Selected seminars, conferences, lectures, film screenings, exhibitions, and workshops in Asian Studies (2015 -). Asian Studies Seminar Series Image Each semester, Asian Studies welcomes a fantastic range of guest speakers and colleagues to present an evening seminar on their research. The topics span fields as diverse as film and media, literature, religion, society and politics in China, Japan, Korea and, more broadly, East Asia. Please note that speaker titles and universities, as listed, date from the time of the event and may have changed. Browse the full listings for the 2023 to 2024 academic year Browse the full listings for the 2022 to 2023 academic year Browse the full listings for the 2021 to 2022 academic year Earlier events in the series Please note that speaker titles and universities, as listed, date from the time of the event and may have changed. Date Title Speaker(s) 6 March 2022 The Legalistic Turn in Korean and Japanese Governance Regarding Tobacco Control and Disability Rights Dr Celeste Arrington (George Washington University) 6 March 2022 South Korean Women’s Work, Finance, and Family Economy during the Cold War Dr Eunhee Park (Seoul National University) 23 March 2022 Expansion or Stagnation? Chinese Social Policy in the Xi Jinping Era Professor Qin Gao (Columbia University) 16 March 2022 From Sweatshop to Fashion Shop: Korean Immigrant Entrepreneurship in the Argentina Garment Industry Dr Jihye Kim (University of Central Lancashire) 2 March 2022 Third Front as Method: From Mao to Market to Present in CCTV Documentaries Dr Paul Kendall (University of Westminster) 2 February 2022 Yan Lianke’s Heterotopic Imaginaries Professor Carlos Rojas (Duke University) 24 November 2021 Atmo-Orientalism and Olfactory Aesthetics Professor Hsuan Hsu (University of California, Davis) 17 November 2021 Rewriting the history of culture in 1970s and 1980s South Korea Dr Youngju Ryu (University of Michigan) and Dr Sunyoung Park (University of Southern California) 10 November 2021 Reclaiming the Land: Rōnin and Rural Development in Tokugawa Japan Dr Floris van Swet (Northumbria University) 3 November 2021 How to Locate Exegetical Hot Spots? A Laboratory Report Involving Commentaries on the poem Lord Amidst Clouds (雲中君) from the Songs of Chu (楚辭) Dr Michael Schimmelpfennig (Australian National University) 27 October 2021 Making God: Korean, Japanese, and American Religious Fantasies in Early Twentieth-Century Korea Dr Nuri Kim (University of Cambridge) 13 October 2021 Anchors of Stability: The Origins of Place Names in China Professor James M. Hargett (University at Albany) 29 September 2021 The Forgotten War or the Hijacked War? How Chinese POWs and Taiwan Hijacked the Korean War Dr David Cheng Chang (Hong Kong University of Science and Technology) 17 March 2021 Ritual and Practice in South Korean Shamanism Simon Mills (Durham University) and Kyoim Yun (University of Kansas) 20 January 2021 New Approaches to Empire in East Asia: Agriculture and the Environment David Fedman (University of California, Irvine) and Peter B. Lavelle (Temple University) 2 October 2020 Games and Gaming in the East Asian Studies Classroom Barbara Wall (University of Copenhagen) Sarah Grossi (IT University of Copenhagen) Leo Ching (Duke University) Yan Liu (Duke University) 4 March 2020 Imagining the origins of poetry: narratives of script and genre in medieval Japanese commentaries Dr Jennifer Guest (University of Oxford) 2 March 2020 North Korea at the Center: Kim Jong Un’s Strategy to Reset The Regional Order in Northeast Asia Scott A. Snyder (Council on Foreign Relations) 12 February 2020 On Smashed Eggs and Statecraft: Landscape and Ritual Warfare during the Reign of the Fifth Dalai Lama Dr Martin Mills (University of Aberdeen) 5 February 2020 The Siberian Internment of Japanese Servicemen in the Context of Trans-Eurasian Forced Migrations, 1939-1956 Dr Sherzod Muminov (University of East Anglia) 29 January 2020 A Brief Cultural History of the Korean-Chinese Diaspora Dr Jerôme de Wit (University of Tübingen) 22 January 2020 Has PRC Counter-Terrorism in Xinjiang Evolved into State Terror? Dr Joanne Smith Finley (Newcastle University) 15 January 2020 Social Justice in the Developmentalist City? Contesting the nexus between urbanism and developmentalism in East Asia Dr Jamie Doucette (University of Manchester) 26 November 2019 The Emperor’s Secrets: How Muslims Interpreted Chinese Rule in Xinjiang (1759-1960) - Co-hosted with the Edinburgh Centre for Global History Dr Eric Schluessel (University of Montana) 20 November 2019 Cyborg's Paradise and Well-lit Shopping: Digital Places in Chinese Art Dr Angela Becher (University of Liverpool) 14 November 2019 Shusenjo: The Main Battleground of the Comfort Women Issue (see also Film Screenings) Miki Dezaki 13 November 2019 To No One's Satisfaction: Between Neoliberal and Corporate Expertise in a Korean Office Dr Michael Prentice 6 November 2019 A Glimpse Behind the Noh Mask Dr Rachel Payne (University of Canterbury) 30 October 2019 Tibetan Buddhist Identity and the Way of the Bodhisattva Professor Mario Anguilar 23 October 2019 The Inebriating City: Nagai Kafū in Shanghai and the 'othering' of Space Dr Gala Follaco (University of Naples “L’Orientale”) 16 October 2019 Metamorphosis of a Butterfly: Xiyadie's Queer Papercutting Art Dr Hongwei Bao (The University of Nottingham) 9 October 2019 Directing Girls: Korean Independent Cinema and Woman Filmmakers Dr Jinhee Choi (King's College London) 2 October 2019 Feelings Without Words: Growing Up in the Cinemas of Postwar Japan, 1945-1968 Dr Jennifer Coates (University of East Anglia) 25 September 2019 Korea and Japan: Partners from Past to Present and into the Future Dr James B. Lewis (University of Oxford) 18 June 2019 The Making of Global International Relations Professor Amitav Acharya (American University, Washington DC) 22 May 2019 Recent books Professor Aaron Moore, Dr Christopher Rosenmeier and Dr Daniel Hammond (University of Edinburgh) 26 March 2019 Locating Fey Mou(s): The Topos of Chinese Film Theory Dr Victor Fan (King’s College London) 19 March 2019 Aspects of Law and Ideology in Chosŏn Korea: Social Status, Gender and the Body Dr Anders Karlsson (SOAS, University of London) 12 March 2019 Japan’s imperial underworlds: intimate encounters at the borders of empire Dr David Ambaras (North Carolina State University) 5 March 2019 War, the state, and the formation of the North Korean industrial working class, 1931-1960 Dr Owen Miller (SOAS, University of London) 26 February 2019 Slow Way Home: How the Japanese Have Preserved a Universal Walk to School System Professor Leonard Schoppa (University of Virginia / Nissan Institute, University of Oxford) 12 February 2019 Divination and Digital Humanities: On the Construction and Utilization of a Database of Taiwanese Temple Oracles Professor Philip Clart (University of Leipzig) 5 February 2019 Kingdom of Pines: State Forestry and the Making of Korea, 1392-1910 Dr John S Lee (University of Manchester) 22 January 2019 'Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio': Monstrous Bodies in Liaozhai zhiyi Dr Sarah Dodd (University of Leeds) 27 November 2018 The politics of violence, glue-sniffing, and liberation: making 1968 in Japan Professor William Marotti (University of California at Los Angeles) 20 November 2018 Learning pronunciation utilizing “Japanese Pronunciation for Communication” Professor Takako Toda (Waseda University) 13 November 2018 Understanding China’s Belt and Road Initiative Dr Jinghan Zeng (Royal Holloway, University of London) 6 November 2018 Opening the Door to Change: Developing a sustainable future for Cuba and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea Dr Virginie Grzelczyk (Aston University) 1 November 2018 Searching for sight, sound, and heart: writing an English-language noh on the suffragette Emily Wilding Davison Dr Ashley Thorpe (Royal Holloway, University of London) 18 May 2018 The future of Korean democracy: heterarchical democracy and overcoming non-simultaneity Hyug Baeg Im (Korea University and Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST)). 16 May 2018 Ends and Beginnings: Japan’s Railways in the Wake of War Professor Andrew E. Barshay (University of California at Berkeley) 29 March 2018 Nuclear Ontologies in post-apocalyptic Japan Dr Jennifer Clarke (Robert Gordon University) 27 March 2018 Defining the Northern Coast: Cartography and Maritime Governance in Seventeenth Century China Dr Ronald C. Po (London School of Economics and Political Science) 27 February 2018 Towards a Visual History of Occupation in Wartime China: Tracing the Visual culture(s) of the Wang Jingwei regime, 1940-1945 Dr Jeremy Taylor (University of Nottingham) 13 February 2018 Between France, India, and Japan: Paul Richard and pan-Asianism as an anti-secularist imaginary Professor Hans Martin Krämer (Heidelberg University) 30 January 2018 50 Shades of Grey: The Emergence of ‘Smog Art’ in China Dr Thomas Johnson (University of Sheffield) 25 January 2018 Looking at the forest instead of the trees: What’s behind Zen at War and the Buddhist–Rohingya conflict in Myanmar? Dr Brian Victoria (author of Zen at War) 14 November 2017 Penetrating Knowledge: Cognition and Cosmic Flow in Early and Medieval Chinese Philosophy Dr Curie Virág (University of Toronto) 31 October 2017 Korea's quest for economic democratization: Globalization, polarization and contention Dr Youngmi Kim (University of Edinburgh) 17 October 2017 Knowing What Not to Know in Contemporary China Dr Margaret Hillenbrand (University of Oxford) 3 October 2017 Religious Subjectification and Social Transformation in Contemporary China Dr Adam Chau (University of Cambridge) 19 September 2017 Student radicalism and its contexts in post-occupation Japan Dr Kenji Hasegawa (Yokohama National University) 3 April 2017 War, Work and Witnessing: aesthetics and ideology in Shindō Kaneto’s cinema Dr Lauri Kitsnik (Sainsbury Institute) 22 March 2017 Chinese Discourse on Historiography, Nationalism, and Non-Chinese Peoples in the 1900s to 1920s Dr Julia Schneider (University of Göttingen) 17 March 2017 Japan’s Security Conundrum Professor Rikki Kersten (Murdoch University) 8 March 2017 Rebels in Power: Shandong and Shanxi in China's Cultural Revolution Professor Felix Wemheuer (Cologne University) 2 March 2017 Textual performance of truth in early Chinese Philosophy Professor Joachim Gentz (University of Edinburgh) 