Africa–Asia relations in academic network formation

This chapter aims to reflect on the African studies network formation process in Asian countries. ² In Asia, the academic exchanges and interactions among scholars and institutes of African studies have accelerated in recent years. Institutes of African studies in Asian countries, such as China, India, Japan, and South Korea, have increasingly organized international conferences, workshops, and seminars, and not only invited African and Western scholars but also other Asian scholars. Since the international conference on African studies successfully organized in South Korea in April 2012, ³ the academic exchanges among Chinese, Indian, Japanese, and Korean Africanists have been expanding. Now, closer collaboration is required in these Asian countries to globalize African studies, while respecting each country’s background and contexts. How can the academic network be established in African studies in Asian countries? What challenges do Asian scholars and research institutes face when trying to develop international research networks in African studies?