Call for Papers: Cultural Broadcasting in the Asia-Pacific Region

Posted on June 11, 2018 by Travis


Conference and book theme: Cultural Broadcasting in the Asia-Pacific Region
Venue: Department of Music, University of Nottingham (UK)
Dates: 19-20 October 2018
Editors: Dr Lonán Ó Briain (University of Nottingham) and Dr Min Yen Ong (University of Nottingham)
DEADLINE for abstracts: 15 July 2018

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS:
Professor Ruth Finnegan, Open University
Dr Bart Barendregt, Leiden University

Cultural broadcasting can promote solidarity. By reaching wider audiences than live performance, these productions can be used to encourage multiculturalism and inclusivity, raise awareness of indigenous or minority rights, garner action and resilience towards climate change or other pressing geopolitical challenges, connect and unite communities post-disaster, help to sustain musical traditions, or serve as a bridge towards reconciliatory processes. Forms of cultural broadcasting can also be used to favour certain political ideologies, construct or reshape regional, national and transnational identities (e.g., ASEAN), buttress or challenge geopolitical boundaries, and foment political or social discontent across borders.

This conference investigates the impact of the distribution of musical and other performing arts media via radio, television and digital broadcasting (online radio, YouTube, mobile phones, etc.) on communities in eastern Asia and the Pacific nations. We are interested in papers which focus on national and regional broadcasters, pirate stations, state-society relations mediated through broadcasting, mobile listening, transnationalism, regional alliances and cross-border noise, the emergence of local music industries, broadcasting social activism, and iconic voices in the Asia-Pacific region. We encourage an interdisciplinary approach, and welcome scholars working in ethnomusicology, sound studies, anthropology, media studies, cultural studies and other fields related to the Asia-Pacific region.

Topics may include but are not limited to:

Cultural Broadcasting in Historical Perspective
Ethnographic Research on Production and Reception
Mediation of the Performing Arts
Re-production of Intangible Cultural Heritage
Adaptation from Stage to Screen or Sound Media
Geopolitical Broadcasting Networks
Propaganda and Revolutionary Broadcasting
Indigenous Music Industries and Audiences
Audiences Across Borders and in Diaspora
Reconciliation and Healing via Mediated Performances
Audience Engagement in Participatory Media Arts

Speakers at the conference will have an opportunity to revise their papers as chapters for an edited volume on the subject. The deadlines for contributors to the book are as follows:
Conference abstracts due: 15 July 2018
Conference at UoN: 19-20 October 2018
Chapter drafts due: February 2019
Revised drafts due: August 2019

Volume sent to publisher: December 2019

Please send abstracts of 250-300 words and a short biography to min.ong@nottingham.ac.uk by 15 July 2018.

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Job Opening: Visiting Assistant Professor or Instructor, History, Western Washington University

Posted on June 9, 2018 by Paula

Institution Type: College / University
Location: Washington, United States
Position: Visiting Assistant Professor

One-Year Visiting Assistant Professor or Instructor – Japan

Department of History

Position/Salary:

One-year Visiting Assistant Professor or Instructor of History beginning on September 16, 2018, through June 15, 2019.  The position is open to historians of Japan.

Responsibilities:

The successful candidate will teach seven courses over three quarters.

Qualifications:

Required:             ABD and the ability to teach HIST 280–Introduction to East Asian Civilizations, HIST 374–Premodern Japanese history, and upper-level courses in the history of Japan.

Preferred:            A Ph.D. in the history of Japan. Candidates who show promise as a teacher and ability to work effectively with a diverse campus community.

Department:

The Department of History at Western Washington University consists of nineteen tenured or tenure-track faculty whose courses serve a very active history major and make significant contributions to the university’s general education curriculum. History courses cover nearly every historical era and much of the globe. The department encourages its faculty to participate in interdisciplinary programs such as East Asian Studies, Women Gender and Sexuality Studies, International Studies, Latin American Studies, Canadian-American Studies, and the Honors program. Faculty in the department provide high quality courses that prepare majors and non-majors with skills in research, analysis, and writing. The department likewise houses a small but strong M.A. program in history and a nationally recognized M.A. program in Archives and Records Management.

