Job Opening: East Asian history, Davidson College

job opening - 5Institution:      Davidson College
Location:         North Carolina, United States
Position:         Visiting Assistant Professor of East Asian history

DAVIDSON COLLEGE seeks a visiting Assistant Professor of East Asian history with a two-year appointment. Ph.D. in hand by August 2016 preferred. We are looking for a committed teacher-scholar who will maintain an active research agenda, and teach five courses per year, including a mix of East Asian survey courses and courses in his/her area of specialization. The College has active interdisciplinary programs in East Asian and Chinese studies. Review of candidates will begin after March 1, 2016.

Candidates should complete an online application at https://jobs.davidson.edu. Application requirements include a cover letter, current CV, 3 letters of recommendation, graduate transcript, and statement(s) of teaching and research interests. Address questions to Jonathan Berkey, Chair, History Department (joberkey@davidson.edu).

Consistently ranked among the nation’s top liberal arts colleges, Davidson College is a highly-selective liberal arts college located in Davidson, North Carolina, close to the city of Charlotte. Davidson faculty enjoy a low student-faculty ratio, emphasis on and appreciation of excellence in teaching, and a collegial, respectful environment that honors academic achievement and integrity. Davidson is strongly committed to achieving excellence and cultural diversity, and welcomes applications from women, members of minority groups, and others who would bring additional dimensions to the college’s mission.

Apply Here

 

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Conference: Multifaceted Divinities in Japan and Beyond

call for papers [150-2]The Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Tel-Aviv University

May 29-31, 2016

The Israeli Association of Japanese Studies (IAJS) is glad to announce an international workshop on Japanese medieval divinities, which will be held at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Tel-Aviv University on May 29-31, 2016. The workshop is dedicated to the memory of the Late Prof. R.J. Zwi Werblowsky (Hebrew University), a renowned scholar of comparative religion, who passed away last summer.

The workshop seeks to examine the confluence of various religious systems in medieval Japan through portraits of individual, often multifaceted or pantheon-like, divinities. While investigating the complex identity of these divinities, the presentations will look more broadly at the dialectics of Buddhism (and other imported traditions) and localism, which shaped and disseminated all aspects of Japanese religiosity. 

Throughout the medieval period the pantheon was continuously shaped and re-shaped both by inner currents within the religious sphere and by social, geographical and political circumstances specific to Japan. This concurrence is manifested in the multiple and chaotic identities of individual divinities. Rather than mere objects of worship, these divinities functioned as powerful and efficacious figures that shaped reality through complex ritual systems. They were pivotal entities in the creation of notions of identity, territory and sovereignty, and their combinatory nature had impact on their social and political roles. 

The examination of Buddhism and local cults in Japan calls for a broader exploration of the theme in other Asian cultures where divinities of local cults throve under Buddhist and other religious influences. The workshop will thus incorporate a panel dealing with divinities of complex nature in other Asian cultures, and will conclude with a round table discussion on the combinatory phenomenon in a comparative fashion. Our aim is to look beyond the dichotomy of Buddhism and localism with which we start and to open a theoretical discussion on the multivalent identity of Asian gods. 

Keynote speaker: Bernard Faure, Columbia University 

Participants: Abe Yasurō (Nagoya University); Irit Averbuch (Tel-Aviv University); Lucia Dolce (SOAS); Ehud Halperin (Tel-Aviv University); Kadoya Atsushi (Iwaki Meisei University); Sujung Kim (DePauw University); Yagi Morris (SOAS); Or Porath (UCSB); Fabio Rambelli (University of California, Santa Barbara); Gil Raz (Dartmouth College); Jacob Raz (Tel-Aviv University); Carina Roth Al Eid (University of Geneva); Saitō Hideki (Buddhist University); Gaynor Sekimori (SOAS, London); Meir Shahar (Tel-Aviv University); Eviatar Shulman (Hebrew University); Suzuki Masataka (Keio University); Mark Teeuwen (Oslo University).

We welcome scholars and students who wish to attend the workshop. Those who are interested in further details please contact the organizers Irit Averbuch (airit@post.tau.ac.il) and Yagi Morris (yagimorris@gmail.com). The conference site will be accessible via the IAJS website (http://www.japan-studies.org).

