Job Opening: Japanese literature and culture, Assistant Professor University of Florida

Posted on November 1, 2016 by Paula

job opening - 5Position: Assistant Professor
University of Florida, (Gainesville, FL)
Education/Instructional
Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures

The Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures invites applications for two 9-month, tenure-track positions in Japanese literature and culture, to begin August 16, 2017. Applications from candidates specializing in either pre-Meiji literature or contemporary literature and media are particularly welcome. The successful candidates will contribute to the Japanese track of the undergraduate B.A. in Foreign Languages and Literatures and to interdisciplinary studies and internationalization through such activities as course development, curriculum enhancement and their own dynamic research agenda. Activities should synergize with programs beyond the department, such as Film & Media Studies, Medieval & Early Modern Studies, Women’s Studies & Gender Research, and the Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art, which has an extensive Asia collection. Teaching duties will include courses on literature, culture, advanced language, and/or others as appropriate to area of specialization, such as visual media.

The University of Florida is an equal opportunity institution dedicated to building a broadly diverse and inclusive faculty and staff. If an accommodation due to a disability is needed to apply for this position, please call 352-392-2477 or the Florida Relay System at 800-955-8771 (TDD). The recruitment/selection process will be conducted in accordance with Florida’s “Government in the Sunshine” and public records laws.

The salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience and includes a full benefits package.

Ph.D. is required prior to appointment. Native or near-native proficiency in Japanese and English is expected. The candidate should demonstrate a strong commitment to excellence in teaching and research.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS TO APPLICANTS:

Applications must be submitted on-line at http://explore.jobs.ufl.edu/cw/en-us/listing/job number 499186, and must include a letter of application that details your current and future research plans, CV, two sample syllabi or a statement of teaching philosophy, samples of peer or student teaching evaluations (as available), selected publications or writing sample, dissertation abstract and chapter outline. In addition, names and email address for three references must be provided on the application. An email will be sent automatically to your references, requesting them to upload their letter. For full consideration, application materials should be received by November 30, 2016 and the position will remain open until filled. Questions about the positions or application procedures may be directed to Associate Professor Ann Wehmeyer at awehmeye@ufl.edu.

Final candidates will be required to provide official transcript to the hiring department upon hire. A transcript will not be considered “official” if a designation of “Issued to Student” is visible. Degrees earned from an education institution outside of the United States are required to be evaluated by a professional credentialing service provider approved by National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES), which can be found at http://www.naces.org/.

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Kokugakuin University Visiting Fellows Program

Posted on November 1, 2016 by Paula

Kokugakuin University is pleased to announce a call for applications to The Kokugakuin University Visiting Fellows Program for the academic year 2017-2018.

“Toward the promotion of international academic communication and cooperation, and in the interest of stimulating global research on Japanese society and culture, Kokugakuin University administers a Visiting Fellows Program to support qualified foreign researchers with fellowships as Kokugakuin University Visiting Fellows.”

Qualifications:

  1. Applicants for the Visiting Fellows program shall be researchers engaged in a field of study dealing broadly with Japanese culture and society.
  2. The focus of a Visiting Fellow’s research must be one shared with one or more faculty members of Kokugakuin University to allow the provision of appropriate collaboration with and direction to the Visiting Fellow.
  3. In principle, Visiting Fellows must be candidates for the Ph. D. degree (or equivalent) affiliated with universities or research intuitions located outside of Japan.
  4. Citizenship or nationality is not taken into consideration when selecting Visiting Fellows.
  5. The successful applicant for the Visiting Fellows Program shall possess a sufficient command of the Japanese or English language to allow successful completion of research and academic activities in Japan.
  6. During the term of his or her designation as Kokugakuin Visiting Fellow, an individual may not receive other fellowships or funding exceeding JPY300,000 (or equivalent) per month, and may not take on any employment not permitted by the conditions of his or her visa.

