Funding: The Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR)

Posted on September 30, 2013 by Paula

money [150-2]The Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) is now accepting applications for the 2014 Mellon Fellowships for Dissertation Research in Original Sources.

The purposes of this fellowship program are to:

– help junior scholars in the humanities and related social-science fields gain skill and creativity in developing knowledge from original sources;
– enable dissertation writers to do research wherever relevant sources may be, rather than just where financial support is available;
– encourage more extensive and innovative uses of original sources in libraries, archives, museums, historical societies, and related repositories in the U.S. and abroad; and
– provide insight from the viewpoint of doctoral candidates into how scholarly resources can be developed for access most helpfully in the future.

The program will be offering about fifteen competitively awarded fellowships for 2014. Each provides a stipend of $2,000 per month for 912 months. Each fellow will receive an additional $1,000 upon participating in a symposium on research in original sources and submitting an acceptable report to CLIR on the research experience. Thus the maximum award will be $25,000.

Fellowship stipends will support research beginning between June 1 and September 1, 2014, and ending within 12 months of commencing. Fellowships will not be renewed or extended. Fellows are expected to
devote full time to their dissertation research without holding teaching or research assistantships or undertaking other paid work. Applicants may apply simultaneously for other fellowships, including Mellon awards, but fellows may not hold other fellowships simultaneously with CLIR’s. Fellows may use stipends to meet living expenses, travel costs, and other expenses that enable dissertation research to be carried out, but not to defray tuition.

Applicants do not have to be U.S. citizens, but must be enrolled in a doctoral program in a graduate school in the United States.

For further information on eligibility, requirements, and deadlines, please visit CLIRs website at
http://www.clir.org/fellowships/mellon/mellon.html.

Council on Library and Information Resources
1707 L Street, NW
Suite 650
Washington, DC 20036
Email: mellon@clir.org
Visit the website at
http://www.clir.org/fellowships/mellon/mellon.html

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Job Opening: Boston Consulate – Assistant for Economic Affairs

Posted on September 30, 2013 by Paula

job opening - 5This is a great position for a returning JET!

Position Title: Assistant for Economic Affairs

The Consulate General of Japan in Boston is seeking a person for the position of the Assistant for Economic Affairs / Science & Technology Section. The Consulate offers group health insurance coverage, twenty days of paid vacation per year, a number of paid U.S./Japanese holidays, three paid summer holidays, and sick leave. Salary is commensurate with academic and professional experiences.This is an excellent opportunity for anyone interested in international business, international affairs, or Japanese/American relations.

The position serves as a link between the consulate and local governments and businesses in New England. The ideal candidate will be someone flexible enough to work on multiple projects at the same time, have an understanding of the differences in Japanese and American business cultures, can communicate effectively in both English and Japanese, and have the ability to make connections with a wide variety of local businesses and organizations.

Basic Information

Work hours: Monday–Friday 9:00 A.M.-5:30 P.M.

Lunch break: 12:15 P.M.-1:15 P.M. (with occasional front desk lunch duty)

Occasional overtime is required

The consulate is located in the Federal Reserve Building in Boston. It is across the street from South Station, and is easily accessible by the Red Line, Silver Line, and Commuter Rail.

Principal Responsibilities:

– Assist the Consul for Economic Affairs and Science & Technology Officer in administrative duties. Examples are scheduling meetings, writing speeches, making contacts with local government agencies, businesses, or other agencies, and assisting visiting delegations from Japan when they visit Boston.
– Conduct basic research on regional economic development and international trade statistics
– Disseminate information about Japanese economic policies and other related information to relevant local entities including responding to inquiries about Japan in economic areas.
-Assist with planning and setting up events such as trade shows, business forums, seminars, networking sessions, and diplomatic receptions.
– Monitor local news outlets for stories that are related to or could affect Japanese companies.
– Other duties as required.

Requirements:

– Bachelor’s degree, with a preference for specializations in international relations, international business, Japanese/East Asian studies, or related disciplines.
– Fluent in English
– Japanese language skills preferred
-Excellent written and verbal communication skills
– Computer skills such as Microsoft Word, Excel, etc.
– Experience living or working in Japan highly preferred
– Basic knowledge of the economic and political situations in both Japan and New England, especially in the Greater Boston area
-Candidate must be a U.S. citizen or a U.S. green card holder. The consulate is unable to provide visa sponsorship.

