In 2014 the Goethe University will celebrate its centenary. This has prompted the IZO to investigate the development of East and Southeast Asian Studies in Frankfurt and to look at the network of scholars involved. To what extent do interpersonal dependencies and connections determine research activities and how can this be tracked? How strong is the influence of social, political and economic structures within which the overall development of the subject and individual research take place? How far is it possible to demonstrate this through the history of research in East and Southeast Asian Studies? From these questions the IZO as a whole hopes to arrive at a better understanding, based on experience in Frankfurt from Richard Wilhelm (1873-1930) and Otto Karow (1913-1992) to the present, of the definition and the significance of area studies.

Michael Kinski (Japanology) is the principal investigator on the Frank Asia project.

Recent activities and funding:

• FrankAsia lecture series in the summer semester 2012, the winter semester 2012/13 and the summer semester 2013.
• On-going preparations for the publication of selected papers in an edited volume.