15 February 2017 Chinese Gardens: History, Design and Meanings Dr Alison Hardie 8 February 2017 A Reconsideration of Nishida Philosophy and Japanese Nationalism Professor Kan Sakurai (Nihon University) 23 November 2016 Inter-Group Violence in Upland Southwest China, 1800-1950s Dr Joseph Lawson (University of Newcastle) 2 November 2016 Chinese Intellectual Life amid Censorship and Commercialization Dr Chaohua Wang (University of California) 12 October 2016 On Feeding the Masses: The Politics of Regulatory Failure in China Professor John Yasuda (Indiana University) 5 October 2016 Fragrance (xiang) and its Cultural Meanings in Ming and Qing Literature Professor Paolo Santangelo 23 March 2016 Literary Translation and Contemporary Sino-African Relations Dr Kathryn Batchelor (University of Nottingham) Korean Studies Distinguished Lecture Series Image This series from the Scottish Centre for Korean Studies has been running since 2020, latterly in collaboration with our Korean Studies PhD reading group “Korea and Its Neighbours”. Previous lecture topics have included Korean literature, poetry, and cinema, North Korean development, East Asian international relations, Korean history and society, and queer Korea. Often, speakers will present on recent publications, and audiences have the opportunity to participate in question and answer sessions after their presentations. Selected lectures have been recorded and uploaded to the Scottish Centre for Korean Studies’ YouTube channel and Facebook page. Please note that speaker titles and universities, as listed, date from the time of the event and may have changed. Browse the full listings for the 2023 to 2024 academic year Browse the full listings for the 2022 to 2023 academic year Browse the full listings for the 2021 to 2022 academic year Earlier events in the series Please note that speaker titles and universities, as listed, date from the time of the event and may have changed. Date Title Speaker(s) 26 January 2022 Modernity’s Double Project and Nation-Building Korean Style Professor Nak-chung Paik (Professor Emeritus of English at Seoul National University) 24 November 2021 Hope is Lonely Professor An Sonjae (Brother Anthony of Taizé; Sogang University) 17 November 2021 Democratization and Democracy in South Korea, 1960-Present Professor Hyug Baeg Im (Korea University) 31 March 2021 Queer Korea Professor Todd Henry (UC San Diego) 24 March 2021 Hegemonic Mimicry Korean Popular Culture of the Twenty-First Century Professor Kyunghyun Kim (UC Irvine) 10 March 2021 "Warm Robots" for Autistic Children? The thermodynamics of humanity, sociality, and techno-society in South Korea Assistant Professor Hyaesin Yoon (Central European University) 3 March 2021 The Cost of Belonging: An Ethnography of Solidarity and Mobility in Beijing’s Koreatown Assistant Professor Sharon Yoon (University of Notre Dame) 24 February 2021 North Korea and the Geopolitics of Development Professor Kevin Gray (University of Sussex) 11 February 2021 East Asia in the World: Twelve Events that Shaped the Modern International Order Professor David Kang (USC) and Professor Stephan Haggard (UC San Diego) 4 February 2021 A Memory of student movement in 1980s as a female participant Young-Mi Choi (poet) 28 January 2021 Understanding the Trilateral ties among South Korea, China, and Japan Dr Sookeun Woo (Concordia University) Conferences and symposia The Yun Posun Memorial Symposium Image The Yun Posun Memorial Symposium was established in March 2013 to foster new partnerships between the UK and Korea, promoting longer-term understanding and the growth of contemporary Korean studies and culture in Scotland. It is jointly organised by the Yun Posun Institute for Democracy and the University of Edinburgh. The symposium is named after Yun Posun, who graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 1930 and ultimately became the father of the modern democratic movement in Korea. Typically, the conference comprises a mix of panel sessions, keynote plenaries, workshops and networking opportunities. Topics covered have included political economy, international development co-operation, and US-China relations. The 2018 conference in Edinburgh incorporated cultural performances from Korea and Scotland, an exhibition of new art inspired by the conference theme, a film screening, and a guest lecture with the Asia Scotland Institute on Digital Disruption. Please note that speaker titles and universities, as listed, date from the time of the event and may have changed. Dates Theme Venue Keynote speakers and discussants 16 May 2024 Advancing the ROK-UK Global Strategic Partnership Yun Posen Residence, Seoul Dr Youngmi Kim (University of Edinburgh); Jessica Cope ( Head of Science, Innovation and Health, UK Embassy to Korea); Professor Ihn-hwi Park (Ewha Womans University); Professor Wontaek Kang (Seoul National University); Emeritus Professor Chan Wook Park (Seoul National University) 2 and 3 November 2021 A New Agenda for South Korea-UK Cooperation in the COVID19 Era Online (Zoom; YouTube) Tae-sik Lee (Former Ambassador to UK and US); Dr Youngmi Kim (University of Edinburgh); Professor Chan Wook Park (Seoul National University); Professor Ihn-hwi Park (Ewha