Anti-Asian racism and counter-perspectives in Europe and the Americas: bridging academic research and civil society action towards racial justice

🗓 Workshop schedule

Date: August 27-28, 2026
Location: Auditorium, Jacob-und-Wilhelm-Grimm-Zentrum, HU Berlin Geschwister-Scholl-Straße 1, 10117 Berlin

💡 Purpose of the workshop

The aim of this project is to organize a two-day workshop that brings together scholars, cultural artists, and community organizers to critically engage with anti-Asian racism (AAR) from transnational, interdisciplinary, and intersectional perspective.

The questions we explore in the two-day workshop are:

(1) How can racial justice be theorized and materialized for Asian diaspora communities in Europe, especially in the context of resurging ethno-nationalism and structural racism?
(2) What theoretical and empirical research exists on AAR in Europe, and how can it be expanded to inform policy and practice?
(3) How do Asian diasporic communities represent themselves in ways that challenge dominant narratives and counter AAR?
(4) What are the challenges and possibilities in bridging academic research with civil society action to address AAR?
(5) How can we build sustainable, transnational, and interdisciplinary collaborations that center marginalized perspectives and advance Asian diasporic solidarities and racial justice?

📋 Programme

Day 1 will focus on emerging academic research, including studies on AAR, representation politics, and archival practices of marginalized communities. Panels will present comparative case studies from Europe, the U.S., and Latin America, fostering interdisciplinary dialogue across sociology, political science, migration studies, cultural studies, and memory studies.

Day 2 will highlight activist and artistic perspectives, with sessions on queer-feminist interventions, labor organizing, and Korean adoptee activism. It will emphasize creative resistance—through theater, film, literature, and community organizing—and policy engagement via anti-racist strategies within national and EU frameworks. This workshop will serve as a foundational step in developing a collaborative framework and network for a long-term international research project titled: ARISE: Asian diasporic Research for intersectional and Structural Equity – A transnational initiative for racial justice, queer-feminist scholarship, and coalition-building across sectors in Europe and the Americas.

Day 1: August 27, 2026 “New East and Southeast Asian diasporic perspectives in research and on public discourse”

Time	Session	Speakers and moderators
9:00–9:10	Welcome & organizational remarks	Sayaka Osanami Törngren, Malmö University
9:10–9:50	Keynote, TBD	Nadine Nakamura, California School of Professional Psychology, Alliant University, San Diego
9:50–10:15	Q&A	Linda Juang, University of Potsdam
10:15–10:30	Short break
10:30–11:30	Panel 1: AAR in quantitative research in Europe and the USA	Linda Juang, University of Potsdam Dawn Cheong, Asian Voices Europe Tae Jun Kim, Dezim e.V. Richard M. Lee, University of Minnesota Twin cities
11:30–12:00	Q&A	Hyunjung Lee, Asian Voices Europe
12:00–13:00	Lunch Break
13:00–14:00	Panel 2:Qualitative case studies on AAR and counter-narratives (self-representation)	Simeng Wang, French National Centre for Scientific Research, Paris Grazia Ting Deng, Brandeis University, Massachusetts Shujianing Li, University of Minnesota Twin cities Aya Ezawa, Leiden University
14:00–14:30	Q&A	Teresa Schwarz, University of Minnesota Twin cities
14:30–15:30	Panel 3: Young scholars’ panel	Danila Tran Thuy Duong, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg Somi Dubuque, Berlin Zhilin Wu, University of Groningen Veronica, Brussels Pei Li, University of Frankfurt
15:30–16:00	Q&A	Feng-mei Heberer, New York University
16:00–16:15	Coffee break
16:15–17:15	Roundtable 1: Transpacific perspectives on public memory and Asian diasporic archive(s)	Ly Cam Le & Sina Schindler, Initiative for the memory of Phan Văn Toàn Natalie Han, Korea verband e.V Ye Charlotte Ming, artist and journalist, Qingdao & Berlin Iris Rajanayagam, Federal Agency for Civic Education Sun-ju Choi / korientation e.V. Berlin, Koreanische Frauengruppe
17:15–17:45	Q&A	Kimiko Suda, HU Berlin
17:45–18:00	Wrapping up Day1 & Information about DAY 2: Share digital canvas for thoughts/ideas
18:00–21:00	Dinner

Day 2: August 28, 2026 “East and Southeast Asian diasporic perspectives in politics, culture and civil society"

Time	Session	Speakers and moderators
9:30–9:40	Welcome & introduction	Hyunjung Lee, Asian Voices Europe
9:40–10:30	Roundtable 2: Asian diasporic representation in labor politics / trade union organization	Ongoo Buyanjargal, organizer, Berlin Haelin Choi, Communications Workers of America, New York Anjannine Kyle Untalan, Filipino Women’s Council
10:30–11:00	Q&A	Romin Khan, ver.di, Berlin
11:00–11:30	Short break
11:30–12:30	Roundtable 3: Queer-feminist self-representation in culture & arts	Olivia hyunsin Kim, artist, Berlin Ing Lee, illustrator, Sao Paulo, Brasil Phương Thúy Nguyễn, artist and writer, Berlin Popo Fan, filmmaker, Berlin Feng-mei Heberer, New York University
12:30–13:00	Q&A	Sung Un Gang, TH Köln
13:00–14:00	Lunch Break
14:00–15:00	Roundtable 4: Korean Adoptee Activism	Miraekh Rhee, artist and activist, Berlin, California, South Korea Anna Jin Hwa Borstam, artist, Lund, Sweden Sue Glaeser, Berlin
15:00–15:30	Q&A	Richard M.Lee, University of Minnesota Twin cities
15:30-15:45	Coffee break
15:40–16:30	Panel 4: Asian diasporic perspectives on political institutions and counter-measures to racism	Leyao Rovira López, nomellameschinita Hyunjung Lee, Asian Voices Europe Ann Li, Untold Asian Stories Jee-Un Kim, korientation e.V.
16:30–17:00	Q&A	Lily Seongmoon Shim, Asian Voices Europe & Puo-an Wu Fu, FU Berlin
17:00–17:30	How to continue the network? E.g., communication channel (incl. digital), who wants to host the next meeting?	Kimiko Suda, Humboldt-University Berlin Hyunjung Lee, Asian Voices Europe
17:30–17:45	Last break
17:45–18:15	Celebrate the diversity of Asian talent in art and culture (musical contribution)	Joni Sheila & Christopher D’havé, Asian Persuasion, Brussels

📝 Registration

Registeration open until June 30th, 2026.

❓ FAQ

Is the workshop open to public

The workshop is organized in a closed participant format to help create a focused and safer space for discussion and exchange among participants. Registration is therefore required, and participation is limited depending on the workshop format and capacity.

📩 Organizers

Sayaka Osanami Törngren, Malmö Institute for Migration Studies, Malmö University
Kimiko Suda, Humboldt-University Berlin
Hyunjung Lee, Leipzig University, Asian Voices Europe