Call for Papers: Narratives of (Il)legibility in East Asia – Graduate Student Symposium

Posted on January 15, 2018 by Paula

“Narratives of (Il)legibility in East Asia”
Call for Papers: 5th Annual SEAS Graduate Student Symposium
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
May 5th, 2018

Application: https://goo.gl/forms/aSnO4QCeNjHmb4VH2

Keynote Speaker: Johanna Ransmeier, University of Chicago

The deadline for submissions is Friday, February 2, 2018.

Society of East Asian Studies (SEAS) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is pleased to welcome abstracts, papers, and panel proposals for its 5th annual graduate student symposium. The symposium will be held at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign on May 5th, 2018. The theme for this year is:

“Narratives of (Il)legibility in East Asia”

With the theme “Narratives of (Il)legibility in East Asia,” this conference aspires to nurture interdisciplinary discussions that contribute to understandings of East Asia. The conference aims to explore various questions relevant to past and present lived experiences in East Asia including: What criteria has been used to produce social categories and how has such criteria operated as techniques of inclusion and exclusion? How has the construction of legible bodies and practices in East Asia been involved in the (re)production of social hierarchies related to class, gender, sexuality, race, nationality, and (dis)ability? We invite papers that explore social, cultural, historical, religious, and political factors that have been influential in shaping communities in East Asia. We encourage submissions from diverse subfields and welcome papers that engage with issues related to Korea, Japan, Taiwan, China, and the broader East Asian region, including diasporic East Asian communities.

We are interested in papers from various disciplines, including but not limited to: history, law, gender studies, anthropology, film/media studies, sociology, literature, comparative literature, art history, religious studies/religion, linguistics, musicology, and political science.

Submission Information:

Abstracts for individual papers (20 minutes maximum) should be no more than 300 words in length and may be submitted using this online form. We also welcome proposals for integrated panels. Those wishing to propose a panel are invited to email Qianhui Ma at seas.uiuc@gmail.com. A panel should consist of no more than three papers, each twenty minutes in lengt

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Job Opening: Dir. of International Programs, Hawaii Tokai International College

Posted on January 15, 2018 by Travis

Hawaii Tokai International College (HTIC) is an American two-year liberal arts college located in Kapolei, Hawaii, adjacent to the University of Hawaii–West Oahu campus. The only American campus of the Tokai University Educational System (TES) of Japan, HTIC focuses on a general liberal arts education. Its International Programs, which chiefly include courses in English language and liberal arts subjects for Japanese and other international students, are a prominent element of the college’s activities.

Under the general direction of the Vice Chancellor, the Director of International Programs is responsible for directing and coordinating the daily operation and administration of the International Programs department in accordance with the organization’s overarching policies, procedures, and strategies. This position serves to contribute to the enhancement of an environment that supports student learning and showcases HTIC as an American educational institution.

Essential Functions:

*Manage and direct the daily operations, facilities, and personnel of the IP department.
*Direct the planning, coordination, and implementation of all IP events to include scheduling, arranging activities, and transportation, reserving classrooms and equipment, and arranging special meal requests.
*Provide direct supervision to IP personnel (interviewing/hiring, performance evaluations, disciplinary action, approving time off, etc.) in compliance with HTIC policies and procedures.
*Liaison with international establishments, Tokai University Educational System (TES), and secondary school (including TES affiliate school) teachers/coordinators in order to plan, update, and coordinate IP events.
*Translate and respond to verbal and/or written inquiries/statements concerning program or student matters from Japanese to English and/or English to Japanese.
*Establish current and long-range departmental goals, objectives, plans and policies; review the operation results of the department.
*Develop and administer short and long-range IP budgets in support of the strategic plan.
*Negotiate and work with vendors and third-party representatives for goods and services that support the IP department’s operations.
*Participate in official school activities and functions; represent the IP department at internal and external events.
*Develop curriculum of IP programs in accordance with HTIC’s Mission, IP’s PLOs and exchanging school’s goals.