Womans University) 17 October 2019 A New Partnership between ROK and UK in the 21st Century Seoul 8 and 9 October 2018 Inequality in Global Cities, Seoul in Comparative Perspective Playfair Library, University of Edinburgh More conferences and symposia Korean Youth: Spaces, Ecologies and Technologies Image Dates: 19 and 20 June 2023 Venues: Playfair Library and 50 George Square (19 June), 50 George Square (20 June) Organiser: Korean Studies at the University of Edinburgh as part of the Academy of Korean Studies CORE project Keynote speakers: Professor Olga Fedorenko (Seoul National University) and Raphael Rashid (Seoul-based journalist, formerly of SOAS and Korea University in Korean Studies) In brief: A two-day, in-person conference examining the lives of young people in Korea and the space they occupy in the culture. It provided opportunities to encounter and connect with researchers at a range of career stages, including PhD and graduate students, emerging and post-doctoral scholars, and established academics. There were seven panel discussions, a range of distinguished guests and speakers, and two keynote speeches. Find out more and read the full programme East Asia on the Move: Shifting Dynamics Dates: 2 and 3 September 2021 Venue: Online (Zoom) Keynote speakers: William A. Callahan (London School of Economics and Political Science); Bruce Cumings (University of Chicago);Namhee Lee ( University of California); Rana Mitter (University of Oxford) In brief: A two-day conference for graduate students and Early Career Researchers undertaking research relating to East Asia in any academic discipline. Read more about the conference on Edinburgh Forum on Korea's blog SoKEN 2021 Image Date: 29 January 2021 Venue: Online (Zoom) Events series: The Social Science Korean Studies European Network (SoKEN) Conference Keynote speaker: Professor Victor Cha (Georgetown University) In brief: Hosted by the Scottish Centre for Korean Studies, this event focused on Korea’s future under a new US administration. Read more about the conference Joint East Asian Studies Conference 2019 Image Date: 4 to 6 September 2019 Venue: Various, University of Edinburgh Keynote speakers: Dr Alexander Bukh (Victoria University); Professor Heonik Kwon (Trinity College, University of Cambridge); Jessica Batke (ChinaFile). In brief: A major, three-day, triennial meeting of scholars of Chinese Studies, Japanese Studies, Korean Studies, and cross-regional and intra-regional issues in East Asia. The event comprised three keynote lectures, nine panel sessions, film screenings, workshops for postgraduate researchers, mentoring sessions, a roundtable discussion on climate change, and an exhibition. Behind the Masks Image Dates: 13 and 14 December 2018 Venues: 7 George Square, University of Edinburgh; L’Institut français d’Ecosse Keynote speakers: Professor Nobuko Akiyama (Aoyama Gakuin University, Tokyo); Professor Nobuko Anan (Kansai University); Professor Fuhito Endo (Seikei University, Tokyo) Organisers: Dr Fabien Arribert-Narce (University of Edinburgh); Dr Akihiko Shimizu (Cardiff University) In brief: A two-day international conference in comparative literature on representations of the face in Japanese and Western European art, literature and theatre from the Early Modern period to the present. Comprising 13 papers over five sessions, and three keynote lectures, the event was supported by the DAIWA Foundation (UK), L'Institut Français Écosse and LLC. In the Realm of the Senses: Mapping China’s Modern Sensorium 現代中國的感覺與感官革命 Image Date: 19 and 20 June 2018 Venue: Confucius Institute for Scotland In brief: A two-day conference critically examining the series of political, social, and technological revolutions that shaped the contours of modern China in the realm of the senses. Comprising seven panel sessions and a roundtable discussion, the event brought together 14 internationally-recognised scholars from Asia, Europe and America. It was funded by the Chiang Ching-kuo Foundation for International Scholarly Exchange; the School of Humanities and Social Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology; and the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures, University of Edinburgh. Sustainable Silk Roads Date: 4 and 5 October 2017 Venue: McEwan Hall, University of Edinburgh Keynote speaker: Gordon Brown Host: Confucius Institute for Scotland In brief: A two-day conference bringing together 30 leading business and academic speakers to explore the opportunities and challenges associated with China's 'Belt and Road' initiative, the largest economic development programme in the world. In addition to a plenary on finance, the event included workshops and Q&As on energy, green buildings and infrastructure, smart data and mobility, and water. Translation and Religion: Interrogating Concepts, Methods and Practices Dates: 1 to 3 September 2016 Venue: 50 George Square, University of Edinburgh Keynote speakers: Professor Alan Williams (University of Manchester); Professor Arvind Pal Mandair (University of Michigan) In brief: A three-day AHRC-funded conference exploring the relationship between 'translation' and 'religion'. Comprising two keynote presentations and panel sessions, the