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, April 23, 4:30PM, DRL A5 , Migration, Immigration and the Myth of Korean Uniqueness

Timothy Lim, Professor of Political Science, CSU , LA

There is still a strong tendency among Koreans—and many outside observers, including scholars—to assume that South Korea is particularly resistant, if not immune, to the types of socio-economic, political, and especially cultural changes other countries and societies have undergone in response to industrialization and other macro-level processes. Nowhere is this more evident than in views toward immigration or permanent settlement: for the most part, Korean policymakers have operated on the presumption that, unlike most other countries, Korea will never have to accept large numbers of “foreigners” as a permanent part of Korean society. Recent trends have not only demonstrated that this presumption is wrong, but that South Korean society is surprisingly adaptable.

Korean Studies Colloquium

Please note: This room was changed from Goddard Lab 101.

Transnational Pasts (1500-1800) - A One-Day Symposium

Date: April 20, 2009
Time: 9:30-5:30
Ve1nue: McNeil Center for Early American Studies
3355 Woodland Walk, UPenn Campus, Philadelphia, PA 19104

This symposium will bring together a group of eminent scholars working in literature and history (roughly 1550-1800) to discuss issues concerning the methodological, theoretical and institutional aspects of doing comparative, transnational work in the early modern period. Exciting work on transnationalism has emerged with regard to the premodern period from economic historians such as Bin Wong and Sanjay Subrahmanyam. Such economic historians have acknowledged the need to bring questions of culture into their discussions. On the other hand, literary critics have long spoken about the need to engage with economic history. However, as yet such dialogues between literary studies, literary history, history and economic history are in their infancy. Transnational Pasts will stage such a dialogue by bringing together scholars from a range of disciplines whose work has been consequential for discussions of transnationalism and global relations in the early modern period.

The symposium will focus on the question of disciplinary change; the  “global” turn in the field of English and Comparative Literature as well as in South Asia, East Asian and other “area” studies; new ways of conducting literary and historical studies across cultural and linguistic divides; the usefulness of  economic historians' models of the “Great Divergence” or world systems theory; synchronic comparison of empires; global processes of cultural integration; translation, structural similarity, incommensurability or false equivalences; imitation and influence models of literary studies; how to do collaborative work.

Papers will be pre-circulated and will be available by March 1.  At the symposium speakers will present a 20 minute reflection on issues raised by the papers. This will be followed by intensive discussions and a concluding round table.

Sponsored by the University of Pennsylvania Research Foundation; the Departments of English, Comparative Literature, and History; the Center for East Asian Studies, Alice Paul Center for Research on Women, Gender, and Sexuality, South Asia Center, Ethnohistory Program, Middle East Center; and the English Department 18th Century Group and Latitudes/Postcolonial Group.

Organized by Ania Loomba ( loomba@english.upenn.edu ) and Chi-ming Yang (cmyang@english.upenn.edu)

Please contact Ania Loomba ( loomba@english.upenn.edu ) or Chi-ming Yang ( cmyang@english.upenn.edu ) for papers or more information.

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The Center for Global Communication Studies invites you to an online interactive seminar on

Reporting with the Mobile Phone:

The Role of Mobile Technology as an Information Platform in China

A live conversation between scholars and practitioners in China and the US

To join the seminar via live video online, visit: http://www.global.asc.upenn.edu/mobile *

As the number of Chinese using cell phones to access the Internet grow to 117 million—a growth rate of 113% in 2008 alone—more and more news and information is now channeled through the mobile phone.  How are mobile phones becoming a platform for the delivery of news and information by established news organizations and other similar groups?  In what ways can cell phones provide innovative mechanisms for news gathering and diffusion by newspapers and a new generation of journalists?  How can journalists, innovators, and media development implementers better understand the relationship of mobile technology with other forms of new media?

Co-hosted by Annenberg School for Communication and the Communication University of China, the seminar will explore these questions by bringing together a group of scholars, technologists, and industry experts via live videoconference between Beijing and Philadelphia.  It aims to encourage a greater understanding of how mobiles can strengthen journalistic practices and foster greater cooperation among researchers and practitioners on innovative uses of mobile telephony.  The event will also serve as a pilot panel for an international series of online seminars focusing on emerging issues around mobile technology, media development and assistance, and civil society. 

Breakfast will be available at 8:00am.  To attend the event in person, RSVP by April 13, 2009 to cgcscoordinator@asc.upenn.edu .

