Job Opening: Visiting Assistant Professor of Anthropology

Posted on March 10, 2011 by LM

See original posting on HigherEdJobs.com

Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, WA, seeks a full-time visiting assistant professor of anthropology to teach courses on East Asian Studies and Ethnic Groups.

Applications close April 1, 2011 and will be reviewed as received.

Position Available: September 1, 2011

Rank and Salary:
One-year, full-time, visiting faculty member, at the assistant professor rank; salary commensurate with qualifications and experience + benefits package.

Responsibilities:
-Teach introductory undergraduate classes in cultural anthropology and two upper division classes, one of which must be “East Asian Cultures” and the other preferably “Ethnic Groups,” although alternative options could be considered. The six-course annual load will include two introductory classes in the fall semester, one upper division class (“Ethnic Groups” or alternative) in the January term, and two introductory classes in addition to the “East Asian Cultures” class in the Spring semester.

Qualifications:
-Minimum ABD required; Ph.D. preferred.
-Commitment to effective teaching at the undergraduate level.

Application Procedure:
Send a letter of interest, curriculum vita, and names of three references via postal mail to:

Dr. Akiko Nosaka
Chair of the Search Committee
Department of Anthropology
Pacific Lutheran University
Tacoma, WA, 98447

Please contact Dr. Akiko Nosaka at nosakaaa[AT]plu[DOT]edu or 253-535-7664 for any questions.

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PostDoctoral Research Position, Beyond Utopia: New Politics, the Politics of Knowledge, and the Science Fictional Field of Japan

Posted on March 8, 2011 by Paula

Institution Type:   College / University
Location:   Netherlands, Leiden University, Modern East Asia Research Centre (MEARC)
Position:   Post-Doctoral Fellow

POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH POSITION (38hrs/week, 3 years maximum)

The Modern East Asia Research Centre (MEARC) at the Leiden Institute for Area Studies, Leiden University, the Netherlands, invites applications for one 1-year postdoc position within the VICI research project Beyond Utopia: New Politics, the Politics of Knowledge, and the Science Fictional Field of Japan. Should performance be satisfactory enough, the position could be extended for up to 2 further years.  Principle researcher is Prof. dr. Chris Goto-Jones, Professor of Comparative Philosophy & Political Thought, Leiden University.

Successful candidates will begin their position no later than September 2011.

Project description

Recognizing that, since the end of the Cold War, political theorists around the world have embarked upon a deliberate quest for difference and innovation in their discipline, triggered by the apparently world historic victory of liberal capitalism, this project aims to uncover a series of sites of difference and innovation. In particular, it locates itself in two kinds of distancing: geo-cultural (ie. in the non-European space of Japan) and medial (ie. in innovative expressive media). Utilizing the techno-media of anime, manga and video games, and focusing on the radical potentials of the genre of speculative science fiction, this project aims to analyze and model a series of political visions as potential alternatives to liberal capitalism, hence contributing to the field of political thought.

Furthermore, acknowledging that these widely popular techno-medial products utilize different grammars of expression from conventional, text-based media, this project seeks to formulate a research methodology for scholars to employ for critical interventions into these fields. Accepting that the dimensions of the public sphere change with time and technological developments, and hypothesizing that the public sphere in many contemporary societies is now informed by this techno-politics, at stake is the ability of scholars to remain in touch with (and persuasive in) political realities: new forms of literacy are required if scholars seek to remain involved in the new public sphere. This project attempts to outline those forms of literacy, as implied by the rapidly globalizing force of Japanese anime, manga and video games.

This project is funded by the NWO (The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research).

Postdoc subproject

The postdoc will be tasked with selecting a particular mechanism, idea, or narrative theme from the science fictional field and tracking it across different technologies and media in order to investigate the ways in which particular media influence political meanings. The projects focus is on the function and translation of political rhetoric between techno-medial expressions of comparable units.

