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The 2018 Asian Studies Careers Night
Mar 6 | 6pm - 8:30pm
Asian Centre Auditorium, 1871 West Mall, Vancouver, BC
Asian Studies students or undergrads considering a major/minor in Asian Studies are invited to attend our 2018 Annual Asian Studies Careers Night. This is a wonderful opportunity to gain advice and network with alumni who have found exciting careers after an Asian Studies degree. We will be inviting alumni with diverse experiences – at home and in Asia – to come share their inspiring stories with you.
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Dr. Nasrin Askari receives Iran World Award for Book of the Year prize in Tehran
After the primary selection of over 2000 books in different fields of Islamic and Iranian Studies, nine books were selected as winners - including Dr. Nasrin Askari's book, The Medieval Reception of the Shāhnāma as a Mirror for Princes. Dr. Askari recently flew to Tehran to receive the award from the secretariat of the Book of the Year World Award, the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance, and President Rouhani.
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Asian Studies Letterman Jacket Spring Order
The Asian Studies Letterman Jackets are back again for another season. Deadline to order is Feb 28. See more details about jacket sizing and design online, and pre-order soon!
Order here |
2018S course schedule is now available online!
Featured Courses:
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ASIA 329: Gender in Southeast Asia
A critical examination of what it means to be a woman or a man within the social and cultural context of Southeast Asia. What "masculinity" and "femininity" signify in Indonesia's society; how these concepts are reaffirmed or challenged.
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ASIA 371: Foundations of Chinese Thought
Chinese thought from its beginnings until the Han dynasty (206 BCE to 220 CE) in its historical and cultural contexts. Includes, among others: Confucius; Mo Zi; the Legalists/Authoritarians; Zhuang Zi; the Lao Zi book.
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DEPARTMENT EVENTS |
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Hong Kong Cantonese: What to Do and How to Go? 香港粵語點算?
With Dr. Sze-Wing Tang
Mar 1 | 3:30pm
The goal of this talk is twofold: to review the major grammatical properties of Hong Kong Cantonese, particularly those that cannot be found in Mandarin, and to discuss how the Cantonese grammar can be made use of for the study of Chinese linguistics and language learning.
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Screening & Discussion: "Awazzan” (“Voices,” 2016)
With Gurvinder Singh
Mar 2 | 7:30pm
A documentary on the UK-based Punjabi language poet Amarjit Chandan. This event is part of the Harjit Kaur Sidhu Memorial Program.
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The Small Things of History: Archive for Nur Jahan, the Great Mughal
With Dr. Ruby Lal
Mar 2 | 11am
Nur Jahan was the only woman ruler in the long dynasty of India’s great Mughals. How did the Empress’s extraordinary strengths, the emperor’s lamentable weaknesses, the twists and turns of 17th-century politics, and the power of their love combine to defy a time and a culture that ought to have made the reign of Nur Jahan impossible?
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Unarchived Histories: Men, Home and India’s Anti-colonial Struggle
With Dr. Gyanendra Pandey
Mar 2 | 5pm
A founding member and leading theorist of the Subaltern Studies project, Pandey has written extensively on colonial and postcolonial South Asia; ethnic conflict and nationalism; race and caste; citizenship and marginality; contemporary politics and democracy; and the history of history-writing.
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South Asia Conference of the Pacific Northwest at UBC
Mar 2 - 4
The conference, popularly known as SACPAN was created in the aim of fostering strong intellectual discourse and connections between South Asia scholars in the Pacific Northwest.
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Screening & Discussion: “Anhe Godhe da Daan” (“Alms for a Blind Horse,” 2011)
With Gurvinder Singh
Mar 3 | 6pm
A film exploring the experience of marginality in contemporary Punjab. Winner of two National Awards (India), screened at Venice Film Festival, and award winner at the Abu Dhabi Film Festival.