event formed part of the Conversion, Translation and the Language of Autobiography research project and brought together scholars from different disciplines to investigate theories, concepts and methods. Japanese Perspectives on Asian Diplomacy Date: 25 February 2016 Venue: 50 George Square, University of Edinburgh Keynote speakers: Professor Shino Watanabe (Sophia University); Professor Ayako Kusunoki (International Research Center for Japanese studies); Professor Yuko Adachi (Sophia University) Discussants: Professor Juliet Kaarbo; Dr Kristen Hopewell; Dr Lauren Richardson; Professor Urs Matthias Zachmann In brief: A symposium bringing together three visiting Japanese experts on international relations to explore Northeast Asia's continuing strategic reconfiguration. Jointly hosted with the School of Social and Political Science, the event comprised talks on China's Belt and Road initiative, Japan's Foreign and Security Policy in the Post-Cold War period, and Russia’s energy pivot to Asia, followed by a roundtable discussion. Understanding the Asia-Pacific War Dates: 17 to 18 July 2015 Venue: Old College, University of Edinburgh In brief: A two-day, international symposium marking the 70th anniversary of the end of the Asia-Pacific War. Comprising five sessions, each featuring papers by two speakers, the event brought together leading scholars from Japan, the United States, and Europe for informal discussion, reflection and debate on issues relating to history, collective memory, and contemporary understanding. Lectures, talks, discussions and readings Book Talk: Dr Christopher Perkins Image Date: 17 April 2024 Venue: 50 George Square Speaker: Dr Christopher Perkins (Asian Studies, University of Edinburgh) In brief: A conversation with Dr Christopher Perkins following his recent publication, 'The Tokyo University Trial and the Struggle Against Order in Postwar Japan'. Dr Perkins discussed the remarkable trial of over 600 students arrested at the University of Tokyo in 1969, and how it raised troubling questions about the legitimacy of the Japanese courts themselves. Book Talk: Dr Xuelei Huang Image Date: 31 January 2024 Venue: 50 George Square Speaker: Dr Xuelei Huang (Asian Studies, University of Edinburgh) In brief: A conversation with Dr Xuelei Huang following her recent publication, 'Scents of China: A Modern History of Smell'. This book is based off Dr Huang's pioneering research into sensory and smell studies. The event was followed by a drinks reception. Conversation with Korean Ambassador to the UK, His Excellency Yeocheol Yoon Image Date: 11 August 2023 Venue: 50 George Square Title: Korea's Foreign Policy and UK-Korea Relations Chair: Sir Peter Mathieson (Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Edinburgh) In brief: This conversation with Korean Ambassador to the UK, His Excellency Mr. Yeocheol Yoon, delved into the details of Korea's Foreign Policy and the country's relationship with the United Kingdom. Writing your first book Date: 6 March 2023 Venue: 50 George Square Organiser: Scottish Centre for Korean Studies Discussants: Beatriz Lopez (Commissioning Editor for Politics at Edinburgh University Press); Professor Natascha Gentz (Chair of Chinese Studies, University of Edinburgh) In brief: Presentations by and a discussion between Beatriz Lopez and Professor Natascha Gentz on the subject of transforming a thesis into your first book. Beatriz discussed choosing the right book publisher and writing your book proposal, as well as the review and publishing processes. Natascha offered a brief introduction to publishing in Asian Studies, followed by discussion of the Edinburgh East Asian Studies series and the Modern Chinese Literature and Culture journal. She then provided a brief overview of the series editor role and the benefits of publishing as part of a book series for early career researchers. Their presentations were followed by a Q&A and a practical exercise on book proposal writing. Edinburgh Buddhist Studies - In conversation: Shingon Buddhism Image Date: 19 November 2020 Venue: Online (Teams) Events series: Edinburgh Buddhist Studies - In conversation Speakers: Dr Ian Astley (University of Edinburgh); Dr Paulus Kaufmann (Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich) In brief: A free online discussion between Edinburgh Buddhist Studies member Dr Ian Astley and guest Dr Paulus Kaufmann discussing why they became involved in studying Shingon Buddhism - one of the major schools of Buddhism in Japan - and what they see as its principal value for Buddhist Studies. My World in War and Revolution: A Comparative History of the Modern Diary in the East and West Image Date: 16 October 2019 Venue: Playfair Library, University of Edinburgh Events series: Inaugural Lectures at the University of Edinburgh Speaker: Professor Aaron William Moore (University of Edinburgh) In brief: A free public lecture marking Aaron W. Moore becoming Handa Chair of Japanese-Chinese Relations at the University of Edinburgh. In the lecture, Professor Moore focused on the relationship East Asian modernity shared with the personal diary, which came to both reflect and contribute to phenomena such as 'total war' mobilisation, revolution, and the