We are excited to announce Professor Kim Fortun (Anthropology, University of California—Irvine) will be the keynote speaker at the 2025 Durham Workshop. Her talk, scheduled for Thursday, May 15, will be open to the public.
Professor Fortun is an interdisciplinary, mixed methods ethnographer specializing in comparative studies of environmental knowledge, injustice and governance.
At UC Irvine, she works closely with AirUCI, an interdisciplinary research unit (led by air chemists) focused on air science and governance. She also works closely with the PECE Lab, and directs the EcoGovLab. Her teaching spans environmental studies; science and technology studies; and experimental ethnographic methods and research design. She uses experimental ethnographic methods to understand how people in different geographic regions and organizations deal with environmental problems, health risks and major disasters with particular focus on industrial disasters: chemical plant explosions and massive breakdown of industrial systems.
A recurrent focus of Professor Fortun’s research has been on ways knowledge infrastructure subtends both environmental vulnerability and capacity to recognize and address such vulnerability. She examines factors (technological, political, epistemic) contributing to environmental vulnerability, how these factors are understood by different people, and the elements and dynamics of vulnerability governance, conceived to include roles for many different government agencies, expert communities, educators, and lay publics. She is especially concerned about compound, intersectional vulnerability and what she describes as “combo disaster”—resulting from ways problems in any one system (atmospheric, political, ecological, technological) interlace with and exacerbate problems in other systems.
Professor Fortun has done extensive field research in India and the United States, and have active collaborations across East Asia (Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Cambodia) and helped develop digital research infrastructure to support distributed, collaborative research and teaching.
We are delighted to announce a call for a students’ panel and poster presentations for the second iteration of the Environmental Futures in Asia Network Workshop, which will be held May 15–17, 2025, at Duke University.
Our workshop theme this year is PEDAGOGY—broadly defined as how we might teach, learn, and collaborate, in and beyond classrooms and communities, while highlighting the substantive ways Asia contributes to addressing environmental futures globally.
This two-day workshop will feature a keynote address, thematically organized panels, and a local field excursion. About fifteen faculty and early- mid-career scholars who work on Monsoon Asia (East, Southeast, and South Asia) will share their insights on pedagogic teaching, research, and mentoring. The presenters will be invited from and outside Duke and their expertise will span fields of geography, literature, history, anthropology, political science, and environmental studies.
We are looking to form one panel by student-researchers whose projects focus on environmental issues in Monsoon Asia. Topics of inquiry are widely open. We provide two options for presentation format: a 15-minute research presentation and a poster presentation (in any format that can be exhibited in the venue). Presenters will benefit from a discussant’s feedback to further develop their work as well as an opportunity to learn about interdisciplinary methods by directly networking with about fifteen cutting-edge teacher-scholars in their fields of interest (comparative literature, history, political science, anthropology, sociology, environmental studies).
Selected presenters will be fully integrated into the workshop schedule, including participation in panel discussions, meals and receptions, a speaker’s event on environmental justice by a local activists’ group in NC and a field excursion to a farm-outreach program in Orange County.
Indicate whether you plan to present orally (15-minute slot) or via poster.
Provide your name, affiliation, a title and a preliminary abstract (about 250 words) of the proposed presentation.
Selected participants will be notified in February with final details. We will also give you some time to refine your preliminary abstracts in line with the final program in March—so don’t hesitate to submit your ideas!
Be sure to read about EFAN’s 2024 workshop. The Durham workshop will be our first event to include student research and we look forward to receiving your proposals!
Details about the workshop agenda will be posted to this page as they are available. Times and location are subject to change, so please bookmark this page to confirm the latest information.
Information about local logistics will help prepare travelers to visit Duke University and Durham.
Readings for select presentations will be made available to workshop participants. Please email the organizers if you are a registered workshop participant but did not receive access information.
The Durham Workshop will take place May 15–17, 2025.
As we progress from our initial discussion centered on the evolving notion of “commons,” expanding beyond the tragedy narrative to incorporate perspectives that view shared resources as a dynamic nexus for thinking, acting, and collaborating, this workshop will include opportunities to consider innovative pedagogical and theoretical approaches supporting multidisciplinary study of environmental questions and challenges.
The second meeting of the APSI Environmental Futures in Asia Network (EFAN) will take place May 15–17, 2025, hosted by Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.
The insights gained and relationships formed at the inaugural 2024 workshop in Jeju will serve as the foundation for this second event which aims to broaden participants’ understanding and awareness of efforts to promote social and environmental justice.
