in South Asia.” As the title suggests there was considerable and intense debate on this subject during the two-day conference. This conference was held at Stanford University's Bechtel Conference Hall on June 19 and 20, 2008 to explore prospects for regionalism and regional integration. This was third in a series of similar academic conferences organised by Shorenstein APARC. The earlier conferences were on Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia and had lead to important edited volumes published by The Brookings Institution press. The conference papers from this conference as well would form an edited volume in the same series jointly edited by APARC and Observer Research Foundation. The book is scheduled for release in the first half of 2009. The conference examined the prospects for regionalism in South Asia keeping in mind the various factors that push towards greater regional integration as well as obstacles to regionalism. The idea was to see how South Asia compared with other experiences in Asia and Europe and explored different perspectives on regionalism from with South Asia. India as the largest power in the region featured prominently and to look at how much India inspired and blocked greater regionalism. The speakers also examined the interests of other powers in South Asia. There were five panels for discussions leading with the first one on Comparative Histories of Regional Integration, followed by India's Role in South Asian Regional Integration, South Asia's Visions of Regionalism, Obstacles to and Drives of Regional Integration and finally, Great Powers Interest and South Asian Regionalism. Participants included eminent scholars, academicians, strategic thinkers & economists from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, the U.S, China and Finland.
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