Tokyo to New York
The University of Oregon hosts Thomas Piercy and Eunhye Grace Choi as they perform a diverse set of songs made for Japanese and European instruments.
The Literature of Location: Bilingual Reading in English and Japanese by Shibasaki Tomoka, with introduction by Kendall Heitzman (University of Iowa)
Akutagawa Prize-winning author Shibasaki Tomoka and University of Iowa’s Kendall Heitzman present a joint reading, in English and Japanese, of Shibasaki’s story Koko de koko de, (Right Here, Right Here). Shibasaki is a Japanese author from Osaka. Her debut novel, Kyō no dekigoto (A Day on the Planet, 2000) was adapted into film by Isao […]
Manga: History, Expansion, and Translation
University of Oregon Department of Comparative Literature’s Andréa Gilroy, Director of Comic Studies, explains the fascinating art history of Japanese comics or Manga. Gilroy presents an in-depth study of the comic essentials and the theory of the genre, including: cultural traditions and gender norms, popular Japanese cartoon art and style, and narrative structures, and […]
China Town Hall: Local Connections, National Reflections
In 2016, Henry A. Kissinger was the national simulcast speaker for the 10th annual China Town Hall (see link below), and following Kissinger’s presentation, Kristen McDonald (PhD Environmental Science, Policy and Management), Director: China Program for Pacific Environment, adds context to our understanding of environmental sharing, U.S.-China industrial practices, rural concerns, and Pacific Rim environmental […]
The UO’s Gertrude Bass Warner Collection: Collecting Thoughts, Inciting Investigations
PhD candidate and Collections Historian Josh Fitzgerald discusses the Gertrude Bass Warner Collection and the various projects he worked on as an intern with the Digital Scholarship Center (2016-17). Topics include: accessibility of the her collection on Digital Oregon, educational programming supposed by the Center of Asian and Pacific Studies, Fitzgerald’s collection outreach talks, and […]
Spartan Creativity: The Rise of South Korea’s Samsung Empire
Journalist Geoffrey Cain explains the rise of the South Korean company Samsung, and its corporate culture and industry strategies during the twentieth century. Cain discusses such topics as: Japanese economic imperialism, Japanese versus Korean corporate structures (Chaebol/Zaibatsu), the “Samsung Man,” Korean industrial reforms and U.S.-South Korean relations, and historical figure, such as Lee Byung-chull and […]
Godzilla, Cool Japan, and the Making of a Global Icon
William Tsutsui, Hendrix College president and professor of the History of Japan, explores Japanese popular culture and the looming media presence of the Godzilla franchise. Tsutsui’s lecture explains the monster’s popularity in the U.S. and his impact on the international zeitgeist. In particular, Tsutsui investigates Godzilla’s representation by various enterprises over time, and how they […]
Global Anime: Hollywood, Fandom, and Twentieth-Century Federal Reserve Policies
Kevin McKeever, Harmony Gold’s VP of Marketing, describes the rise in popularity of Japanese anime in the U.S., explaining its relation to Hollywood, fandom, and the phenomenon of globalization over the last five decades. In particular, McKeever, a specialist for Robotech and similar animation projects, examines global marketing and merchandising strategies and anime fan interests. […]
Love and Public Transportation: Zhang Ailing’s Wartime Shanghai
University of Oregon PhD candidates Robert Moore and Lee Moore discuss Chinese literature and the May Fourth literary movement. Specifically, they explore the work of Zhang Ailing (Eileen Chang), twentieth century author famous for her depictions of everyday life in Shanghai, and Moore and Moore discuss her reflections on 1940s urbanity, human connections, and love. […]