University/Location:

WESTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY is located in Bellingham, Washington, a city of approximately 85,000 situated between Seattle, Washington, and Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, both of which have substantial research universities, archives, and libraries to which WWU faculty have access.  The University enrolls approximately 15,000 students in eight colleges. The Department of History is in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Salary: Commensurate with qualifications and experience; benefits eligible.

Bargaining Union: United Faculty of Western Washington

Application Instructions and Requested Documents: Please log in below and submit your application via WWU’s Electronic System for Employment (PageUp).

Required application materials: (1) letter of application; (2) graduate transcript; (3) C.V.; (4) a pre-modern East Asian history survey (HIST 280, which covers material to roughly 1600) and an upper-level Japanese history course; and (5) three confidential letters of reference.  The Western PageUp application system will automatically send out the requests for confidential letters to your references.

For general questions contact the Department Administrator Jennie Huber at (360) 650-3457 or email Jennie.Huber@wwu.edu.

Apply online at http://employment.wwu.edu/cw/en-us/job/495823/oneyear-visiting-assistant-professor-or-instructor-history-of-japan.

Application review begins June 25, 2018; position is open until filled. 

Western Washington University (WWU) is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer committed to assembling a diverse, broadly trained faculty and staff. Women, minorities, people with disabilities and veterans are strongly encouraged to apply. In compliance with applicable laws and in furtherance of its commitment to fostering an environment that welcomes and embraces diversity, WWU does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy and parenting status), disability, age, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status or genetic information in its programs or activities, including employment, admissions, and educational programs. See WWU’s Policy on Ensuring Equal Opportunity and Prohibiting Discrimination and Retaliation. Inquiries may be directed to the Vice Provost for Equal Opportunity and Employment Diversity, Title IX and ADA Coordinator, Equal Opportunity Office, Western Washington University, Old Main 345 (MS 9021), 516 High Street, Bellingham, WA 98225; 360.650.3307 (voice) or 711 (Washington Relay); eoo@wwu.edu

WWU is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. To request this document in an alternate format or to request an accommodation, please contact Human Resources Disability Services, 360.650.3774 or 711 (Washington Relay).

All new employees must comply with the immunization policy and show employment eligibility verification as required by the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Service before beginning work at WWU. A thorough background check will be conducted on all new hires.

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Job Opening: Clinical Assistant Professor, Japanese Cultural Studies

Posted on June 9, 2018 by Travis


Position: Clinical Assistant Professor, Japanese Cultural Studies
Institution: State University of New York (SUNY), Buffalo
Location: Buffalo, NY
Application Deadline: 1 July 2018

From official job posting (https://www.ubjobs.buffalo.edu/postings/14263):

Position Title Clinical Assistant Professor, Japanese Cultural Studies
Posting Number F1800061
Employer State
Appointment Term Term
Position Type UUP Faculty

Posting Detail Information

Position Summary

The University at Buffalo invites applications for a full-time, Clinical Assistant Professor position in Japanese Cultural Studies. The appointment will be made in the Asian Studies Program in the College of Arts and Sciences. The position requires teaching up to four interdisciplinary courses per semester in humanities and/or social sciences. These include but are not limited to courses in Japanese anime, a survey of Asian literature, and a first-year seminar on Japan Studies. The clinical instructor will be responsible for developing new courses that prepare students for professional careers in Asia or with Asian business and communities. These courses could include topics such as media and popular culture (including film, journalism, music and dance); literature; history; urban societies; gender and sexuality; religion; politics; migration; labor; technology; food; and other courses related to Asian Studies. Courses will be initially taught at the undergraduate level with the potential to develop future graduate courses. The 3-year term appointment has no research obligation. The position offers comparable clinical faculty salary and state employee benefits.

