Dossier - May 2015

What is the impact of area studies—based on an in-depth knowledge of a country or a macro-region—in a world of accelerating transnational dynamics? Should the very notion of cultural areas (or say regional areas, to be more neutral) be defended? If so, how can it be defended, considering that intercultural spaces multiply? How can cultural areas and academic disciplines be articulated? How can research be structured? What sort of academic training is to be elaborated and given if we wish to continue to form researchers as well as young specialists who will join private businesses, become journalists or humanitarians in China, Africa or elsewhere? These are among the crucial questions that this dossier aims at tackling, following the conference on area studies organized in November 2014 by several organizations, including CERI.