230 REVIEWS–REPORTS so one would expect that the publication
will have proper proportion. Unfortunately, the readers are stroked by diff erent level of knowledge contained in another articles. Many of them are descriptive, although the subject itself is very interesting, there is no adequate methodology (e.g. scientifi c prob-lems), some of the articles unfortunately have lost its value. Proportion of the num-ber of pages (one article should have about 13 pages) of the various parts is rather pre-served, though not without exceptions. Un-fortunately 8–10 typed pages with bibliog-raphy and an abstract of the research paper seems to be very small.
The reviewed “Pamięć jako kategoria rzeczywistości kulturalnej” [Memory as a Category of Cultural Reality], but mainly the whole series of publications, plays a sig-nifi cant role in interdisciplinary scientifi c inquiries concerning tradition. Continuity in subsequent volumes (two per year, excep-tion in 2010) also provides a continuous actuality of the tested material. Th erefore, we follow up on the outcomes of these con-ferences and meetings in the form of publi-cations and subsequent volumes of “Trady-cja dla współczesności. Ciągłość i zmiana” [Tradition for Modernity. Continuity and Change]. Th e advantage of the publication is a variety of thematic. Th e major criticism of the work is the lack of a clear ending, that could be a kind of summary of the main points of work or answers to questions.
Iwona Galewska
Opole University, Poland
Joanna Marszałek-Kawa: A report from VII International Academic Conference “Asia in the 21st Century: Challenges,
Di-lemmas, Perspectives: Debating Econom-ics, PolitEconom-ics, Security, Culture, and Educa-tion in Contemporary Asia,” Toruń, 16–17 May 2013
On 16–17 May 2013, Toruń hosted the seventh international scientifi c conference on Asia entitled, “Asia in the 21st Century:
Challenges, Dilemmas, Perspectives: Debat-ing Economics, Politics, Security, Culture, and Education in Contemporary Asia”. Th e conference was held under the patronage of Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski. Th e conference was organized by the Associa-tion for Asia and Pacifi c, the Marshal’s Of-fi ce of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodship, Professor Czesław Mojsiewicz’s Internation-al Cooperation Support Fund, and the Fac-ulty of Political Science and International Studies at the Nicolaus Copernicus Univer-sity in Toruń. Th e interest in the conference – which was an important event not only in the scientifi c endeavors of the university, but also in the whole region – far exceeded the organizers’ expectations. Over 280 pres-entations were submitted to the organizing committee, which chose 210 and divided them into 35 panels. A few panels were held in English, such as Evolutions: “In the shad-ow of the Great Game” – Internal Dynamics of Central Asia, Th e New Geopolitics of Asia, Civil Society and National Identity Question in Asia, and Regional Economic Coopera-tion in Asia: Current SituaCoopera-tion and Future Prospects. Guests from China, Germany,
231 REVIEWS–REPORTS
Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Pakistan at-tended the conference. A number of emi-nent scholars representing the most impor-tant academic centers in Poland were also invited. Among them, we should mention prof. Jerzy Jaskiernia from the Jan Kocha-nowski University in Kielce; prof. Hassan A. Jamsheer from the Warsaw Management Academy; prof. Tadeusz Wallas, Dean of the Faculty of Political Science and Journalism at Adam Mickiewicz University; prof. Jacek Sobczak from the Warsaw School of Social Sciences and Humanities; prof. Edward Olszewski from the Higher School of In-ternational Relations and Social Commu-nications in Chełm; prof. Zbigniew Wik-tor from the University of Wrocław; prof. Sylwester Gardocki from the University of Warsaw; prof. Kazimierz Starzyk from the Warsaw School of Economics; prof. Ewa Oziewicz, prof. Tadeusz Dmochowski and prof. Krystyna Żołądkiewicz, all of whom are from the University of Gdańsk; prof. Adam Gwiazda from the Casimir the Great University in Bydgoszcz; prof. Maria Bernat from the Opole University of Technology; prof. Jolanta Młodawska and prof. Bartosz Wojciechowski from the University of Łódź; prof. Arkadiusz Gut from the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin; prof. Rob-ert Jakimowicz from Cracow University of Economics; prof. Renata Gałaj-Dempniak from Szczecin University; prof. Teruji Su-zuki from the Leon Kozmiński Academy of Entrepreneurship and Management; and professors Marek Szulakiewicz and Piotr Grochmalski from the Nicolaus
Coperni-cus University in Toruń. Th e main research areas included the following issues: Asian diplomacy; the internal security of Asian states; the comparison of the geopolitical potential of Asian states; the global eco-nomic crisis in Asia; U.S.-Asian relations in the fi rst decade of the 21st century; the
system of values in Asian states – tradition, modernity; the past and the present day of Asia; aspects of the economic policy of Asian states; their expansion into the global market; and educational systems.
In the last two decades, we have seen the growing role of Asian states in the interna-tional arena. Th rough their rapid develop-ment, these countries have increased their share in global production and trade. Politi-cians, scholars, experts, and analysts pay close attention to processes occurring in these states. It is estimated that the Asian tigers are now playing a signifi cant, if not the dominant, role in the economic and po-litical spheres. It is obvious that their eco-nomic success determines their political status and the strength of their political clout. As a result, Asian leaders are putting more and more emphasis on pursuing eff ec-tive ways and methods of protecting their own interests and securing their position on the global level. In particular, Asian leaders are accomplishing this by developing their military potential. What is of utmost impor-tance, however, is the infl uence of contem-porary Asian states on the international situation in the political, cultural, and edu-cational spheres.
Th e conference was opened in the Youth Culture Centre by Joanna Marszałek-Kawa,
232 REVIEWS–REPORTS Ph.D., from the Faculty of Political Science
and International Studies of the Nicolaus Copernicus University, the initiator and Chief Scientifi c Offi cer of the conference. Her opening talk was followed by speeches by Adam Marszałek, Ph.D., Chairman of the Association for Asia and Pacific; Piotr Całbecki, Marshal of the Kujawsko-Pomor-skie Voivodship; Michał Zaleski, President of the City of Toruń; and prof. Roman Backer, Dean of the Faculty of Political Science and International Studies of the Nicolaus Coper-nicus University. Plenary sessions in English were moderated by prof. Krzysztof Pałecki from Jagiellonian University in Cracow.
Th e conference in Toruń was attended by four ambassadors: His Excellency Xu Ji-an, the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Poland; His Excellency Murad Ali, the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to Poland; Her Excellency Patri-cia Ann V. Paez, the Ambassador of the Re-public of the Philippines; and His Excel-lency Piotr Świtalski, Ph.D., the Council of Europe Policy Planning Director. Each am-bassador gave a speech during the fi rst part
of the session. Aft er dinner, panels were si-multaneously held in two venues: in fi ve conference rooms of the Marshal’s Offi ce and two rooms of the Academic Hotel.
Zajazd Staropolski, a restaurant serving traditional Polish dishes, hosted the cere-monial banquet, which was accompanied by the musical and dance performances.
On the second day of the conference, panels XV to XXXV were held until dinner, during which most participants continued their discussions on the conference subjects.
To conclude, it must be pointed out that the participants of the 7th Asian Conference
raised some important, topical, and relevant research problems in their presentations. Th ere is no doubt that the interest in this event refl ects the growing attention paid to Asian issues. Moreover, it is an indictment of the appreciation bestowed on the organ-izers’ work. Like in previous years, some presentations will be published in the form of articles in a few volumes in Polish and English.
Joanna Marszałek-Kawa
