March 19, 2026 The Update is a regular roundup of news in the Department of Asian Studies for our students, faculty and staff. |
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Top Stories • Upcoming Events • Asian Library News • Opportunities • On & Off-Campus Events |
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Save the date for our flagship Alireza Ahmadian Lectures in Iranian and Persianate Studies! The Alireza Ahmadian Lecture series is named in honour of Alireza Ahmadian (1981 – 2019), a proud and devoted UBC alumnus, supporter of UBC’s Department of Asian Studies, and beloved member of Canadian-Iranian Community. Our final Ahmadian Lecture of this academic year will be held on April 18, 2026. Explore the poetry, film, letters, interviews, and prose of Forugh Farrokhzad and see how Farrokhzad expanded Iran’s literary language, reach, and imaginative boundaries. |
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| UPCOMING EVENTS | ||||||
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K-Pop and Demons in the Asian Library Collection The Asian Library is featuring two displays on “Pop Culture Across Asia” (upper floor) and “Demons in Japanese and Korean Contexts” (ground floor), inspired by the hugely popular animated film KPop Demon Hunters. The displays include storybooks and other library materials related to demons from an East Asian lens as well as K-Pop, Manga, movies, music and pop culture studies. |
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Event Recap: A Legacy of Ink Approximately 80 participants joined the Asian Library for A Legacy of Ink, held at the Asian Centre Auditorium on the afternoon of January 29, 2026. The event offered an inspiring exploration of the legacy of Chinese calligraphy—a tradition that spans centuries and continues to shape Chinese cultural identity today. It also served as a special occasion for the Asian Library to honour the late Master Calligrapher Yim Tse (謝琰), who served as the Chinese Librarian at the Asian Library from 1968 to 1999. Back to top |
| OPPORTUNITIES |
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Registration Open: University of Maryland's Korean Summer Language Institute Rapidly improve your Korean language skills in a 9 week intensive program with the University of Maryland’s Summer Language Institute. During the program, students are effectively immersed in a Korean-speaking environment, with approximately seven hours a day of structured language-learning experiences. Apply by March 20 to receive $200 off the cost of attendance. Call for abstracts: Poster Competition as part of the Bridging Divides Annual Conference The Institute for Research on Migration and Society at Concordia invites submissions for the Poster Competition held as part of the Migrant Integration in the Mid-21st Century: Bridging Divides annual conference. This poster competition aims to provide students and early-career researchers with an opportunity to present emerging research, receive feedback from an interdisciplinary audience, and engage with scholars, practitioners, and policymakers working on migration, technology and social inclusion. Submit by March 20. Call for Applications: Videographic Venice Co-organized by Colleen Laird and her colleagues, Videographic Venice invites participants to explore Venice as both subject and medium through videographic criticism. Participants will complete a series of specially designed videographic exercises that build a transferable methodological toolkit, applicable to future research in other cities and contexts. Applications are due March 31. Applications open: MA in Japanese Studies at The Chinese University of Hong Kong The Chinese University of Hong Kong's MA Programme provides comprehensive training in understanding Japanese society, culture, history, and language, equipping students with the skills necessary for further academic pursuits or careers related to Japan. The final round for applications ends on March 31. UBC Food Innovation Challenge: powered by BC Hydro Love cooking up new recipes? Passionate about a healthier planet? The UBC Food Innovation Challenge: powered by BC Hydro is your chance to take your idea beyond the kitchen or lab – with support from professional mentors! All UBC undergrad and grad students are welcome to apply. Win up to $3,000 for prototype development + a $15,000 grand prize. Concept proposals are due on April 2. Back to top |
| ON & OFF-CAMPUS EVENTS |
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Academic Freedom Panel Discussion March 25 March 26 The (Mis)Recognitions of the Asian Face and an Alternative Critical History of Biometrics March 26 Until March 28 Until March 31 Moving Markets: Mobility, Memory, and Urban Transformation in London and Hong Kong April 1 UBC Reads Sustainability with Kate Marvel April 15 Back to top |
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