experience of childhood. Browse all recent Inaugural Lectures in LLC World Dance Comes to Peking Opera: Mei Lanfang and his The Goddess Spreads Flowers (1917) Date: 23 May 2018 Venue: 50 George Square, University of Edinburgh Events series: Confucius Institute Distinguished Lecture Series Speaker: Professor Catherine Vance Yeh (Boston University) In brief: A free public lecture focusing on Mei Lanfang's pioneering works in dance in Peking opera, tracing links with Japanese and Western dance performers, and their impact on non-realistic modern performance styles. The Global Context of a Modern Chinese Quandary: Doubting or Trusting the Records of Antiquity Date: 23 May 2018 Venue: 50 George Square, University of Edinburgh Events series: Confucius Institute Distinguished Lecture Series Speaker: Professor Rudolf G. Wagner (Heidelberg University) In brief: A free public lecture tracing the trends, transcultural connections, and political agenda of the Chinese school of yigu - or ‘doubting antiquity’ - and the ‘believing antiquity’ narrative. Strategies in Global Chinese Literary and Cultural Studies Date: 25 April 2018 Venue: 50 George Square, University of Edinburgh Events series: Confucius Institute Distinguished Lecture Series Speaker: Professor Sheldon Lu (University of California) In brief: A free public lecture considering two approaches in contemporary Chinese literary, cultural, and film studies: one to de-centralise, de-territorialise, and pluralize the object of China; the other to re-territorialise and re-centre China, making China proper the object and subject of critical inquiry. The Shogun’s ‘Harem’: Life in the Women’s Palace in Nineteenth Century Japan Date: 20 February 2018 Venue: David Hume Tower, University of Edinburgh Speaker: Lesley Downer In brief: A free public lecture, hosted in collaboration with the Japan Society of Scotland, by the journalist, historian, and author of the The Shogun Quartet of novels. The Chinese Common Reader Date: 15 February 2018 Venue: David Hume Tower, University of Edinburgh Speaker: Professor Joan Judge (York University, Canada) In brief: A free public lecture exploring to what extent new concepts on science, illness, and the natural world became integrated into the everyday lives of poorer urbanites and lower-level local elites in 19th century late Qing and Republican China. Understanding Modern Korea: Why Korea Matters to the UK Date: 28 November 2017 Venue: 50 George Square, University of Edinburgh Speaker: Joonkook Hwang In brief: A free public talk on Korean history, economic and political development by the Korean Ambassador to the UK. HTML Japan’s Support of Britain in WWI Date: 27 November 2017 Venue: 50 George Square, University of Edinburgh Speaker: Professor Ian Gow OBE In brief: A talk by the former Chairman of the Japan Society of Scotland (and Scotland’s first professor of Japanese Studies) marking the centenary of the dispatch of Imperial Japanese Navy ships to protect British ships under attack from German submarines in the Mediterranean during the First World War. PhD Research in Japanese Studies - Work in Progress Seminar Date: 24 November 2017 Venue: Chrystal Macmillan Building, University of Edinburgh Speakers: Frank Fan; Chantal Bertalanffy In brief: The presentation of doctoral work in progress by PhD in Japanese students Frank Fan (To understand the development of Kaidan (怪談) in Tokugawa Japan as a vehicle for the transmission of Buddhist, Confucian and Kokugaku (National learning 國學) ideologies) and Chantal Bertalanffy (“3.11”, trauma and gender). Myanmar's Rohingya Crisis Date: 10 November 2017 Venue: 50 George Square, University of Edinburgh Speaker: Dr Youngmi Kim (University of Edinburgh) Host: The Islamic Society, University of Edinburgh In brief: A free public talk offering insights into the Myanmar Rohingya Crisis, giving some context and explaining the changes the country was experiencing at the time. The Death of the Buddha, as seen from Japan Image Date: 5 April 2017 Venue: New College, University of Edinburgh Events series: Khyentse Lecture in Buddhist Studies Organiser: Asian Religions Network Refugee Crises & Colonial Literature Image Date: 23 March 2017 Venue: 50 George Square, University of Edinburgh Events series: South East Asian Studies Seminar Series Speakers: Professor Yamamoto Nobuto (Keio University, Tokyo); Dr Elizabeth Chandra (Keio University, Tokyo) In brief: The presentation of two papers by guest speakers from Keio University, Tokyo: Security vs Human Rights: Comparative Refugee Crises in Southeast Asia (Professor Yamamoto Nobuto) A More Wholesome Holmes: Translating Detective Stories in Colonial Indonesia (Dr Elizabeth Chandra) I Never Said it Would Last Forever: the Demise of Contemporary Japanese Cinema Image Date: 20 March 2017 Venue: David Hume Tower, University of Edinburgh Speaker: Professor Stephen Sarrazin (Paris 8 University) In brief: A talk proposing a chronology of events that may have led to the reduction in the emergence of new film directors from Japan since 2005. The Beginnings of Writing in China: Managing Livestock and Anxiety Date: 20 May 2016 Venue: Confucius Institute for Scotland Speaker: Dr Adam Smith (University of Pennsylvania) In