Hiring will be for the 2018-2019 academic year. Candidates must have completed a PhD in Asian Studies or a related field at the time of application and demonstrate experience and excellence in teaching courses in Asian Studies. The candidate’s disciplinary focus is open. Preference will be given to applicants with an interest in developing online modules and courses.

Review of applications begins May 15, 2018. The following documents are required:
• Cover letter
• Curriculum vitae
• A teaching packet which includes: a statement of teaching philosophy; two sample syllabi (including one for a course on Japanese anime); and a sample of course evaluations
• Names and contact information for three to five references

UB is an AA/EOE and welcomes all to apply including veterans and individuals with disabilities.
Minimum Qualifications

PhD in Asian Studies or related field; demonstrated experience and excellence in teaching courses in Asian Studies.
Preferred Qualifications
Physical Demands
FTE 1.00
Campus As Assigned
Special Instructions to Applicants

Review of applications begins May 15, 2018. The following documents are required:
• Cover letter
• Curriculum vitae
• A teaching packet which includes: a statement of teaching philosophy; two sample syllabi (including one for a course on Japanese anime); and a sample of course evaluations
• Names and contact information for three to five references

All application materials should be submitted via UB Jobs. Application materials submitted directly to the posting contact will not be acknowledged and cannot be considered.
Additional Information

Pursuant to Executive Order 161, no State entity, as defined by the Executive Order, is permitted to ask, or mandate, in any form, that an applicant for employment provide his or her current compensation, or any prior compensation history, until such time as the applicant is extended a conditional offer of employment with compensation. If such information has been requested from you before such time, please contact the Governor’s Office of Employee Relations at (518) 474-6988 or via email at info@goer.ny.gov.

Contact Information

Contact’s Name Asian Studies Program
Contact’s Title
Contact’s Email Asian-Studies@buffalo.edu
Contact’s Phone 716-645-3474

Posting Dates

Posted 05/02/2018
Deadline for Applicants 07/01/2018
Date to be filled 08/23/2018

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Fun Link Friday: Japanese “tips”

Posted on June 8, 2018 by Paula

Travelers to Japan are often surprised to discover that tipping at restaurants is not expected. So what is left behind after our meals at a restaurant?

Starting in 2012, Yuki Tatsumi began to think about this question. Working as a waiter, he noticed that customers often left behind intricately folded pieces of paper, either objects they made to entertain themselves or as chopstick rests for use during their meals. Collecting these tiny items, he eventually amassed over 13,000 of them, and has since exhibited them in galleries as well as maintains a site dedicated to these small-scale sculptures of the mundane.

As he has said on his website, each of these miniature prizes is, in its own way, a Japanese “tip.” A “thank you” from customers to those who served them. The Japanese Tip website has a wide variety of these “tips” in its gallery, so be sure to check them out!

https://japanesetip.localinfo.jp/

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Job Opening: Lecturer in Japanese, University of Turku

Posted on June 5, 2018 by Paula

Institution: University of Turku, Centre for East Asian Studies
Location: Finland
Position: Lecturer in Japanese, University of Turku

The University of Turku is a world-class multidisciplinary research university which offers interesting challenges and a unique vantage point to national and international research and education.

The Centre for East Asian Studies, University of Turku (CEAS) is the only academic centre in Finland which focuses on contemporary East Asian societies from the perspective of social sciences. The Centre has research expertise especially in politics, sociology and contemporary history of the region. We currently seek a lecturer in Japanese language.

Lecturer in Japanese is responsible for conducting, planning, organizing and developing Japanese language teaching on intermediate and advanced levels at CEAS altogether 4 X 48 h per term, as well as student tutoring. The rate of salary ranges from 36,85 – 111,66 € / h depending on the candidate’s degree (Master’s/Docent).