How to apply:

– Please email a cover letter and resume by October 1st, 2013 to:
j.currier at bz dot mofa dot go dot jp, or mail your cover letter and resume to:
Attn: Economic Affairs Section, Consulate-General of Japan in Boston
Federal Reserve Plaza, 22nd Floor, Boston, MA 02210

-No phone calls please

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Book Announcement: Negotiating Censorship in Modern Japan

Posted on September 29, 2013 by Paula

http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415520782/

ed. Rachael Hutchinson, Routledge Contemporary Japan Series no. 45

Censorship in Japan has seen many changes over the last 150 years, with each successive system of rule possessing its own censorship laws, regulations, and methods of enforcement. Yet what has remained constant through these many upheavals has been the process of negotiation between censor and artist that can be seen across the cultural media of modern society.

By exploring censorship in a number of different Japanese art forms–from popular music and kabuki performance through to fiction, poetry and film– across a range of historical periods, this book provides a striking picture of the pervasiveness and strength of Japanese censorship across a range of media; the similar tactics used by artists of different media to negotiate censorship boundaries; and how censors from different systems and time periods face many of the same problems and questions in their work. The essays in this collection highlight the complexities of the censorship process by investigating the responsibilities and choices of artists, censors, audience and ideologues, in a wide range of case studies. The contributors shift the focus away from top-down suppression, towards the more complex negotiations involved in the many stages of an artistic work, all of which involve movement within boundaries, as well as testing of those boundaries, on the part of both artist and censor. Taken together, the essays in this book demonstrate that censorship at every stage involves an act of human judgment, in a context determined by political, economic and ideological factors.

This book and its case studies provide a fascinating insight into the dynamics of censorship and how these operate on both people and texts. As such, it will be of great interest to students and scholars interested in Japanese studies, Japanese culture, society and history, and media studies more generally.

Continue reading →

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Job Opening: Digital Publishing Manager, University of Hawai’i

Posted on September 28, 2013 by LM

job opening - 5While this position isn’t Japan-specific, UH Press publishes a lot of texts on Asian studies and APIA subjects and may be of interest to those with experience or education in communications, information/library technology, etc.

Title: Public Information, Public Events Planning and Publications (Publications Mgr)
Position Number: 0079353
Hiring Unit: UH Press
Location: Manoa, Hawai’i
Date Posted: September 13, 2013
Closing Date: October 04, 2013

Revolving Duties and Responsibilities

  • Manages the conceptualization, development, maintenance and expansion of UH Press digital publishing projects, including digital-only publications, simultaneous print and digital publications, and print publications converted for digital use.
  • Develop and implement short- and long-range product road-map for the division.
  • Prioritizes frontlist and backlist opportunities on a seasonal and on-going basis and creates and implements a seasonal and ongoing sales plan.
  • Expands markets and sales channels for non-print projects.
  • Prepares, negotiates and executes sales and licensing agreements with vendors and distributors.
  • Reviews and evaluates existing vendor agreements and re-negotiate terms with eBook vendors and content aggregators as needed.
  • Advises and collaborates with other UH Press staff to evaluate and manage resources for conversion, enhancement, marketing, sales, intellectual property management and tracking of UH Press publications in non-print form.
  • Reports on revenue, market data, and anticipated trends for digital (and other non-print) publications to UH Press management.
  • Develops monthly reports to keep UH Press Director and staff apprised of progress.
  • Works with Chief Financial Officer to develop procedures and systems for appropriate record-keeping related to expenses and revenues for digital publishing.
  • Coordinates and oversees all IT requirements for UH Press including troubleshooting desktop systems, software and hardware systems and management.
  • Acts as liaison and primary contract with UH IT Contract Services to coordinate oversight of UH Press networks, software, hardware and other IT needs for the department.
  • Coordinates the development or enhancement of third party software by working with outside consultants to ensure that the software interfaces with in-house information systems.
  • Maintains the highest level of integrity and confidentiality in dealing with sensitive data.
  • Hires, trains and supervises student employees as necessary.
  • Other duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications

