Central Eurasian Studies Society Annual Conference Visit
From October 19-22, 2023, I attended the Central Eurasian Studies Society (CESS) Annual Conference at the University of Pittsburgh. This conference brought together scholars of the broader Central Eurasia region to present their research, network, and share experiences as researchers, students, scholars, and citzens of the region. I presented a paper entitled “Booze, Bills, and Buildings: The Appropriation of Chinggis Khan and the Making of Mongolian Natioonal Identity.” This paper was part of a panel entitled Migration, Integration, and Identity, which took place on Friday, October 20th, from 8:00am to 9:45am. In my paper, I analyzed how the Mongolian government has appropriated Chinggis Khan’s legacy to legitimize the post-socialist Mongolian state, as well as the way several private companies, such as spirits manufacturer APU Company, similarly utilize Chinggis Khan’s name and image to sell their products through what I call “Brand Chinggis.”
After my presentation, I answered questions from conference attendees regarding Chinggis Khan’s place in socialist Mongolia, religious uses of the Great Khan, and the way modern Mongolian people view Chinggis Khan in their daily lives. Throughout the weekend, I participated in other conference activities including a Pre-Conference Workshop for young scholars of the region. In this workshop, attendees discussed networking strategies, publishing as a young academic, how to market themselves and utilize social media, and job huntng. This workshop provided an avenue for many of the graduate students and recent graduates attending the conference to connect, build relationships, and share resources. I also attended a conference-sponsored mixer for graduate students as well as a variety of panels throughout the weekend focusing on diverse topics and disciplines.
This conference, which was my first non-student conference, was an excellent experience. I made valuable connections in the field, expanded my understanding of Central Eurasia, and had the opportunity to share my own research and receive feedback from well-established scholars. I am grateful to the European Studies Council for facilitating my attendance.