The Oranizing Committee:
Dr. Irit Averbuch (Tel Aviv University)
Ms. Yagi Morris (SOAS)
IAJS Academic Committee
Dr. Shalmit Bejarano (Hebrew University of Jerusalem)
Prof. Rotem Kowner (University of Haifa)

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Book Announcement: The Undiscovered Country: Text, Translation, and Modernity in the Work of Yanagita Kunio

yanagitaThe Undiscovered Country: Text, Translation, and Modernity in the Work of Yanagita Kunio

Yanagita Kunio (1875–1962) was a public intellectual who played a pivotal role in shaping modern Japan’s cultural identity. A self-taught folk scholar and elite bureaucrat, he promoted folk studies in Japan. So extensive was his role that he has been compared with the fabled Grimm Brothers of Germany and the great British folklorist James G. Frazer (1854–1941), author of The Golden Bough. This monograph is only the second book-length English-language examination of Yanagita, and it is the first analysis that moves beyond a biographical account of his pioneering work in folk studies.

An eccentric but insightful critic of Japan’s rush to modernize, Yanagita offers a compelling array of rebuttals to mainstream social and political trends in his carefully crafted writings. Through a close reading of Yanagita’s interdisciplinary texts, which comment on a wide range of key cultural issues that characterized the first half of Japan’s twentieth century, Melek Ortabasi seeks to reevaluate the historical significance of his work. Ortabasi’s inquiry simultaneously exposes, discursively, some of the fundamental assumptions we embrace about modernity and national identity in Japan and elsewhere.
http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674492004

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Job Opening: Chair, East Asian Studies, University of Alberta

job opening - 5Institution:  University of Alberta, Department of East Asian Studies
Location:     Alberta, Canada
Position:      Department Chair

The Faculty of Arts at the University of Alberta invites applications for the position of Chair of the Department of East Asian Studies, a tenured position at the rank of Associate or Full Professor.

University of Alberta
Faculty of Arts – Department of East Asian Studies

Chair, Department of East Asian Studies

Competition No.  –   A110228165
Closing Date  –   Mar 01, 2016

The Faculty of Arts at the University of Alberta invites applications for the position of Chair of the Department of East Asian Studies, a tenured position at the rank of Associate or Full Professor.

Courses on East Asia have been offered regularly at the University of Alberta since 1961, making our program one of the oldest in Western Canada. Originally founded in 1981, the Department of East Asian Studies (http://www.eastasianstudies.ualberta.ca/) has twelve faculty members in East Asian literature, culture and linguistics and employs another twenty contract instructors in a typical year. The Department offers four-year language programs and related classes in each of Japanese, Chinese and Korean, and will be adding a new position in Indian studies in 2015-16. Approximately 2,500 undergraduate students enroll in the department’s classes each year, and the MA program has around 20 students.

The Chair is someone with a strong sense of collaborative leadership and a clear commitment to continuing to develop the Department’s standing within the University, within Canada, and internationally. The Chair is expected to participate actively in the Department’s teaching, research, and graduate supervision.

Candidates will hold a PhD with a specialization in the field of East Asian Studies or Asian Studies. Candidates should possess demonstrated academic leadership and a proven commitment to excellence in research and teaching. The successful candidate is expected to demonstrate and maintain a strong research profile commensurate with employment in a research-intensive university and to have a strong record in teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The appointment as Chair is an administrative appointment for a 5-year term, commencing July 1, 2017. In addition, the successful candidate will be appointed to a continuing academic position at the rank of Full Professor or Associate Professor.

The University of Alberta has earned a reputation as one of the leading universities in Canada based on strengths in teaching, research and service. The University of Alberta welcomes over 39,000 students in more than 400 undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs (www.ualberta.ca). The Faculty of Arts (http://uofa.ualberta.ca/arts) is the oldest and most diverse faculty on campus, and one of the largest research and teaching centres in western Canada. The University’s main campus is located in Edmonton, Alberta’s capital city. The Edmonton metropolitan area is the sixth largest in Canada, with a population of approximately one million (www.edmonton.ca).  Complementing a challenging and fulfilling professional career at the University of Alberta, Edmonton and Alberta present diverse cultural, recreational and social opportunities in an attractive economic context; see: www.ualberta.ca.

