There has been much discussion in recent years of the inevitable decline of area studies in general and Asian studies in particular. A key influence cited to explain this ostensible change is the heightened emphasis accorded today on discipline-based as opposed to area-oriented writing, research and publication. This panel brings together several distinguished scholars and organizational leaders from the fields of political science, sociology, history, and anthropology to assess and compare research, publication, and funding trends in their respective fields. The question all panelists are invited to discuss is: Are area-oriented research and publishing actually in decline today in favor of discipline-specific trends? If changes of this sort are indeed taking place, how should Area Studies specialists with inter- or multi-disciplinary interests respond?