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Thursday, April 23, 4:30PM, DRL A5 , Migration, Immigration and the Myth of Korean Uniqueness

Timothy Lim, Professor of Political Science, CSU , LA

There is still a strong tendency among Koreans—and many outside observers, including scholars—to assume that South Korea is particularly resistant, if not immune, to the types of socio-economic, political, and especially cultural changes other countries and societies have undergone in response to industrialization and other macro-level processes. Nowhere is this more evident than in views toward immigration or permanent settlement: for the most part, Korean policymakers have operated on the presumption that, unlike most other countries, Korea will never have to accept large numbers of “foreigners” as a permanent part of Korean society. Recent trends have not only demonstrated that this presumption is wrong, but that South Korean society is surprisingly adaptable.

Korean Studies Colloquium

Please note: This room was changed from Goddard Lab 101.

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2009 Graduation Reception Honoring International Student Graduates

All international students who are graduating this spring are invited to attend the annual President's Reception for Graduating International Students scheduled for Tuesday, April 28 th at Hall of Flags in Houston Hall from 5 - 6:30 pm.

President Amy Gutmann will offer congratulatory remarks to honor the achievement of our senior class and graduate international students. Drinks and Hors d'oeuvres will be provided. A performance by a student quartet from the Music Department is scheduled. The reception is sponsored by International Student & Scholar Services in the Office of International Programs and is co-sponsored by Alumni Relations and International Development. National Dress Welcome.

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Tuesday, May 5, 4:30PM, Cohen 337, Title TBA

Michael Puett, Harvard University

Humanities Colloquium

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Saturday, May 9, 9-5PM, Rainey Auditorium, University of Pennsylvania Museum

Uyghur Archaeology Conference Saturday May 9, 2009 at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology (sponsored by the Center for East Asian Studies of the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, and the Silk Road Foundation) free admission Registration required (email: MIMORITA@sas.upenn.edu )

8:15 REGISTRATION & COFFEE 9:15 SESSION ONE (Renata Holod, moderator) The Uyghurs in History Christopher Atwood (Indiana University) Possible Tang Sources of Uyghur Palatial Architecture Nancy S. Steinhardt (University of Pennsylvania) The Problems of Interpretation at Por-Bajin, Tuva Tigran Mkrtychev (State Museum of Oriental Art, Moscow) Uyghur Chamber Tombs at the Ritual Site of Khulhin am, Mongolia Tserendorj Odbaatar (National Museum of Mongolia)

1:00 SESSION TWO (Richard Hodges, moderator) Historical Archaeological Approaches to Uyghur Studies Bryan K. Miller (University of Pennsylvania) Material Culture, Identity and Landscape in Northern Mongolia Joshua Wright (Stanford University) Deciphering Northeast China's Post-Han Archaeological Record Gwen Bennett (Washington University, St. Louis) Seats of the Nomad Empires: Site Surveys of the Orkhon Valley, Mongolia Jan Bemmann (Bonn University)

4:00 SESSION THREE (Nancy Steinhardt, moderator) Wooden structures in the architecture of Khocho (the Asian Art Museum, Berlin) Lilla Russell-Smith (Museum for Asiatische Kunst, Berlin) Uyghur Roots of a Chinese Manichaean Silk Painting (the Yamato Bunkakan, Japan) Zsuzsanna Gulacsi (Northern Arizona University)

5:20 DISCUSSION (Lothar von Falkenhausen)

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Monday, May 11, 12:00PM, Cherpack Lounge (523 Williams Hall) ,
How to translate Sanskrit into Chinese: An observation of the translation method described in the Fozutongji 43

Toru Funayama, Institute for Research in Humanities, Kyoto University

Very roughly speaking, there are two types of translation method throughout the history of Chinese Buddhism. A passage in the well-known thirteenth-century Buddhist Chronicle Fozutongji ???? compiled by Zhipan ?? (Taisho No. 2035), fascicle 43, gives us clear and comprehensive information as to how the masters of the Northern Song, as a representative of the second type of translation group, rendered Indic texts into Chinese. In this talk, I would like to introduce the contents of the passage in question as minutely as possible and point out some problems underlying it by comparing it with a couple of similar but different cases depicted in other source materials.

