Council of Conferences (COC)

The Council of Conferences (COC) was created in 1977 to serve as a liaison between the Association for Asian Studies and the regional Asian Studies conferences affiliated with it. For information on the regional conferences and a listing of upcoming regional conference dates, please visit the Regional Conferences page.

Once in a three-year rotation, the leadership of each regional conference nominates three of its members to serve as its representative to the COC. These nominees are listed on the annual AAS ballot. AAS members vote for representatives to the COC from their region. Each elected representative serves a three-year term. Each year, the COC chooses a chair who serves on the AAS Board.

Members of the COC consult with the AAS leadership about ways to strengthen the work of the AAS and the regional conferences. The COC awards Outreach Grants to increase understanding of Asia in K-12 schools and among the public. At AAS annual conferences, the COC sponsors a panel at which graduate students who have won paper prizes sponsored by the regional conferences present their research.

COC Members

Council Chair: Rebecca Corbett

Asian Studies Conference Japan (ASCJ): Karl Friday, Saitama University, History

Asian Studies on the Pacific Coast (ASPAC): Ina Asim, University of Oregon, History

Mid-Atlantic Region (MAR/AAS): Shawn Bender, Dickinson College, East Asian Studies

Midwest Conference on Asian Affairs (MCAA): Kendra Strand, University of Iowa, Literature and Visual Culture

New England Conference (NEAAS): Sarah Frederick, Boston University, Literature

New York Conference on Asian Studies (NYCAS): Patricia Welch, Hofstra University, Literature and Language

Southeast Conference (SEC/AAS): Kevin Fogg, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, History

Southwest Conference on Asian Studies (SWCAS): Jooyoun Lee, St. Edward’s University, Global Studies and Political Science

Western Conference (WCAAS): Rebecca Corbett, University of Southern California, History