Salary will be commensurate with experience and qualifications in accordance with the Faculty Agreement: http://www.hrs.ualberta.ca/en/MyEmployment/~/media/hrs/MyEmployment/Agreements/Academic/Faculty.pdf 

Apply by submitting the following:

  • cover letter and curriculum vitae
  • names and contact information for three referees (Attach under “References”)

In order to comply with Federal laws, the University is required to gather statistical information on how many applicants for each job vacancy are Canadian citizens/permanent residents of Canada. When submitting your application, please indicate in your cover letter or resume your status by answering the following question: Are you a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada? Applications without this information will be deemed incomplete.  Please note that if you are not a Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident of Canada, you are not required to indicate your citizenship.

All applications can be addressed to the attention of Dr. Lise Gotell, Acting Dean.  Only those applicants selected for interviews will be contacted.

Business Address:

Faculty of Arts
6-5 Humanities Centre
University of Alberta
Edmonton, AB, Canada, T6G 2E5

Interested applicants may apply to:

http://www.careers.ualberta.ca/Competition/A110228165/

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.    If suitable Canadian citizens or permanent residents cannot be found, other individuals will be considered.

The University of Alberta hires on the basis of merit. We are committed to the principle of equity in employment. We welcome diversity and encourage applications from all qualified women and men, including persons with disabilities, members of visible minorities, and Aboriginal persons.

Contact:

All applications can be addressed to the attention of Dr. Lise Gotell, Acting Dean.  Only those applicants selected for interviews will be contacted.

Business Address:

Faculty of Arts
6-5 Humanities Centre
University of Alberta
Edmonton, AB, Canada, T6G 2E5

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Fun Link Friday: Hachiko’s “hachiko”

Yes, yes, Hachiko again! Today’s fun link is more of a fun picture. The east coast of the US was just hit with a big snow storm, and a week or so ago we got real snow for the first time all winter here in Tokyo, and people were quick to make some fun out of it before we got pommeled with four hours of heavy rain and sleet immediately after! Twitter was abuzz with the “hachiko (eight)” Hachiko that someone made from snow to accompany the statue in Shibuya:

hachiko

Quite literally 8個のハチ公!

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Job Opening: Postdoctoral teaching fellowship, Asian history, Wabash College

job opening - 5Institution:           Wabash College, History
Location:              Indiana, United States
Position:              Post-Doctoral Fellow; Asian History Postdoctoral Teaching Fellowship

Wabash College, with the support of the ASIANetwork-Luce Foundation Teaching Fellow Program, invites applications for a one-year Postdoctoral Teaching Fellowship in Asian History beginning July 1, 2016. This position is designed for those who have completed a Ph.D. or other terminal degree within the last three years from a North American university in any area of Asian history. Applicants who are ABD will be considered, provided that they have a scheduled defense date prior to the beginning of the fellowship year as confirmed by their graduate advisor. The successful candidate must have a commitment to excellence in undergraduate teaching, an appreciation for the broad intellectual community of an excellent liberal arts college, and the ability to work with a diverse student body. Responsibilities include attending New Faculty Orientation in early August, teaching three courses over two semesters, delivering one public lecture, participating in the intellectual and cultural life of the College, especially in relation to the Asian Studies Program, mentoring students, and pursuing research or other scholarly or creative projects. The Postdoctoral Teaching Fellow will work closely with faculty mentors during the fellowship year.

Interested applicants should apply online at http://www.wabash.edu/employment/.

Required documents include: letter of application; curriculum vitae; unofficial undergraduate and graduate academic transcripts; a statement of teaching philosophy; teaching evaluations; and email addresses for three persons who will submit confidential letters of recommendation. Review of applications will begin February 15, 2016 and continue until the position is filled. Questions should be directed to Dr. Rick Warner, Department of History Chair and 2015-16 Asian Studies Program Chair, atwarnerri@wabash.edu.

Wabash College, a liberal arts college for men, seeks faculty and staff committed to providing quality engagement with students, high levels of academic challenge and support, and meaningful diversity experiences that prepare students for life and leadership in a multicultural global world. We welcome applications from persons of all backgrounds. EOE.

Contact: Rick Warner, History Department Chair, warnerri@wabash.edu

Website: http://www.wabash.edu/employment

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Job Opening: Assistant Professor of History (History of East Asia)

job opening - 5California State University: Chico
Assistant Professor of History (History of East Asia)
Status: Tenure-Track/Full-time/part-time (if part-time, indicate time base)

Deadline for applications is February 25th, 2016

Position Information

The Position: The History Department at California State University, Chico, invites applications for a tenure-track assistant professor in the History of East Asia, beginning in fall 2016. Period and country of specialization are open. Position is contingent on funding.

