The Asian Century?

February 26, 2010

If the Nineteenth Century was led by Britain, and the Twentieth Century by the United States, will the Twenty-First Century be led by Asia? If so, what will this mean for human rights, including women's and gay rights, and for economic development?

Three out of every five people in the world live in Asia. The rapid economic development of China and India over the last two decades has made Asia more central to the international system. Yet, the continent has largely remained at the periphery of discussions of legalism. This may in part be due to the complexity of Asia: the geographic entity known as Asia defies essentializing claims, instead boasting a diversity of histories and circumstances, from the skyscrapers of Shanghai to the slums of Mumbai.

This symposium will ask how the rise of Asia might bolster or hamper efforts to expand human capabilities. To consider this issue, the Law Review will bring together some of the nation's leading scholars, with expertise on multinational corporations, intellectual property, human rights, gay rights, the status of rural persons, national security law, and constitutional law.