  • Possession of a baccalaureate degree in Journalism, Communications, Business Administration, Management of Information Systems, or related field and 3 year(s) of progressively responsible professional experience with responsibilities for digital publishing and development, of which 2 years of the experience must have been comparable in scope and complexity to the next lower payband in the University of Hawai’i broadband system; or equivalent education/training or experience.
  • Considerable working knowledge of principles, practices and techniques in the erable working knowledge of digital publishing and development as demonstrated by the broad knowledge of the full range of pertinent standard and evolving concepts, principles and methodologies.
  • Considerable working knowledge and understanding of applicable federal and state laws, rules, regulations and theories and systems associated with digital publishing and development.
  • Demonstrated ability to resolve wide ranging complex problems through the use of creative reasoning and logic to accurately determine the cause of the problems and the resolution of the problems in an effective, innovative and timely manner.
  • Demonstrated ability to interpret and present information and ideas clearly and accurately in writing, verbally and by preparation of reports and other materials.
  • Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external organizations, groups, team leaders and members, and individuals.
  • Demonstrated ability to operate a personal computer and apply word processing software.
  • For supervisory work, demonstrated ability to lead subordinates, manage work priorities and projects, and manage employee relations.
  • Any equivalent combination of education and/or professional work experience which provides the required education, knowledge, skills and abilities as indicated.
  • Work experience in markets such as scholarly, scientific, and professional publishing.
  • Must be well versed in digital book publishing processes and best practices.
  • Strong analytical communication, critical thinking and problem solving skills.
  • Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
  • Demonstrated proficiency with XML.
  • Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with electronic book vendors.

Desirable Qualifications

  • Experience working with title management, content management or digital asset management systems in a book publishing setting.
  • Knowledge of the implementation and maintenance of XML workflows in a book publishing setting .
  • Experience in mobile application development.

Via UH Press. Full application details on UH Jobs.

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Fun Link Friday: Banana Peel Tattoos

Posted on September 27, 2013 by Paula

It seems like every time I flip through my articles of the day I find something neat semi-related to a previous Fun Link Friday we’ve done. Much like the banana art that was all about carving out the insides of your banana which we covered two years ago from Tofugu, now we’ve got banana peel art in Japan, which is just as stunning!

banana

Check out the link here to the original Rocket News article about banana tattoos by the artist End Cape and see what’s being done!

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Job Opening: East Asian History, Assistant Professor (tenure-track)

Posted on September 26, 2013 by Paula

job opening - 5Institution: Earlham College, History
Location:   Indiana, United States
Position:   Assistant Professor – East Asian history

Earlham College invites applications for a tenure track appointment in East Asian history at the assistant professor level beginning fall 2014.  The department seeks candidates committed to teaching excellence and liberal arts education.  The candidate ideally would offer courses on both Japan and China and must be able to make a significant contribution to the college’s interdisciplinary programs in East Asian Studies.  Responsibilities include teaching first year intensive writing courses and courses in fields of specialization and/or interests.  Ph.D preferred.

Applicants should submit letters of application, cover letter detailing teaching and research interests, resume and three letters of reference to Cheri Gaddis, Earlham College Dept of History, at historysearch@earlham.edu.   Review of applications will begin on November 1 and continue until the positions are filled.

Earlham College is a Equal Opportunity employer and continues to build a community that reflects the gender and racial diversity of the society at large, and therefore, we are particularly interested in inviting and encouraging applications from African Americans, other ethnic minorities, and women.  Earlham also is eager to solicit applications from members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers).

