Message from the Host
Dr. Ali Cheema
We are grateful to the Association for Asian Studies for selecting LUMS to host the 2026 AAS-in-Asia Conference. It is a privilege to welcome over 1,000 participants from 37 countries, reflecting the breadth and diversity of this scholarly community. LUMS is deeply committed to advancing academic exchange in the Global South, and this gathering provides an important opportunity to deepen that commitment.
This is a challenging moment globally and across the region. In such a context, sustained scholarly engagement matters. The exchanges at the 2026 AAS-in-Asia Conference will not only advance research but also strengthen comparative perspectives, which will be especially important in the years ahead.
Hosting the conference in Lahore is significant. As a longstanding cultural and intellectual center, the city has been shaped by diverse traditions, histories, and political trajectories. It offers a meaningful context for the conversations we hope to advance here. I invite you not only to participate in this gathering, but to help shape the perspectives it advances.