Master’s 36,85 – 56,39; Lic. 42,29 – 69,38; PhD 48,78 – 93,23; Prof./Docent 58.55 – 111,66.

The duration of the contract is for the academic year 2018 – 2019, and is renewable upon mutual agreement.

A successful candidate has at least a Master’s level degree in teaching Japanese as a foreign language or a comparable degree and good command of English. Earlier experience in teaching non-Japanese students, knowledge of current teaching methods and pedagogy, and ability to use e-learning environments in teaching are regarded as merits in the application process. The job requires cultural expertise on Japan, while at least some knowledge of social sciences and contemporary Japanese society is regarded as a bonus.

Lecturer in Japanese will be teaching primarily students in the Centre for East Asian Studies’ Master’s Degree Programme in East Asian Studies, its minor programme and students from other UTU disciplines with both Finnish and international backgrounds. Support for International Staff is available from the UTU International Staff Services.

Applications should include applicant’s letter of application, CV, degree certificates and possible certificates from previous employers written in English.

Applications must be submitted  by 18th of June (latest 23:59 o’clock). A link to the application can be found on the position’s page at http://www.utu.fi/en/university/come-work-with-us/open-vacancies/.

For more details about CEAS, see http://www.utu.fi/en/units/soc/units/ceas/about/Pages/home.aspx or contact Professor Lauri Paltemaa [laupalt@utu.fi], +358 29 450 3059 or +358 50 326 5014.

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Book Announcement: Penguin Book of Haiku

Posted on June 3, 2018 by Paula

The first Penguin anthology of Japanese haiku, in vivid new translations by Adam L. Kern.

Now a global poetry, the haiku was originally a Japanese verse form that flourished from the sixteenth to nineteenth centuries. Although renowned for its brevity, usually running over three lines in seventeen syllables, and by its use of natural imagery to make Zen-like observations about reality, in fact the haiku is much more: it can be erotic, funny, crude and mischievous. Presenting over a thousand exemplars in vivid and engaging translations, this anthology offers an illuminating introduction to this widely celebrated, if misunderstood, art form.

Adam L. Kern’s new translations are accompanied here by the original Japanese and short commentaries on the poems, as well as an introduction and illustrations from the period.

Read more at https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/33889/the-penguin-book-of-haiku/#XuzvEpbAvOVCrcYl.99

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Resource: Metadatabase of Japanese Old Photographs in Bakumatsu-Meiji Period

Posted on May 30, 2018 by Paula

Nagasaki University Library maintains a collection of Japanese photographs from the Bakumatsu (1853 and 1867) and Meiji (1868-1912) periods that represent some of the earliest photographs of Japan as it transitioned from the Tokugawa shogunate to the Meiji state.

Holding approximately 7,000 photographs from all over Japan, these photographs were taken not only by a handful of foreign visitors to Japan (from England, the US, Austria, and the Netherlands), but also by many Japanese photographers as well, some of whom maintained their own photo studios.

The collection can be searched a number of ways, including individual photographer, category or keyword, or location. More technical searches (like by ID, cabinet, or album number) are also available. In addition to basic metadata for each photograph, some have captions with a little bit of explanation in English (as seen to the right).

What’s lovely about having some of these options is that the groupings can allow you to peak into a particular location’s visuals over time or hone in on the style and interests of a single photographer’s work. How did native Japanese with the skills to capture their environment see it differently from travelers? How did subject matter differ by geographic area? Spend some time looking through the collection and get a peek into this early period of modern Japanese history!