Contact:
historysearch@earlham.edu

Website: www.earlham.edu

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Job Opening: Asian Politics, Postdoctoral Teaching Fellowship

Posted on September 24, 2013 by Paula

job opening - 5Institution: Berea College
Location:   Kentucky, United States
Position:   Post-Doctoral Fellow in Asian Politics

The Asian Studies Program and the Political Science Program at Berea College, with the support of the ASIANetwork-Luce Teaching Fellow Program, invite applications for a one-year Postdoctoral Teaching Fellowship, beginning in August 2014.  This position is designed for those who have earned a Ph.D. from a North American university within the past three years in an East Asia-related field, including expertise in East Asia-United States comparative politics and/or United States relations with the East Asian region.  Applicants who are ABD may be considered, provided that they have a scheduled completion date prior to the beginning of the fellowship year verified by their graduate advisor.  Responsibilities will include teaching three courses (one in fall term, two in spring term), delivering one public lecture, participating in the intellectual and cultural life of the College, mentoring students, and pursuing research and other scholarly projects.  The Postdoctoral Teaching Fellow will be expected to work closely with a faculty mentor during the fellowship year.

Interested applicants should send a letter of application for this position, curriculum vitae, graduate and undergraduate academic transcripts, a statement of teaching philosophy, evidence of quality undergraduate teaching, a writing sample, and three letters of recommendation to AsianPolitics@berea.edu.  Review of applications will begin on November 1, 2013, and will continue until the position
is filled.

Berea College achieved national distinction as the first coeducational and interracial college in the South. With an emphasis on service to the people of Appalachia and beyond, Berea enrolls 1,600 students from 40 states and 60 countries.  The College has a longstanding commitment to interracial education; here, people of different races seek to learn from and about each other, while also living together. Berea is among the most racially diverse private liberal arts colleges in the United States. The College admits only students whose families are unable to afford the high cost of tuition and awards each of them a four-year tuition scholarship.  Bereas students excel in the Colleges supportive but demanding academic environment, and many are the first in their families to graduate from college.  The College is one of seven federally-recognized Work Colleges, and all students hold a labor position in which they work 10-12 hours per week.  Graduates distinguish themselves in a variety of fields, including social service, government, ministry, the arts, business, education, medicine, and science, and many go on to earn graduate degrees.

Located where the Bluegrass Region meets the Cumberland Mountains, the town of Berea (pop. 14,000) lies forty miles south of Lexington and is approximately two hours from Cincinnati, Louisville, and Knoxville. More information about Berea College is available at www.berea.edu.

Berea College, in light of its mission in the tradition of impartial love and social equality, welcomes all people of the earth to learn and work here.

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Job Opening: East Asian History

Posted on September 23, 2013 by Paula

job opening - 5Institution:   College of New York, History
Location:   New York, United States
Position:   Assistant Professor, East Asian History

Assistant Professor  East Asian History

The History Department at the City College of New York invites applications for a tenure-track position in East Asian history at the Assistant Professor level. The Department is especially interested in applicants with research interests in pre-20th century history and in transnational history. Teaching responsibilities will include undergraduate and M.A. courses in the candidate’s area of expertise, as well as courses that contribute to the colleges general education curriculum. The starting date for this position is Sept. 1, 2014.
Minimum qualifications include a Ph.D. in history by the time of the appointment and demonstrated commitment to teaching, research, and program service. The successful candidates should be able to
communicate their expertise effectively to a diverse student body. Candidates should provide evidence of an active research agenda. Salary commensurate with experience

Contact:
To apply, please view the opening (Job ID 8959) at www.cuny.edu and
submit all requested materials online as a single PDF.

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Call for Papers: 20th Annual Japan Studies Association Conference

Posted on September 23, 2013 by Paula

call for papers [150-2]Call for papers

20th Annual Japan Studies Association Conference

2-4 January 2014, Honolulu, Hawai’i

Proposal deadline: 10 October 2013

At its annual conference in Honolulu, Hawai’i in 2014, the Japan Studies Association will mark its twentieth anniversary. Established in San Diego in the spring of 1994, the JSA has assisted its members ・ primarily teachers from American two- and four-year colleges and universities ・in acquiring first-hand knowledge about Japan and infusing it into the curriculum. Through workshops and study-tours, and the professional networking they enable, JSA’s members have been inspired to engage in curriculum development, design study-abroad programs, and initiate Japan-focused or comparative research; members share their insights through the Japan Studies Association Journal and the organization’s annual national conference.