Humanities Colloquium

*Soundfield's "Transonic" Event Series:

Friday, April 17th at 8:00 PM Event Space@Temple
Temple Gallery
259 N Third Street
Old City/ Philadelphia Admission: $10 
Future City  ???? Chai Found Music Workshop (Taiwan) with Ensemble Noamnesia (Philadelphia)

This program features the great traditional Chinese instrument group Chai Found Music Workshop, in a program that will feature a new music and video composition by Philadelphia composer Gene Coleman. Chai Found Music Workshop is joined by Ensemble Noamnesia, an internationally recognized new music group with members in Philadelphia, Chicago and New York  . Together they will perform Coleman's  “ Future City  ???? (Dream Walking), a work that creates a portrait in sound and vision of a virtual city, combining western and Chinese instruments in a torrent of sound, moving through a “Blade Runner” like landscape of architectural forms and Chinese calligraphy. To provide context for the new work, the program will also include selections of traditional Chinese music.

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*Robert Thurman to Speak at Haverford College

"Inner Revolution and Enlightenment Culture"
http://www.haverford.edu/calendar/details/83532
Stokes Auditorium
April 17, 4:00PM

Distinguished Visitor, Robert Thurman, Columbia University
http://www.haverford.edu/calendar/details/83532

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*Japanese Association of Greater Philadelphia Presents
Rakugo in Philadelphia

Rakugo is a sit-down comedy where a performer recites a monologue ending with skillfully delivered punch lines called “ochi”. Sanyutei Kyouraku and Sanyutei Jinraku are well—known Rakugo storytellers. They will perform with English subtitles so non-Japanese speakers can enjoy this traditional Japanese entertainment! Nyuyoku-ya Sento, Ukulele strumming comic artist will join the show too.

Date & Time: Friday, April 24th, 6:30 PM (door opens) 7 PM (Start)

Place: Philadelphia Ethical Society
¦1906 Rittenhouse Sq. Phila., 19103   Tel 215-735-3456
¦ Parking 1845 Walnut Street, Parkway Corp. $12

More information: http://www.jagphilly.org/rakugo.html

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Korean Film Festival DC 2009
April 17 – June 10

The Korean Film Festival DC 2009 is made possible by the Korean Film Council and the Korea Foundation.

This festival was organized by Tom Vick, film programmer for the Freer and Sackler Galleries of the Smithsonian Institution, and Hyunjun Min of the University of Maryland.

All films are 35mm and in Korean with English subtitles unless otherwise indicated.

More Information and Venues: http://www.asia.si.edu/koreanfilm2009/

Columbia University Buddhist Studies Seminar
Spring Seminar Schedule

Jongmyung Kim
Visiting Associate Professor of Korean Buddhism, UCLA
"Buddhist World Heritage Properties in Korea: Thoughts and Significance"
Thursday, April 16th, 2009
6:30-8pm
Rm. 101, 80 Claremont Avenue
(Department of Religion) for map & directions >>

....................................

Frederick M. Smith

University of Iowa
Title TBA
Thursday, April 30th, 2009
6:30-8pm
Rm. 101, 80 Claremont Avenue
(Department of Religion)

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Japan Group II invites all who are interested in our programs to join us!! Email luber@lubergallery.com or call Shirley Luber 215-545-4975 for more details.


Sunday, May 3  Washington, DC  The Freer Gallery and Day on the Mall
            Leave City Line at 8:15    19th & jFK at 8:30
            Leave DC at $ PM
            Members $50   Non-members $55
All trips are on Krapf Coaches
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Berks County Intermediate Unit: Asia Studies Collaborative

Spring Conference

April 24, 2009
8:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.
BCIU Education Centre

The Asian Studies Collaborative, facilitated via the Berks County
Intermediate Unit, is hosting a Spring Conference designed to foster and support district efforts to establish Asian culture and language
programs in the K-12 curriculum. The conference will open with a keynote speech by Dr. Galal Walker and Kun Shi, directors of the Ohio State University Chinese Flagship Program. They will
share experiences and lessons learned from launching Mandarin Chinese language programs in the state of Ohio. The agenda will include additional segments on staff development, curriculum, building
community awareness and support, and the staffing of qualified instructors. Also featured in the program will be resources available to area districts through the Berks County Intermediate Unit’s Asian Studies Collaborative and the new resource center.

Target Audience:
Teams of K-12 central office administrators,
building administrators, department chairs,
and teacher leaders are encouraged to attend all sessions.

