On 25 April, a Tobunken seminar was held. Jean-Frederic Schaub, directeur d’etudes at Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales in Paris, gave a talk under the title of "Encountering the 'Non-European' and Defining 'Europeanness'". The seminar was planned as the memorial first event of Global History Collaborative funded by the JSPS for the next five years. It is an initiative for creating a close network which serves as leading international base for the research of new world history/global history. A series of seminars, workshops, conferences and joi nt summer programs are planned in addition to the exchange of researchers and PhD students among four institutions. The development of joint education program is also expected. Professor Haneda Masashi at IASA is the responsible person of the project.

In his talk, Professor Schaub explained, in a comprehensive way, the process of shaping the concept of “Europe” by “Europeans” through their encounter with “non-European” elements in the long time-span from Middle Age to the eighteenth century. Since the Eurocentric interpretation is one of the focal points for discussion in the field of new world history/global history, participants packed in the meeting room discussed lively with Professor Schaub on various aspects of his presentation. The event was in great success.

We plan to hold the same kind of seminar regularly with the cooperation of other three international institutions.