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Appointment of Sharalyn Orbaugh as Head, 2020-2023
On May 1, 2020, UBC Asian Studies Department was delighted to announce the appointment of Dr. Sharalyn Orbaugh as the next Head of the Department. She took up the role from July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2023.
Dr. Orbaugh received her PhD in Far Eastern Languages and Literatures from the University of Michigan, and spent six years at UC Berkeley before joining UBC in 1997. Professor Orbaugh specializes in modern Japanese literature and popular culture and teaches undergraduate and graduate courses on the uses of narrative, cultural theory, media theory, post-colonial theory, and critical race theory.
We also acknowledge and thank Dr. Ross King for his contributions as part of the Faculty’s Heads and Directors group and for his service in leadership of the Department of Asian Studies. During his ten years as Head, Dr. King has been a passionate advocate for Asian Studies faculty, staff, and students; advanced the Department’s scope of area studies and language instruction, including the relatively recent introduction of Persian and Cantonese programs; made excellent faculty hires; and worked with colleagues to fulfill the Department’s many community outreach activities and other public and philanthropic aspirations. You can read Dr. King's farewell message as outgoing Head here.
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| Upcoming Events |
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Pondering Anti-Blackness in the Iranian Context: From Enslavement to the Present
Sept. 26, 2020 | 4pm PDT | Via Zoom
This talk, presented by Dr. Amy Tahani-Bidmeshki, will explore through the long legacy of global antiblackness and its horrific history of enslavement and genocide and discuss how Iran and Iranians (nationals and those in diaspora) are active participants in the dehumanization of Black peoples. While Iranians within Iran and throughout the world mourn the unjust murder of an innocent Black man, most fail to acknowledge their own complicity in antiblackness including the enslavement of Black Africans by Persian aristocrats in the last few centuries, the current and continuous suppression of Iran’s Black populations and their grievances, and cultural practices such as Haji Firuz. Thinking about antiblackness in the Iranian context since enslavement to the present allows us to become aware of how whiteness finds support for its violence against Black communities throughout the world and leaves us to ask ourselves, how will we show up for Black lives?
Read more and register here
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No Heaven for Gunga Din (1965): From Speculative Fiction to Decolonial Option
Saturday, October 17th, 11am PT / 2pm ET
Studies of Anglophone literature, or postcolonial writing in English, are often limited to literatures of the Commonwealth and the former colonies of the British Empire.
Dr. Amirhossein Vafa (Assistant Professor of English and Comparative Literature at Shiraz University) will seek to introduce Ali Mirdrekvandi’s No Heaven for Gunga Din (1965), an allegorical speculation over the imagined aftermath of World War III in the distant future, and one of the few cases of Anglophone writing in Iran, a nation which – though never under formal colonial rule – has been deeply shaped by the discourse of colonial modernity.
Read more and register here
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| NEW HIRES |
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Zhaokun Xin
Lecturer in Chinese Language |
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Hessam Dehghani
Assistant Professor of Teaching, Persian Language and Culture |
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| FACULTY MILESTONES |
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Josephine Chiu-Duke
Promoted to Full Professor |
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Christina Yi
Promoted to Associate Professor |
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Rumee Ahmed
Promoted to Full Professor |
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| Featured Courses |
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| Contemporary South Asian Gender and Sexuality Studies |
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| Sufi and Bhakti Devotional Literatures |
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| History of Chinese Cinema |
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| Pre-Modern Japanese Fiction |
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| Japanese Women’s Self-Writing |
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History of the
Choson Dynasty |
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| Asian Empires, Colonialism and Nationalism |
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| Persian Short Story for Native and Heritage Speakers |
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| FACULTY AWARDS, ARTICLES AND RESEARCH |
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Onkarbir Singh Toor Memorial Punjabi Studies Enhancement Fund
Learning about Punjabi language and culture at UBC made a lasting impression on former science student, Onkarbir Singh Toor (BSc’16). After his sudden premature passing, Onkarbir’s family honoured his memory in 2017 by establishing a fund to enrich the Punjabi Studies program. Over the years, this has supported activities such as students in our advanced-level oral history class ASIA 475 (Documenting Punjabi Canada) receiving training and support to interview community members on immigration, identity and gender inequality via creating multimedia projects.