How to Register
All registration will be done online through My Learning Plan.
Go to: https://www.berksiu.org/registration/

Title: TOEFL Instructor (2 positions)
Location: Seoul, Korea (Gangnam Area)
Salary: 2.0 million won per month + benefits (Full Time) or 25,000 won/hour (Part time)
Start Date: June 1st, 2009 (after paid training)
Noumena Education Initiative (NEI) seeks highly qualified instructors to teach Korean students in a private language school. We are seeking ambitious and committed individuals with the right attitude and a strong work-ethic who are interested in helping the institute grow and who truly believe in our education philosophy. Highly skilled instructors will have the opportunity to move into the management role and play a crucial role in the expansion of the business into additional branches, and thus receive profit-sharing incentives. Tremendous opportunity for growth for those who aspire to work hard and benefit from their hard work.
Responsibilities include:
Teaching 2-6 hrs per day, 5 days per week.
Attending a 2 week-training session (pay will be less than posted salary for training session)
Developing curriculum and lesson plans
Occasional supervision of students in study halls
Assisting with day-to-day management of school
Mandatory Teacher Meetings once a week
Updating Parents of Students’ Progress
Required Qualifications
B.A. or CELTA holders with extensive teaching experience will be considered
Experience teaching TOEFL, ESL and/or literature and writing
F4 Visa or Working Visa in Korea
Desired Qualifications
Fluency in Korean language and comfort with Korean culture
M.Ed, MATESOL, or DELTA
About Noumena Education Initiative
NEI brings integrity into the educational process in Korea. We truly believe in our education philosophy and understand that good mentoring requires some level of personal sacrifice. Our focus is to develop the skills of active critical thinking and individual expression while emphasizing the value of learning. NEI fosters high-performing students who uphold integrity and authenticity and creates future global leaders that embody these ideals.NEI utilizes a comprehensive tutoring and advising model focused on the individual student. This model facilitates NEI’s instructors to obtain a real sense of each student’s abilities and potential, and tailor services accordingly. NEI therefore serves as a “one-stop shop” for prospective international students at the secondary and collegiate levels, as well as those seeking to improve English and other academic skills.
Contact Details and Hiring Process
Interested applicants should send a cover letter and resume to:
Marina Lee
Academic Director
Noumena Education Initiative
marinalee@noumena.co.kr
Qualified applicants will be contacted to set up an interview.

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Contact Singapore is pleased to introduce the Singapore Work Holiday Programme. The programme is positioned to attract well-qualified youths who are increasingly travelling abroad to gain exposure and experience foreign cultures.  This programme allows participants to discover the spectrum of career opportunities available in Singapore and enhance Singapore's reputation as a talent destination, valued for its working and living experiences.ww.contactsingapore.sg/whpsingapore/

Overview:

The Work Holiday Programme (WHP) is a scheme that allows university students and recent graduates, between 17 and 30 years old, to come to Singapore for a limited period. Successful applicants can live and work in Singapore for up to six months.

A good start would be to understand the basic employment framework your WHP pass is good for:

• You may work on the WHP for a period not exceeding six months.
• You will not be restricted to only specific types of work
• You do not need to secure a job before applying for the WHP.
• There is no minimum salary requirement as this is a short work stint.

Eligibility:
If you are a full-time student or recent graduate from a university in Australia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, the UK or the US, you may be eligible to participate in the pilot scheme of the Work Holiday Programme. Applicants should be aged between 17 – 30 years old.

Generally, if your university is recognised at the national government level, you will be eligible for the programme. For more information, visit http://www.contactsingapore.sg/whpsingapore/

Also, regional website links (places with job postings for jobs in Singapore )- http://www.contactsingapore.sg/whpsingapore/listingjobsite.html

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Principal Curator, East Asia

Details of this post and of all our vacancies can be viewed on www.nms.ac.uk . For further information and an application pack, please visit www.nms.ac.uk , telephone 0131 247 4094 (answerphone) or email applications@nms.ac.uk , stating reference NMS09/17 . Closing date for completed applications is Friday 24 April 2009 . National Museums Scotland is committed to being an Equal Opportunities Employer.

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Full-time position / Internship at Education Startup - reforming education in China:

http://www.snyg.org/careercenter/job.php?id=11

The link provided contains detailed information about the firm and the positions they are looking to fill.  China, education reform, entrepreneurial environment, enhancing business management skills, highly talented and motivated colleagues -- if any of these terms or descriptions are of remote interest, then this may be the opportunity that you have been searching for and you are encouraged to check it out. 


+Join Shanghai New York Group (SNYG): http://www.snyg.org

Shanghai New York Group aims to provide a network for professionals within Finance and Finance Technology to cooperate and promote relationships between Chinese and American businesses.