Please join us at Hawai’i Tokai International College in Honolulu in January 2014 to celebrate twenty years of JSA’s achievements, reconnect with Freeman workshop alumni and share your continuous and new pedagogical and research interests in Japan’s literary and cultural traditions, historical and economic developments, socio-political and religious practices past and present. We invite proposals for individual
presentations, discipline-specific or interdisciplinary panels, roundtables on pedagogy and teaching innovation, and staged readings from both faculty and graduate students. The following ideas can serve as useful points of departure:

* Pre-modern, modern or contemporary Japanese literature and culture, music, theatre, film;

* Tradition and innovation in Japanese philosophy, aesthetics and material culture;

* Historical, social, economic or political perspectives on Japan’s relationships with its national or regional self, minorities and neighbors in East Asia;

* Japan’s religious traditions, sacred texts, art and architecture;

* Youth and popular culture in Japan; manga and anime at home and abroad;

* Imaging disaster ・responding to adversity and war through political and religious narrative and discourse, the fine and performing arts, popular culture, literature and film;

* post-3.11 Japan ・healing and continuous challenges; anti-nuclear activism; sustainability development trends and issues;

* Pedagogy, field trips and study tours: teaching Japanese language and culture ・reflections and strategies, hurdles and achievements;

* Infusing Japanese Studies into the undergraduate curriculum ・ successful course and program development, faculty collaboration and ways to engage with institutional core goals;

* New voices in Japanese Studies: graduate student research;

* Plenary discussion of a Japanese literary, historical or theoretical text: suggestions solicited.

We encourage both east-west and inter-Asian comparative approaches and would particularly welcome contributions by graduate students and by alumni of JSA’s Freeman Foundation intensive workshops on Japan held between 2002 and 2013. Please contact colleagues with whom you share pedagogical and research interests and form a panel or a roundtable; this ensures engaging presentations and follow-up discussions.

Annually, JSA offers up to three graduate student scholarships, $500 each. To be eligible, students must be enrolled full time in a graduate program in any content area related to Japan and must have a paper
accepted for the 2014 conference. Please submit a complete copy of your paper and registration form, making sure that graduate student・appears clearly both on the first page of your paper and on the registration form. The successful applicants will be notified in October when acceptance letters are sent out to all conference participants.

To send an abstract for an individual presentation of approximately 250 words or a 500-word proposal for a themed panel, roundtable or staged reading, go to: http://www.japanstudies.org/proposals.html Make sure you include the names, institutional affiliation and contact information of all presenters. We hope to see you in Honolulu in January!

The deadline for proposals is 10 October 2013.

Notifications of acceptance will be sent out by 20 October 2013.

For more information, see http://www.japanstudies.org/ or contact the conference co-chairs: Maggie Ivanova (Maggie.Ivanova@flinders.edu.au ) and Thomas Campbell (campbelt@wabash.edu)

Dr Maggie Ivanova
JSA Conference Co-Chair and Board Member at Large
Flinders University

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Book Announcement: Technology, Ideology, and Empire in Japan’s Wartime Era, 1931-1945

Posted on September 22, 2013 by Paula

constructing east asiaTechnology, Ideology, and Empire in Japan’s Wartime Era, 1931-1945

(Stanford University Press, 2013)

For more information:

http://www.sup.org/book.cgi?id=22812

Table of contents:

http://www.sup.org/pages.cgi?isbn=0804785392&item=Contents_pages&page=1

The conventional understanding of Japanese wartime ideology has for years been summed up by just a few words: anti-modern, spiritualist, and irrational. Yet such a cut and dried picture is not at all reflective of the principles that guided national policy from 1931-1945. Challenging the status quo, Constructing East Asia examines how Japanese intellectuals, bureaucrats, and engineers used technology as a system of power and mobilization–what historian Aaron Moore terms a “technological imaginary”–to rally people in Japan and its expanding empire. By analyzing how these different actors defined technology in public discourse, national policies, and large-scale infrastructure projects, Moore reveals wartime elites as far more calculated in thought and action than previous scholarship allows. Moreover, Moore positions the wartime origins of technology deployment as an essential part of the country’s national policy and identity, upending another predominant narrative–namely, that technology did not play a modernizing role in Japan until the “economic miracle” of the postwar years.

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