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Iranian Student Memorial Award
UBC's Iranian Student Memorial Award is in memory of the victims of flight 752 in Iran, which included four UBC students. The funds will provide annual assistance to Iranian students at UBC.
On January 17, CBC TV announced the news on-site at the Asian Studies Auditorium, with comment provided by our Professor in Persian Literary Culture and Civilization, Mostafa Abedinifard. Click here to watch, here to read the news report, and below to find out more about the scholarship.
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Helping adults re-discover their love of Cantonese language
Zoe Lam (pictured above, second from left) in our Cantonese language program shares her love of the language with everyone she teaches, from beginners to advanced learners! However, she was interviewed in February by the Toronto Star about a particular class: adults whose parents spoke Cantonese to them as children but who grew up using English as their first language (due to schooling, living in Canada, or other external factors).
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Qian Wang awarded Killam Teaching Prize
We are delighted that Qian Wang, Senior Lecturer in Chinese Applied Linguistics and Director of our awesome Chinese Language Program (CLP), has been awarded a 2019-2020 Killam Teaching Prize.
She richly deserves such recognition for the wonders she has worked with our CLP; for her many accomplishments as a teacher; and for being such a spectacular colleague!
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Chinese Film Classics
Chris Rea, assisted by PhD students Liu Yuqing and Yao Jiaqi, has spent recent weeks translating subtitles for masterpieces of early Chinese cinema. He has made a dozen subtitled films available open-access to viewers around the world via YouTube, using them in his Summer Term 1 undergraduate course, ASIA 345: Chinese Film Classics. They are also related to his forthcoming book, Chinese Film Classics, 1922-1949, from Columbia University Press.
Watch the videos and subscribe to YouTube channel here
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Religious History is Data
A three-year project led by Asian Studies’ Edward Slingerland and Adam Barnett, with collaborators from all over the globe, is creating such possibilities with the Database of Religious History (DRH).
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Podcast: Controversial new Chinese law threatens Hong Kong society
In May Professor Leo Shin was recently interiewed on the Global News podcast "Wait, There's More" regarding the controversial new security law being pursued by the Chinese government in Hong Kong, and the pro-democracy protestors who fear it could spell the end of Hong Kong society as we know it. Listen below to hear Leo's thoughts on this new law, why China might be doing this in the middle of the pandemic, and what’s at stake for the international community if it passes.
Listen to the podcast here
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Himalayan New Yorkers Share Community Stories of COVID-19
Professor Mark Turin, of our Himalaya Program, co-wrote this Nepali Times article depicting Nepalis, Tibetans, and other Himalayan natives in Queens, New York – in particular, those working as essential workers – during current COVID-19 times. The article subjects are amongst 300 people interviewed, with their diaries and memories documented through the ongoing research project, Voices of the Himalaya.
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Nusantara's Indigenous Knowledge
Nusantara’s Indigenous Knowledge was a joint undertaking between Dr. Tom Hunter and Dr. Dwi Puspitorini of the University of Indonesia's Faculty of Cultural Studies (as well as professors and graduate students of the Faculty), to co-edit the June 2020 publication.
As the title suggests, each introspection in the book features its own nuances in the approaches the author takes in analyzing both local tradition and artifacts in juxtaposition to contemporary societies of not only Indonesia, but South East Asia as a whole.
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| Student News |
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How MFBTY Adopted Hip-Hop for the K-Pop Scene
UBC Asian Studies student and teaching assistant Junsoo Kim had an article published in the online news magazine for Asian Americans, Next Shark, about the influence of Korean Hip-Hop trio MFBTY on the K-pop scene.
(For those curious to know, the acronym stands for "My Fans Are Better Than Yours"!)
Click the link below to read Junsoo's article.
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KORN 415A: The Best Group Video
For a group project, the students in KORN 415A created public service advertisements intended to raise awareness of diverse social issues increasing in South Korea.
Congratulations to all of the members of this group for being voted "best video" by students! Christy Chung, who portrayed the role of the bully in the video, was also selected as the "best actress".