Please register to become a member! As a member you will have access to SNYG's latest events, news, and the latest finance, banking and technology job openings.
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Center for Global Communication Studies

We are looking for a new Project Coordinator (please see the description below.) If you think you might be interested, please apply via (it's important to use this interface and not apply directly through me): http://www.hr.upenn.edu/jobs/ (Click on “Search Open Positions) The position number is 090226264. Please feel free to forward this to those you think might be interested. Thanks for your help with this important search. JOB DESCRPTION  The Project Coordinator will provide day-to-day administrative support to the Director and other staff at the Center for Global Communication Studies as part of their efforts to provide a platform for international, comparative, and global communications scholarship related to media, democracy and international development; strategic communication and public diplomacy; and media law and policy.  The position is highly administrative in nature and will involve working closely with Annenberg staff, students and some faculty on event and research coordination (please see CGCS website for past events as examples), developing partnerships with other parts of Penn, and working closely with partners in the CGCS network. Examples of the daily work requirements for the Project Coordinator position include: budget tracking; preparing and processing expense reports; student and faculty outreach; backstopping academic research and teaching; organizing conferences, workshops and other events; updating the Center website with information on Center events and visiting scholars; serving as the primary CGCS contact for visiting scholars; and managing travel, including booking hotel and air travel for CGCS staff and associates.   Applicants should have a BA, Master's preferred.  Academic and professional background in international development, non-profit administration, communications, journalism, or political science strongly preferred.  Three-five years of professional experience is required. Experience with web-based communications and publications tools is an advantage.  Applicants should have a demonstrated interest in international affairs, including time spent traveling, working, or studying abroad. Foreign language proficiency is highly desirable.  Applicants should be comfortable working with MS Office software, including Word, Excel,  and PowerPoint, and be comfortable using a content management system for the Center's website.   Please submit resume, cover letter, three references, and a short writing sample.

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The Congressional-Executive Commission on China ( www.cecc.gov ) is offering paid internships for graduate students, advanced undergraduates, and recent graduates this coming summer in Washington, D.C. Interns must be U.S. citizens. The application deadline is March 1, 2009 , for the Summer 2009 internship that runs from June to August. Application instructions are attached.

CECC internships provide significant educational and professional experience for advanced undergraduate and graduate students with a background in Chinese politics, law and society, and strong Chinese language skills.

Interns work closely with the Commission and its staff on the full array of issues concerning human rights, the rule of law, and governance in China (including criminal justice, democratic governance institutions, environmental problems, religious freedom, freedom of expression, ethnic minority rights, women's rights, etc.).

Interns perform important research support tasks (often in Chinese), attend seminars, meet Members of Congress and e xperts from the United States and abroad, and draft Commission analyses. Click here for CECC analysis of recent develo pments in the rule of law and human rights in China. Interns may also be trained to work with the Commission's Political Prisoner Database, which has been accessible by the public since its launch in November 2004 (click here to begin a search).

The CECC staff is committed to interns ' professional development, and holds regular roundtables for interns on important China-related issues.

Sum mer 2009 interns will be paid $10/hour. Those unable to apply for Summer 2009 internships may apply for the Spring (February-May) and Fall (September-December).

Further details are available on the Commission's Web site at www.cecc.gov .

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FOR IMMEDIATE HIRING: translator for arts and culture related subjects

Job description:

The Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) in New York City is looking for a translator to translate interview transcriptions from Chinese to English, work commencing immediately.  The transcript contains 18 pages.  The work needs to be completed by February 17.  The translator will be compensated upon completion of the work at the rate agreed upon prior to the assignment of the work.  He or she will be credit in the publication where the interview appears.

Qualifications:

Successful candidates must have excellent command of written English and good knowledge of art and culture. A background in Art History, History, Cultural Studies, or East Asian Studies is preferable.

To apply:

Please submit a translation sample with both original and translated text and provide the desired rate to tcwang@mocanyc.org with the subject line, “Application: translator.” For more information about the Museum, please visit our website at www.mocanyc.org .

