A Word from the Director
Director Jamsheed Choksy, Distinguished Professor of Central Eurasian Studies at Indiana University, gives his thoughts on this semester's IAUNRC activities.
Environments in 21st Century Central Eurasia 2024-2025 Lecture Series
In 2024 – 25, the IAUNRC organized a multi-part lecture series titled “Environments in 21st Century Central Eurasia.” This Spring our series concluded with presentations on environmental issues in Mongolia, Turkey, Hungary, and Estonia. The lectures included topics such as air quality and spirituality in Mongolia, the challenges faced by Turkey in combatting environmental pollution, the effects of climate change and unsustainable practices on the lakes of Hungary, and erosion on Estonia’s Baltic coast
IAUNRC K-12 Outreach: Selections from Spring 2025
The IAUNRC enjoyed presenting and participating in outreach events to K-12 students this Spring 2025 semester.
Echoes from Forgotten Mountains: Tibet in War and Peace
On January 29th, Mr. Jamyang Norbu came to IU to speak to us on his new book, "Echoes from Forgotten Mountains: Tibet in War and Peace". Mr. Norbu is a prolific author and fought with the guerilla resistance out of Nepal for Tibet. This event was co-sponsored by Dhar India Studies, the East Asian Studies Center, and the Center for the Study of Global Change.
The “People of the Truth” and Shi’ite Esotericism: Ostad Elahi’s “Burhān al-Haqq” and “Ma’refat al-Rūh”
Prof. James Morris presented on Ahl al-Haqq on Thursday, February 13th, 2025. This event was co-sponsored by the Center for the Study of the Middle East and the Inner Asian and Uralic National Resource Center.
The Transitioning Role of Government in the 21st Century
On February 21st, the Mongolian Society, the IAUNRC, and the Department of Central Eurasian Studies were pleased to host Mongolian Ambassador Battsetseg Shagdar for her lecture, "The Transitioning Role of Government in the 21st Century".
Ukrainian Forced Migrants in Finnish Memoryscapes: How “Immigration into History” Sparks Reconsideration of the Past and Self-Identity
The Inner Asian and Uralic National Resource Center in conjunction with the Institute of European Studies, was pleased to co-sponsor a guest lecture by Dr. Olga Filippova, who presented “Ukrainian Forced Migrants in Finnish Memoryscapes: How “Immigration into History” Sparks Reconsideration of the Past and Self-Identity.”
Alash, Presented by Lotus Blossoms
On March 25th, 2025, the famous Tuvan throat singing ensemble returned to Lotus Blossoms Bloomington for another concert. The IAUNRC was one of the concert's sponsors.
Nowruz 2025
The IU Nowruz Student Association again hosted Nowruz, the festival of the Spring Equinox in Iranian and Central Eurasian cultures. The event was cosponsored by CEUS, IAUNRC, CELCAR, CSME, Russian Flagship, the CSGC, and the ISP.
Buddhism and Mobility:Nomadic Monasteries of Mongolia, 16th-19th Century
On April 2nd, the Inner Asian and Uralic National Resource Center was pleased to co-sponsor a guest lecture from renowned scholar Isabelle Charleux on the history of mobile monasteries in Mongolia. Isabelle Charleux is the Director of Research at the National Centre for Scientific Research in France. In her guest lecture, Dr. Charleux examined the history of mobility and Buddhism in the context of Mongolia.
The Pre-Mongol History of the Khalaj in Eastern Afghanistan
On April 14th, 2025, Professor Minoru Inaba of Kyoto University visited the IAUNRC to give a lecture on “The Pre-Mongol History of the Khalaj in Eastern Afghanistan”.
Yige: Tibetan Calligraphy Day
Beginning April 17th and ending April 19th, the Tibetan Language Program of the Department of Central Eurasian Studies, the Inner Asian and Uralic National Resource Center, the Latse Project, the Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies, the Center for the Study of Global Change, the East Asian Studies Center, the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures, the Department of Religious Studies, and the Dhar India Studies Program sponsored a Yige, Celebration of Tibetan Calligraphy day.
Sinor Lecture: A Newly Identified Chinese Manichaean Confessional Text and the Uyghur Xuāstvānīft
On April 24th, 2025, Prof. Gábor Kósa came to the Department of Central Eurasian Studies and the Inner Asian and Uralic National Resource Center to speak on the scholarly debate on the similarities between some recently found Chinese Manichaean documents, and the Uyghur Xuāstvānīft.
Drawing Lessons on Diplomacy from Three Years as U.S. Ambassador to Mongolia
On May 2nd, 2025, Amb. (ret.) Michael Klecheski gave a lecture to the IAUNRC and audience members at Hamilton Lugar School about his time as the American ambassador to Mongolia.
