Introduction to Asian School of Knowledge

Asian School of Knowledge (ASK) is an institution set up with the intention of examining how knowledge is produced and shared on a day-to-day basis particualrly in Asian communities. It intends to promote the discovery and dissemination of knowledge by discussing them more formally through written 'text'.

In order to achieve this, it publishes a number of journals foremost of which is the ISVS e-journal. The ISVS e-journal publishes research related to social and cultural aspects of human settlements in general and vernacular studies in particular. It specifically promotes the relevance of vernacular in the contemporary world.

The intentions of both the 'ISVS e-journal' as well as the 'SAAAK (South American, Asian & African Knowledge) e-journal' are similar; the former presents knowledge about the production and experience of the built-environments while the latter presents knowledge about everyday, ordinary and informal productions and use often not recognized by contemporary science.

ASK welcomes those who are interested in such knowledge to get in touch with ASK so that we can collectively contribute to the discovery and sharing of such Knowledge. The abbreviation of the Asian School of Knowledge, 'ASK' epitomizes the fundamental activity related to knowledge. Usually, to find knowledge, one has to 'ASK.' Asking questions about what one does not know is one of the most rudimentary ways of discovering knowledge. ASK therefore encourages such asking.

What is Knowledge?

Knowledge is an illusive concept. Almost every person on earth possesses knowledge about many things; some of which they are consciously aware of, and some they are almost unconscious about. Knowledge however is not something anyone is born with although one may argue that the body, as being born, itself possesses 'knowledge' pertaining to its survival and existence. That is how and why a body breaths, cries for food when hungry, and can accept love and comfort among other things. A body thus acquires knowledge as it 'lives', in terms of how to breathe, move, eat, sleep etc. and then go onto acquiring more knowledge about its surroundings.

Undeniably, the five senses provide the 'sensations and information' and knowledge is constructed from them as one lives. Interestingly, knowledge cannot easily be separated from emotion and at least at the beginning, knowledge is emotionally anchored to the body. However, as one grows, a different kind of knowledge is acquired and produced, which gives rise to languages, and through them, knowledge is also shared and exchanged.

In other words, complex knowledge is external to the body and is kept in the memory, shared and verified which continues to accumulate more knowledge and refined knowledge as one lives. Production and sharing of knowledge is thus crucial for human existence, survival and progress. Nevertheless, there is not much focus on how knowledge is produced on an everyday basis and particularly outside the context of 'academia'.

In fact, academia is where knowledge is formally produced and shared and there is a lot of attention to the practices of the academia, but not those of everyday people. Local knowledge is that which is produced and shared by the ordinary people on a day-to-day basis, without consciously being aware of the processes, as well as pros and cons of that production and sharing. Nevertheless, local knowledge is what produces the roots of culture: both material and non-material productions of human existence.

How is Knowledge Created?

As said, much knowledge is created through day-to-day living, andn in every-day actions. It is also shared in living, and engaging in doing things. However, how that knowledge is created infromally is not cearly understood and explored. Formal production of knowledge however is well understood and is now accepted to be accomplished by acts called 'research' from the western interpretations and practices. Such knowledge seeks to become universal and uncover truth: absolute truth that does not depend on people, time or place. Mankind has succeeded tremendously in doing so, to the extent that the modern world has some knowledge on almost every phenomenon on earth, however-much that knowledge may be inadequate. Scientists continue to create such knowledge through research, conferences, publications of journals and books, although other media such as films, music and many others oral traditions and performances could also do so.

How is Knowledge Shared?

Sharing knowledge is also extremely complex. Much of it however, depends on the use of 'languages' to 'communicate' particularly verbal languages although other modes of communication could also contribute to it. Of course knowledge is shared in many ways. However, one of the most meaningful ways is to write about things so that knowledge becomes available and stored for others who can read, to uncover as they seek knowledge.

What Does the Asian School of Knowledge do?

The Asian School of Knowledge is engaged primarity in facilitating the production and dissemination of knowledge. This, it does by publishing the journals, some of which are well-established and some are slowly developing. It also organises seminars, conferences and workshops at numerous settings such as schools, universities and other venues where those who are seeking knowledge can be brought together to share knowledge. In this connection, ISVS e-journal published since 2013 has contributed tremendously. ISVS seminars conducted since 1999 have also reached a huge number of knowledge- seekers around the world. We continue to find new avenues to extend these activities. Unreservedly, you are invited to join in anyway you can.

In pursuit of these, ISVS-13 seminar is scheduled to take place from 27-30 in November 2024, in Sri Lanka again, marking yet another achievement of the ISVS movement and the search for knowledge through vernacular studies. A students' drawing competition has been launched alongside to produce visual knowledge, which would certainly enliven the seminar and produce many other avenues to document that knowledge.

Archi-Texts_25 Conference is also being planned to take place in 2025 in Sri Lanka, on the production and experience of built-environments.

Please write to ASK any questions from:

editor@archi-texts.com;

manager@archi-texts.com;