brief: A free public lecture, Q&A and reception - held as part of the Backside of the Bones research project - focusing on the early origins of writing in China. Empire Without Emperors? Rethinking Aspects of China's "Modernisation" Date: 17 March 2016 Venue: Business School, University of Edinburgh Events series: Confucius Institute Distinguished Lecture Series Speaker: Professor Yuri Pines (Hebrew University of Jerusalem) In brief: A free public lecture, followed by a Q&A and reception, on the repercussions of China's transformation from monarchy to republic, reassessing its political and cultural consequences. Japan's Long Stagnation Date: 5 May 2015 Venue: 50 George Square, University of Edinburgh Speaker: Professor Kenji Aramaki (University of Tokyo) In brief: A lecture on Japan's 'Lost Decades' of tepid economic growth, analysing the mechanisms of stagnation, and exploring what should be (or should have been) done to address the problems the Japanese economy has faced in the last 20 years. Cao Fei's 'Magical Metropolises': Chinese Video Art and the City Date: 30 March 2015 Venue: 50 George Square, University of Edinburgh Speaker: Professor Chris Berry (King’s College London) In brief: A lecture on how Cao Fei's films (RMB City, Haze and Fog, Whose Utopia and Hip Hop Guangzhou) respond to contemporary Chinese urbanisation, proposing four hermeneutic frameworks to analyse the works themselves. Film screenings and festivals Japanese Film Festival 2023 Image Dates: 9 to 24 February 2023 Venue: 50 George Square Organisers: Consulate General of Japan in Edinburgh and the Japanese Studies department at the University of Edinburgh In brief: Free screenings of contemporary Japanese film, accompanied by short explanatory talks from a series of relevant speakers, including staff and students from our Japanese department. Little Lights, Little Love アイネクライネナハトムジー (Rikiya Imaizumi, 2019) Key of Life 鍵泥棒のメソッド (Kenji Uchida, 2012) Neko Ninja 猫忍者 (Takeshi Watanabe, 2017) Explore the full festival programme Korean Film Festival 2019 Image Dates: 18 to 23 November 2019 Venue: Edinburgh Filmhouse Events series: London Korean Film Festival - UK tour (Edinburgh) In brief: A collaboration between Korean Studies and Film Studies at the University of Edinburgh, Filmhouse, and the Korean Cultural Centre UK to screen three films as part of the 14th London Korean Film Festival's UK tour. Selected from the Festival's 'Century of Korean Cinema' and 'Cinema Now' strands, the films were: Aimless Bullets 오발탄 (Yu Hyun-mok, 1961) Grass 풀잎들 (Hong Sangsoo, 2017) The Devil’s Stairway 마의 계단 (Lee Man-Hee, 1964) Shusenjo: The Main Battleground of the Comfort Women Issue Image Date: 14 November 2019 Venue: Adam House, University of Edinburgh In brief: A public screening of Miki Dezaki's debut film and Q&A with the director exploring the debates around Japan's 'comfort women' and the hidden intentions of both supporters and detractors. The event was co-hosted jointly by Asian Studies and Film Studies as part of seminar series in both subject areas. Korean Film Festival 2018 Image Dates: 16 to 21 November 2018 Venue: Edinburgh Filmhouse Events series: London Korean Film Festival - UK tour (Edinburgh) In brief: A collaboration between Korean Studies and Film Studies at the University of Edinburgh, Filmhouse, and the Korean Cultural Centre UK to screen three films as part of the 13th London Korean Film Festival's UK tour. The films were: Little Forest 리틀 포레스트 (Yim Soon-Rye, 2018; introduced by Hannah McGill) Microhabitat 소공녀 (Jeon Go-Woon, 2018; introduced by David Sorfa) The poet and the boy 시인의 사랑 (Kim Yang-He, 2017; introduced by Hannah McGill) Japanese Film Festival 2018 Dates: 26 January to 23 February 2018 Venue: 50 George Square, University of Edinburgh In brief: A collaboration between Asian Studies at the University of Edinburgh and the Consulate General of Japan in Edinburgh to screen four films (a mixture of animé, comedy and drama) over four consecutive Fridays. The films were: Dr Junod (Shinichiro Kimura, 2010; introduced by Fabian Arribert-Narce) Yôjû mameshiba (Tôru Kamei, 2009; introduced by Helen Parker) Nobody to Watch Over Me (Ryoichi Kimizuka, 2008; introduced by Aaron William Moore) Thermae Romae (Hideki Takeuchi, 2012; introduced by Akihiko Shimizu) Taiwan's lost commercial cinema Image Dates: 12 October to 9 November 2017 Venue: 50 George Square, University of Edinburgh In brief: The screening of a selection of films rediscovered as part of Taiwan’s Lost Commercial Cinema: Recovered and Restored project, led by King’s College London and SOAS, and jointly supported by the Ministry of Culture of the ROC (Taiwan), King’s College London and the Taiwan Film Institute (previously Chinese Taipei Film Archive). The films were: The Best Secret Agent (1964) - with an introduction by Teresa Huang, Taiwan Film Institute Early Train from Taipei (1964) Vengeance of the Phoenix Sisters (1968) Dangerous Youth (1969) Brother Wang and Brother Liu Tour Taiwan (1959) Chinese Independent Documentary II Dates: 26 and 27 May 2016 Venue: David Hume Tower, University of Edinburgh Events series: Chinese Independent Documentary Speaker: Xu Xing Organiser: Confucius Institute for Scotland In brief: Two days of documentary film screenings and Q&As with award-winning novelist and film maker Xu Xing. Exhibitions, workshops and performances Smell of Scotland As part of their joint Royal Society of Edinburgh-funded research project, 'The Smell of Scotland: History, Heritage, and Practice', Dr Xuelei Huang (University of Edinburgh) and Dr Will Tullett (University of York) organised a series of workshops each aiming to bring together cultural heritage professionals and academics to explore how Scottish smells are entangled with history, culture, and the environment. Date Venue Theme Format 22 May 2024 Old College Scottish environments A multidisciplinary panel; a roundtable discussion; and a smell walk around Edinburgh. 