Penn Center For East Asian Studies Newsletter

1. University of Pennsylvania East Asia Events
   
2. Regional East Asia Events
   
3. Employment and Internship Opportunities
   
4. Fellowship and Award Opportunities
   
5. East Asia Study Opportunities and Queries
   
6. Conferences and Workshops

Featured Event

Thursday, November 1, 4:30PM, Fisher-Bennett Hall 231

Hunger and History: Mencius, Malthus, and Mao in China

Lillian M. Li, Swarthmore College

The prevention of famine and hunger has been part of Chinese political thinking since ancient times, and hunger and famines helped shape China’s history especially in the twentieth century. Drawing from her recently published book, Fighting Famine in North China: State, Market, and Environmental Decline, 1690s-1990s (Stanford University Press, 2007), Professor Li will speak about how “Polarities such as food vs. population, man vs. nature, [rich vs. poor], or state vs. market drastically oversimplify history. . . . The story of famine, and fighting famine, is a story of human choice and human will, not of historical inevitability or historical determinism.”

Humanities Colloquium

Wednesday, October 31, 7:00PM, Fisher-Bennett Hall 231

Screening of: Kurosawa, To Live (Ikiru) , 1952

Japanese Cinema Series

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Thursday, November 1, 4:30PM, Fisher-Bennett Hall 231, Hunger and History: Mencius, Malthus, and Mao in China

Lillian M. Li, Swarthmore College

The prevention of famine and hunger has been part of Chinese political thinking since ancient times, and hunger and famines helped shape China 's history especially in the twentieth century. Drawing from her recently published book, Fighting Famine in North China : State, Market, and Environmental Decline, 1690s-1990s (Stanford University Press, 2007), Professor Li will speak about how “Polarities such as food vs. population, man vs. nature, [rich vs. poor], or state vs. market drastically oversimplify history. . . . The story of famine, and fighting famine, is a story of human choice and human will, not of historical inevitability or historical determinism.”

Humanities Colloquium

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Wednesday, November 7, 7:00PM, Logan Hall Terrace Room , The History and Music of the Japanese Chikuzen Biwa

Yoko Hiraoka

Yoko Hiraoka will present a lecture/recital of Japanese Biwa music. This 5-stringed lute with a powerful and raw timbre, has a history in Japan of at least 1300 years, and has been used both as a story-telling medium, and sometimes as an accompaniment to chanted religious texts and sutras.

Ms. Hiraoka's biwa repertoire draws mainly upon episodes from the Tale of Heike. This great masterpiece of Japanese literature has continued to retain a hold on the imagination of Japanese audiences throughout the centuries. Yoko brings not only her depth of training in biwa, but also her joy in the old stories to the genre. She explains about the context of the music and the history and importance of biwa in Japanese culture from the Heian period (794-1185) into the 20th Century. Most of all she brings to life with accomplished storytelling, the engaging characters and the supernatural and larger than life events surrounding them, as sung poems accompanied by the biwa.

http://www.japanesestrings.com/

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Wednesday, November 7, 7:00PM, Fisher-Bennett Hall 231

Screening of: Kurosawa, Seven Samurai (Shichinin no samurai) , 1954

Japanese Cinema Series

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Thursday, November 8, 4:30PM, Fisher-Bennett Hall 231 , Unfolding Beauty and Beyond: Korean Screen Paintings of Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910)

Hyunsoo Woo, Associate Curator of Korean Art, Philadelphia Museum of Art

While a folding screen is one of the popular painting formats in Korea , screen paintings functioned not only as fine art works, but also provided many other practical roles in daily life of Joseon dynasty. Screen paintings sometime became architectural components as a room divider or, a protection against the wind. They were also used as a backdrop at special occasions such as birthdays, weddings and funerals. The subject matter of screen paintings therefore often reflected auspicious wishes associated with a specific event or location. Using examples of the late Joseon dynasty's screen paintings, this lecture will explore meanings and symbolism hidden behind their visual charm.