For full details, please follow the link:
http://www.kokugakuin.ac.jp/intl/kokusai0200012.html

Application Deadline: December 15, 2016

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Book Announcement: Japan’s Cuisines: Food, Place and Identity

Posted on October 30, 2016 by Paula

jcJapan’s Cuisines: Food, Place and Identity
Eric C. Rath
(Reaktion Books, 2016)

Cuisines in Japan have an ideological dimension that cannot be ignored. In 2013, ‘traditional Japanese dietary cultures’ (washoku) was added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list. Washoku’s predecessor was “national people’s cuisine,” an attempt during World War II to create a uniform diet for all citizens.
Japan’s Cuisines reveals the great diversity of Japanese cuisine and explains how Japan’s modern food culture arose through the direction of private and public institutions. Readers discover how tea came to be portrayed as the origin of Japanese cuisine, how lunch became a gourmet meal, and how regions on Japan’s periphery are reasserting their distinct food cultures. From wartime foodstuffs to modern diets, this fascinating book shows how the cuisine from the land of the rising sun shapes national, local, and personal identity.

Orders can be placed through the University of Chicago Press: http://press.uchicago.edu/books.html

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Call for Papers: Conference on Reconsidering Militarism in Twentieth Century Japan

Posted on October 29, 2016 by Travis


(reposted from H-Net)

Call for Papers

Officers, Adventurers and Statesmen: Reconsidering Militarism in Twentieth Century Japan

What: International Conference
Where: The Hebrew University of Jerusalem,
When: June 18-20, 2017
Deadline: Jan 1, 2017

On August 15, 1945 the government of the Empire of Japan transmitted its acceptance of the Potsdam Declaration. According to the prevailing narrative, forged in that declaration and during the Tokyo War Crime Trials, the force most responsible for the Pacific War and its horrors was Japanese militarism. And the primary movers of militarism, it was argued, were three main groups of people: officers, conservative statesmen, and right-wing civilian adventurers.

This conference aims to bring together new perspectives and scholarship on Japanese political and military history to comprehend the role that statesmen, officers and adventurers played in Japan’s turn towards war after 1931. Drawing on newly accessible materials from political, military, diplomatic, and intelligence archives, the participants in this conference will approach prewar Japanese militarism and adventurism in comparative and global perspectives. We will discuss events both in Japan itself and in the frontiers of the Japanese Empire: China, Manchuria and Mongolia. Specifically we examine the following questions: What was the relationship between the changing shape of war and changes in domestic politics and right of supreme command in the 1930s? Were conspiratorial field officers and right-wing ideologues truly able to control and determine the foreign policy of the empire? What was the process of decision-making and policy control in prewar Japan? Did the control system of the Imperial Army truly disintegrate in the 1920s and 1930s? And what role did Japanese military institutions play in giving East Asia its particular shape and identity?

In addition to our discussion of Japanese militarism, we will also hold comparative panels on similar phenomenon of militarism and adventurism elsewhere in Asia and in global perspective.

We welcome individual papers and panel proposals from scholars working in the field of Japanese, Asian or global history whose interest fits in one or more of the following issues:

(a) Japanese militarism and imperialism
(b) Japanese prewar political history
(c) Japanese adventurers (tairiku rōnin) in the frontiers of the empire.
(d) Asian and world military history

Proposals (both individual and panel proposals), including name, institutional affiliation, the title of the paper, and an abstract of 300 words (with relevant keywords listed), should be sent by January 1st 2017 to dannyorbach@gmail.com (cc alevidis@wcfia.harvard.edu and nissim.otmazgin@mail.huji.ac.il).

Successful applicants will be asked to send their complete paper at least three weeks prior to the conference. Successful applicants will be provided with airfare (economy class) and full accommodations for the duration of the conference.

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Fun Link Friday: Halloween Bento Roundup

Posted on October 28, 2016 by Paula

Work has been a bit hectic lately, so a proper search for new Halloween bento in 2016 didn’t get underway, but in case you’re feeling both hungry and spooky, here’s some quick links to our past reports on Halloween-themed bento! Happy Halloweekend!