This workshop will invite additional contributors representing Duke’s vibrant academic communities as well as other institutions in North America and Asia, advancing interdisciplinary and cross-regional collaboration by promoting emerging social science and humanities research on environmental issues. Additionally, graduate students will be invited to share their research and engage with more established faculty, expanding the conversation to include multiple generations.
EFAN was established with three objectives: supporting emerging scholars in advancing their research agendas, facilitating interdisciplinary conversations on methods and theories related to environmental topics in Asia, and cultivating ethical collaboration by connecting scholars with local practitioners, researchers, and activists.
The inaugural meeting of the APSI Environmental Futures in Asia Network (EFAN) was held on July 4-6, 2024, on Jeju Island, South Korea. EFAN was established with three objectives: supporting emerging scholars in advancing their research agendas, facilitating interdisciplinary conversations on methods and theories related to environmental topics in Asia, and cultivating ethical collaboration by connecting scholars with local practitioners, researchers, and activists.
Cosponsored and coorganized by Duke’s Asian/Pacific Studies Institute (APSI) and Jeju National University’s (JNU) Research Center on the Commons and Sustainable Society, the workshop marked a significant step toward achieving these ambitious goals.
Thematic Panel Discussions
Thematic panel discussions were a central component of the workshop. Scholars from diverse disciplines—including history, anthropology, political science, sociology, public policy, philosophy, law, and science and technology studies—shared presentations highlighting their work on environmental topics and engaged in rich, cross-disciplinary dialogues.
Faculty and scholars from JNU’s Research Center on the Commons presented their findings from community-oriented projects documenting Jeju Island’s transition to an Eco-City. They explored plans for widespread adoption of electric cars by 2040, civic resistance to developmental projects like the construction of a second airport, and the impact of the transition to renewable energy production from wind farms on local livelihoods and the relationships between villages.
Scholars reflected on shared concerns such as land tenure and privatization, sustainable management of livelihoods, and incorporating customary practices for promoting an equitable governance structure. The discussions highlighted the intersection of landscape transformation, global financial investment, and citizenship and customs in communal practices.
Overall, JNU’s research contributions underscored the critical role of interdisciplinary approaches to address complex environmental transitions.
Duke Kunshan University (DKU) scholars showcased their ongoing and emerging projects, including community-focused forest conservation efforts that promote ecological and economic balance by collaborating with local people who keep livestock in conserved forests, an examination of cultural values in preserving lakes by tracing how intergenerational family histories contribute to civic conservation efforts, and the effects of climate change on migratory birds that travel between Korea and China, highlighting the need for transnational strategies to sustain biodiversity.
These presentations illustrated the DKU scholars’ commitment to integrating local ecological knowledge with broader adaptation strategies. The comprehensive nature of their research demonstrated the importance of localized studies for informing multinational and global environmental strategies.
Duke scholars provided valuable perspectives on how environmental and social issues manifest across various environmental and social issues. They presented on: Vietnam’s Provincial Green Index, which incentivizes local provinces to adopt environmentally friendly policies by implementing and tracking metrics for evaluation and improvement; the conceptual implications of subterranean property in colonial India for fossil fuel dependency; an overview of how a commons framework can be applied to understand institutions governing the management of shared resources at local as well as global levels; the legal potential of the Rights of Nature approach in global regulations targeting resource destruction; new forms of risks and uncertainties that are brought by large-scale water projects on local communities and cosmologies on the Mekong River; and new governmental and social practices emerging around ethical considerations over stray pets and animal euthanasia rates in Japan.
Duke’s diverse and in-depth presentations highlighted the need to understand historical, legal, political, and social dimensions when examining environmental issues in Asia.
Organized under four thematic areas (ecology, commons, biodiversity, and energy/climate crisis), the panels enabled all workshop participants to identify how similar inquires are emerging across different parts of Asia. The collaborative spirit of the workshop fostered a deeper understanding of environmental challenges across Asia as well as the innovative methods and intellectual approaches scholars can use to study these timely issues.
Local Field Excursions
On the final day of the workshop, participants visited two significant sites: the coastal village of Pyeongdae-ri and the Jeju 4.3 Peace Park. The visits were realized through the long-standing partnership between JNU’s research networks and local villages.
The excursions, a particularly innovative approach of this workshop, offered an invaluable opportunity to explore environmental topics of shared interest from a fresh, region-specific perspective while promoting new connections among emerging and senior scholars. Guided by a local village administrative chief-resident with deep roots in the community, participants literally traveled beyond their specific research expertise and gained insights into the unique environmental and cultural context of Jeju.