Korean Lecture Series

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Wednesday, November 14, 7:00PM, Fisher-Bennett Hall 231

Screening of: Kurosawa, Itami, Tampopo , 1985

Japanese Cinema Series

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Thursday, November 15, 4:30PM, Fisher-Bennett Hall 231 , Circulated Originality: Reconsidering Literary Connections Between Tao Qian, Ying Qu and the Wei-Jin Tradition of the Recluse

Pauline Lin, Bryn Mawr College

This paper re-evaluates the originality of Tao Qian's (365-427) poetry by exploring Tao's literary connection to the Cao-Wei poet Ying Qu ?? (190-252). While most commentators since the Song Dynasty have dismissed this odd pairing -- first espoused by Zhong Rong (469?-518) in his Shipin -- this paper discovers striking literary similarities between the two while uncovering Ying's less-read but once-famous epistles, which provide a far broader literary range than his extant Baiyi shi . Further evidence from the works of minor Eastern Jin period poets highlights a circulation of linguistic idioms and dictions for the retired-recluse gentleman that critics came to associate strongly and solely with Tao Qian. By considering the transmission and preservation of the Wei-Jin poets' works this paper will investigate why Tao Qian has become a forceful poetic voice, why Ying Qu's works gradually became less known, and why Tao Qian's connection to Ying Qu and the minor poets in the tradition became underplayed, if not forgotten.

Humanities Colloquium

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2007 Wharton Asia Business Conference

Rediscovering Risks and Rewards in Asia

Register now! http://www.whartonglobal.com/asia

Saturday, November 17, 2007

The Ritz-Carlton , Philadelphia

Speakers Include:

Paul DiPaola , Director and Head of China, Bain & Company

Michael Fung , Chairman, JPMorgan Private Bank – Asia

Renato de Guzman , CEO , ING Private Bank – Asia

Kenneth Koo , Chief of Staff to CEO & Co-Head of Asia Pacific M&A, Citigroup

Come speak to recruiters about positions in Asia at our post-conference Career Fair

Participating firms include Bear Stearns, Citigroup, JPMorgan, Morgan Stanley, Bain & Company, Goldman Sachs , Fidelity, and more…

Register early to have your resume included in the resume book!

Early bird special ends November 1 st 2007

For more details, visit http://www.whartonglobal.com/asia

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Wednesday, November 28, 12:00PM, The Forum in Stiteler Hall , The Welfare State or Faith? Explaining Weak Islamist Mobilization in Malaysia

Kikue Hamayotsu, Postdoctoral Fellow, Columbia University

How do Islamists recruit committed activists and what are the conditions for successful recruitment for Islamist movements? This talk attempts to explain outcomes in the interesting case of Malaysia, where Islamist movements have largely been unsuccessful in recruiting committed followers in one of the most important electoral constituencies: the urban middle-class. Drawing on extensive fieldwork, Prof. Hamayotsu shows that the Malaysian State's provision of both secular and religious services significantly affects organizational and ideological conditions for Islamist recruitment, and sets Malaysia apart from many other Islamic societies by moderating forces for Islamic radicalism.

Issues in Contemporary East Asia Lecture Series

Co-sponsored with the Penn Comparative Politics Workshop and the Middle East Center

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Wednesday, November 28, 7:00PM, Fisher-Bennett Hall 231

Screening of: Miyazaki , Princess Mononoke (Mononokehime ), 1997

Japanese Cinema Series

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Wednesday, December 5, 7:00PM, Fisher-Bennett Hall 231

Screening of: Kitano, Fire-works (Hana-bi) , 1997

Japanese Cinema Series

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Saturday, December 8, 10:00 am  to 2:00 pm

Penn Museum Family Workshop : Chinese Paper Cutting: Craft and Culture

Paper cut creations—a fun and festive way to adorn homes, windows, and gates—have a long history in China . Artist and craft teacher Yu Yang introduces families to this handicraft tradition at this workshop where participants learn about and create decorations, including paper flowers, animals and fanciful ornaments, just in time for holiday gift giving! $10 per person ($5 per member) includes craft experience, recommended for ages 7 and above, and admission donation to the Museum.