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Book Announcement: The Sarashina Diary: A Woman’s Life in Eleventh-Century Japan—Reader’s Edition

Posted on May 27, 2018 by Paula

The Sarashina Diary
A Woman’s Life in Eleventh-Century Japan (Reader’s Edition)

Sugawara no Takasue no Musume. Translated, with an introduction, by Sonja Arntzen and Moriyuki Itō

Columbia University Press

https://cup.columbia.edu/book/the-sarashina-diary/9780231186773

A thousand years ago, a young Japanese girl embarked on a journey from deep in the countryside of eastern Japan to the capital. Forty years later, with the long account of that journey as a foundation, the mature woman skillfully created an autobiography that incorporates many moments of heightened awareness from her long life. Married at age thirty-three, she identified herself as a reader and writer more than as a wife and mother; enthralled by fiction, she bore witness to the dangers of romantic fantasy as well as the enduring consolation of self-expression.

This reader’s edition streamlines Sonja Arntzen and Moriyuki Itō’s acclaimed translation of the Sarashina Diary for general readers and classroom use. This translation captures the lyrical richness of the original text while revealing its subtle structure and ironic meaning, highlighting the author’s deep concern for Buddhist belief and practice and the juxtaposition of poetic passages and narrative prose. The translators’ commentary offers insight into the author’s family and world, as well as the style, structure, and textual history of her work.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sonja Arntzen is professor emerita of literature at the University of Toronto and the University of Alberta. Her books include The Kagerō Diary: A Woman’s Autobiographical Text from Tenth-Century Japan (1997).

Itō Moriyuki is professor of Japanese literature at Gakushūin Women’s College in Tokyo. His book Sarashina nikki kenkyū (Research on the Sarashina Diary, 1995) is recognized as the definitive work on the diary.

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Job Opening: Curator, Japanese Art & Culture

Posted on May 26, 2018 by Paula

Curator, Japanese Art & Culture
Royal Ontario Museum
Toronto, ON, CANADA

Seeking dynamic Curator of Japanese Art & Culture to curate exhibitions; build and develop new interpretations and directions for 10,000-work collection; engage donors, collectors, global partners, community stakeholders. Produce original research, publications; cultivate support for acquisitions, exhibitions and programs. Help maintain Korean collection and galleries. Required: PhD or equivalent in Japanese art history; curatorial/exhibitions experience, publications track-record; Japanese proficiency. Familiarity with Korean an asset. Details: www.museum-search.com.  Apply by 7/6/18 to SearchandRef@museum-search.com.  EOE.  Nominations welcome.

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Job Opening: Postdoctoral Researcher, Japanese History, University of Amsterdam

Posted on May 24, 2018 by Paula

The Freedom of the Streets Research Project is looking for a:

Postdoctoral researcher, 30 months, 0.7 FTE, Amsterdam/Tokyo. Project sponsored by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO)

This postdoctoral project will reconstruct women’s use of urban space in the biggest city in the early modern world: Edo. It aims to enlighten the gendering of urban space during Edo’s transformation from a castle town to O-Edo, the Great City of commoners. It is one of five closely-related projects, which together aim to systematically analyse the gendering of urban space in pre-modern Eurasia.

The postdoctoral project will make use of a wide range of sources, including guide books and surveys, prints and popular fiction, historical maps, records on the governance and day-to-day use of urban space, such as the Edo Machibure Shûshei (1648-1858) and Senyo Ruishu (1716-1853). The materials for this project are held in libraries and museums in the Netherlands (including the Asian Library of the University of Leiden and the Rijksmuseum) as well as in collections and archives in Japan (the National Archives of Japan, the National Diet Library and Tokyo Municipal Archives). It is expected that the postdoctoral researcher will travel to Japan for research visits.

Tasks will include:

  • contribution towards the project database with observations of gendered movement in Edo;
  • contribution towards the project database of visual materials;
  • presenting (intermediate) research results at national and international workshops and conferences;
  • delivering a number of publications directly related to the Freedom of the Streets project in international journals and/or as chapters with leading presses, both individually as well as in cooperation with other project members;
  • participation in meetings of the project research group;
  • assisting with organizational matters connected to the project, such as conference and workshop organization.

Please click below for more information on:
how to apply
the Freedom of the Streets project

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