(IV) Fellowship and Award Opportunities

The Korea Literature Translation Institute invites emerging and aspiring translators of Korean literature to spend a year as resident fellows at the KLTI Literary Translation Academy’s fulltime certificate program, based in Seoul. Translators of non-Korean nationality are eligible to apply for fellowships that include tuition, travel expense and monthly stipend. Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree and should submit a translation sample and references along with the application form by 15the May. The KLTI Literary Translation Academy is a government-funded institution providing comprehensive academic programs for translators of Korean literature from around the world. The non-degree, certificate program offers an intensive year-long curriculum comprising workshops, Korean language classes and lectures on Korean culture and literature. Classes start September, 2009 for the 2009/2010 academic year. Send further queries to milanray@klti.or.kr

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Korean Studies Dissertation Workshop Pacific Grove, CA, July 12-16, 2009 Application Deadline: May 1, 2009 http://fellowships.ssrc.org/korea Mission The Social Science Research Council Korean Studies Dissertation Workshop seeks to create a sustained network of advanced graduate students and faculty engaged in research on Korea. The four-day workshop provides an informal setting for participants to give and receive critical feedback on dissertations in progress. Format Individual students will lead discussions of their projects with mentor faculty and peers from various disciplines to receive creative and critical input on improving their fieldwork plans or writing strategies. The mentor faculty are Nancy Abelmann (University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign); Kyeong-Hee Choi (University of Chicago); Bruce Cumings (University of Chicago); John Duncan (University of California, Los Angeles); and Jae-Jung Suh (Johns Hopkins University).

Startalk Penn Chinese High School Academy

Startalk Penn High School Chinese Teaching Development Grant

Penn is inviting professional teachers of Chinese to observe and participate in the Penn High School Chinese Academy, an intensive high school language program taught on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania.

For more information about the program and to download an application form, please visit our homepage at www.ceas.sas.upenn.edu.

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World Affairs Council of Philadelphia is pleased to announce the launch of a one-week summer institute for high school students called Global Perspectives: Exploring the World and the Art of Diplomacy . The attached flyer says it best: Open to all students entering the 9 th , 10 th and 11 th grades, Global Perspectives offers participants the chance to step into the world of leadership, diplomacy, collaboration and public speaking.  Students will learn about the United Nations, international affairs, geography, history, politics and culture.  They assume the role of ambassadors and participate in a Model U.N.  Participants also get the chance to experience new foods and art from around the globe and, best of all, meet other young people with similar interests and professionals who have devoted their lives and careers to international affairs and cultural understanding. In short, this program offers students the perfect blend of academic, cultural and social immersion in foreign affairs. We are hoping you will help us spread the word, and have attached a flyer to assist you in that effort . The summer institute will take place at the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia, One South Broad St. , 2 Mezz., Philadelphia , PA 19107 , from July 20 to July 24, 2009.   The cost is $345 per student and includes all workshops, lectures, activities and a daily international food sampling.  Lunch is not included. Space is limited , so please post this flyer or pass it along to anyone who you think might be interested, including colleagues and parents of students.  We will also be mailing hard copies to your school. Interested people should contact me by calling 215-561-4700 x207 or sending an email to aschlosberg@wacphila.org for more information.

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We just want to let you know that the application deadline for the summer 09 China tours has now been extended for one more month, until April 23, 2009.

US-China Education Council is, once again, organizing its traditional China trips for US educators (and their families & friends) in early summer 2009: June 27-July 6; & July 7-16. You can choose one that fits your schedule.

The trip features group tours to six famous Chinese cities of Beijing , Xian, Nanjing , Suzhou , Tongli & Shanghai, with field trips to sites of historical and cultural importance, meetings with Chinese educators, and visits to Chinese schools.  It is an excellent opportunity for professional development. A large number of educators, from the greater New York and beyond, attended our China trips in the past years and had a wonderful experience. (Travel agencies can book flights for those outside New York City to fly from their local airports to China.)

Current education administrators and supervisors at different levels, teachers of different subjects, and educational staff are eligible to apply.  Applicant's spouse, family members and friends can join at the same cost.

We can also help educators who wish to chaperone students from their schools to form an independent group with the same/different itinerary for the China trip.

Total estimated trip cost: only $2,728, including round-trip international airfare, two one-way flights within China , all transportation in China (between and within the six Chinese cities), nice hotels, meals, admission tickets to all sightseeing spots, etc.

Application deadline: April 23, 2009..  For detailed trip itinerary and the application form, please direct emails to UsChinaEducation@yahoo.com .

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Travel grant opportunity for US secondary level teachers through the Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program (TEA).  This program is funded by the U.S. Department of State. 

We are recruiting for the U.S. teachers reciprocal visit component of the program. The applicants we are seeking are U.S. secondary-level teachers of English or the social sciences to participate in a two-week professional exchange program in one of the following countries: Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh , Cambodia, Colombia, El Salvador , Georgia, Ghana, Guatemala , Honduras, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Nicaragua, Senegal , Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Ukraine.