Subproject deliverables and tasks

  • one monograph
  • one conference paper (final conference)
  • contribution to a teaching programme in an appropriate field
  • teamwork with the other researchers on this project (PhD candidates and the principal researcher)

Requirements

Candidates should hold a PhD degree. Preference will be given to candidates with:

  • a PhD in Political Science/Thought or Philosophy and a demonstrable knowledge of modern Japanese
  • a PhD in Japanese Studies and a demonstrable specialization in Political Thought, or Philosophy
  • a PhD in Media Studies, with demonstrable expertise in Political Thought or Philosophy and in Japanese language
  • outstanding research qualities manifested in a high-quality dissertation and articles published in peer reviewed journal
  • excellent command of English.

Offer

We offer one fulltime (38hrs/week) Postdoc position for a period of 1 year in the first instance, extendable to 3 years maximum on the basis of performance. The salary will be according to education and experience, and will range between Euro 2379,- and Euro 2612,-  gross per month in the first year based on fulltime employment, with additional holiday and end-of-year bonuses   salary scale 10 (in accordance with current salary scales as set out in the collective labour agreement for Dutch Universities).

Candidates from outside the Netherlands may be eligible for a substantial tax break.

How to apply

Applications can be emailed in PDF format to the following email address: info@mearc.eu

Applications can also be send via registered mail:

Modern East Asia Research Centre
LIAS – Leiden University
Attn. Esther Truijen
PO Box 9515
2300 RA LEIDEN
The Netherlands

The deadline for applications is 1 April 2011.

Only applications emailed or postmarked on or before this date will be accepted.

Documents needed

In order to apply, the applicant must submit the following

  • a curriculum vitae;
  • a letter of motivation;
  • a short research proposal of up to three pages;
  • a maximum of three sample publications (thesis, refereed journal articles, edited volume chapters, monograph);
  • list of courses taught;
  • name and contact details of three referees.

NB Each document should contain the applicants name in the header or footer.

Further inquiries

For further inquiries, please contact Esther TRUIJEN, manager of MEARC at info@mearc.eu

For more information about the project, please visit: www.mearc.eu or www.asiascape.net/vistas

Contact: For further inquiries, please contact Esther TRUIJEN, manager of MEARC at info@mearc.eu

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Call for link exchange!

Posted on March 7, 2011 by Paula

Have you put up a link to Shinpai Deshou on your blog or website? Let us know! We’re forming a link exchange page to recognize those who kindly contribute to our readership. 🙂 We know about a handful of the universities and blogs that have helped us out, but if you think we might not be aware of you, shoot us an email (shinpai.deshou@gmail.com), leave us a comment here, or contact us on our Facebook page. Thanks!

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We’re now on Facebook!

Posted on March 7, 2011 by Paula

It slipped my mind to post on the actual blog that now we have a Facebook page. 🙂 Please add us and feel free to share our articles around the web! We’d also love to hear suggestions or questions from you for new articles. What would you like to read about?

Cheers,

Paula

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Blog Review: Sociological Images

Posted on March 7, 2011 by LM

 

Sociological Images, run by Drs. Lisa Wade and Gwen Sharp, is one of the most varied and thorough visual sociology/anthropology blogs on the Internet. The mission of the blog is  “to encourage all kinds of people to exercise and develop their sociological imagination by presenting brief sociological discussions of compelling and timely imagery that spans the breadth of sociological inquiry.” Why review Sociological Images on Shinpai Deshou? Area studies are, in and of themselves, tied to sociological and anthropological studies. Visual anthropology treats visual media from high art to magazine and TV ads to greeting cards as cultural artifacts–that is, looking at culture through way in which a photo is framed, an ad is composed, or a color scheme is used. While the site does not deal specifically with Japanese culture, images from and of Japan and Japanese culture frequently appear on the site.

