News

We are pleased to announce that Aihwa Ong — Professor and the Robert H. Lowie Distinguished Chair in Anthropology — has been named chair of the Group in Asian Studies. Professor Ong's research interests have always dealt with the particular entanglements of politics, technology, and culture that co-constitute changing societies on the Asia Pacific rim. Currently, her work focuses on modes of governing, biomedical science, and contemporary art in diverse Asian contexts.

We are pleased to announce the launch of our new online catalogue, available here:

http://ieas.berkeley.edu/publications/catalogue

Through the site, you can order our softcover books, as well as pdf e-books of newer titles. Choose the bundle of book and e-book for a discount! Chapters of some multiple-contributor volumes are available for sale individually--perfect for course reading.

The site also features:

The Berkeley APEC Study Center (BASC), headed by Professor of Political Science Vinod K. Aggarwal, has joined IEAS as of April, 2016. Created in 1996, BASC conducts multidisciplinary research on political, economic, and business trends in the Asia-Pacific, especially related to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum. Its primary mission is to produce and disseminate knowledge to decision makers in the public and private spheres to facilitate the creation of mutually beneficial cooperation in the business, academic, and policy-making communities.

As part of its 6-year “Top University Strategic Alliance” (TUSA) agreement with the Taiwan Ministry of Education and a consortium of twelve Taiwan universities, the Institute of East Asian Studies (IEAS) is pleased to offer additional short-term teaching opportunities in Taiwan for UC Berkeley ladder rank faculty during calendar year 2016. Applications can be accepted for stays in Taiwan during the spring or summer months of 2016, the fall term, or during December 2016. No funding is available for stays that continue into 2017.

Call for Doctoral Candidate Papers

Andrew Jones — former chair of the Center for Chinese Studies — is one of three UC Berkeley faculty awarded a John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation fellowships in 2015. The awards went to 175 scholars, scientists and artists who have shown “prior achievement and exceptional promise” to assist them in furthering their work in their field of study.

The Taiwan-United States Sister Relations Alliance (TUSA) Summer Scholarship Program is an Ambassador program. A unique program especially designed for students who will be representing their state, as well as the United States, and acting as ambassadors to Taiwan. Please share the information below with any of your students who would be interested in applying for a scholarship studying Mandarin and culture in Taiwan.

The 14th issue of IEAS's open-access, interactive e-journal Cross-Currents: East Asian History and Culture Review is now available online.

Read the co-editors' Note to Our Readers for a description of the contents.   This special issue, guest edited by Suzy Kim (Rutgers) features research articles on the theme of "(De)Memorializing the Korean War: A Critical Invention." Along with book reviews, the March issue also features a visual exhibit of Chinese pen-and-ink drawings — "Picturing Science in China" — curated by Lisa Claypool (U Alberta).

The Haas Junior Scholars Program for Doctoral Candidates at the Institute of East Asian Studies (IEAS) allows Berkeley PhD candidates from various disciplines in East Asian studies to come together for twice-monthly meetings of Doctoral Candidate Working Groups during the academic year to discuss perspectives, methodological approaches, empirical research and original findings centered on their dissertation projects. Participants are expected to share draft chapters of research in progress and to receive feedback from peers.

Dylan Davis, Program Director for CKS since 2011, will be be leaving IEAS in late February to become the Asia Foundation's new Country Representative in Korea. Dylan has been a tireless promoter of Korean studies at Berkeley and a wonderful colleague to all, and we will miss his enthusiasm and good cheer in Berkeley. His new position with the Asia Foundation will allow him to bring his talents to a larger stage, where he will help develop programs focusing on Korea's efforts to expand and deepen international development cooperation and knowledge-sharing within the Asia-Pacific region.