Watch the Video here
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CHIN141 & 241:Three Chapters, One Story 《三段光阴，一个故事》
This past Winter Term saw a collaborative project between CHIN 141 & 241 classes in delving and exploring Chinese culture in an intergenerational context. Students prepared documentaries that asked them to reflect on and discover intergenerational relations with their cultures. Using Chinese, they were challenged to explore what this meant to their parents and grandparents, and share their thoughts and sentiments with their classmates.
Watch all videos here
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Chinese One Minute: Ordering Food in Chinese
In March the Chinese Language Program introduced their one-minute video series teaching you the practical basics, and you can watch it anywhere, anytime! Check out the first video “Ordering Food in Chinese” here.
Future episodes are planned - stay tuned!
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ASIA 365: “Punjabi Cinema” student videos
ASIA 365, "Punjabi Cinema," explores the history and ongoing, unfolding phenomenon of Punjabi film. Students in the class watch classics of Punjabi film-- for example, classics like Nanak Naam Jahaaz Hai (1969), Chann Pardesi (1980), Put Jattan de (1981), and Long da Lishkara (1986), and newer classics, like Khamosh Pani (2003), Munde UK De (2009), and Chauthi Koot (2015).
Students write short papers analyzing the films, and have the option of pursuing creative short film projects at the end of term, reflecting their study of Punjabi film history and techniques.
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| TERM 1 & HIGHLIGHTS |
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Cinema and the City
As part of the annual Alireza Ahmadian Lecture in Persianate and Iranian Studies series, we were joined by Dr. Golbarg Rekabtalaei, an Assistant Professor of History at Seton Hall University. This lecture examined the role of cinema in Iranian modernity and in the urbanization of Tehran from the 1900s to 1930s.
Thank you to all who attended this event on the recognition and appraisal of Iranian cinema. Click here to see some photos from the evening and here to listen to the audio!
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Japanese Faculty invited to Emperor’s Birthday Celebration
On January 29, 2020, a number of our Japanese faculty attended the Fairmount Hotel for a celebration of the Emperor’s birthday, also attended by UBC President Santo Ono and Dean Gage Averill. Held by the Consulate-General of Japan in Vancouver, it was particularly significant because it was the first birthday celebration of the emperor of the Reiwa era.
Pictured above are (L-R): Japanese Language Coordinator Rebecca Chau, Japanese Language Lecturer Masumi Abe, UBC President Santa Ono, Japanese Language Lecturer Ihhwa Kim, and Associate Professor Christina Laffin.
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Perspectives from Japan, India, and Tibet
On Thursday, February 6th, Asian Studies faculty Dr. Adheesh Sathaye, Dr. Dagmar Schwerk, and Dr. Hasan Siddiqui joined Japanese book history expert Dr. Takahiro Sasaki (Keio University) in a discussion of paper production and book formats in three different cultures.
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Welcoming the Year of the Rat
Last February, if you walked around the AMS Nest anytime last week, you might have heard the loud banging of drums or the ocean of laughter coming from the Lower Atrium. That was, in fact, the sound of our Lunar New Year Festivities!
The AMS Nest was transformed into a space full of bright red decorations as well as a space alive with activity. Prepared lovingly by our Cantonese, Korean, and Chinese Language Programs, the day was a time to celebrate the arrival of the Year of the Rat. It was also a day to celebrate and share the cultures that celebrate Lunar New Year with the rest of the student body!
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Watch the celebration here
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Korean Talent Show and Movie Night
On Friday, January 31st, Korean Talent Show and Movie Night was held at the Asian Centre Auditorium. Eight teams participated to show off their talents and share their passion for Korean language and culture. Participants enjoyed pizza and stayed for the screening of 2019 mega hit Extreme Job (극한직업). It was a perfect way to spend Friday night!
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2020 Asian Studies Careers Night
Our annual Careers Night was held at Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre. Joined by 11 Asian Studies alumni coming from diverse career backgrounds, students had the opportunity to make connections with others who share similar interests, and seek career advice. With the major highlight being the “round robin” speed networking session, Careers Night provided opportunities for students to mingle and connect with alumni who have been through the same degree, and are now well into their career paths. We would like to thank all guests, staff and volunteers, whose joint efforts made the event a great success again.