Peter Menzel's photo of an average Japanese's family's possessions, from "What We Own"

Some of the articles use images from contemporary Japanese culture to compare it to contemporary American cultural customs. For example, Sharp discusses Valentine’s Day in Japan via pictures of Valentine’s Day and White Day chocolate displays.  Sharp writes of the Japanese custom of women giving men chocolate on Valentine’s Day,

It’s a good example of the social construction of holidays and food. In the U.S., chocolate is highly feminized–we think of it as a food that women particularly like, and ads about chocolate, especially fancy chocolates, are usually aimed at women (or men buying for them). Valentine’s Day and big heart-shaped boxes with large bows on them are likewise feminized… [but] in Japan, clearly chocolates for Valentine’s Day (even expensive, fancy chocolate), heart-shaped boxes, and big bows are considered appropriate gifts for men. It makes it clear how our association of chocolate with women is culturally specific.

Since much of my own writing has been about how gender is cultural, it was refreshing to read this statement in an accessible academic blog.

Other articles deal with Japanese cultural imports to the US. One of the most debated articles is “Why Do the Japanese Draw Themselves as White? ” by guest blogger Julian Abagond. I wrote my senior thesis on the anime of Miyazaki Hayao and have been asked this question more than a few times, so I really appreciated his problematizing American views of  Othering, race, and perception. The discussion in the comments is also quite interesting.

Regarding the relation of Japan fashion in the US, Lisa Wade wrote a piece on  “Gwen Stefani’s Harajuku Girls,” in which she posted images of the singer’s entourage and young women spotted in Harajuku, asking the readers to comment about whether this was exploitation. This is a great way to add your knowledge to the discussion, as Wade and Sharp often edit their articles to include comments from readers who study the topics; in this article, Wade notes,

In our comments, SG asks that we include the following clarification:

This article is really misrepresenting a whole fashion scene and I would like to ask that you correct it- It is just perpetuating the idiocy and ignorance surrounding these styles. “Harajuku is a style for teenagers in a region of Japan”. “Harajuku style” Is a term coined by western media because they are too ignorant to actually research the names of these actual styles. Harajuku is not a style. It is a location. The females you have pictured are in Decora (and two in Visual Kei). The only “harajuku style” that exists is the fictional one made up by Gwen Stefani and the western media.

Additionally, there are quite a few articles about images of Asians and Asian Americans. Sharp recently published an article featuring photos of women of Japanese descent who were sent to internment camps during World War II, “Life in World War II Japanese American Internment Camps.” Wade and Sharp also test out interactive tools from useful websites: in “Interactive Map of Immigrant Settlement Patterns in U.S.,” Wade tries out Census data tool to track Japanese-, German-, and Mexican-born immigrant populations in the US.

The images are a great resource, and the articles and commentary are well researched and presented. This is also a good opportunity to submit your own images, or, if you are a researcher or specialist, to write a guest post and make the voices of Japanese Studies heard.

-Leah

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Job Opening: Illinois Wesleyan University, 1 year sabbatical replacement, East Asian History

Posted on March 6, 2011 by Paula

Institution Type:   College / University
Location:   Illinois Wesleyan University
Position:   Assistant Professor

East Asia. One year sabbatical replacement for 2011-12 academic year. Ph.D. preferred, ABD considered. Must possess a broad competence in East Asian history, especially in the 19th and 20th centuries. Area of specialization open (China, Japan), but candidate must be able to teach separate Chinese and Japanese surveys. Teaching load is 6 courses per year and can be taught either 3-3 over two semesters or 3-2-1 (with the one course taught during out intensive 3-week May Term).

Send letter of application, c.v., and three letters of recommendation, at least one of which would address teaching ability, along with a sample syllabus, to:

Professor Thomas Lutze,
Chair, Department of History
Illinois Wesleyan
P.O. Box 2900
Bloomington, IL 61702-2900

Review of applications will begin March 20, 2011. For further information, see our jobs web page at: http://www.iwu.edu/iwujobs/ . Illinois Wesleyan is a highly selective liberal arts university of 2,100 students and an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to a diverse work force.

