Remembering Dr. Robert A. Scalapino.

[Carl Robinson]

Anyone who ever got close to Asian Studies would know of Dr Robert A Scalapino, a long-time professor at UC Berkeley and a prolific author of books and articles.   He was an important influence in my own university days and first stimulated my interest in Asia and ultimately Vietnam.   

He passed away earlier this week at the very respectable age of 92. 

My thanks to the Vietnam Studies Group [Vsg] for this news. 

Best,

Carl

THE  NATIONAL  BUREAU of ASIAN  RESEARCH In Memoriam Remembering Dr. Robert A. Scalapino (October 19, 1919 - November 1, 2011)

On behalf of The National Bureau of Asian Research, I am tremendously saddened to announce the passing Tuesday evening of Robert A. Scalapino. Bob was a great friend of NBR, a longtime member of our Board of Advisors, and the inspiration for The National Asia Research Program (NARP). Bob was involved with NBR from our founding and deeply supported our mission to bridge academics and policymakers on issues of greatest importance to U.S. interests in the Asia-Pacific. Bob's career and lifework mirrored this mission. Long before he was "Dean" of Asian studies, he led the development of important, Asia-related institutions in the United States. He gently pushed senior U.S. policymakers to value the U.S.-Asia relationship in a meaningful and strategic way while personally travelling to the region hundreds of times and forming deep relationships there. Teaching at the University of California, Berkeley, from 1949 to 1990, he instilled a belief in the importance of the Asia-Pacific in thousands of minds, many of whom became important policy leaders in their own right, both in the United States and abroad. Not only was Bob an inspiring leader and teacher, he also was a prolific writer. He authored 39 books and over 500 journal articles, including numerous NBR works, which have revolutionized the way the United States engages with its Pacific allies. While Bob will be greatly missed at NBR and worldwide, his legacy continues. In 2010, NBR and the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars partnered to organize the NARP, a major research and conference program designed to reinvigorate and advance the policy-relevant study of Asia. At its heart is the awarding of the Scalapino Prize to a leading scholar, named in recognition of Bob's exceptional contributions to the field of Asia studies. The first prizewinner, David M. Lampton, has said of Bob, "He certainly has been a ... considerable force, pushing in constructive and appropriate directions, all the while trying to educate Americans and policymakers about the dynamics and challenges of this critical region... I am very proud to have something [the prize] that bears his name." We honor Bob's extraordinary life and offer our heartfelt condolences to the Scalapino family. As one of his students, I know how special he was and how badly we need Asia specialists in his extraordinary mold to lead us through the challenging times ahead. Richard J. Ellings President For media inquiries, please contact Sonia Luthra, Assistant Director of Outreach at (202) 347-9767 or me...@nbr.org Join the NBR community Facebook | Twitter | YouTube Visit NBR's website Research | Publications | Databases | Forums | About | Support NBR The National Bureau of Asian Research (NBR) Main Office George F. Russell Jr. Hall 1414 NE 42nd Street, Suite 300 Seattle, Washington 98105 Tel. +1 206.632.7370 Fax: +1 206.632.7487 n...@nbr.org Washington DC Office 1301 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 305 Washington, DC 20004 Tel. +1 202.347.9767 Fax: +1 202.347.9766 nb...@nbr.org

[Ron Yates]

Robert Scalapino was my uncle once removed. I saw him often as a correspondent in Asia and as a Dean at the University of Illinois, where he often came to give talks. His insights and experiences as both a Japan and China scholar were invaluable to me. I was fortunate that he shared his wisdom with me as often as he did. We had breakfast together about five years ago in Champaign-Urbana and at the time I asked him how long he planned to continue traveling to Asia and working as hard as he did. His answer: "Until they plant me in the sod." Words to live by.

Ron Yates

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[don kirk]

Ron, Scalpino was known as a conservative and a hawk on Korea, Vietnam too. I wonder what he was saying about all that when you saw him, would be interesting to know how his views evolved, what he thought about Vietnam in retrospect. (I met him only once, at I-House in Tokyo, also wrote a few articles for the journal he edited at Berkeley, Asian Survey, but never had any real conversation with him.) Best, Don --- On Fri, 11/4/11, Ron Yates <rya...@illinois.edu> wrote:

[Ron Yates]

Don,

When I talked with him he seemed to have moderated his stance quite a bit....His main focus in later years was on China. I saw him not long after I covered Tiananmen. At the time he predicted, as bad as that was, within a few short years it would be back to business as usual. The lure of making money, whether legally or via corruption, always trumps human rights, he said. When you look at Vietnam and China today it seems he was right. 

As for Vietnam, he was always highly critical of the way Washington handled things there. He told me it was a war the U.S. could never win given the domestic and global politics of the time--as well as the tactics and strategies the U.S. used in country. "It was never a war the U.S. was serious about winning," he told me once. "There was too much fear that China might enter the fray in some significant way, though not many in Hanoi were eager to see that happen given Vietnam's history with China."

I hadn't talked to him in a couple of years. I was always amazed at the heavy work and travel schedule he maintained, even in to his very late 80s. I hope I inherited those genes!

Ron

On Sat, Nov 5, 2011 at 9:25 AM, don kirk <kir...@yahoo.com> wrote:

Ron, Scalpino was known as a conservative and a hawk on Korea, Vietnam too. I wonder what he was saying about all that when you saw him, would be interesting to know how his views evolved, what he thought about Vietnam in retrospect. (I met him only once, at I-House in Tokyo, also wrote a few articles for the journal he edited at Berkeley, Asian Survey, but never had any real conversation with him.) Best, Don --- On Fri, 11/4/11, Ron Yates <rya...@illinois.edu> wrote:

From: Ron Yates <rya...@illinois.edu> Subject: Re: Remembering Dr. Robert A. Scalapino. To: "vietnam-...@googlegroups.com" <vietnam-...@googlegroups.com> Date: Friday, November 4, 2011, 12:32 AM