I'd like to ask if you  would pass this message along to any of your secondary school teacher contacts, particularly those who teach English or the social sciences.

Eligible applicants must be:

· Secondary-level (middle or high school), full-time teachers with five or more years of classroom experience in disciplines including English as a Foreign Language, English Language or Literature, and the Social Sciences (including social studies, civics, and history);

· U.S. citizenship; and

· Ability to travel in April, 2010.

The program is fully funded and provides: visa support; round-trip domestic airfare, lodging and meals to attend the TEA U.S. Conference; round-trip airfare from the U.S. to the assigned country; emergency medical insurance; as well as lodging and a daily stipend in host country.

The TEA U.S. teacher application is available for download at our website: www.irex.org .

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Global Exploration for Educators Organization (GEEO) is a 501c3 non-profit organization that helps and encourages educators to travel abroad. In the summer of 2009 GEEO will run trips to Tunisia, Peru, Ecuador, Thailand, and India. GEEO hopes to make America more outward-looking by helping teachers travel and then giving them an effective way to share these experiences in their classrooms.

Educators can earn graduate school credit and professional development credit while seeing the world.  The trips are designed for teachers and include activities such as school visits and homestays that give participants authentic exposure to local culture. The trips are deeply discounted so as to be affordable to teachers.  GEEO also helps teachers find funding to subsidize the cost of the trips.

Detailed information about each trip, including itineraries, costs, travel dates, and more can be found at www.geeo.org . GEEO can also be reached 7 days a week, toll free at 1-877-600-0105 between 9AM-10PM EST. To sign-up for GEEO's listserv, please send an email to listserv@geeo.org with the subject line "subscribe."

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CALL FOR ARTICLES Journal of China in Comparative Perspective (London School of Economics) The editors of the newly launched Journal of China in Comparative Perspective (JCCP) invite submissions of articles in English up to 8.000 words in length including notes and list of references. The articles must be original and not previously published. They should be sent electronically in either word or rtf format to the journal's official email address: jccp@lse.ac.uk . The journal is peer-reviewed, and will be published biannually by the London School of Economics. The JCCP was founded to encourage and publish original multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary comparative research on China. Comparison includes taking China as a case study of some more generally applicable theory, or drawing from comparative data about China and some other country or countries some analytic conclusions. The comparison may be regional or global; and it may be historical or contemporary. It may also involve a comparison of perceptions - China's perceptions of others and others' perceptions of China in the context of China's encounter with the outside world in the political, economic, military and cultural sense. The JCCP is a strictly non-partisan publication and does not support or discriminate against any political, ideological or religious viewpoint. Although conceived as an academic journal, the editorial policy of the journal is to ensure that articles that appear therein are of interest beyond the academic arena to both policy-makers as well as readers with a general interest in China-related themes. In accordance with standard academic practice, all submissions undergo a rigorous process of blind peer review. Submitted articles are blind read by two editors who decide whether the articles are suitable or not for publication, with or without revision. If these reviews are positive the article is sent to a third editor for further review before being returned to you, the author, for revision and final submission. The whole process should in normal circumstances take no longer than three months. We expect the revision to be completed within four weeks. Please note that all authors are responsible for ensuring that their manuscripts are written and formatted according to the journal's writing style. For more details on style guidelines, as well as on the journal's editorial team and statement of aims, please visit http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/CCPN/jccp.htm .

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Interest in Burma

A local chapter of US Campaign for Burma was started in the fall of 2007 in the city of Philadelphia and surrounding suburbs. The organization seeks to connect individuals and/or organizations that care about Burma in Philadelphia as well promote awareness of Nobel Peace Prize recipient Aung San Suu Kyi and the democracy movement she has personally sacrificed for in her county. Aung San Suu Kyi remains under house arrest in her childhood home in Rangoon. A small planning committee is eager to reach out to Penn students. If you are interested in learning about Burma or want more information on the local chapter, please contact Susan Zingale-Baird, szbaird@msn.com

*SYMPOSIUM AT BARNARD/COLUMBIA ON EAST ASIAN CULTURAL HERITAGE You are invited to attend to attend a symposium on “Commonality and Regionality in the Cultural Heritage of East Asia” that will be hosted by the East Asian departments of Barnard College/Columbia University on May 9-10 2009. The conference examines the shared cultural heritage that emerged from the interaction of various peoples in East Asia from the perspective of “commonality” and “regionality” from antiquity to the modern period. Our particular focus will be on the cultural interaction between China and Japan and we hope that the broad temporal frame of the conference will allow us to see distinct patterns of cultural interaction through the case studies that the speakers will be proposing on political, scholarly, linguistic, literary, artistic, and religious aspects of that interaction.

