Our 2018/19 Tomlinson lecture speaker, Professor Joseph Fewsmith, from Boston University, led the following discussion:

The Domestic Roots of Cross-Strait Relations: China and Taiwan in the evolving Asian context.

This Tomlinson Lecture is jointly organised by the University of Nottingham Asia Research Institute and the Taiwan Studies Programme.

The Tomlinson lecture is held annually, and is part of the legacy of Sir Stanley Tomlinson and Lady Nancy Tomlinson. Sir Stanley Tomlinson attended High Pavement School, Nottingham and went on to read Education at University College, Nottingham. He served as a diplomat in Japan between 1935 and 1941, acquiring excellent Japanese. He eventually headed the South East Asia Department in London during the eventful mid-1950s, the years punctuated by the Bandung Conference, the ending of the Malayan Emergency and growing troubles in Vietnam.  By 1966 Sir Stanley was High Commissioner in Ceylon (and as a talented linguist he began to learn Sinhalese). He ended his career in London as Deputy Under Secretary in the Foreign Office. In recognition of his achievements he was awarded an honorary LL.D by the University of Nottingham. 

Nancy Tomlinson was born in Chalfont St Giles but her family emigrated to Australia. She achieved a first class honours in Economic History at the University of Sydney, the first woman in Australia to do so.  She was also Australia’s first woman diplomat, serving in London until her marriage in 1958 to Sir Stanley whereupon she was obliged to relinquish her post (as was the rule at the time) to become the Diplomat Wife. She particularly enjoyed their time in what was then Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). 

The Tomlinson bequest was set up in memory of her husband after his correspondence with Professor Teddy Thomas about establishing such an Institute. This was a testament to her deep interest in political economy and the importance of informed understanding of issues facing the modern world.  And on her death in 2008, she left the Institute another very generous bequest for which we are extremely grateful.