Fun Link(s) Friday: Halloween Bento

Fun Link(s) Friday: Halloween Bento Roundup 2012

Fun Link Friday: Halloween Bento 2013

From JustBento.com

From JustBento.com

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Call for Participants: Ise and Japan Study Program 2017

Posted on October 27, 2016 by Paula

call for papers [150-2]Dear all,

Applications are open for a fully funded study program (lectures and field trips) for researchers (graduate or post-graduate) that is sponsored by Kogakkan University and Ise City. It will be held in and around Ise, which is home to the Ise Jingu shrine complex, of course, but there are two days in Nara and Kyoto planned as well. The application deadline is November 30, 2016 (Wednesday), and the program will be held from February 20, 2017 (Monday) to March 10, 2017 (Friday). Applicants can be based overseas or in Japan. It is a great opportunity to learn more about Shinto, the region, its history, and Japanese culture in general. Please see the link below for details about eligibility, requirements, last year’s schedule, past participants, and so forth.

http://ise-japan.kogakkan-u.ac.jp/html/news.php?no=20161005205943

 

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Job Opening: East Asian History and Humanities, Reed College

Posted on October 27, 2016 by Paula

job opening - 5Institution:  Reed College
Location:  Oregon, United States
Position:  Visiting Assistant Professor

The History Department of Reed College invites applications for a one-year appointment as visiting assistant professor in East Asian history and humanities.  The position carries a load of four one-semester courses in history, and one semester-long section of (and year-long lectures for) a team-taught course in Chinese Humanities (http://www.reed.edu/chinese/chin-hum), for a total 3-2 teaching load over two semesters.  Teaching responsibilities also include advising year-long senior theses in History.  PhD in hand by September 2017 is strongly preferred.  Compensation is highly competitive.

Reed College is a small, distinguished undergraduate institution with a strong liberal arts curriculum, committed to excellence in teaching and scholarship.  Reed believes that cultural and intellectual pluralism is essential to the excellence of its academic program.  Your application materials should include a description of how, as a scholar, teacher, or community member you might engage and sustain the principles articulated in Reed College’s diversity statement (http://www.reed.edu/diversity).

Please send a letter of application detailing teaching and research experience and interests; a CV; and three letters of recommendation to Douglas Fix, Chair, VAP Search in East Asian History/Humanities at https://apply.interfolio.com/38671.  To guarantee consideration, application materials must be received by1 December 2016.  If letters of reference must be sent in hard copy, please submit to Douglas Fix, Chair, East Asian History/Humanities Search, c/o Karin Purdy, Reed College, 3203 SE Woodstock Boulevard, Portland, OR 97202.  Any other search related questions should be directed to Prof. Fix (dfix@reed.edu). An Equal Opportunity Employer, Reed values diversity and encourages applications from underrepresented groups.

 

Contact: Douglas Fix, Chair, East Asian History/Humanities Search
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Workshop: Early-modern Palaeography (kuzushiji, hentaigana et al.): Fourth Graduate Summer School at Cambridge

Posted on October 26, 2016 by Paula

call for papers [150-2]We are delighted to announce that the Fourth Graduate Summer School in Japanese Early-modern Palaeography will run from Monday 7 August to Saturday 19 August  2017 at the University of Cambridge, Emmanuel College (Cambridge, UK). We are now accepting applications. The deadline for submitting an application is 10 February 2017.

Contents

Our sustained work in teaching what we call holistic wahon literacy  総合的な和本リテラシー  has resulted in a programme that works very effectively. In the seventy-two hours of tuition that we offer, we devote roughly the same amount of hours to the three linguistic/palaeographic areas of wabun in cursive (kuzushiji and hentaigana), kanbun in non-cursive and sōrōbun in cursive. The programme also includes sessions with the London-based calligraphy master Yukiko Ayres. These sessions, specially designed to enhance your reading abilities by writing cursive kanji and kana, have proved to be very helpful. Lectures from specialists in the areas of textual bibliography and palaeography complement the core tuition. The theme of this year summer school is Daily life in Edo-period Japan  江戸時代の庶民生活.

 

You can read more about our teaching philosophy in the forthcoming number of the journalShomotsugaku 書物学 no.9, October 2016.

Learning outcomes

It is more and more the case that positions at academic institutions, libraries and museums require palaeographic knowledge at some level. Our Graduate Summer School is designed to provide you with the skills necessary to tackle a wide range of early-modern primary sources in their original format by yourself and, therefore, to be competitive in this kind of job opportunities.

With us:

  • You become familiar with the variety of palaeographic challenges that characterize the wide range of Edo-period primary sources.
  • You learn effective techniques to master kuzushiji and hentaigana.
  • You gain a firm grasp of how cursive sōrōbun works in archival materials and develop strategies to decode these texts.
  • You are exposed to the importance of kanbun in reading Edo-period sources and learn specific ways to read these sources.
  • You are encouraged to identify research topics in the area of Japanese early-modern palaeography.