True to the topic of “commonality and regionality,” this conference brings together scholars from China, Japan, Korea, the US and Europe. In its ideal intent it should trigger frank debates about the differences and commonalities in our scholarly work and about how they might relate to differences in academic culture and institutional structures, which in our various home countries inform our everyday and professional lives.

The conference is open to the public. If you would like to attend, please RSVP to Rachael McGuinness ( rm2370@gmail.com ) with name, institutional affiliation, and dates of planned attendance by May 4, 2009, so that we can make appropriate space arrangements. Any other questions can also be directed to rm2370@gmail.com .

You can find further information on the conference website at http://www.barnard.edu/amec/eacommonalityconference/

Seventh International Conference on New Directions in the Humanities. This Conference is to be held in Beijing, China from 2 to 5 June 2009. 

The Humanities Conference is held annually in different locations around the world. Over the past six years, the Humanities Conference has established a reputation as a focal point for new ideas and new practices in humanities research and teaching. The conference was held at the Fatih University, Istanbul, Turkey in 2008 , at the American University of Paris in 2007 , at the University of Carthage in Tunis in 2006 , at Cambridge University in the UK in 2005 , at the Monash University Centre in Prato, Italy in 2004 , and the University of the Aegean in Rhodes, Greece in 2003 .

The breadth of the topics:

Anthropology, Archaeology, Classics, Communication, English, Fine Arts, Geography, Government, History, Journalism, Languages, Linguistics, Literature, Media Studies, Philosophy, Politics, Sociology or Religion-these are just some of the many disciplines represented at the Humanities Conference. The focus of papers ranges from the finely grained and empirical to the expansive and theoretical.

Related Peer-reviewed journal:

The International Journal of the Humanities

Conference participants can submit papers to the Humanities Journal , before the conference and up until one month after the conference. Papers submitted for publication will be fully refereed. The publication decision is based on the referees' reports.

For those unable to attend the conference in person, a virtual registration will provide participants access to the electronic version of the journal, as well as the option to submit papers to the Humanities Journal .
More Information: http://thehumanities.com/conference/

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2009 Biannual International Forum on Asia-Middle East Studies Transcending Borders: Asia, Middle East , and the Global Community

October 16-17, 2009, Annapolis , Maryland , U.S.A.
While the United States was deeply involved in negotiating peace between Israel and the Palestinians and fighting terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan , countries in East Asia and Southeast Asia have been quietly developing frequent economic, political, and cultural interaction with the Middle East .  Countries such as China and Japan pay close attention to the Middle East because of their strong ties to the region. Indeed their roles in the Middle East have become so prominent that they should be acknowledged and closely observed.  The “Transcending Borders: Asia, Middle East, and the Global Community” conference, hosted by the U.S. Naval Academy's Center for Middle East and Islamic Studies, U.S. Asian Cultural Academy, the Shanghai International Studies University, and the Library of Congress Asian Division, aims to provide a platform for western and Asian scholars to converge and exchange views on major issues concerning the Middle East and its relationship with Asia, the U.S., and the rest of the world. The 2009 Biannual International Forum on Asia-Middle East Studies plans to invite scholars with strong interest and specializations in Asia-Middle East relations to present their papers on the following suggested subjects: - Energy and environment - Economy and trade - Cross-regional relations - Social/cultural perspectives - This list is meant to suggest possible topics, although other topics are welcome if they establish their general relevance to the subject of the encounters between the global and local powers in the Middle East . - Both broad theoretical studies and specific case studies are welcome. 

Paper proposals (no more than 200 words) & a 1-page biography are due by 1 May 2009, and should be submitted electronically to: Transcending Borders:  Asia, Middle East , and the Global Community Center for Middle East and Islamic Studies U.S. Naval Academy Annapolis , Maryland USA 21402 Tel.: 1-410-293-2990   Fax: 1-410-293-2994 Email: cmeis@usna.edu - This is an interdisciplinary conference.  Participants will include academics, diplomats, military officers and other interested individuals. - Authors of accepted proposals will be notified by 1 June 2009.  Final papers must be submitted by 15 September 2009. - Paper presenters and participants must cover their own travel and accommodations to participate in the conference.  Registration fee is $ 95.00 and is due by 16 September 2009. - Registration information for this conference will be available by 1 April 2009 at: www.usna.edu/MiddleEast

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