Pre-registration recommended. Drop-ins welcome while supplies last. Information: 215/898-4016.

Please visit http://www.museum.upenn.edu/new/events/calitem.php?which=1435 for more details and to register for this event.

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Japanese Cinema Series

Fisher-Bennett Hall, Room 231

Wednesdays, 7 p.m.

9/12 Kurosawa, Rashômon , 1950
9/19 Mizoguchi, The Life of Oharu (Saikaku ichidai onna) , 1952
9/26 Mizoguchi, Ugetsu (Ugetsu monogatari) , 1953
10/3 Ozu, Late Spring (Banshun) , 1949
10/10 Ozu, Tokyo Story ( Tokyo monogatari) , 1953
10/24 Kurosawa, Stray Dog (Nora inu) , 1949
10/31 Kurosawa, To Live (Ikiru) , 1952
11/7 Kurosawa, Seven Samurai (Shichinin no samurai), 1954
11/14 Itami, Tampopo , 1985
11/28 Miyazaki , Princess Mononoke (Mononokehime), 1997
12/5 Kitano, Fire-works (Hana-bi) , 1997

Offered in conjunction with Art History 210 and Film 223: Postwar Japanese Cinema and Visual Culture

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A Harmonious Information Society? Social Stratification, ICT & Media in China

A one-day symposium to be held on January 25, 2008 generously supported and hosted by the Center for Global Communication Studies at the Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania. 
Economic development and ‘informatization' in China have gone hand in hand. While the growth of the economy over the years has been and still is at an incredible rate, the adoption rate of information technology, such as that of mobile phones and the internet, has been just as, if not even more impressive. However, with recent discussions about the construction of a ‘harmonious society' appearing on the political agenda, the focus has started to shift from economic growth to the problem of achieving more overall societal balance. This shift in official discourse acknowledges the need to address social problems, including the tensions between state and market forces, a growing gap between the rich and the poor and widening disparities between the urban and rural population. While there has been research on social stratification in China, little attention so far has been paid to the role information technologies and the media play in this process.
First, what are the social consequences of an increasing informatization of the Chinese society? Who are the main users of new technologies and what are they using them for? And what happens to those who are left out, who do not have the access, or the education to develop the skills and literacy necessary to work with digital media? A deeper underlying question perhaps is, where did these technologies come from and why were they so generously supported? What roles do economic and political considerations play in shaping the diffusion of technology that can be adopted for either repressive or emancipatory purposes?
Second, what is the role of the media in addressing social inequality? In the light of an increasing stratified society, how do the media, both the traditional and the new media, represent competing voices and interests and how do they communicate these disagreements to the public? How do members of the public make sense or fail to make sense of these media representations?

On Friday January 25, 2008, we will bring together an impressive group of scholars for a one-day symposium to address these contentious questions. Our panels include renowned scholars coming from a wide range of disciplines, such as, communication, political science, anthropology, sociology, cultural studies and China studies. Participation among all those attending will be enthusiastically encouraged.
For more information about the symposium, please contact Lokman Tsui <ltsui@asc.upenn.edu>

The Fall 2007 schedule of Oriental Club of Philadelphia is as follows:

October 18, Frank J. Hoffman, "Process Concepts of Text, Practice, and No Self in Buddhism"
November 8, Paula Sabloff, "Mongolian Herders Talk about Democracy"
December 6, Annette Yoshiko Reed, "Beyond the Land of Nod: Images of India and China in Syriac Literature"
All meetings are on Thursdays at 6 p.m. Dinners follow at area restaurants as announced. The dinner meeting
of the October 18 event will be in Han-Wool Restaurant. The Spring schedule
will be announced when available. The annual banquet speaker for 2008 will be Gernot Bohme.
Members should RSVP to fhoffman@sas.upenn.edu about dinner before next week
Tuesday at noon.

Those with a career interest in Asia, including faculty, staff, and graduate students, are welcome as guests. First time visitors without a member to introduce them may be guests of the club president.

