SAAN 2007 Conference

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I just wanted to remind you students out there, particularly those who live in the Midwest, that you can still sign up for the SAAN 2007 Conference at the University of Michigan on the January 26-28th weekend. I spoke at last year’s conference (along with current guest blogger Preston Merchant) and re-capped the fabulousness of it all here.

SAAN’s primary function is to establish an annual South Asian conference for South Asian and non-South Asian students alike. SAAN 2007: Reveal, Rethink, Realize will be the fifth annual holding of this conference, and we hope to continue setting a precedent that all future SAAN conferences will follow. SAAN 2007 will be held January 26-28th at the University of Michigan Union. [Link]

For those of you who are wondering, SAAN is like the anti-SASA. No crazy partying, no SWAT teams, no drunken fights. Just good people, good learning, and great networking. Here is this year’s line-up. I am sure you will recognize many of the names on the list. Among them is Dr. Rajmohan Gandhi, the biographer and grandson of Mahatma Gandhi. Some of the workshops look pretty interesting also. These two stand out (for me at least):

Do Nice Guys Finish Last? – Does leading an ethical life limit your ambitions? As we climb the ladder, should we hush our ethical voice for personal gain? For instance, if you see your boss engaging in sexual harassment, will you stay silent? Will you be totally honest on your resume? Or will you start a pseudo-student group just so you can add another leadership position on your resume? This workshop will examine the interplay between ethics and ambition in our lives…

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p>Mohammad, Vishnu, and Darwin – We always hear about the conflict between the Bible and evolution. But how do South Asian religions reconcile religious and scientific beliefs?… [Link]

Don’t be lazy. Sign up here. It’s cheap and if you don’t like your experience you can totally rip me a new one in the comments section without being banned. I’m that confident in my recommendation.

13 thoughts on “SAAN 2007 Conference”

  1. OK, it’s in the Midwest, there’s no crazy partying, no SWAT teams, and no drunken fights. Just “good people, good learning, and great networking.” Riiiiight. Let me guess, they’ve got great personalities too?

    If neither you nor Preston is there, what’s the appeal?

  2. They’ve got great personalities too?

    So good in fact that last year I had a beer with most of the organizers AND a Bush appointee past 2 a.m. at the end of the conference. Now that’s some love! I never stay up that late.

  3. abhi, is this mainly an undergrad conference or do a large number of grad students attend? thanks.

  5. Sounds real interesting. I hope they have some more material (transcripts/slides etc) out after the conference.

  6. past 2 a.m. I never stay up that late.

    Where’s the party bro? That’s some love, but that’s not real love. Real love is 5 am at the beach with a bonfire AND the beers 🙂 Sigh I miss the holidays.

  7. abhi, is this mainly an undergrad conference or do a large number of grad students attend? thanks.

    I’d say a good 10% were grad students.

  8. Here’s what Gotham Chopra had to say about SASA 2007:

    In fact, if anything, it seemed to me that these young South Asians were emulating others – African Americans, Latinos, in an effort to hijack some of their coolness. I saw more young Indians aching to look like Allen Iverson or Shakira than I could have ever imagines. Not only that, but the ways the guys strut, the fact that they actually – seriously – refer to each other as ‘niggah’ – with no hint of sarcasm – belies an absolute cultural inidentity.

    more:

    Something is happening to us in the assimilation process. A quick snap shot of this weekend would tell you that a generation of 20 somethings is struggling some to find that anchor that roots them with some sort of distinctive identity. Clearly the culture of sex and bling and gangsta has found a very willing market amongst young South Asian Americans. Clearly, we/they/whomever is running away from something in our collective cultural ancestry and apparently running toward something more culturally amorphous.

  9. I wouldn’t say SAAN is as much Anti-SASA as just Pro-an amazing learning experience! I would’ve gone to SASA to party too if I could have, but I would make sure to go to SAAN because it is another opportunity to meet established people with goals and innovative ideas, to network with students in the area and share opinions on controversial topics, and it’s hellla fun!

    Personality..people that want something more out of life than just a beer does not mean they lack personality. From what I’ve seen, people go to SAAN to learn, to fight ignorance, to make a difference, and to share their experiences….and then maybe go party with other people that have the same goals! I don’t think that’s a lack of personality, actually that’s just another dimension to added to it.

    PLUS, do you think Abhi or Preston would show up to speak somewhere and then promote it the following year if it was a waste of their time? nope, I’m sure they have better things to do!

    Anyway, there are workshops, a formal, catered meals, great people…SAAN 2007 is almost here!

  12. SAAN is fantastic, not least because it is one of the best-organized, best-executed events I have ever seen. I’ve been involved in many a university-based conference (mostly as an organizer), and was heartily impressed with the SAAN staff’s efforts. The weekend also attracts a great group of speakers and workshop leaders. Everyone works very hard. It’s a fine thing.

  13. I want to thank Preston and Abhi for their kind words. We really appreciate it when previous speakers give us such acclaim. I also want to say that both were amazing speakers last year and are still remembered by participants today.