2011-2012 PacRimmers! Hwa Nan Instructorship

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Miki Scholar Bill Bockman P.2

Chinese New Year Celebrations

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Faculty-Student Research Presentation: Tanuki & Kitsune

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New AS Courses P.5

About the Asian Studies Program

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Scholarship Opportunities Opportunities Abroad in

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Fall 2010 courses

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Inside this issue:

UNIVERSITY OF PUGET SOUND

Asian Studies Newsletter Asian Studies Newsletter -- Spring 2010 Spring 2010

2011-2012 PacRimmers!

2010-2011 Trimble Hwa Nan Instructorship

Congratulations to Marjorie Lodwick! Marjie has been selected as the Trimble Hwa Nan Eng-lish Instructor and will begin her appointment at Hwa Nan Women’s College in Fuzhou, China this August.

2005-2006

2008-2009

Updates from Miki Scholar

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The Miki Memorial Scholarship Award is generously funded by the Miki Memorial Endowment

for Puget Sound seniors or recent Puget Sound graduates. Miki Scholars spend nine to twelve months in Japan, as an independent research student. Recipients have opportunities for travel, formal internships, studio art experiences, or formal assistantships or apprenticeships. The dead-line for the 2011-12 Miki Scholarship is will be February, 2011. For further information, contact Karl Fields, Director of Asian Studies.

As Puget Sound’s 2009-2010 Miki Scholar, Bill Bock-man ’08 is studying the Light Emitting Diode (LED) in-dustry in Shikoku, Japan. In an update of his scholar-ship, he wrote: LED technology is widespread in cell phones and more recently is making its way into television and computer displays. In the near future LEDs are expected to be-come widespread for use in general illumination. Com-pared to fluorescent and other lighting technology, LED based lighting systems use less energy and have longer operating lifespans. Business, academia and local governments in Shikoku

have been keen on promoting LED manufacturing and are attempting to create a regional industrial cluster in this field. A great deal of my research so far has been looking at issues related to industrial clusters in Japan. Generally speaking, local governments and universities have not had the financial resources or the appropriate legal frameworks to become industrial engines in the same way as Stanford University or MIT. “I‟ve been attending „LED Valley‟ related events to hear guest speakers or prefectural officials dis-cuss topics related to the LED industry. I have been a little bit disappointed in the lack of LED street lights in Shikoku. Several municipalities in the Puget Sound area have pilot programs at various stages and it is not that difficult to stumble upon an LED street lamp back home.” When asked about life in general in Japan, Bockman responded: Having spent one year in Japan during 2004-2005 at Waseda University, I expected to be pretty familiar with how things work in Japan and to adjust to the lifestyle here. However I have had a number of eye opening experiences. I attempted to join the cycling club at the local university here. Having participated in a hiking club at Waseda I was looking forward to the chance to do some cycling and social events. However I was unaware of the strict sempai-kohai (senior-subordinate) system that is in operation, let alone the fact that I would be a kohai. Unfortunately I found the rigors of such an arrangement too great and it took a great deal of effort to exit the cycling club once I had been signed up.

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CHINESE NEW YEAR Celebrations

On February 15, 2010, Puget Sound students welcomed the tiger into the new year. A series of celebrations throughout the month offered opportunities to engage in and learn more about Chinese culture. Students learned to make a 3-D figure of the Chinese character chun (“spring”) using red paper; played with Chinese yoyos and shuttlecock; wrote auspicious characters in calligra-phy; and drew goldfish with a calligraphy brush. Julia Stadler, a Chinese 102 student, managed to attend every Chinese New Year celebration event. She shares what she learned from the celebra-tions:

I was very surprised by the fact that the celebrations last for 15 days! I also knew that the Chinese culture is a so-called high-context culture and that symbolism plays an important role, but I am again and again surprised by all the symbols. The fish for ex-ample, that stands for surplus and is therefore a part of a typical New Year’s meal or oranges that symbolize good fortune. The color red is the typical color for the Chinese New Year; greeting cards are always red with characters written in gold; there are no white cards since white is a color that represents death!

Students and faculty had the opportunity to learn about and engage in Japanese culture in Puget Sound’s annual Japan Week (March 29th - April 2nd). Some of the celebra-

tion highlights included:

Traditional Japanese Performance Art by Shin'nosuke Sho

Mountain Temple Style Tea Ceremony

Japanese Movie Ponyo

Presentation on Japanese Culture and Kabuki by Seattle Japanese Consulate

Mochi Tsuki (Japanese Rice Cake Pounding)