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Japanese Speech Contest
The 32nd Annual BC Japanese Speech Contest was held on March 14 at UBC in a reduced format with precautionary measures taken. Nineteen students from UBC were selected as the finalists to participate in the contest. Nine of them won prizes including 1st place winners Rachel Shi (Beginner), Kim Zhou (Intermediate), Danyi Zhu (Advanced) and Erin We (Open). The organizing committee is particularly thankful to the instructors and Teaching Assistants from the Japanese Language Program who volunteered at the event.
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Watch here
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Inspiration in Isolation
Admist these uncertain times, we look to each other for inspiration and strength. In this new series, the Asian Studies faculty, staff, students and alumni are sharing their challenges and experiences in the transition to working online and teaching from home. See below to find out the new skills, old habits, technological challenges and words of ancient wisdom that they've come to live by.
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Listen: Asian Studies Undergrad Experience Webinar
On June 18th, Asian Studies hosted the undergraduate student webinar "Is Asian Studies For Me?" featuring recent graduates Kristy Lin, Harsimran Sachdeva, Aaron Throness and Erin Wu, all of whom shared their language and cultural learning tips! With plenty of questions covered, if you are planning on taking any Asian Studies courses in the new semester, click below to watch/listen to the session on YouTube.
Watch here
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Listen: Best Practices for Learning Korean Webinar
For our next summer webinar on July 30, we were joined by language lecturer Eurie Shin and current WorkLearn student Sophie Rock, freshly back from her study year in Seoul, to discuss the intricacies and challenges of learning the incredible language of Korean! Topics discussed included mastering the alphabet, opportunities to practice speaking, Sophie's experiences at Yonsei University, and even tips for best Korean restuarants here in Vancouver!
View an infographic of topics covered
Watch here
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Listen: Uncovering Journalism in Asia Webinar
Next up in our webinar series, on August 27 we delved into the experiences of four Canadian journalists either currently or working in Asia! Moderator Kathryn Gretsinger (UBC School of Journalism) interviewed our panel comprising Emily Rauhala, Nathan VanderKlippe, Sherisse Pham, and Joanna Chiu, about their first jobs, career setbacks, the challenges of working within Asian media, and much more!
Watch here
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| INTERVIEWS AND STORIES |
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Meet our BA Student: Sophie Rock
"From 6 am sunrise hikes to 2 am chicken delivery, it’s hard to be bored in this city." Sophie, who recently finished a full-year exchange at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea shares her exchange experiences. |
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Meet our MA Student: Nicole Lin
Stemming from a curiosity of Asian studies to self discovery, Nicole's research dives into the Korean literary landscape in the understandings of empire. |
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Meet our MA Student: Chulthim Guring
After completing his MA on the Tibetan monastic education system, Chulthim continues his journey studies as a PhD student at McGill University on Buddhist Psychology. |
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Aaron Throness, BA '20
From a chance encounter in his youth, Aaron's interest in Chinese culture and history led to his BA in Asian Area Studies, with a focus on Late Imperial Chinese cartographic and coastal history. |
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Verna Yam, BA '18
Verna's intuitive interest in Chinese culture manifested in an academic and professional outlook, leading to her current position in Ottawa as a Trade Policy Analyst at Global Affairs Canada. |
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Kenneth Wong, BA ’85
Kenneth's rediscovery of his own cultured led to a journey in Asian Studies. This passion later actualised as president of A.C.E. Consulting while working as a full-time professor at Langara College’s School of Management, specialising in International Business and Marketing. |
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Daryl Louie, BA ’10
An interest in his background and culture led to applicable knowledge in his own history. With executive experience at his UBC fraternity, Daryl's studies came to fruition as co-founder and CEO of AntiSocial Media Solutions. |
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Are you an Asian Studies alum and interested in sharing your story with current students and/or taking part in future Careers Nights? If yes, we welcome you to email sophie.gardner@ubc.ca
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