Message from the Dean

Welcome to the inaugural issue of Passages by the Asia Pacific Reader, an online interactive forum conceived and launched by students to facilitate research, discussion and publication of academic issues concerning East and Southeast Asia.

I am delighted to have the opportunity to congratulate the students whose hard work and commitment to the field of Asia Pacific studies led them to launch this journal. Passages promises to be a valuable resource, bringing together essays by students about their travel and research in Asia and highlighting their discoveries and experiences abroad. As such, this initiative highlights several priorities in the Faculty of Arts & Science. It showcases students deeply involved in the research life of the University of Toronto. It features an interdisciplinary approach to understanding issues in Asia and it conveys the value of an international experience in true global citizenship.

I trust you will enjoy this issue, which includes a special collection of articles and photo essay by recipients of the prestigious Dr. David Chu Scholarship, and that you will look forward to future publications.

I extend my very best wishes to the editors, contributors and readers on what promises to be a very significant contribution to the field of Asia Pacific studies and to the student experience at the University of Toronto.

Sincerely,

Meric S. Gertler, FRSC
Dean and Professor of Geography
Goldring Chair in Canadian Studies