Supervisory Responsibilities

*Directly supervise 13+ employees, to include IP Adjuncts and Activity Chaperones. Carry out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization’s policies/procedures and applicable laws.

*Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees, planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance, rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems.

Minimum Qualifications

*MA in TESOL, Education or related field, plus five years’ experience; or Bachelor’s degree in relevant subject area, plus seven years of related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience which provides the required education, knowledge, skills, and abilities as indicated.

*Strong Japanese, and/or Chinese, and/or Korean language proficiency, including advanced reading/writing and listening/speaking skills.

*Strong managerial skills and demonstrated capacity for strategic leadership.

*Demonstrated experience in higher education administration.

*Able to read, analyze, and interpret common professional/technical journals, financial reports and legal documents.

*Able to write professional business documents that conform to prescribed style and format.

*Must be able to accommodate a flexible schedule (evenings, weekends, and holidays).

Preferred Qualifications

*PhD in TESOL, Education or related field.
*Experience working with international students.
*First Aid, CPR, AED certification.

For details and to apply, please visit our website at www.htic.edu, or click on the following link: https://www.hrsymphony.com/hrs/apply/856/E53R

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Book Announcement: History and the State in Nineteenth-Century Japan: The World, the Nation and the Search for a Modern Past

Posted on January 14, 2018 by Paula

Margaret Mehl. History and the State in Nineteenth-Century Japan: The World, the Nation and the Search for a Modern Past. Second Edition with New Preface. Copenhagen: The Sound Book Press, 2017. ISBN   978-87-997283-4-3 (pbk)

The nineteenth century saw the emergence both of history as an independent scientific discipline and of national history as a means to legitimize the nation state. In History and the State in Nineteenth-Century Japan Margaret Mehl examines how the new imperial government, which replaced the rule of the shoguns in 1868, made the compilation of an official national history part of its nation-building project.

An imperial rescript decreed that a government office of historiography be established in order to resume the ancient tradition of compiling dynastic history. Shaping the modern nation, however, involved re-shaping ways of representing the past. The office moved to Japan’s first modern University in 1888, where it was transformed into a research institute, known today as the Historiographical Institute at the University of Tokyo. The former government officials led the way in establishing history as an independent academic discipline.

History and the State in Nineteenth-Century Japan shows how the government’s efforts to legitimate the emperor-centred nation state, indigenous traditions of scholarship and impulses from the West combined to shape the modern discipline of history in Japan. The relationship between history and political ideology, German influence and the importance of history for national identity receive particular attention. Modern historical scholarship in Japan did not merely follow Western examples. Rather, it emerged almost at the same time as in Germany and other Western nations as they all faced similar global challenges.

In a new preface the author reflects on the way the writing of History and the State in Nineteenth-Century Japan was influenced by the circumstances under which she worked and on the perils of privileging national history in an increasingly globalized world.

CONTENTS

Preface to the New Edition – Notes on the New Edition – Acknowledgements – Preface to the 1998 Edition – Note on Japanese Names and Terms – Introduction – Historiography in the Service of the Meiji Government – The Activities of the Office of Historiography – The Form of Official Historiography – History as an Academic Discipline – History and Ideology in Conflict – Conclusion – Notes – Select Bibliography – Index

Margaret Mehl, Associate Professor at the University of Copenhagen, has published widely on the history of historical writing, education and music in modern Japan. Her book publications include Private Academies of Chinese Learning in Meiji Japan: The Decline and Transformation of the Kangaku Juku, and Not by Love Alone: The Violin in Japan, 1850–2010. www.margaretmehl.com

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Job Opening: Assistant Director-Center for Asia Pacific Studies, University of San Francisco

Posted on January 13, 2018 by Paula

Assistant Director-Center for Asia Pacific Studies

University of San Francisco

Job Summary:

Reporting directly to the Executive Director, the Assistant Director provides key operational and administrative support for the Center for Asia Pacific Studies. The Assistant Director’s main responsibilities include: running the Center’s public program series, social media and marketing, conference organization, and assistance with the administration of the Center.