Minimum Education and Experience

Ph.D. in Asian History by August 22, 2016. ABDs will receive consideration.Additional Requirements and Responsibilities for this positionCandidates should be prepared to teach a lower-division course in Asian Studies, a two-part survey of East Asian history, and upper-division and graduate seminars in their area of specialization. Evidence of excellence in teaching and productivity in research and publication are required, along with a demonstrated commitment to program building and service to the Department, to Asian Studies, and to the campus-wide General Education program.

For more information:

https://jobs.csuchico.edu/postings/3499

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Call For Papers: The 5th International Conference of the Japanese Studies Association in Southeast Asia

call for papers [150-2]For more information, including submission guidelines,  see: http://ateneojspconference.blogspot.jp/

The 5th International Conference of the Japanese Studies Association in Southeast Asia

ASEAN and Japanese Studies: Futures and Critical Approaches

The Japanese Studies Association in Southeast Asia (JSA-ASEAN) is a network among Japanese Studies scholars from Southeast Asia. It was set up in 2005 to serve as a catalyst in promoting Japanese studies in this region. It is the only organization with the aim of bringing together major Japanese studies specialists from various Southeast Asian countries with their counterparts from Japan and other countries. It is hoped that with the combined resources of Japanese studies specialists in Southeast Asia, JSA-ASEAN would grow to become an important platform for the promotion of region-wide Japanese studies.

In order to stimulate interest and promote networks among scholars in Southeast Asia, JSA-ASEAN organizes a biennial conference as the major platform for a trans-disciplinary international exchange. The inaugural conference was hosted by Department of Japanese Studies, National University of Singapore in October 2006. The second JSA-ASEAN conference was held in Hanoi in October 2009, organized by Vietnamese Academy of Social Sciences. The third JSA-ASEAN conference was held in Kuala Lumpur by University of Malaya in 2012. The fourth JSA-ASEAN conference was held in Bangkok by the Institute of East Asian Studies, Thammasat University in 2014.

CALL FOR PAPERS

Graduate Student Workshop
DATES: 13-14 December 2016
VENUE: Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines

Conference
DATES: 15-16 December 2016
VENUE: Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines

Organized by
Ateneo de Manila University, Japanese Studies Program
De La Salle University, International Studies Department
University of the Philippines, Third World Studies Center

with the support of the Japan Foundation

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Workshop: Buddhism and East Asian Cultures

Buddhism and East Asian Cultures:

An Intensive Program of

Lectures Series, Conference/Forum, and Fieldwork

July 15-25, 2016, Mount Wutai 五臺山 & Datong 大同, China

The Wutai International Institute of Buddhism and East Asian Cultures (WII), Institute for Ethics and Religions Studies (IERS) at Tsinghua University, Buddhist Studies Forum at Fudan University (FU-BSF), and the Buddhist Studies Forum at the University of British Columbia (UBC-BSF) in Vancouver, Canada cordially invite applications for a 10-day program of lecture series, conference/forum, and fieldwork on Buddhism and East Asian Cultures (July 15-25, 2016) at Great Sage Monastery of Bamboo Grove (Dasheng Zhulin si 大聖竹林寺), Mount Wutai 五臺山, and Datong, Shanxi, China.

I. Venue:Great Sage Monastery of Bamboo Grove (Dasheng Zhulin si 大聖竹林寺), Mount Wutai 五臺山, Shanxi, China

II. Schedule——July 15-25, 2016

  • July 15, 2016:Registration
  • July 16-19, 2016:Main Programs (lectures and Students’ Forum)
  • July 20, 2016:Tour on Mount Wutai
  • July 21-22, 2016: Wutai Cult Conference;
  • July 23-24, 2016: Tour in Datong;
  • July 25, 2016:Home-going

III. Four-part Lecture Series: The program organizers have invited three international scholars to conduct, all bilingually (English and Chinese), a three-part lecture series related to Buddhism and East Asian Culture, with each part composed of three consecutive 120-minute lectures with a general theme (over three days). These three bilingual speakers and their lecture themes are:

  • Professor Jinhua Chen (Department of Asian Studies, University of British Columbia, Canada):International Characteristics of Buddhism: East Asian Perspectives 佛教之國際性格:東亞背景;
  • Professor James Robson (Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations, Harvard University): “Sacred Geography” in East Asia 東亞“神聖地理學”;
  • Professor Barend ter Haar (Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Oxford): Enlisting the Divine Realm: Witches, Mediums, Shamans and Buddhist Critique 驅神役鬼:巫覡、薩滿、以及來自佛教的批判.