Who can apply?

As in the previous years, we welcome graduate students (both at the Master and at the PhD level), faculty, librarians and museum curators who work on Edo-period materials, and final-year undergraduate students interested in pursuing the study of early-modern Japan in grad school. Those who have already taken part in the previous Graduate Summer Schools are encouraged to reapply if they wish to do so. The programme changes every year.

Pre-requisites

We require that you have:

1. Advanced knowledge of modern Japanese (both written and spoken).

2. Solid knowledge of classical Japanese (bungo).

Acceptance to the programme

We can only accept 20 participants every year. If we receive applications beyond this number a selection will be made on the basis of the relevance of the Graduate Summer School to the applicant’s research and work. Notification about whether an applicant has been accepted or not will be sent at the end of February 2017. If you need a visa or if you are applying for funding in your institution, we are happy to write a letter of invitation. Just let us know with plenty of notice.

Tuition fee

The tuition fee for the whole programme is £200. This covers the seventy-two hours of tuition. We ask that a non-refundable deposit of £50 is paid by 1 June 2017. Information about how to pay will follow in an email sent to those who have been accepted in the programme.

Accommodation
Participants are very welcome (but not obliged, of course!) to stay at Emmanuel College for the duration of the Graduate Summer School. This year we can offer the following rate:

7-10 August, £35 per night, en-suite single room with breakfast

11-19 August, £30 per night, en-suite single room (no breakfast)

Double rooms are also available at a higher price. Please note that children are not admitted in college.

Financial contribution

Modest funds are available to assist students (final-year undergraduate and graduate students) coming from institutions unable to offer support and with no other source of funding available. If you apply for funding, you will be requested to submit your CV and one letter of reference. If we receive applications exceeding the available funding, a process of screening will be put in place.

To apply

To apply please submit the application form that you find online at: http://wakancambridge.com/application-form/.

As indicated above, the deadline for submitting your application is 10 February 2017.

Further queries

If you have any query, please contact Dr Laura Moretti at: lm571@cam.ac.uk. Alternatively use the form available at http://wakancambridge.com/contact/.

You can access this information on the official website of the Graduate Summer School at:www.wakancambridge.com.

Best wishes,

Laura Moretti

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Call for Papers: IAJS Conference: The Heisei Era in Retrospect

Posted on October 25, 2016 by Travis


(reposted from H-Net)

The Third Biennial IAJS Conference

Call for proposals for an international conference on:

The Heisei Era in Retrospect: Major Trends in Post-Industrial and Post-Consumer Japan

Where: The University of Haifa and Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design, Jerusalem
When: 11–13 June 2017
Deadline: 31 December 2016

The Biennial Conference of the Israeli Association of Japanese Studies will be held at the University of Haifa and the Bezalel Academy of Arts, Jerusalem on 11–13 June 2017.

In this conference we wish to reflect on the Heisei era as this era approaches its thirtieth anniversary and may even draw to a close soon. Focusing on this relatively short but eventful era, this conference aims at creating an outline for a retrospective on the historical, social, economic, political and cultural developments in Heisei Japan. We especially welcome interdisciplinary studies of the creative industries within their social or economic contexts.

We invite proposals for papers and/or panels on any of the following themes (but not limited to):
*Major developments in Japanese society, culture, politics, economy, science, education and international relations during the Heisei era.
*New social and cultural patterns of life in post-industrial Japan.
*The turning of Japan into a model-state (in certain aspects) during the Heisei era.
*The demise of the Japanese miracle? Drawbacks during the Heisei era and their possible solutions.
*New trends in aesthetics, visual culture, creative industries, arts and design (see below).

Proposals, as well as further inquiries, should be sent by email to the conference secretariat: iajsoffice@gmail.com

Proposals should include:

* Name and affiliation and contact details of presenter in the case of individual paper; and organizer, chair or chair/discussant, and panelists in the case of a panel
* Name of the theme (see above) the paper is applicable
* Title and a short abstract (150-200 words)
* Bio note (100-150 words) or brief CV (1-3 pages)

The deadline for submitting proposals is 31 December 2016.

