What does it mean to think about Asia beyond humans?

This open campus forum brings together scholars to explore how nonhuman beings shape history, culture, and environmental futures. Examples include the rise and disappearance of the Caspian tiger amid imperial expansion and ecological change in Central Asia, Adivasi artists in India who sustain intimate relations with a divine river as their artworks circulate across Asia, and moss from upland China as a vital link supporting human appreciation for orchids across East and Southeast Asia. Through stories of animals, plants, landscapes, and art, this interdisciplinary forum invites everyone to rethink Asia as an interconnected world shaped by relationships among humans and nonhumans alike.

This forum will be moderated by Rachel DeMotts, Professor of Environmental Studies & Sciences,

University of Puget Sound, and features the following panelists:

Yuan Gao, Assistant Professor of History, Case Western Reserve University

Shivangi Pareek, Research Affiliate, InterAsia Initiative, Yale University

Yu Luo, Associate Professor of Anthropology & Barnett Chair in China Studies, University of Puget Sound