This three-part lecture series will be accompanied by five lectures delivered by five China-based scholars on Buddhism and East Asian cultures.

IV. Four Additional Projects: In addition to this four-part intensive lecture series, this program also sponsors the following four projects:

  • An international conference on the Wutai-Mañjuśrī cult, titled “Mañjuśrī in Motion: The Cross-cultural Characteristics and ‘International’ Impact of the Wutai Cult,” to be held at the Great Sage Monastery of Bamboo Grove at Mount Wutai, July 19, 21-22, 2016 (conference information announced at http://blogs.ubc.ca/dewei/call-for-papers-the-second-international-confe…).
  • An International Young Scholars Forum on Buddhism and East Asian Cultures (July 16 at the Great Sage Monastery of Bamboo Grove). Excellent articles may be recommended to academic journals for publication. They include the Fojiao wenxian yanjiu (Studies on Buddhist Texts), Foxue yanjiu (Buddhist Studies), Fojiao shi yanjiu (Historical Studies of Buddhism), Studies in Chinese Religions, edited by Prof. Fang Guangchang, Prof. Shengkai, Prof. Sun Yinggang, and Prof. Jinhua Chen, respectively.
  • Taste of the Dharma: a series of 1-2 hour sessions providing monastic experiences, including seated meditation, tea-ceremony and other temple rituals.
  • Occasional visits to renowned local historical sites (especially Buddhist and other religious temples and shines) on the Wutai range. Students with relevant research interests may also apply to participate in an additional two-day (July 23-24) tour in Datong.

V. Applications: Participants are required to take part in all of the activities supported by this program, including the four-part lecture series, the regular conference and the Young Scholar Forum (paper presentations are optional, but attendance is required), field trips on the Wutai range (that in Datong is optional), monastic experience session, etc. Graduate students specializing in any Buddhist tradition(s) or East Asian religions, and postdoctoral fellows working on relevant fields, are encouraged to apply. Please direct applications and inquiries to buddhistseminarandfieldwork@gmail.com. Please submit applications before April 1, 2016. Each application should include (1) an application form (to be provided upon request via the above email), (2) an updated curriculum vitae, (3) one writing sample, and (4) a reference letter (to be emailed by the referee directly to the above email address).

VI. Program Expenses: Successful candidates will be exempted from all tuition fees. Program organizers will also provide free boarding (lodging and meals) in China during the program period, although participants are expected to cover

  • the costs for the transportation between their home cities and Mount Wutai; and
  • an administration fee of 1,000RMB≈US$150.

* More information available: http://blogs.ubc.ca/dewei/2016-summer-program-buddhism-and-east-asian-cu…

Contact Info:

Department of Asian Studies

1871 West Mall, Vancouverm BC, V6T1Z2, Canada

Contact Email:
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Funding: Columbia University Libraries Research Awards

money [150-2]Columbia University Libraries/Information Services invites applications from scholars and researchers to its annual program designed to facilitate access to Columbia’s special and distinctive collections, the Libraries Research Awards.

The Libraries will award ten (10) grants of $2,500 each on a competitive basis to researchers who can demonstrate a compelling need to consult Columbia University Libraries/Information Services holdings for their work.  The award was established in 2011 and supports scholars and researchers who may benefit from access to Columbia’s special and unique collections. Participating Columbia libraries and collections include those located on the Morningside Heights campus: the Avery Architectural & Fine Arts Library, the Burke Library at Union Theological SeminaryButler Library, the Lehman Social Sciences Library, the Rare Book & Manuscript Library, the C. V. Starr East Asian Library, and the Libraries’ Global Studies Collections.

Applicants must be U.S. citizens or Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs). Persons holding J-1 or F-1 exchange, student, or visitor visas are not eligible for this grant.  Preference will be given to those applicants residing outside the greater New York metropolitan area who need to travel to New York City to conduct their research.

Applications will be accepted until February 29, 2016. Award notifications will be sent to applicants by April 30, 2016 for research conducted at Columbia during the period July 1, 2016 – June 30, 2017.

For more information and application materials, please visit the Libraries Research Awards page.

Contact Info:

Columbia Libraries Research Awards Committee

Contact Email:

cul-libawards@columbia.edu

URL:

http://library.columbia.edu/about/awards/research-awards.html

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