On
Friday, 22ndJune 2012 Dr Sonam Wangchok, Secretary of the Himalayan
Cultural Heritage Foundation and of International Association of Ladakh Studies
(IALS) hosted a workshop at Lonpo House Lecture Hall, Leh Palace for Ladakhi
youth who are interested in undertaking research in Ladakh. The aim of the
workshop was to introduce potential students to the various research methods
and research projects currently taking place in Ladakh, and to discuss how the
IALS can assist young Ladakhi researchers in supporting and publicising their
work. Ph.D Fellows and Anthropologist Elizabeth Lane Williams-Oerberg
(Aarhus University, Denmark) and Andrea Butcher (University of Aberdeen,
Scotland) presented their research projects and discussed the experience of
preparing for research in Ladakh. Following the presentations the floor was
opened to questions and a discussion regarding what assistance aspiring
researchers need to get started with their projects, where to find information
about previous and current research, and who to contact for assistance. The
following bullet points are the recommendations for assistance the students
requested:
Ø IALS/HCHF to
showcase all the different research in Ladakh and who is working on what.
Ø Directory of
researchers and their topics or specialities
Ø Create a library
or catalogue of bibliographies for previous research in Ladakh, organised by
discipline.
Ø Partnerships
between Foreign and Ladakhi students
Ø Directory of
Ladakhi students willing to work as interpreters.
Ø Notice board for Ph.D
and research opportunities outside India.
Ø Electronic access
to academic journals. (Digital Himalaya and other websites can be accessed on
the IALS website.)
Ø Awareness
workshops to be held in other parts of Ladakh and Zangskar to give awareness to
Ladakhi youth of the IALS and research opportunities.
Ø IALS or research
forum Facebook page.
Ø Recruit students returning
from university to give advice about research for young Ladakhis
Ø Organise a pool of
educated research students to act as tourist guides and give information for
tourists.
Ø Send research to
others in similar fields and obtain feedback.
Ø Encourage young
researchers to publish essays in Ladakh Studies journal.
Ø Organise a two-day
workshop to introduce students to research methods
Ø Have a dedicated
student webpage on the IALS website for information on research protects,
opportunities, publications, and seminars.
Answering the points Dr Sonam Wangchok introduced
the restarting of IALS blog (http://ladakhstudies.blogspot.co.uk/)
and encouraged research students to see IALS website (www.ladakhstudies.org) and HCHF website
(www.heritagehimalaya.org) for resources
and latest information related to researches, books and events. At the same
time he strongly supports the idea of awareness workshops in other parts of
Ladakh.
Elizabeth
Lane Williams-Oerberg advised of electronic sources of data already available
for students, Digital Himalaya (www.digitalhimalaya) and
facebook group “books on ladakh and more... "
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