Contact:

Professor Thomas Lutze, Chair
Department of History
Illinois Wesleyan University
P. O. Box 2900
Bloomington, IL  61702-2900
Website: http://www.iwu.edu

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Call for Papers: The Asian Conference on Arts and Humanities 2011

Posted on March 5, 2011 by morgansuity

Date: May 27 – 30, 2011
Location: Osaka, Japan

The Second Asian Conference on Arts and Humanities in 2011 aims to build on the strengths and successes of the 2010 conference by offering a true celebration of interdisciplinary study in a stimulating scholarly environment, and in the wonderfully rich physical and cultural environment of Japan. This international conference will again bring together a number of university scholars working throughout Japan, Asia, and beyond to share ideas and forge working relationships with each other.

This year’s conference’s two new themes are Ancient and Modern and Journeys of Discovery, and the organizers hope for these topics to inspire and drive next year’s event.

The deadline for abstracts/proposals is 01 April 2011.

Special Theme I: Ancient and Modern
Special Theme II: Journeys of Discovery

The conference offers the suggestion of two optional themes to concentrate the mind; Ancient and Modern and Journeys of Discovery, and the organizers encourage submissions that approach these themes from a variety of perspectives. However, the submission of other topics for consideration is welcome and we also encourage sessions within and across a variety of interdisciplinary and theoretical perspectives.

For more details about submitting an abstract, and the conference
programm, please visit the website at acah.iafor.org

Please note: ACAH 2011 will be held alongside LibrAsia 2011 (The Asian Conference on Literature and Librarianship) and registrants for either conference will be given the opportunity to attend sessions in the parallel event at no extra charge.

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Fun Link Friday: Why was Charlie Chaplin targeted by Japanese revolutionaries?

Posted on March 4, 2011 by Paula

This Japan Times article is an old one (originally from 2005) that I came across buried in my “read this again” pile of bookmarks, but as a history tidbit few probably know, the topic is still as fascinating as ever!

In 1932, Charlie Chaplin, best known of course for his Hollywood stardom as “The Tramp” on the silver screen, decided to take a tour to the East to promote his new film, “City Lights.” Heading by ship through the Suez Canal and making stops in India and Singapore, Chaplin found himself in the land of the rising sun, amazed at the colorful kimono and enthusiastic crowds that greeted him at every train station. Amidst the amazement, however, things started to turn a little strange when their guide began to make “mysterious requests” and Sydney, Chaplin’s brother, claimed that not only had their rooms been searched but they were being watched.

One frightening encounter in a restaurant and the assassination of a prime minister later, Charlie Chaplin discovered he was part of a multi-cell plot to bring down the Japanese government. But who were the Blood Brotherhood (Ketsumeidan) and why were they after Chaplin? Read the Japan Times article to find out!

“No Laughing Matter”

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20050515x1.html

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Job Opening: Assistant Professor of Sociocultural Anthropology

Posted on March 3, 2011 by LM

University of Michigan, Flint Campus

Responsibilities

The Department of Sociology/Anthropology/Criminal Justice invites applications for a tenure-track position in sociocultural anthropology at the Assistant Professor level, beginning Fall 2011.

We are seeking a teacher-scholar who complements current department interests. Regional specialization in the Middle East, North Africa, or East Asia (especially China) is preferred, and topical areas of interest include: identity politics (ethnic, nationalist, religious); transnationalism; global media/communication; visual representation; and new technologies. The University of Michigan-Flint stresses the importance of teaching excellence, student-centeredness, and scholarship/research. The teaching load is 3/3. In addition to teaching core Anthropology Program requirements, the candidate will be expected to contribute to the University?s General Education offerings, especially the First Year Experience,

Required Qualifications

A Ph.D. in anthropology (ABDs with degrees by time of appointment will be considered), teaching experience, and a record of research or publication are required.

Application review will begin December 15, 2010 and will continue until the post is filled. Candidates should send a letter of application outlining teaching and research interests, curriculum vitae, names and affiliations of three references, and writing samples to: Dr. Kathryn Schellenberg, Chair, Department of Sociology/Anthropology/Criminal Justice, 522 French Hall, 303 E. Kearsley St., University of Michigan, Flint, MI 48502.