Field Trip to Seattle Uwajimaya Market and Kinokuniya

Bookstore

JAPAN WEEK Celebrations

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Faculty-Student Research Presentation: “Fox and Tanuki from historical, religious, and cultural perspectives” Wednesday, April 7, 4 pm, Wyatt 109 Funded by a Trimble Short-Term Study Abroad grant, Professor Mikiko Lud-den and three students (Kristen Hansen ’11, Darek Brotemarkle ’11, and Tate Brotemarkle ’11) conducted research on kitsune (the fox) and tanuki (the mythical Japanese “raccoon dog”) in Japan last year. In this collo-quium, the research team wi l l report on their f ield research. Kitsune as foxes are a common subject of Japanese folklore and are akin to European faeries. Stories depict them as intelligent beings possessing magical abilities that increase with their age and wisdom. Foremost among these is the ability to assume human form. While some folktales speak of kitsune employing this ability to trick others—as foxes in folklore often do—other stories portray them as faithful guardians, friends, lovers, and wives. Tanuki have also been part of Japanese folklore since ancient times. The leg-endary tanuki is reputed to be mischievous and jolly, a master of disguise and shapeshifting, but somewhat gullible and absent-minded. Statues of tanuki can be found outside many Japanese temples and restaurants, espe-cially noodle shops. These statues often wear big, cone-shaped hats and carry bottles of sake in one hand, and a promissory note or empty purse in the other hand. Tanuki statues always have large bellies. The statues also typically show humorously large testicles, usually hanging down to the floor or ground, al-though this feature is sometimes omitted in contemporary sculpture.

Asian Studies 489 Senior Thesis Colloquium: Micah Stanovsky will present his research on “Psychology of the West in Ladakh” on Monday, April 19th at 4:30 pm in WY 305. Micah’s research is based on field work he conducted as a Trimble research scholar in Northern India last summer.

Graduating? The Asian Studies reception for Interdisciplinary Emphasis in Asian studies designates and Asian Languages and Cultures majors and minors will be held during Commencement Weekend, Saturday, May 4th, from 12 noon to 1 pm in Wyatt 109. Asian Studies faculty, students, family members and friends are warmly invited.

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New 2010-2011 Asian Studies Courses

Connections Course - Asia Pop!

An Exploration of the Popular Culture of 20th and 21st Century East Asia Professor Jen Neighbors Fall 2010, MWF 2-2:50 pm

For the first half of the twentieth century, China and Japan were most often viewed as sites of imperialism and war. During the second half of the twentieth century, dis-

cussions of Japan focused on its economic boom while discussions of China focused on the entrenchment of the Chinese Communist Party. While this course will give attention to major political and economic developments in East Asia during the

past century, our focus will be on East Asia as a site of cultural production. Among our sources will be critical essays in the 1910s meant to spur China towards literary and cultural revolution, anime that explores post-apocalyptic visions of Japan, and

Mandopop songs that contemplate what it means to be young and modern in China today. All of these sources will help us examine interactions within East Asia and between East and West in the development and dissemination of popular culture dur-ing the past century.

Summer 2010 Course Offering

Asia 344 - Asia in Motion

(Fulfills connections core & Asian Studies designation requirements) Professor Karl Fields MTThF, 8—10 am

This course explores the interactions of Asian peoples - the commodities, social practices, and ideas which they produce - across borders, both political and imagined. The course crosses disciplinary borders, as well,

drawing upon divergent materials from the humanities and social sciences in an attempt to do justice to a contemporary context that could be called "Asia in motion". An underlying thesis holds that, since nine-teenth-century colonialism, nations in the "West" and "Asia" participate in a global, dialectical movement in

which notions of identity (national, cultural, ethnic, religious, territorial, linguistic) share moments of fluidity and fixity.

CSOC 312 - Peoples of Southeast Asia

Professor Gareth Barkin Spring 2011, TTh, 12:30-1:50 pm

This course provides an anthropological overview of history, culture and sociopolitical life in Southeast Asia, the "crossroads of Asia" and one of the most diverse regions of the world. The class begins with an investigation

of the region's prehistory and initial migrations, then goes on to cover the origins of complex state societies, the influx and reinterpretation of global religions, and the cultural impact of European colonialism. Attention is paid

to case studies of indigenous groups, and to contemporary issues related to globalization, such as deforestation, persecution of minority groups, sex trafficking and other human rights issues. In all of these discussions, the

cross-cutting themes that define Southeast Asia as a culturally distinctive region are criti-

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The Asian Studies Program provides a broad range of courses

on Asian cultures, civilizations, and societies as electives for all students. The program also offers a curricular concentration on Asia as a designation on the transcript upon graduation for stu-dents who choose this concentration. This designation of Inter-disciplinary Emphasis in Asian Studies (IEAS) reflects the program’s multidisciplinary content and interdisciplinary effect. The designation is not a major or a minor, but functions as an enhancement of, or a complement to, any major of a student’s choice. Fundamental to the program is its invitation to a student who chooses the designation to cultivate her or his intellectual autonomy by exercising flexible choice of courses and participat-ing in co-curricular events. Students who demonstrate academic excellence and complete a one-semester senior thesis will achieve the added designation Robert Trimble Distinguished Asia Scholar. The Interdisciplinary Emphasis in Asian Studies designation is included on the transcript, indicating the student’s proficiency in Asian Studies. It is a one-click option on your Cascade profile and it will open a world of opportunities to you (including eligibil-ity for scholarships, research grants, study abroad financial as-sistance, and much more). If you have questions about the Asian Studies interdisciplinary designation, any of our courses, or opportunities to study abroad or intern in Asia, see Program Director Karl Fields (kfields@pugetsound.edu).