 

Job Responsibilities:

● Assist the Executive Director with strategic planning for public programs and academic

workshops and conferences (especially identifying and researching potential speakers)

● Communications regarding public programs, visiting scholars, fellowship programs, and conferences and/or events

● Writing articles for publication on the Center’s website

● Coordinating the publication of the Center’s e-newsletter (writing articles and soliciting and editing articles from Center staff and affiliated faculty)

● Marketing for the Center (creation and dissemination of marketing materials, media

releases, and social media posts, analytics after mailings and marketing campaigns to

determine open and click rates)

● Researching and identifying grant opportunities. Assist Executive Director in drafting of grant applications.

● Desktop publishing and website administration. Work with the university’s web services department to keep the Center’s website up to date and to ensure compliance with university’s web policies and guidelines.

● Helping market the visiting scholars program and coordinating the residencies of those selected.

● Supervising student intern, especially in the area of event poster design.

● Working with program assistant to post event listings on University’s website and

disseminate program information through email blasts.

● Editing and posting videos after events.

● Daily administrative work of the Center

● Responsible for additional duties as assigned.

 

Minimum Requirements:

●Bachelor’s Degree in field relevant to Asia Pacific Studies; Master’s Degree preferred.

● At least four years of experience working in higher education, with preference for areas

related to international programs

● Excellent communication skills

● Fluency in written and spoken English

● Demonstrated academic knowledge of East Asia and/or the Asia Pacific

Additional Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

•Ability to build strong relationships and effective partnerships/collaboration

● The ability to research speakers, identify resources, solve problems, handle multiple

projects simultaneously, and take initiative

● Passion and enthusiasm for bridging the Pacific with programs desired to promote cross-cultural understanding of the peoples, cultures, and economics of the Asia Pacific

● Experience working with people of diverse/multicultural backgrounds, or in student services with a diverse graduate population

● Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and computer programs to manage data and information is required. Proficiency with graphic design software such as InDesign is preferred.

● Candidates must have excellent attention to detail and creativity.

● Ability to work well independently or on a team.

● Comfortable with occasional public speaking duties.

● Ability to work evenings and occasional weekends.

For information on how to apply, please visit the following link: http://apptrkr.com/1137529

EEO Policy

The University of San Francisco is an equal opportunity institution of higher education. As a matter of policy, the University does not discriminate in employment, educational services and academic programs on the basis of an individual’s race, color, religion, religious creed, ancestry, national origin, age (except minors), sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition (cancer-related and genetic-related) and disability, and the other bases prohibited by law. The University reasonably accommodates qualified individuals with disabilities under the law.

 

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Fun Link Friday: Cookie Masterpieces of Japan

Posted on January 12, 2018 by Paula

Ever attempted to make a beautiful holiday cookie to discover it just didn’t turn out to be much more than a blob with sprinkles? Never fear, this week’s quickie Fun Link Friday introduces the masterful cookie decorating skills of Chihiro Ogura, a culinary artist and baker responsible for all sorts of tasty works of art! Owner of the independent baking company ANTOLPO, Ogura was recently featured on My Modern Met with examples of fantastic Japanese culture-themed cookies, from the Edo-period images of the wind and thunder gods (seen above) to beautiful reproductions of seasonal paintings and your favorite holiday imagery (like flying koi flags!). These cookies may be too beautiful to eat, but I want to nonetheless! Check out the article linked above, Ogura’s website, her blog or instagram account to see many more incredibly beautiful icing works. Happy Friday!

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Resource: Japan Foundation Directory of Japanese Studies

Posted on January 10, 2018 by Paula

Although we have a number of articles about whether or not graduate school is right for you (maybe it’s not!) or how to choose a program, often the first question is simply where programs in Japanese Studies are. Even as a high school student, when I wanted to look into colleges or universities with Japanese Studies, I struggled to find that information somewhere other than word of mouth. Thankfully technology has improved considerably since then, and today’s resource is one of the best places to start looking.