18 June 2024 Leith Community Croft Scottish flavours An academic session with with Emily Falconer (University of Westminster), and Marisa Wilson, Nina Morris and Isabelle Darmon (University of Edinburgh); a plant scents and smell-walk led by Sophia Woodman (University of Edinburgh); and public engagement event, led by Imogen Bevan (University of Edinburgh) and Tess Davies (University of Glasgow). Read more about the Smell of Scotland project on our Research page Fringe Japan 2023 Image Date: 16 August 2023 Venue: 50 George Square As part of: Edinburgh Festival Fringe In brief: A unique, cultural afternoon that included: A Japanese flower arrangement (Ikebana) demonstration from award-winning Ikebana artist, Deborah Hathorn A Japanese tea ceremony (Sadō/Chadō) demonstration from teacher and master of Japanese Tea Ceremonies, Mio Shudo. It was also accompanied by a performance of shamisen music. A Japanese performer's reception & showcase event from seven different Japanese Fringe performers across a range of mediums, including comedy, circus, art and theatre. Sake, soft drinks and Japanese snacks were provided. Japanese Culture Double Bill: Oracle Bone Calligraphy and Takarazuka Revue Image Date: 12 October 2022 Venue: 50 George Square, University of Edinburgh Speakers: Jun Doi (Japanese calligrapher) and Noriko Tosaka (tutor, former member of Takarazuka Revue Company) In brief: An evening with calligrapher Jun Doi and former Takarasienne Noriko Tosaka, who introduced their respective Japanese arts. Each speaker introduced their art, answered questions and contributed to discussion. Capturing the Spirit of Japan with your Five Senses Image Date: 7 October 2022 Venue: 50 George Square, University of Edinburgh Speaker: Dr Akira Shinagawa (Gakushuin Women's College) and Tea Master Soju Nakazawa In brief: A bilingual lecture and demonstration of Japanese food consciousness and tea ceremony by Dr Akira Shinagawa (Gakushuin Women's College) and Tea Master Soju Nakazawa from Japan, with support from the Consulate General of Japan in Edinburgh. This was a bilingual session with a student volunteer interpreter. How Japanese Aesthetics Differs from the West - Japanese Tea Ceremony Image Date: 6 April 2022 Venue: 50 George Square, University of Edinburgh Speaker: Tea Master Soju Nakazawa (Gakushuin Women’s College) In brief: A lecture and demonstration of a traditional Japanese tea ceremony by a visiting tea master from Japan. The event was supported by the Consulate General of Japan in Edinburgh. Find out more about the tea ceremony and our guest speaker A visit from the noh masters Image Date: 11 November 2019 Venue: Various, University of Edinburgh Performers / speakers: Munenori Takeda; Fumiyuki Takeda; Dr Ashley Thorpe; Dr Gemma McGregor; Dr Helen Parker In brief: An introduction to mugennō, a unique style of playwriting devised for the classical Japanese musical drama noh in the fourteenth century. The event comprised an introduction by Dr Helen Parker, a performance by noh master Munenori Takeda, and a roundtable discussion on International Perspectives on Noh Drama featuring visiting noh masters in conversation with a scholar-playwright and a composer. Public Speaking and Japanese Language Education Date: 6 October 2017 Venue: Appleton Tower, University of Edinburgh Speakes: Professor Nozomi Fukasawa (Kanazawa University) In brief: A hands-on workshop exploring a new type of speech activity - Biblio Battle - followed by a discussion of public speaking and how this skill is taught in Japanese language education. Not Reading Religious Texts: Object, Performance, Vision Date: 5 April 2017 Venue: Edinburgh College of Art, University of Edinburgh Organiser: Asian Religions Network In brief: A roundtable discussion bringing together scholars from the School of Divinity, Edinburgh College of Art, and Asian Studies at the University of Edinburgh. Voices of the Ancestors Date: 18 to 20 May 2016 Venues: Confucius Institute for Scotland (Day 1); National Museum of Scotland (Days 2 and 3) Speakers: Dr Adam Smith (University of Pennsylvania); Antoine Ruchonnet (University of Edinburgh) In brief: A three-day introduction to the reading of oracle bone inscriptions from the collections of the National Museum of Scotland. Held as part the Backside of the Bones research project, the event included multiple reading sessions, a talk on the research (Antoine Ruchonnet), and a free public lecture (Dr Adam Smith). This article was published on 2024-08-13
