On 25 and 26 October 2019, the Kyoto University Asian Studies Unit (KUASU) held the 12th Next-Generation Global Workshop (NGGW), focusing on "Inequality". The conference explored how global inequality is formed, perceived, and solved, from the viewpoints of philosophy, sociology, literature, and other branches of the humanities and social sciences. A total of 20 papers, four from Kyoto University and 16 from overseas institutions, were presented in six sessions: "Ethnicity and Inequality", "Inequality and Ethics", "Colonialism, Post-Colonialism, and Inequality", "Religion, Caste, and Gender", "Gender and Power", and "Sexual and Domestic Violence".
The conference concluded successfully with many of the participants leaving positive feedback, such as: "It was a great opportunity to learn about new ideas and relevant issues in academia across the globe," "I enjoyed the multi-disciplinary nature of the conference," and "I hope for and look forward to many more opportunities to visit Kyoto University for a Next-Generation Global Workshop."
Since its inauguration in 2008, NGGW has annually provided coming generations of scholars with a series of skill development opportunities, from preparing presentations, to participating in international conferences, and submitting papers to English-language journals. The organizers hope that these experiences help participants learn to harness their full potential and build successful academic careers.