About the Asian Studies Program

The Asian Languages and Cultures (ALC) Program, a component of the Asian Studies Pro-gram, offers majors, minors and courses of interest to all undergraduates at Puget Sound. Grounded in a strong foundation of languages and cultures, the program draws on the broad ex-pertise of the Asian Studies faculty and complements the Asian Studies Program's Interdisciplinary Emphasis in Asian Studies and Trimble Distinguished Asia Scholar designations in offering stu-dents a focused and comprehensive understanding of the languages, cultures, and literatures of East Asia. The program offers three majors, two minors, courses in the core curriculum, and

Chinese and Japanese language courses that meet the university's foreign language requirement.

Choice of Majors Students may select from three major areas of study: 1. Chinese 2. Japanese 3. East Asian Languages

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Financial Support for the Studying Abroad in Asia

Grants are available to students for study abroad programs in Asia. Funds are made possible through the Charles Garnet Trimble Endowment in Chinese Stud-ies. The application deadline is April 1st for all summer, fall or spring semes-ter ,and full-year programs.

Junior-Senior Trimble Scholarships All rising juniors who have declared the IEAS designation or Asian Languages and Cultures major are automatically eligible for consideration for the Junior— Senior Trimble Scholarship.

For more information, contact Asian Studies Director Karl Fields (kfields@pugetsound.edu).

Scholarship Opportunities

Application materials for scholarships and other opportunities may be found on the Asian Studies website at http://pugetsound.edu

Senior Thesis Trimble Research Grants

Each year the Asian Studies Program funds up to two $3000 re-search grants for Asian Studies designates to support thesis re-search in Asia for students who will be seniors pursuing the Trimble Distinguished Asia Scholar designation (whether participating in Asian Studies 489 or an approved seminar within the major). These funds may also be used for a semester-break research pro-ject between fall and spring semesters. Funds are made available from the Charles Garnet Trimble Endowment in Chinese Studies. The deadline for the 2010 research awards is April 15, 2010.

Opportunities Abroad in Asia: Teach English

JET (Japan Exchange and Teaching) is a Japanese government pro-

gram that brings college (university) graduates—mostly native speakers of English—to Japan as Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs) and Sports Education Advisors (SEAs) in Japanese elementary, junior high and high schools, or as Coordinators for International Relations (CIRs) in local governments and boards of education. JET Program participants are col-lectively called JETs. For additional information, contact members of the Japanese language faculty (mludden@pugetsound.edu,

jtyson@pugetsound.edu, jleuchtenberger@pugetsound.edu). TaLK (Teach and Learn in Korea) - The TaLK program, sponsored by

the Korean Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology, invites adventurous global leaders as Government Scholars. Participants will teach after school English classes in Korean elementary schools in rural areas while enjoying cultural programs. For additional informa-tion, contact Professor Karl Fields (kfields@pugetsound.edu).

TO:

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Asian Studies Program

University of Puget Sound

1500 North Warner St. #1028

Tacoma, WA 98416-1028

Phone: 253-879-2995

Course Offerings for Fall 2010

Check out Cascade for details.

ALC 205 - Great Books of China and Japan Leuchtenberger (HM)

ALC 310 - Death and Desire in Pre-modern Japanese Literature Leuchtenberger (HM)

ART 278 - Asian Art Hong (FA)

ASIA 341 - Asia Pop! Neighbors (CN)

ASIA 350 - Tibet - Real, Imagined, and Perceived Bernard (HM)

BUS 371 - International Business in Asia McCullough

CHIN101 A/B - Elementary Chinese Perry (FL)

CHIN 201A - Intermediate Chinese Perry & Chen (FL)

CHIN 250 - Grammar & Articulation Chen (FL)

CHIN 301 Across the Strait: Cultures in China and Taiwan Perry (FL)

CSOC 323 - Tourism & the Global Order Kontogeorgopolous

HIST 245 - Chinese Civilization Neighbors (HM)

IPE 323 - Tourism & the Global Order Kontogeorgopolous

JAPN 101 A/B/C - Elementary Japanese Ludden (FL)

JAPN 201 - Intermediate Japanese Tyson (FL)

JAPN 250 - Popular Culture and Society Ludden (FL)

JAPN 301 - Third Year Japanese Tyson

JAPN 360 - Japanese through Fiction and Film Mikiko

PG 323 - Asian Political Systems Fields

PG 378 - Chinese Political Economy Fields

REL 234- Chinese Religious Traditions Stockdale (HM)

REL 334 Vedic Religion and Brahmanism Smithers