Accepted proposals will be notified by 31 January 2017.

The conference will be conducted in English. It is open to the public and participation is free of charge. Panels will normally last for 90-120 minutes, allowing for 15 to 20 minutes plus 10 minutes of discussion per paper. The organizers will seek to publish selected number of papers in a book form.

Contingent on funding, the IAJS will offer support for international flights for a selected number of participants.

———

Conference Special Focus – New Trends in Aesthetics, Visual Culture, Creative Industries, Arts and Design during the Heisei Era

Beginning in 1989, during the peak of the economic bubble, Japan developed post-modern social and economic structures and values as well as post-modern aesthetics and visual culture. These new paradigms, which evolved in Japan alongside the United States and Europe, owe much to the critique directed during the 1960s towards the restrictive structures and institutions of modern society. The bubble economy that marked the beginning of Heisei era gave room for a rise of late capitalism and post-consumer culture—ideologies that stand at the background of many post-modern social practices of the era.

The new consumer culture and its related practices became intertwined with art, design and popular culture, and established the dominant form of Japanese culture during 1980s and 1990s. This new visual culture, which included artists, architects, animators, fashion designers, industrial designers and graphic designers, supported new and innovative creative industries in Japan at the time. Nonetheless, the burst of the bubble together with global processes (such as the third industrial revolution) as well as local events (the 2011 triple disaster) positioned Heisei Japan in a very different place. With its focus on the Heisei era, this conference aims to widen the horizon of visual culture history approaches relying on interdisciplinary perspectives.

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Job Opening: Japanese language & culture, University of Utah

Posted on October 24, 2016 by Paula

job opening - 5Institution:  University of Utah
Location:  Utah, United States
Position:  Assistant Professor, Japanese

The Department of World Languages and Cultures at the University of Utah invites applications for a tenure-track position in Japanese at the Assistant Professor level beginning July 1, 2017. The successful candidate will have expertise in Japanese language and culture and the ability to teach courses in contemporary popular culture. Areas of expertise could include anime, entertainment arts, religious studies, literature, and/or pedagogy. The candidate is expected to contribute to all areas of undergraduate and graduate programs including curricular development. Clear evidence of research potential and demonstrated teaching excellence is required. Native or near-native fluency in Japanese and English is a prerequisite. The teaching load is four courses (two per semester) including Japanese language teaching at all levels, depending on program needs. Service commensurate with the position of assistant professor is expected. Applicants must have a PhD in Japanese or equivalent terminal degree in hand by August 15, 2017.

Complete applications include a letter of application, CV, a representative writing sample, three letters of recommendation, and evidence of teaching effectiveness. Questions may be addressed to Katharina Gerstenberger at katharina.gerstenberger@utah.edu. Application materials must be submitted electronically by November 16, 2016 through http://utah.peopleadmin.com/postings/56973.

EEO/Diversity Information:
The University of Utah is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer and does not discriminate based upon race, national origin, color, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, status as a person with a disability, genetic information, or Protected Veteran status. Individuals from historically underrepresented groups, such as minorities, women, qualified persons with disabilities and protected veterans are encouraged to apply. Veterans’ preference is extended to qualified applicants, upon request and consistent with University policy and Utah state law. Upon request, reasonable accommodations in the application process will be provided to individuals with disabilities. To inquire about the University’s nondiscrimination or affirmative action policies or to request disability accommodation, please contact: Director, Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action, 201 S. Presidents Circle, Rm 135, (801) 581-8365.

The University of Utah values candidates who have experience working in settings with students from diverse backgrounds, and possess a strong commitment to improving access to higher education for historically underrepresented students.

Notice:
The University is a participating employer with Utah Retirement Systems (“URS”). To be eligible for retirement contributions, you must be hired into a benefit-eligible position. Employees with prior URS service may elect to enroll in the URS within 30 days of hire. Regardless of whether they are hired into a benefit-eligible position or not, individuals who previously retired and are receiving monthly retirement benefits from URS must notify the Benefits Department upon hire. Please contact Utah Retirement Systems at (801)366-7770 or (800)695-4877 or the University’s Benefits Department at(801)581-7447 for information.

Contact: katharina.gerstenberger@utah.edu
Website: http://utah.peopleadmin.com/postings/56973
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