Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland

Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland The Society provides a forum for those who are interested in the history, languages, cultures and re

The Society provides a forum for those who are interested in the history, languages, cultures and beliefs of Asia to meet and exchange ideas. It offers lectures and seminars and it provides facilities for research and publishing.The RAS is not only for scholars and we welcome applications for Fellowship of the Society from anyone with a serious interest in Asian Studies. Fellows recieve the journa

l four times a year, may use the library, attend lectures and participate in general meetings. If you are interested please email the Director Alison Ohta
on this address: [email protected]

[Upcoming event]We’re thrilled to announce a two-day conference dedicated to the latest research on the renowned archaeo...
18/08/2026

[Upcoming event]

We’re thrilled to announce a two-day conference dedicated to the latest research on the renowned archaeologist Sir Marc Aurel Stein (1862–1943).

The conference brings together an international group of curators and scholars from Europe, Asia and North America with working knowledge of Stein’s archives and collections, to share new insights into his legacy.

As part of the programme, Professor Susan Whitfield from Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures will deliver a public lecture on 22 September, exploring the role of women – including several of Stein’s closest friends – in early-20th-century Asian travel, work and study.

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Conference - Aurel Stein Archives and Collections Conference: Ongoing and New Research

📅 22-23 Sept (Tue-Wed)
📌 14 Stephenson Way, NW1 2HD
🎟️ In-person tickets at £10
🌏 Free online attendance

For full programme, tickets and online attendance registration, visit: https://royalasiaticsociety.org/lectures-event/aurel-stein-archives-and-collections-conference-ongoing-and-new-research-2/

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Lecture - Professor Susan Whitfield: Aurel Stein, female friends and changing worlds

📅 22 Sept (Tue) - 6.30pm BST
📌 14 Stephenson Way, NW1 2HD
✨ Free and open to all
🌏 In-person and online

For details, visit: https://royalasiaticsociety.org/lectures-event/professor-susan-whitfield-aurel-stein-female-friends-and-changing-worlds/

On Tuesday 28 July we'll welcome John Guy, Curator at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York and former Senior Curator...
16/07/2026

On Tuesday 28 July we'll welcome John Guy, Curator at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York and former Senior Curator at the V&A, for a talk on the Piprahwa Buddhist relics recovered in India in the late 19th century.

Join us as we explore this remarkable cache of sacred objects within the broader context of Buddhist relic worship in early north India!

📅 28 July (Tuesday) - 6.30pm BST
📌 14 Stephenson Way, NW1 2HD
✨ Free and open to all
🌏 In-person and online

Details: https://royalasiaticsociety.org/event/john-guy-the-buddha-and-the-jewel-filled-casket-piprahwa-and-relic-practices-in-early-north-india

To commemorate the 450th anniversary of the Battle of Haldighati between the Mughal and Mewar forces, a special exhibiti...
09/07/2026

To commemorate the 450th anniversary of the Battle of Haldighati between the Mughal and Mewar forces, a special exhibition is currently on view at The City Palace Museum, Udaipur.

The exhibition features a reproduction of the Society’s striking artwork of the battle by the renowned Mewari artist Choka, along with four other large scale reproductions of his paintings depicting the same event.

The exhibition is open until 28 August, and if you happen to be visiting the region, we warmly encourage you to stop by.

If you're curious about the story behind our painting, read the new blogpost by our President, Dr Norbert Peabody: https://royalasiaticsociety.org/haldighati450

Photo courtesy: Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation (Eternal Mewar)

[Upcoming event]Before we pause our events for the summer, we’re closing the season with the launch of Hans van de Ven’s...
25/06/2026

[Upcoming event]

Before we pause our events for the summer, we’re closing the season with the launch of Hans van de Ven’s new book ‘Blood Dawn’, a powerful retelling of WWII through an Asian lens.

Director of Studies in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies at St Catharine's College Cambridge, Hans van de Ven will be joined by author Brendan Simms from Peterhouse, Cambridge for a discussion on the book – join us for an evening of fresh perspectives and conversation!

📅 9 July (Thursday) - 6.30pm BST
📌 14 Stephenson Way, NW1 2HD
✨ Free and open to all
🌏 In-person and online

Details: https://royalasiaticsociety.org/event/blood-dawn-book-launch-with-hans-van-de-ven

[Upcoming event]It is often claimed that European Roma populations trace their origins to India. In our upcoming lecture...
16/06/2026

[Upcoming event]

It is often claimed that European Roma populations trace their origins to India. In our upcoming lecture, Dr Avishek Ray from National Institute of Technology, Silchar will critically examine this widely circulated assertion and explore how such narratives shape knowledge production, authority, and the politics of representation.

📅 25 June (Thursday) - 6.30pm BST
📌 14 Stephenson Way, NW1 2HD
✨ Free and open to all
🌏 In-person and online

Details: https://royalasiaticsociety.org/event/dr-avishek-ray-epistemology-of-roma-origins-india-and-the-question-of-academic-authority/

[Upcoming event]On Wednesday 18 June, we are celebrating the launch of Michael Dillon’s new book on Shanghai, which trac...
09/06/2026

[Upcoming event]

On Wednesday 18 June, we are celebrating the launch of Michael Dillon’s new book on Shanghai, which traces the city’s evolution from a small fishing village into a thriving cultural and financial hub.

Dillon will be joined by Professor Kerry Brown of King’s College London for a conversation about the book – come and join us!

📅 18 June (Thursday) - 6.30pm BST
📌 14 Stephenson Way, NW1 2HD
✨ Free and open to all
🌏 In-person and online

Details: https://royalasiaticsociety.org/event/michael-dillon-book-launch-a-comprehensive-new-history-of-shanghai-revealing-its-vital-place-in-chinese-history-and-politics-across-the-centuries/

[Upcoming event]On Wednesday 17 June, Dr Lydia Walker, winner of the 2024 James J. Busuttil Medal for Human Rights, will...
04/06/2026

[Upcoming event]

On Wednesday 17 June, Dr Lydia Walker, winner of the 2024 James J. Busuttil Medal for Human Rights, will deliver a lecture connected to her award‑winning book 'States‑in‑Waiting: A Counternarrative of Global Decolonization'.

Join us to explore the complexities of decolonisation claims within postcolonial states and to celebrate Dr Walker’s achievement!

📅 17 June (Wednesday) - 6.30pm BST
📌 14 Stephenson Way, NW1 2HD
✨ Free and open to all
🌏 In-person and online

Details: https://royalasiaticsociety.org/event/lydia-walker-beyond-states-in-waiting-rights-recognition-and-sovereignty-in-south-asia-and-the-world

[Upcoming event]What governs life in a forest?In our upcoming lecture, Dr Megnaa Mehtta, Lecturer in Social Anthropology...
28/05/2026

[Upcoming event]

What governs life in a forest?

In our upcoming lecture, Dr Megnaa Mehtta, Lecturer in Social Anthropology at UCL Social & Historical Sciences, invites us deep into the Sundarbans, one of the world’s largest mangrove forests located in the Bengal Delta.

Watchful deities and bureaucratic laws. Seen and unseen forces. Join us to discover the diverse sovereigns that shape everyday life in this extraordinary landscape!

📅 11 June (Thursday) - 6.30pm BST
📌 14 Stephenson Way, NW1 2HD
✨ Free and open to all
🌏 In-person and online

Details: https://royalasiaticsociety.org/event/dr-megnaa-mehtta-title-tba/

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Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm

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