Walking through Pyeongdae-ri, the group learned how the village’s systems of citizenship, revenue generation, kinship practices, and resource management have been shaped by diverse historical forces, including colonial occupation, civil wars, and, more recently, the escalating impacts of climate change.
The dramatic rise in ocean temperatures at an unprecedented rate (by two Celsius degrees over a decade) has rendered traditional diving livelihoods impossible as the sea fields succumb to ocean desertification and biospheric tropicalization.
Conversations during the trip covered a wide range of topics, including construction and maintenance of the island’s famous stone walls, Japanese colonial rule, brown algae, traditional women divers (haenyeo, recognized as UNESCO heritage), anchovies living in puddles, wind farms, Jeju diaspora communities in Japan, and place-names.
The excursion highlighted how historical and environmental changes are intertwined with Jeju’s distinctive volcanic geology and its deep geopolitical and ecological history, which are vividly remembered by and profoundly affect the island residents.
Additional revelations happened at Jeju’s 4.3 Peace Park which introduced the group to local witnesses’ oral histories and reflections. The museum gave new insight into the island’s landscape formation, shaped by transnational migration, political oppression, and financial globalization. Although not directly related to the environmental topics of the panels, the visit deepened participants’ appreciation of the complex socio-political factors influencing Jeju’s environmental history and relevant decision-making processes and opened new avenues of inquiry. Overall, the field trips underscored the importance of local knowledge and historical context for environmental research, exemplifying the workshop’s commitment to ethical collaboration by connecting scholars with local practitioners, researchers, and activists.
Relationship-Building and Agenda Setting
The workshop built new relationships between scholars representing a broad array of academic disciplines who share a common interest in environmental and climate-related inquiries in Asia. An agenda-setting conversation generated ideas for future collaboration, including developing a curated set of interdisciplinary case studies and encouraging inter-referencing within Asian communities. EFAN aims to support equitable knowledge generation by improving communication across disciplinary boundaries and helping scholars use their research to address the stakes and concerns of local communities facing global environmental changes.
Conclusion
The EFAN Jeju workshop offered a robust program that supported emerging scholars, facilitated interdisciplinary conversations, and cultivated ethical collaboration. The thematic panel discussions, local excursions, and relationship-building efforts demonstrated the immense value of engaging with local practitioners, researchers, and activists. This inaugural meeting was a resounding success, laying a strong foundation for future iterations.
Looking ahead to the second iteration planned for DKU in late spring 2025, we aim to build on this success, advancing environmental research and collaboration in Asia. The insights gained and relationships formed will contribute to promoting social and environmental justice, and, drawing on Duke’s vibrant scholarly communities, significantly bolster Duke’s Climate Commitment. Through these efforts, the network is poised to take significant strides in interdisciplinary and cross-regional collaboration by promoting social science and humanities research on environmental issues.
Except where noted on the agenda, workshop events will take place in the College of Humanities (인문대학), adjacent to Ara Convention Hall (아라컨벤션홀) at Jeju National University’s Ara Campus.
from Jeju International Airport to Ara Campus, Jeju National University
by public transit (bus): 365, 455, 3003 (towards JNU campus); takes about 35 mins; estimated fare: ₩2,300 (~$1.75). (see “public transit” below)
by taxi: takes between 25 and 40 minutes; estimated one-way fare: ₩15,000–30,000 (~$12-25); show your driver the following destination (“Jeju University, Ara Convention Hall” in Korean letters):
제주대학교 아라컨벤션홀
Image from the Office of International Affairs, Jeju National University
Staying at Jeju National University
Lodging is provided to non-resident conference participants at Ara Convention Hall (ACH), on-campus at Jeju National University, from July 4-6, 2024. Accommodations for other nights have been prearranged individually with participants in nearby hotels.
At Ara Convention Hall: Check-in: Thursday, July 4th between 3PM and 10PM Check-out: Saturday, July 6th by 11am(some guests will check out on July 7th, by pre-arrangement)
Recommendations: Breakfast—The recommended breakfast place is A’Bout Coffee near the rear gate of the University, which is roughly a 5-minute walk from Ara Convention Hall:
5M Coffee is a highly-recommended café, but it is closed on weekends. It is located near the main gate on the north side of Ara campus. Kimbab Chunkuk and Subway are also near the main gate; both open at 9AM.
Meals included on the agenda are provided to conference participants, including lunch on July 5 and 6 and dinner on July 4 and 5. All other meals are at participants’ own discretion.