Sincerely,
Frank Hoffman
OC President (2007-08)

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*The Buddhist Studies Seminar cordially invites you
to a public lecture on:

"The Baby and the Bath Water:

Cultural Conundrums in American Appropriations of Zen"

NELSON FOSTER

WHEN:
Thursday - November 8, 2007
5:30-7:30 pm

WHERE:
Rm. 201, 80 Claremont Avenue
Department of Religion, Columbia University

* All are welcome to attend dinner afterward with the speaker.
Dinner guests are responsible for the cost of their own meals.
If you plan on attending dinner, please send an email RSVP
to Christopher Kelley (cdk2001@columbia.edu).

*UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA

Dept. of East Asian Languages, Literatures and Cultures

Weedon Chair in Modern Chinese Literature

The University of Virginia , Department of East Asian Languages, Literatures and Cultures seeks a full professor to fill the Weedon Chair In Modern Chinese Literature, beginning August 25, 2008. Candidate must have a distinguished record of scholarship and teaching. A PhD. Is required. The appointed scholar would be expected to take a leading role in developing a strong department and graduate program. We especially encourage applicants whose research focuses on gender studies, cinema, or the Qing-Republican transition.

Candidates must send a cover letter indicating their qualifications for the position, a CV, sample descriptions of the literature courses, and the names and addresses of three references to:

Chair, Weedon Chair Search Committee

Department of East Asian Languages, Literatures and Cultures

P.O. Box 400781 , University of Virginia

Charlottesville , Virginia 22904

Review of applications will begin December 1, 2007, however the position will remain open to applications until filled.

The University is committed to building a culturally diverse educational environment. The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity /affirmative action employer. Women and members of under-represented groups are strongly encouraged to apply.

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*DIRECTOR OF EAST ASIAN LANGUAGES INSTRUCTION

YALE UNIVERSITY ~ DEPARTMENT OF EAST ASIAN LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES

The Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures seeks someone to coordinate the modern Chinese, Japanese and Korean language offerings as well as to teach half-time. Applicants must have a PhD in a relevant discipline (e.g., linguistics, applied linguistics, literature), advanced proficiency in Chinese, Japanese or Korean, and experience in administering a language program. Familiarity with technology and the ability to teach a methods course are desirable. Duties will include assisting in curricula development, language teacher evaluation and training, liaison with other units at the University such as the Center for Language Study, and outreach to the community. The initial appointment, effective July 1, 2008, will be for a three-year term and is renewable upon successful and positive review.

Send letter of application, curriculum vitae, and three letters of recommendation to Director Search Committee, EALL, Yale University , BOX 208236 , New Haven , CT 06520 -8236, Fax (203) 432-6729. Deadline for applications: January 1, 2008.

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*Teaching Opening - Spring 2008

Penn State Abington

Qualification: PhD in any area of East Asian history

Course: One section of a 400-level East Asian history
of your choice –

HIST 480: Medieval Japan
HIST 481: Modern Japan Since 1800 HIST 486: Twentieth-Century China
Or a special topics course of your devising

Location: Penn State Abington (13 miles north of Center City Philadelphia, just off Route 611)

Day(s) and times negotiable.

Classes begin Monday, January 14, 2008 .

Email your curriculum vitae to trs8@psu.edu or

call Dr. Tom Smith, Head, Div. of Arts & Humanities at 215 881-7543 for more information.

Deadline to respond: Friday, October 26, 2007

*Elgin Heinz Outstanding Teacher Awards
Sponsored by the United States-Japan Foundation

Elgin Heinz Outstanding Teacher Awards
The Elgin Heinz Outstanding Teacher Awards recognize exceptional teachers who further mutual understanding between Americans and Japanese.  The awards are presented annually to two pre-college teachers in two categories, humanities and Japanese language, and consist of a certificate of recognition, a $2,500 monetary award, and $5,000 in project funds. The awards are named in honor of Elgin Heinz for his commitment to educating students about Asia as well as for the inspiration he has provided to the field of pre-college education.

