The Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland (RAS) was, according to its Royal
Charter of August 11, 1824, established to further "the
investigation of subjects connected with and for the encouragement of science, literature and the arts in relation to Asia." From
its incorporation the Society has been a forum, through lectures, its journal, and other publications, for scholarship relating
to Asian culture and society of the highest level. It is the United Kingdom's senior
learned society in the field of Asian studies. Fellows include highly accomplished and
notable scholars of Asian Studies, and are entitled to use post-nominal letters FRAS.
History
The Society was founded in London in 1823, and received its Royal Charter from George IV the following year. The RAS was established by a group primarily composed of
notable scholars and colonial administrators. It was intended to be the British counterpart to the Asiatic Society of Calcutta, which had been founded in 1784, by the noted Sanskrit scholar and jurist Sir William Jones. The leading
figure in the foundation of the RAS was Henry Thomas Colebrooke, who was himself
an important Sanskrit scholar, and one time President of the Asiatic Society of Calcutta.
Due to the nature of the Society's close connection with the British Empire in the
east, much of the work originating with the society has been focused on topics concerning the Indian subcontinent. However the purview of the Society extends far beyond India, all of
Asia and into Islamic North
Africa, and Ethiopia, are included. The Society however does have a few limitations on
its field on interest, such as recent political history and current affairs. This particular moratorium led to the founding of
the Central Asian Society, which later became the Royal Society for Asian
Affairs. After World War II, with the gradual end of British political hegemony
'east of Suez', the Society maintained its disinterested academic focus on Asia.
Throughout its history the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland has, while only maintaining a very modestly
sized membership, always contained a great deal of very distinguished individuals, from both the academic and political world. A
list of the most accomplished would include such notables as Rabindranath Tagore,
Sir Aurel Stein, and Sir Wilfred Thesiger. In
addition to the 'great and the good' the Society has also always had a strong complement of interested amateurs, who make up a
large portion of the membership. This membership hails from all over the globe, but primarily the United Kingdom, and Asia.
Fellows of the Society are elected regularly, and can use the post-nominal letters FRAS.
Branches
At present, the Society has two functional branches, located in Hong Kong and
Korea. The branch in Hong Kong was established in 1847 while the branch in Seoul, South Korea was established in
1900. A former branch in Bombay is now known as The
Asiatic Society of Bombay.
Journal
The Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society (JRAS), is published by Cambridge
University Press thrice a year, each issue contains a number of scholarly essays, and several book reviews. The present
editor of the JRAS is Dr Sarah Ansari of Royal Holloway, University of
London. In addition to the journal the society also regularly publishes historical manuscripts, and monographs of highest
academic quality on numerous topics.
Oriental Translation Fund of Great Britain and Ireland
This fund was initially established in 1828[1]; and the results of its initial funding projects were soon forthcoming.[2] The Fund became one of a large number of Victorian subscription printing clubs which published translations,
re-issued historical works or commissioned original books which were too specialized for commercial publication; but unlike most
of those now defunct organizations, the work of the Royal Asiatic Society Oriental Translation Fund is on-going into the 21st
century with a "new series" and "old series" microform catalog available for scholarly research.[3]
President
Currently, the President of the Society is Professor Anthony Stockwell, and the
Patron is His Royal Highness The Prince Charles, Prince of Wales.
See Also
Fellows of the Royal Asiatic Society
Royal Astronomical Society
External Links
Bibliography
- "Charter of Incorporation of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland." Journal of the Royal Asiatic
Society. pp 25-27, 1957.
- F.E. Pargiter (ed.) Centenary Volume of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland 1823-1923. Published by
the Society, 1923, London.
- Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, Founded March, 1823; Bylaws 1998. Cambridge University Press for
the Royal Asiatic Society. 1998.
- Stuart Simmonds and Simon Digby (ed.) The Royal Asiatic Society, Its History and Treasures. Published for the Society,
1979, London.
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