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2018 Annual BC Japanese Speech Contest
Mar 3 | 10am
The High School Division is tentatively scheduled to start at 10:00 am and the University/Open Division at 1:00 pm. The finalized schedule will be published on Monday, February 19, 2018 on the Consulate General of Japan’s website.
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Korean Studies Special Seminar: “한국인의 춤과 몸: 전통, 사상, 그리고 민속”
With Dr. Aeju Lee
Mar 3 | 10am
This event is open to the public but will be instructed in Korean.
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Screening & Discussion: “Chauthi Koot” (“The Fourth Direction,” 2015)
With Gurvinder Singh
Mar 4 | 4:30pm
A film portraying individuals and families negotiating a space between separatist and state forces amidst the violence of the 1980s in Punjab, India.
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Catastrophe in Context: Household Recoveries from the 2015 Nepal Earthquakes
With Dr. Spoon
Mar 5 | 6pm
Join the UBC Himalaya Program as Dr. Spoon discusses his study which focuses on four settlements in two of the hardest hit districts with differing access, aid, and populations.
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Beyond Redemption: re-membering Loss in Lu Xun’s Morning Blossoms Plucked at Dusk
With Dr. Eileen J. Cheng
March 5 | 12 pm
This talk explores Lu Xun’s views on memory and his attempts to re-member the past in his personal memoir, Morning Blossoms Plucked at Dusk. Even as he wrote about the need to pay homage to the past, Lu Xun repeatedly expressed the agony and pain that comes with reliving it.
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The Flower Princess and the Imaginations of Hong Kong
With Dr. Kwok Kou Leonard Chan
Mar 7 | 7pm
The list of Cantonese operas includes thousands of titles. But only a handful of them stand the test of time. Amongst these gems, Tang Disheng’s The Flower Princess (Di nü hua 帝女花) is a particularly successful one.
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The Story of Hong Kong Literature《香港文學大系》與香港文學史
With Dr. Kwok Kou Leonard Chan
Mar 8 | 7:30pm
Hong Kong literature has long been ignored. Current historical accounts of it were mostly produced by Mainland scholars at about the time of the 1997 handover. The quality and accuracy of these narratives are always a concern.
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The 1st UBC Cantonese Singing Contest
Mar 9 | 7pm
The final round of the contest will be held in the Lower Atrium of the Nest. Come cheer on the contestants!
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The John Howes Lecture in Japanese Studies Stolen Secrets: Intercepting Dispatches between Wartime Berlin and Japan
With Dr. Peter Kornicki
Mar 13 | 6pm
Guest speaker Dr. Peter Kornicki will discuss the British efforts during World War II to read the dispatches of Japanese diplomats in Europe, including those of Oshima Hiroshi, long-serving ambassador in Berlin.
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The Global Chinese Detective Story
With Dr. Jeffrey C. Kinkley
Mar 13 | 3pm
Uncensored detective novels set in China that use murder mysteries to explore broader Chinese social problems—written outside of China, typically in English, and not always by authors of Chinese origin—have sold over one million copies worldwide, thanks not least to the efforts of Qiu Xiaolong.
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The Past and Present of Chinese-Language Book Publishing in Hong Kong
With Dr. Angela Ko
Mar 16 | 12:30pm
Hong Kong is a small but vibrant city. Though only several thousand Chinese books are published there each year, its annual book fair has routinely drawn more than a million visitors. Furthermore, individual book titles and news of the local book market have from time to time, and for various reasons, attracted international attention.
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EVENT RECAPS |
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Lunar New Year Celebration Recap
On Friday, February 9th, 2018, the Department of Asian Studies presented the annual Lunar New Year Celebration – Year of the Dog. The Lunar New Year marks an important holiday and is celebrated by many Asian countries, significantly for China, Korea, Vietnam and Singapore. The spectacular event was sponsored and supported by the Department of Asian Studies, the Education Office, Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Vancouver and the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Vancouver.
