CONFERENCE DATES: AUGUST 20-21, 2008
The American Center for Mongolian Studies (ACMS), together with the International Association of Mongolian Studies (IAMS) will organize a conference entitled, "Owen Lattimore: The Past, Present, and Future of Inner Asian Studies" in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia on August 20 and 21, 2008.

The American Center for Mongolian Studies (ACMS) invites researchers and scholars to present public lectures during the ACMS Spring 2008 Speaker Series. If you are planning to visit Mongolia between February and July 2008 to conduct research or study, please contact info@mongoliacenter.org to schedule a date to participate in this public lecture series. The lectures must be conducted in English, and all academic disciplines are welcome. The Speaker Series is a great opportunity for scholars to present their work and for the general public to learn about academic research in Mongolia. Please notify the ACMS at least two weeks prior to your proposed date to speak in order to allow enough time to advertise the lecture. For more information about past lectures, please visit http://www.mongoliacenter.org/ss.

The ACMS Spring Speaker Series will begin January 24th, 2008 with its first lecture (see below). The Speaker Series for Spring 2008 is sponsored by the Educational Advising Resource Center (EARC), which is a non-profit, non-governmental organization providing academic advisory services to 40,000 Mongolian students per year seeking entrance into international universities. The EARC has its main branch in Ulaanbaatar, with three branch offices in Darkhan, Erdenet, and Khovd. The EARC has also been a significant partner in the ACMS's mission of promoting scholarship in Mongolia, and this cooperative relationship is continued with the Spring Speaker Series sponsorship. 

--Lectures are in English and open to the public. Directions: NUM Building No.5 is the new, 6-floor yellow building northwest of the Chinese Embassy, right cross the street from “Z” (Zaluuchuud) hotel on Baga Toiruu. 

May 15, 2008, 5pm Room 305, Building No. 5 NUM

The demographic consequences of the economic and social transition in Mongolia

After 70 years of socialism, Mongolia embraced political and market reforms in 1990. The dislocation of the socialist system and the accompanying economic re-organization (shock therapy and privatization) affected dramatically the living conditions of the Mongolian population. What are the demographic consequences of this political and economic transition? This is the question addressed in this presentation.In comparison to other economic and social questions, the demographic consequences of the transition have been less studied. This research proposes to analyze the recent mortality and fertility trends and patterns to assess the impact of the transition on demography in Mongolia. The Mongolian case will be compared to other former socialist countries whose experiences are well-documented.

Thomas Spoorenberg, PhD student and teaching assistant, Laboratory of Demography and Family Studies, Department of Economic History and Department of Econometrics, University of Geneva (Switzerland), is on academic leave at the Population Teaching and Research Centre, National University of Mongolia. He earned a Bachelor and Master in Economic and Social History at the University of Geneva and went to Belgium for a Research Master in Demography. His research interests focus on Asia, both contemporary and historical Asia. He has worked and published on pre-industrial China and Japan, as well as contemporary India, Mongolia or “a somewhat not so Asian country” Switzerland.