The Japan Foundation, a leading source of funding and programming related to Japan dedicated to cultural exchange, for decades has published periodic reports on the state of Japanese Studies as a field, including its major areas of concentration, institutions, scholarly issues, and leading scholars. In 2011, they conducted surveys on these topics, and translated that information into a new Directory of Japanese Studies in the United States and Canada.

Partially updated in 2015, this directory contains an excellent (although not comprehensive) database of programs, specialists, libraries and museums, and doctoral candidates/recent PhDs in various areas of Japanese Studies. At the time of the survey, 1,693 specialists, 287 programs, and 88 libraries responded, making this list an impressive place to start exploring your interest in academic institutions.

As seen on the left, there are numerous ways to navigate your particular interests, whether you would like to search by type of institutional program, study abroad program, language course, or something very particular like a performing arts program. With each selection there are more specific ways to narrow your fields. For example, a search by location, with the fields United States – Mid-Atlantic Region returns 52 results, while further narrowing it to just Pennsylvania returns 19. Clicking on individual institutional entries pulls up a PDF with an overview of the program, including their faculty, past courses offered, doctoral candidates (if a university), undergraduate and/or graduate programs, certificate or study abroad programs, libraries, museums, outreach, general contact info, and more. Nearly an overwhelming amount of information!

Similar options are available for searching by specialist, whether it is through their location, discipline, historical period, language competence, geographic expertise, or other options. These search functions are also available for the recent PhDs and candidates page. Under the Libraries and Museums section, you can also find a very useful location-based search function, lists of museums and collections, Japanese collections holdings, major Japanese databases, and other excellent research resources that will surely send you down an internet rabbit hole.

There are, however, a number of drawbacks to the database. First and foremost, it is not keyword searchable, so you may find yourself using trial and error to find what you want if it’s very specific. Furthermore, the database is not regularly updated, (the last update being around 2015), and the ever-changing nature of institutions in both programming and faculty means that much of this information could potentially be out of date. You’ll want to use this data as a starting point, then check the individual programs’ websites to confirm the latest. Faculty often move to new institutions, some programs cease to exist (particularly MA programs at risk of being swallowed up through university processes), and new programs also get started at institutions that previously lacked them.

If you are looking for something very specific, such as a specialist working in a particular time period or geographic location, you should also read faculty profiles carefully. Though they include many helpful details like major publications, scholars’ research areas often shift over the years as their projects and passions develop, and they can also be quite broad in listing their interests and specializations. On the right for example, is a result from searching for someone with a specialization in Kamakura period history– note how many different periods and areas of specialty get listed in faculty profiles! And while one person might list themselves as interested or proficient in, say, the medieval, they may consider themselves more of an early modern scholar, and not intend to take on graduate students outside of their preferred time period. The information on the site is also self-reported, user-driven collection, so errors are possible in what you read. All of this to say, be discerning in what you take from the database, and if you have a serious interest and it could affect your future academic pursuits, double-check everything!

There are many more features, many ways this information is organized, and a great deal to see in the database, so take a look yourself and explore what the Japan Foundation directory has to offer as you consider your next educational move!

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Job Opening: Visiting Assistant Professor of East Asian History

Posted on January 9, 2018 by Paula

The Department of History at the University of the Pacific invites applications for a two-year visiting assistant professor of East Asian History starting in fall 2018. Applicants should have a strong commitment to excellence in undergraduate education. Priority will be given to candidates who focus on China or Japan, although candidates whose research focuses on South- and/or Southeast Asia will also be considered. The position requires teaching a six-course load annually including the survey of East Asian History, as well as the World History survey, and participation in the Pacific Seminar for freshmen. The candidate’s field of expertise from any area of Asia may constitute one upper-division class. The position also requires service within the department and participation in at least one college-wide committee. Pacific is an AA/EOE employer and does not discriminate on the basis of any protected category. Women, minorities, persons with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply.