Read the full recap |
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Student Karaoke Night hosted by the Japanese Department
On Friday, February 2nd, the Japanese language program held a Karaoke Night. The event was attended by approximately 170 current JAPN students along with students from Ritsumeikan University and instructors. There were 20 performances in Japanese by talented students, including some duets, a solo performance by a Ritsumeikan student, and a special group song and dance of the 2020 Gorin Ondo, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics song and dance. The volunteer Masters of Ceremonies were two 2nd-year JAPN students, who kept the energy high and the event moving smoothly. During the intermission, everyone enjoyed sushi and snacks, and at the end the very enthusiastic audience voted for their favourite performers. We hope to see you at the next event!
Read the full recap |
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Tadoku Club
On January 15th about 25 students, instructors and TAs from the Japanese language program gathered at the Asian Library for the first meeting of the Tadoku Club. Tadoku is a method of language study that aims to increase learners’ skills and enjoyment of reading in Japanese. Instructors and TAs provide assistance choosing appropriate books from among the many graded readers, manga, and other items available at the Asian Library, which include non-fiction and fiction books on Japanese culture, traditional and modern stories, fairy tales and more. The Tadoku Club is free to join, and meets every Monday from 4:00-6:00 pm in the seminar rooms on the main level of the Asian Library.
Read the full recap |
OPPORTUNITIES |
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TESL Summer Intersive Courses
TESL Certificate students gain experience and understanding in such areas as: instructional methodology, curriculum design, second language assessment, second language acquisition, language socialization, and intercultural communication. The required courses are designed for pre- and in-service teachers and those who are interested in teaching local and international students in Canada or overseas.
Apply for Chinese government scholarships
The Chinese government offers scholarships to students from British Columbia to study at a Chinese university. It is a valuable opportunity to gain exposure to Chinese language, culture and business practices, and to develop enriching, life-long relationships. Deadline to apply is February 28, 2018.
2018 Global English Camp Internship Program in Japan
This internship program is designed to promote cultural and language exchange between Japanese high school students and native English speaking university students. Deadline to apply is February 29, 2018.
Canada-China Scholars' Exchange Program
Global Affairs Canada and the Chinese Ministry of Education are offering short-term scholarships to Canadians wishing to study abroad in China. Deadline to apply is March 6, 2018.
Canada-China Scholars' Exchange Call for Papers: Teaching Classical Chinese Literary, Philosophical, and Cultural Texts
The LLC Pre-14th-Century Chinese Forum at MLA proposes a panel with a focus on teaching classical Chinese texts to undergraduate and graduate students in North American universities. Proposals from all academic disciplines and engaging various methodological approaches are most welcome. Deadline to apply is March 7, 2018.
BACKPACKING WITH A PURPOSE: 2018 APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN!
Operation Groundswell is a non-profit that runs travel, community service, and experiential education programs around the globe. We dig into social justice issues while working in solidarity with local activists, non-profits, and communities. We want you to join us in the fight for a better world. Deadline to apply is March 8, 2018.
Hou Family Fellowship in Taiwan Studies
The Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies at Harvard University is pleased to announce the 2018-19 competition for the Hou Family Fellowship in Taiwan Studies. The fellowship will be for a period of three to twelve months from August 1, 2018 to July 31, 2019, with residency at Harvard University. Deadline to apply is March 14, 2018.
UBC Himalaya Program: Nepali and Tibetan Summer Intensive Language and Community Engaged Learning Program
Experience Nepali or Tibetan language and culture this summer! The UBC Himalaya Program is offering 2-week, intensive language and community engagement courses in Nepali and Tibetan from April 30-May 11. These are community-engaged courses that blend in-class language instruction with experiential learning off-campus at Nepali and Tibetan community sites in the Lower Mainland. Each course carries 3 credits from the Faculty of Arts and is also open to Non-UBC students. Register by March 15, 2018.