See original posting at http://umjobs.org/
Job opening ID: 52879

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Breaking into the translation business: using online translation services – An introduction to YAQS

Posted on March 2, 2011 by Paula

Today we’re featuring another guest writer, Reimer Struve from the translation company WIP Japan Corp. If you’ve ever thought about entering the translation industry but aren’t sure how to get your foot into the door, this article may be a helpful guide to one of your possible options.

—

You have spent years of study to master the Japanese language and are now – after having finally graduated – evaluating your options. Maybe you are thinking similarly as me, wanting to make full use of your linguistic skills, but also painfully aware that even a long study of Japanese is nothing without practice and application.

I had considered entering the translation industry, yet was not sure how to start out. Of course, you can apply directly at a translation agency, but without much credentials in the form of year-long experiences, the chances of getting any projects might be slim. Still, I applied and was offered a trial translation which I somehow managed to complete. However, it took me much longer to do the trial than would be economically viable for actual translation work, and in the end was only offered registration as freelance proofreader.

So there you have the dilemma. In order to break into the industry, you need to show expertise and experience with the process of translating text fast and efficiently. Yet, with no experience to show, no one is ready to offer you the chance to gain experience. I now know this paradox even better than before, as I am handling freelance translators’ applications at our company. Anybody less than 3 years of translating experience rarely makes it into our pool of translators.

Yet with the infrastructure available today via the internet, new opportunities have arrived, even for wordsmith apprentices interested in testing and improving their skills, or people who would like to get a first taste of what it means to be a translator. Enter YAQS (for the Japanese yakusu 訳すto translate), the online platform that directly matches customers and translators, launched by translation agency WIP Japan in November 2010. As of now, YAQS is handling Japanese to English and English to Japanese translation (although adding Chinese is next on the agenda). Customers charge their accounts and load up the texts they would like to have translated. Registered translators then receive a notification about a new project available. Whoever accepts the project first gets to work on it. Translation can be done offline and then uploaded, or done directly in the online interface. Payment is processed via PayPal.

Here you do not have to hand in a CV to apply. Simply register and undertake a trial translation. Your translation will be reviewed within about a month and according to your ability you will be classified into “casual”, “standard”, or “pro”. These ranks reflect the level of payment, the difficulty of the texts to be translated as well as the quality the customer expects. So even if you are inexperienced as a translator but do have (some) knowledge of Japanese, your chances are good to enter at the “casual” level. Project texts would be mostly be of small volume, many being product descriptions of e-commerce sites (which mainly used machine translations so far), but also short letters, or basically anything which “needs a human hand” instead of “quick and dirty” machine translations.

Although payment rates on the “casual” level (1.5yen/ Japanese character) do not suffice to make a living, it offers the invaluable chance to get a foot into the translation industry and start gaining experience. Over time (usually around a year, given that you work on at least one project a day on average), you will get routine and improve your skills, ready to advance onto the next level (increasing rates to 4yen, finally to 9/Japanese character) and also be able to advertise “the word count under your belt” when applying elsewhere. Also, as noted, e-commerce related texts make up the bulk of project texts, so right from the beginning you can have the reward of seeing your own work online!

For anyone interested in registering and giving YAQS a try, please see below:

Please go to the URL below for free registration and login (in Japanese only). Once registered you can undertake a small trial translation (uncompensated).

http://yaqs.co.jp/users/new?registration_type=translator

Upon passing the trial you will then be able to respond to uploaded translation requests and start earning. (Please note that YAQS requires a PayPal account in order to conduct payments for any translations made.)

If you would first like to know more about YAQS, please refer to the URLs below (in Japanese only).

-FAQ for translators

http://yaqs.co.jp/help/translator

-Terms of service

http://yaqs.co.jp/terms_of_service.pdf

-Privacy Policy

http://yaqs.co.jp/privacy_policy.pdf

About the author:

Reimer Struve is currently working for WIP Japan Corp as translation coordinator. WIP Japan Corp has 15 years of experience in the translation industry and one of the ten biggest translation companies in Japan. He made it into the translation business by sending applications to numerous Japanese translation agencies, finally getting accepted at WIP Japan as an intern (an unusual way to enter a Japanese company, where internships are still mostly unheard of).

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