Screening of applications will begin March 1, 2018 and continue until the position is filled.

The successful candidate must have earned a Ph.D. in History by August, 2018. Candidates who are currently ABD will also be considered. A cover letter, curriculum vitae, statement of teaching philosophy, and three reference letters are requested.

For more information: https://pacific.peopleadmin.com/postings/11096

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Call for Papers: Midwestern Japanese Studies Graduate Student Workshop

Posted on January 8, 2018 by Paula

Call for Abstracts

3rd Annual Midwestern Japanese Studies Graduate Student Workshop

The Ohio State University

April 7th, 2018

Graduate students (MA or PhD) in Japanese Studies at Midwestern universities are invited to submit abstracts for the 3rd Annual Midwestern Japanese Studies Graduate Student Workshop to be held at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, April 7th, 2018. This workshop will provide students with the opportunity to share their research with peers from other Midwestern institutions, foster regional connections, and receive feedback on their work.

We welcome submissions from a range of graduate work with a focus on Japan, including conference-style presentations, portions of MA theses, or PhD chapters.

To apply, please submit the following to mjsgsw2018@gmail.com by February 1st, 2018.

  • Name
  • Institutional affiliation
  • Area of study
  • Email Address
  • 250-300 word abstract

We are asking participants to secure travel funding from their institution to cover transportation to and from Columbus, and we will contact participants with further details about lodging at a later date. Some food and meals will be provided.

Please feel free to contact us with any questions, and we hope to see you in April!

Contact Information

Conference website: http://u.osu.edu/mjsgsw3

Conference email: mjsgsw2018@gmail.com

Hannah E. Dahlberg-Dodd: dahlberg-dodd.1@osu.edu

Robert Sears: sears.155@osu.edu

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Book Announcement: The Merchant’s Tale

Posted on January 7, 2018 by Paula

The Merchant’s Tale:
Yokohama and the Transformation of Japan

Simon Partner

Columbia University Press

In April 1859, at age fifty, Shinohara Chūemon left his old life behind. Chūemon, a well-off farmer in his home village, departed for the new port city of Yokohama, where he remained for the next fourteen years. There, as a merchant trading with foreigners in the aftermath of Japan’s 1853 “opening” to the West, he witnessed the collapse of the Tokugawa shogunate, the civil war that followed, and the Meiji Restoration’s reforms. The Merchant’s Tale looks through Chūemon’s eyes at the upheavals of this period. In a narrative history rich in colorful detail, Simon Partner uses the story of an ordinary merchant farmer and its Yokohama setting as a vantage point onto sweeping social transformation and its unwitting agents. Chūemon, like most newcomers to Yokohama, came in search of economic opportunity. His story sheds light on vital issues in Japan’s modern history, including the legacies of the Meiji Restoration; the East Asian treaty port system; and the importance of everyday life—food, clothing, medicine, and hygiene—for national identity. Centered on an individual, The Merchant’s Tale is also the story of a place. Created under pressure from aggressive foreign powers, Yokohama was the scene of gunboat diplomacy, a connection to global markets, the birthplace of new lifestyles, and the beachhead of Japan’s modernization. Partner’s history of a vibrant meeting place humanizes the story of Japan’s revolutionary 1860s and their profound consequences for Japanese society and culture.

https://cup.columbia.edu/book/the-merchants-tale/9780231182928

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Fun Link Friday: Traditional Indigo Dyeing

Posted on January 5, 2018 by Paula

A quickie Fun Link Friday today for those of you slogging your way back from the holidays! Great Big Story recently posted a video on traditional indigo dyeing in Japanese culture. Did you know that indigo is fire-retardant? Or even bacteria resistant? Check out the video below for a brief introduction to this fascinating (and shrinking) industry in Japan.

 

And if you liked that, you can see a half-hour video on the details of the indigo dyeing process, with this additional video below!

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