2018 Huayu Enrichment Scholarship
This scholarship aims to encourage international students to study Huayu courses in the Republic of China (Taiwan); and to provide them with opportunities to increase their understanding of Taiwanese culture and society, and promote mutual understanding and interactions between Taiwan and the international community. Deadline to apply is March 31st, 2018.
2018 Taiwan Scholarship
The Taiwan Scholarship Program was established by the Republic of China (Taiwan) --- the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) to encourage outstanding international students to undertake degree programs in Taiwan. Deadline to apply is March 31st, 2018.
Seeking Volunteers for Research Study on Music and Immersion in RPGs
Conducted as part of a PhD dissertation in Musicology at UBC, this study aims to learn more about how music interacts with different types of video game landscapes to make players feel like they are actually “in” virtual worlds while they play RPGs.Contact Marina Gallagher (PhD student, Musicology), at marina.gallagher@alumni.ubc.ca
Free round-trip tickets for students travelling to Hong Kong
Students selected to receive a round-trip flight, sponsored by Hong Kong Airlines, will become part of APF Canada’s cross-Canada network of Asia enthusiasts and other students travelling to Asia as part of the Asia Connect program. Applications will be reviewed and awarded on a rolling basis.
2018 Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition
The Three Minute Thesis (3MT) is an academic competition that assists current graduate students with fostering effective presentation and communication skills. Participants have just three minutes to explain the breadth and significance of their research project to a non-specialist audience.
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How I ended up staying a week in Japan for free |
Joey Lee, 4th year Asian Studies student, writes about her experience with the 2018 Kakehashi Pop Culture and Japanese Language Project.
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I had to read the email from my JICE co-ordinator several times.
My professor of the Japanese pop culture course at UBC had asked me if I had any interest in a week-long all-expenses paid trip to Japan. In a heartbeat, my application was in. No way would the process would be so simple. But a month later, I clicked open the email and Kakehashi and here we were. I was going to Japan!
What is Kakehashi?
The Kakehashi Project, launched in 2013, is a one-week youth exchange initiative for Canadian and American students organized by the Japan International Cooperation Center (JICE for short) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. Kakehashi translates to “bridge” in Japanese, connecting people on both sides of the water. The program’s purpose is to enhance international understanding of the nation’s unique culture, diverse society, history, politics and foreign policy, as well as to promote the “Japan brand” overseas to North American visitors.
The program consists of two streams. The Japanese Language stream is tailored to the interests of advanced Japanese language students. The JICE organizers took note of my very limited nihongo track record–two Basic Japanese courses that I had taken at university four years ago, and placed me in the Japanese Pop Culture stream.
Where do we go from here?
The Pop Culture stream is tailored to introduce foreign youth to the inner workings of Japan’s popular culture and aesthetics. We experienced behind-the-scenes manga (Japanese comics) production from concept art to inking to publication. We learned about the evolution of Japanese animation from black and white cartoons to Your Name (2016).
So what exactly did this mean? For me, it meant visiting sites with historical significance such as Sensoji shrine, Tokyo’s oldest temple. And Fushimi Inari Taisha, the head shrine of the kami Inari famous for its rows of picturesque red gates known as torii.
And of course, this wouldn’t be a pop-culture themed trip without paying a visit to the Kyoto International Manga Museum and of course, the Ghibli Museum–showcasing many beloved Studio Ghibli animated works (that you may have heard of), such as Kiki’s Delivery Service and Spirited Away– and Kyoto’s Seika University, a real school for manga and anime!
About thirty of us would be taking the Shinkansen back and forth between Tokyo and Kyoto, staying the night at a minshuku 民宿 (a traditional Japanese style bed-and-breakfast) in the mountains of Hakodateyama.
We shared our experiences with our hosts and through social media during the trip and we are expected to share our experiences for a three month period after our return from Japan. Our JICE’s hosts were the definition of hospitable, organizing the chauffeured buses, the bullet trains, all our meals. I’d say yes to doing it all over again…
Read more Kakehashi travel stories on Joey's blog |
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