The annual Asianet conference 2021 is hosted by MF Norwegian School of Theology, Religion and Society, in collaboration with the Norwegian Network for Asian Studies.

“The recent decade has witnessed a turn to authoritarianism in many countries in Asia. We see this in India under Modi, the Rajapaksa regime in Sri Lanka, the civil-military rule in Thailand, the rule of Duterte in the Philippines, China’s assertive nationalist turn, and last but not least the military coup in Myanmar. This authoritarian turn is intrinsically linked to various forms of populist politics and new forms of nationalism or “nation-building”. At this year’s Asianet conference we focus on these interlinkages between authoritarianism, populism and nationalism in contemporary Asia. We also want to explore the ways in which new digital technologies are re-shaping Asian politics, including state control and popular resistance; the role of institutions; and the relationship between religion/culture and new political formations. Insights into these dimensions of the authoritarian turn in Asia are essential if we are to understand how Asia will look in the 21st century.”