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ASPAC Conference 2010 June 18 – 20, 2010 | <strong>Portland</strong>, OR activities between China and Sri Lanka. Through this investigation, academics and policymakers will be introduced to comprehensive research depicting rising economic, military, and political ties between China and Sri Lanka in order to understand the implications of this relationship for the region. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Atsuko Sato Can Japan Achieve a Gender-Equal Society? A shift in Government Approaches The evolution of Japan’s gender-based equality reveals a shift in concepts and strategies: from “equal opportunity” to a “gender-equal society.” This paper analyzes the development of policy orientations in the 1980’s and 1990’s to the present, and their outcomes and consequences in Japanese society. Using a methodology of frame analysis, the paper, first, analyzes, how gender equality and family policy were framed in the 1986 Equal Employment Opportunity Law (EEOL) and in related measures throughout the 1980’s. Second, my paper analyzes the period after the so-called “1.57 shock” in 1990 (the fertility rate his 1.57), when the government shifted significantly the framing of gender and family policy through a series of measures, including the 1999 Basic Law for a Gender-Equal Society. The paper reveals, however, that public policies based on the concept of “equal opportunity” were never intended to bring about equality. And further, that the introduction of a “gender-equal society” in politics as been essentially framed as a solution for the population and economic problem, namely low fertility rates. As with “equal opportunity,” genderequal policies are not intended to create gender equality in Japan. The question remains: Can Japan achieve a gender-equal society? I argue that, while this is possible, the recent framing of gender issues in Japan make this extremely unlikely. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Jill Scantlan and Richard S. Lockwood Barriers to Community Participatory Development in North-Indian Urban Slums: An Ethnographic Study Community participatory development principles have been accepted as the de facto approach to “doing development” in resource-poor communities around the world. India has some of the largest income inequalities, health disparities and slum populations in the world and could greatly benefit from grassroots community participatory development. This pilot study reveals the limitations of utilizing community participatory principles in health-related development projects in urban Indian slums. In summer 2009 qualitative research was conducted with three North-Indian NGOs who focus on maternal and child health development within seven different urban slums. Grounded theory was utilized as a methodological approach in order to allow for findings to emerge as research was conducted. The main data collection methods included open-ended interviewing of key stakeholders, participant observation (via field visits), and analysis of secondary data. Preliminary analysis centered on three findings: (1) that the current national healthcare policies implemented in urban slums follow the same vertical and hierarchical power structures that have traditionally made the incorporation of community participatory principles difficult or impossible; (2) the legal status of a slum community is the main determinant of the amount of community participation that is possible; (3) local politicians competing for votes and power within urban districts purposefully prevent community development and manipulate slum dwellers, which leads to their disengagement with the community participatory process. Recommendations: in order to bring more international and local attention to community participatory development in urban Indian slums, further research into these three obstacles is needed. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Jae-ho Shin Translation of Xiao Jing in Conquest Dynasties: Cases of Touba Wei and Mongol Yüan In 1307 prince Khaishan came to power as a new Khaghan of the Yüan Ulus. Interestingly, the new Khaghan, who is known a one of the most steppe-oriented Khaghan in the Yüan dynasty, ordered to distribute the Mongolian version of Book of Filial Piety, or Xiao Jing, in ‘Phags-pa script only about three 36
ASPAC Conference 2010 June 18 – 20, 2010 | <strong>Portland</strong>, OR months after his enthronement. The translation of Xiao Jing and its distribution may be seen as an example of Confucianization in a conquest dynasty. However, it seems unreasonable to think that the Yüan court encouraged the spread the Confucian family ethics in the book among the Mongols; the controversies over widow remarriage and levirate in the Yüan society exemplify how much the Mongolian family ethics differed from those of Han Chinese people. The aim of this paper is to provide an explanation for the appearance of Xiao Jing in the history of the Mongol Empire. By comparing the multifaceted roles of Xiao Jing in the Han, Touba Wei and Mongol Yüan dynasties, I concluded that Khaishan’s decree to distribute the Mongolian version of Xiao Jing had been a political tactic to strengthen his emperorship. To distinguish himself from other Mongol princes, Khaishan introduced the Confucian emperorship by means of spreading Xiao Jing. However, unlike Touba Wei’s case, Khaishan’s Xiao Jing distribution policy did not mean an unconditional imitation of Chinese culture. Rather, the Mongol court efficiently and selectively exploited Confucian ethics as a political tool by translating the classic. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ John L. S. Simpkins Judicial Power in a Time of People Power: Indonesian and Philippine Experiences This paper examines the effect of modern constitutional reform and populist political movements on judicial empowerment in Indonesia and the Philippines. It focuses on the judicial resolution of contested elections to highlight the unique character of electoral disputes as a test of the degree of entrenchment of constitutional norms. Equally important, judicial decisions in contested elections have the potential to frustrate the popular will. The Indonesian and Philippine cases turn on the question of how judiciaries establish legitimacy and institutional security during a period of democratic consolidation. In both countries, popular discontent with post-authoritarian constitutional reform posed a significant threat to governmental stability. The political and legal skills employed by both courts provide valuable instruction on how courts gain public trust while simultaneously asserting themselves within a new governing structure. Indonesia and the Philippines are particularly instructive cases because of their recent experiences of judicial involvement in electoral politics and shared post-colonial traditions of populist-inspired protest politics. This paper examines the intersection between “people power” and judicial power as new constitutional regimes have taken root in each country. Specifically, the paper considers cases involving election results, candidate eligibility, and forms of government to assess judicial performance in the midst of popular protest movements against centralized executive authority in post-Soeharto and post-Marcos regimes. Kuldeep Singh Bhunda in Himachal Hills ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ This paper describes the various aspects of Bhunda Mahayajna, which is one of the age old traditions being celebrated in the hills of Shimla, Kullu and Mandi districts of Himachal Pradesh. According to the Sanskrit dictionary 'Nighanta' the word 'Bhund, means to support. According to another definition the word 'Bhunda' is related with the demon 'Bhundasur' which has been described in Brahmanda Purana. The word 'Bhanda' can be extracted from the commonly use word 'Bhandara'. Nowadays it is considered as the 'Narmedh Yajna' which seems to be true according to the clues which could be extracted from the Vedic literature. The study is based on the intensive field work which has been carried out in fifteen different places where it is being celebrated. Some work has been done by the scholars and writers on this topic, the few of them are, A.H.Diack (1887), J.F.Fleet (1888) H.W. Emerson (1921), O.C.Handa (1965), S.C.Rattan (1969), Sudarshan Vashishtha (1980, 2006) etc. The primary data has been collected by various research methods including, participatory research; interview and by personal observation methods etc. The interviews are recorded in the videos then transcribed and translated. The documentary of the two festivals has been prepared. The festival is culturally very rich. It has the glimpse of rare customs and tradition of the hill people. This includes the symbolic 37
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