CSCT organized Talk by Professor Dr. Tan Chee Beng

Date: 26th February 2014 (Wednesday)
Time: 10:30 am � 12:00 noon
Venue: PC Art Gallery, Ground Floor, FCI, UTAR, PJ.
Speaker: Prof Dr. Tan Chee Beng, Department of Anthropology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
Topic: Ethnic Categorization and Minzu in China: Learning about People and Ethnic Identification

The talk discussed ethnic categorization in China and its impact on ethnic identification. PRC classifies the people in China into 56 ethnic categories called minzu. Some minzu including the Hui were introduced. The talk showed how the study of minzu and ethnic identification in China contribute to the study of ethnicity and the study of ethnic identity.

Prof. Tan Chee-Beng��־�� (Ph.D. Cornell University, 1979) is Distinguished Professor at the Department of Anthropology, Sun Yat-sen University. He had previously taught at the University of Singapore, the University of Malaya, and The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Trained in Cultural Anthropology, he has done research in Southeast Asia (Malaysia in particular) and China (mainly Fujian), and his major areas of academic interest have been change and identity, ethnicity, Chinese overseas, anthropology of food, and indigenous people and development. His latest publications include Routledge Handbook of the Chinese Diaspora (Routledge, 2013) which he edits, and Chinatowns around the World: Gilded Ghetto, Ethnopolis, and Cultural Diaspora (Brill, 2013) which he co-edits with Bernard Wong.

CSCT Organized Talk by CSU Anthropology Professor Chor Swang Ngin

Date: 27 June 2014
Time: 10:00 am � 12:00 noon
Venue: PC Art Gallery, Ground Floor, FCI, UTAR, PJ.
Speaker: Prof. Chor Swang Ngin, Department of Anthropology, College of Natural and Social Sciences, California State University (CSU), Los Angeles
Topic: The Problematic of Race and Culture in Asylum Cases

The objectives of the talk were to expose students and staff to a broader perspective of anthropology in assisting humanity and to encourage learning through real-life examples of asylum cases in the American context.

Prof Ngin has on her own accord been assisting asylum seekers from around the world who are seeking a chance of survival in the United States of America. By the way of racialisation such as using Race and Culture as a means to =prove� the identity of a certain people including names, customs, practices, and language, Prof Ngin has been the beacon of the asylum seekers� cause for 20 years. She believes that this is where anthropology and Social Science can make a contribution to humanity. Prof Ngin has successfully helped over two dozen asylum seekers by proving in court that their motives are legitimate, and they have received mistreatment in their homeland. .Is she an economic migrant who lied to get into America? How do you know that she is telling the truth about her identity, and how do you know what she claims is true?. These are the types of questions which Prof Ngin has to answer in a court before convincing the attorney and a panel of jury of an asylum court that the asylum seekers� motives are genuine. Prof Ngin uses her knowledge and experience in anthropology to support her cause.

Prof Ngin speaking to UTAR students and staff

Prof Ngin speaking of a case she handled in the past

CSCT Chairperson Dr Wu Ming Chu presenting a token of appreciation to Prof Ngin

Roundtable on Unity in Diversity: Thinking beyond Race.

Date: 15 November 2014
Time: 10:00 am � 3:00 pm
Venue: v
Organizer: Majlis Profesor Negara and CSCT and CMCC of UTAR.

One of the major challenges faced by Malaysia in its nation-building project is theattempt to forge unity out of its diverse ethnic communities.This challenge has become more pressing of late with rising ethnic and religious tensions in the country. Seeing this pressing challenge to the nation, Majlis Professor Negara (MPN) and Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) through the Center for Social Change & Trends and Center for Media and Creative Communication co-organized this roundtable on Unity in Malaysia.

The roundtable aimed to clarify the concept of 1M'alaysia in relation to the challenges on unity in the country and discover the way forward in realising the aims of l Malaysia with regards to unity among Malaysians.

Symposium on the Works, Ideas and Thoughts of Tun Tan Cheng Lock.

Date: 16 November 2014
Time: 9.00 am
Venue: v
Organizer: MCA English Speaking Bureau and MCA School of Political Studies. Assisted by CSCT and CMCC of UTAR
Venue: Auditorium Wisma MCA, KL

The objective of the symposium was to rekindle interest into the thoughts and contributions of MCA founder, Tun Tan Cheng Lock. The symposium looked at his ideals, and his thought and dreams which transcend racial barriers even before Malaya gained its independence from the British.