Disassociated

Sirs,—We wish to dissociate ourselves from Mr. W. J. Hall's attacks on the new Asian Studies policy, and on pro-iessor Brookes. Having participated in the discussions which led to the drafting of the new policy, we can confirm that Professor Brookes' statements (which Mr. Hall calls "inventions") are correct. We wish to emphasise that the new policy was framed not by Professor Brookes but by ourselves, together with other staff (including Mr. Hall) who are teaching about Asia; Professor Brookes' role was that of an impartial chairman, and the main features of the new policy were not his ideas but emerged from group discussion.

We find it odd that Mr. Hall should be criticising the new policy, since it supplies so much of what he says he wants: interdisciplinary study (in the new Honours programme), graduate research in Asia for our advanced students, and the introduction of teaching in Asian languages. Indeed, we are at a loss to understand why he should so misrepresent the nature of the new policy. We question whether such intemperate attacks are likely to foster the development of Asian studies in this university.