Getting around
Google maps will find landmarks and can make public transit recommendations but cannot provide real-time directions for driving or walking in Korea. Recommended alternatives include KakaoMap and Naver Maps (settings can be adjusted to search and show results in English):
Lyft does not function in Korea. Uber will sometimes work, but the app may shift to “UT” (a local partner). Uber also tends to summon licensed taxis rather than private cars, though payment via the app is possible. Popular alternatives include the KakaoTaxi (or KakaoT) app, though usage requires a KakaoTalk account. The taxi industry is strictly regulated, and any licensed cabs are safe to hail on the street. Most will accept credit card payments, though Tmoney can also be used (see the public transit section). Tipping cab drivers is not customary in Korea.
Public Transit
Public transit is safe and convenient, though buses (and subways in Seoul) do not run 24 hours. To pay fares, short-term visitors may find it worth investing in a Tmoney card which can be used for all public transit as well as taxi fares. When using public transit with Tmoney, tap the card upon entry as well as exit (there is a slight discount compared to the cash fare). note: Tmoney can also be used as payment in some convenience stores (CU, 7-Eleven, GS25, Ministop, EMart24, etc.).
The Tmoney card can be purchased at most convenience stores as well as upon arrival at an international airport. The card can only be purchased (and recharged) with cash (Korean won).
Major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard) are accepted almost everywhere in Korea. Some card issuers may add international transaction fees. Digital payment options (Google Pay, Apple Pay, SamsungPay) may be available in some places, but they are not common. Some payment apps, including KakaoPay, are available, but they do not have English language support and may be of limited utility to short-term visitors since a Korean phone number is required for service.
Cash is accepted everywhere and can be obtained from global ATMs, available in the airport as well as at some banks in tourist areas. Woori Bank and Shinhan Bank are two of the largest. Citibank also has limited availability. There may be withdrawal limits and a transaction fee (typically between ₩3,000 and ₩4,000). Foreign exchange kiosks in airports are reliable, but may be more expensive than directly withdrawing cash via an ATM.
Mobile phones + data
Mobile phone service and high-speed data in Korea is reliable and ubiquitous. International visitors may find that their own roaming data plan is sufficient for basic email or messaging. Wifi is also widely available in stores, restaurants, cafes, and other public spaces.
For mobile/data service in Korea, the main providers are Korea Telecom (KT), SK Telecom, and LG U+. Physical SIM cards, eSIM cards, and personal wifi hotspots (including data-only options) can be purchased in advance or upon arrival at international airports; phones/tablets must be unlocked to use a Korean SIM. Discounts are possible for advance purchase (Klook, KT, LG U+, SK Telecom).
Jeju National University is part of the global eduroam network; visitors should check with their home institution to make sure their devices are set up to connect to eduroam (connecting to eduroam via Duke University).
Charging + Electricity
Korea uses F-type outlets; type “C” plugs (used in most of continental Europe and China) will also work. Type “A” plugs (used in North America and China) will need a socket adapter. Voltage is 220 at a frequency of 60Hz.
If the label on your device or charger indicates an input of 100-240V, 50/60 Hz, it can be used in every country in the world with a simple plug adapter. Most tablet/laptop/phone chargers fit into this category and only need a socket adapter. Certain electronics (hair dryers, electric razors) may require a voltage converter. If needed, mobile phone chargers can be found inexpensively at many stores such as EMart and Daiso.
Notes for international visitors
From April 1, 2023 to December 31, 2024, the Korean Electronic Travel Authorization (K-ETA) is not required for stays of 90 days (or fewer) that are for tourism or business purposes for individuals who hold passports from the following:
Australia
Austria
Belgium
Canada
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Hong Kong
Italy
Japan
Macao
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Poland
Singapore
Spain
Sweden
Taiwan
UK
US (including Guam)
For Chinese citizens: Individuals with a P. R. China passport may enter Jeju Island without a Korean visa if flying directly to Jeju from overseas. A Korean visa is needed if the flight will connect via Seoul or Busan.
APSI is tremendously grateful to the faculty and scholars of the Research Center on the Commons and Sustainable Society at Jeju National University for agreeing to host the initial gathering that will set the foundation for the future of the network.
Details about the workshop agenda will be posted to this page as they are available. Times and location are subject to change, so please bookmark this page to confirm the latest information.
Information about local logistics will help prepare travelers to visit Jeju National University.
Faculty and scholars associated with Duke University, Jeju National University, and Duke Kunshan University who will participate in the 2024 Jeju Workshop are listed on this page. Click on a name or image to learn more about them as well as their current research projects and interests.