For More Information
Visit our web site at www.us-jf.org or contact
David Janes, Program Officer at USJF:
E-mail:  djanes@us-jf.org
Tel:  212-481-8757
Fax:  212-481-8762

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About the BRC Education Fellows Program: The BRC Education Fellows Program honors the educational legacy of global peace activist Daisaku Ikeda, who founded the Boston Research Center (BRC) in 1993. Since 1960, Mr. Ikeda, building upon the Soka (meaning “value-creation”) legacy of Tsunesaburo Makiguchi (1871-1944) and Josei Toda (1900-1958), has established a network of Soka schools in Japan as well as Soka educational institutions in the United States and other parts of the world where students receive a humanistic education imbued with Eastern and Western values.

Doctoral dissertations supported by this program might focus on any aspect of the contemporary philosophy and practice of Soka education, including its relation to the philosophy and practice of education more generally. The BRC invites dissertation research that could:

• compare and contrast contemporary Soka education with other systems of education carried out anywhere in the world; or
• focus entirely on the contemporary practice of Soka education at a particular site or sites; or
• examine Soka-influenced educational efforts outside of the Soka schools system.
  

*CC International is recruiting 160 volunteers to participate in the Olympic Game Time Volunteer Program. Volunteers will be completing projects in Beijing during the 2008 Olympic Games.   

• Follow this link for a complete PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
http://www.communitycollaborations.org/chinagames.html

Applications must be submitted by December 1, 2007

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*NSF IGERT at the University of Wisconsin-Madison

“Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Development in Southwest China”

A Graduate Traineeship Program Supported by the National Science Foundation

Exceptional students interested in interdisciplinary and international environmental study are invited to apply for an NSF IGERT PhD Traineeship at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. These traineeships have a generous stipend, tuition waver, and health benefits.

Meeting the major challenges of biodiversity conservation and sustainable development requires understanding the interactions of biological, physical, social, and economic forces. IGERT trainees will address these issues by pursuing a PhD in one of over a dozen departments and participating in IGERT seminars, workshops, language training, and field research in the Himalayas of Yunnan, China - a "biodiversity hotspot." For more information and application instructions, please visit www.swchina.wisc.edu. The application deadline for this program is February 1, 2008.

NOTE: UW-Madison is also home to a second IGERT program, Certificate on Humans and the Global Environment (CHANGE), focused on issues of vulnerability and sustainability of the global environment. The application deadline for this program is January 2, 2008. For more information, please visit http://www.sage.wisc.edu/igert.

(VI) Conferences and Workshops

Thirty-sixth Annual Mid-Atlantic Region Association for Asian Studies Conference:

Asia Rising: Departures, Destinations, Dreams

October 26-28, 2007
University of Maryland, College Park, MD

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*On-line resources:How best to use on-line resources for teaching and learning Japanese:
Fall Workshop of the Delaware Valley of Teachers of Japanese
1:00-4:00, Saturday, November 10, 2007
Language Learning Center, Room 205 of Stokes building
Haverford College

Registration deadline is November 1st, 2007.
For registration and for more details,
contact: Yoko Koike, ykoike@haverford.edu

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CALL FOR ABSTRACTS

The Harvard East Asia Society invites graduate students from all fields to present at the

11th Annual

Harvard East Asia Society

Graduate Student Conference

Friday, February 29 - Sunday, March 2, 2008

Present your research in front of graduate students and receive feedback from
Harvard professors at the largest East Asian Studies graduate student
conference in North America!

Application Guidelines:

1.  Your paper or research must be related to the East Asia region (including
Inner Asia)
2.  Abstract limit:  500 words
3.  Abstract submission deadline:  December 2, 2007
4.  Submit your abstract and application at
http://www.hcs.harvard.edu/ ~heas/conference/

For more information about the conference, visit
http://www.hcs.harvard.edu/ ~heas/conference

Please direct any questions to the HEAS Conference Committee at
heasconference@gmail.com

Center for East Asian Studies
University of Pennsylvania
642 Williams Hall
255 S. 36th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6305
Tel: 215-573-4203; Fax: 215-573-2561
E-mail: ceas@ccat.sas.upenn.edu