Spotlight All

Event Wednesday - Film Screening: A Flaming Forest - Part of the CARE Workshop Series

Elizabeth Williams — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 18:00:58 +0000

Event Wednesday - Film Screening: A Flaming Forest - Part of the CARE Workshop Series Elizabeth Williams Mon, 11/11/2024 - 11:00

Wednesday, November 13 from 5pm to 7pm
IBS 150, 1440 15th Street, ��«��Ƶ, CO 80309

We are thrilled to invite you to join us for a special film screening, A Flaming Forest, as the final event of the Institute of Behavioral Science and the Center for Native American and Indigenous Studies’ Conservation and Relational Ecologies (CARE) Workshop series. This screening provides a powerful exploration of Indigenous resistance and resilience in conservation, set against the backdrop of India’s Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple (BRT) Tiger Reserve.

Film Description:
The Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple (BRT) Tiger Reserve in Karnataka is home to the Soliga adivasis. This film traverses the rich tapestry of the BRT forest and the intricate relationships that the Soligas hold with it. It traces the effects of exclusionary conservation policy, which has led to large scale evictions and denial of rights for Soligas since 1974. Soliga resistance to these changes has stretched across five decades. Their articulations challenge dominant approaches of a conservation model that relies on forced evictions, and emphasises their customary and legal rights to the forest. With restrictions placed on customary Soliga practices such as swidden agriculture and forest fires, the forest is now ravaged by invasive plants such as Lantana camara. This film is a culmination of a two-decade long collaboration between researchers and filmmakers.Through a long-term engagement, the film documents the story of contestation and loss - both social and ecological - and calls for an alternative vision for conservation.

Panelists:

Dr. Nitin Rai, Independent Researcher

Dr. C Madegowda, Tribal Rights Activist and researcher, ATREE and Soligara Abhivriddhi Sangha

This event is hosted by the Institute of Behavioral Science and the Center for Native American and Indigenous Studies, and supported by the Center for Asian Studies.

For more information on the CARE Workshop series, please visit @cubouldercnais on Instagram or follow this link: www.colorado.edu/cnais/events/conservation-and-relational-ecologies-care-workshop

Off

Traditional

White

A Glimpse of Discovering Indonesia through Bahasa Indonesia Class

Elizabeth Williams — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 17:43:01 +0000

A Glimpse of Discovering Indonesia through Bahasa Indonesia Class Elizabeth Williams Tue, 10/29/2024 - 11:43 By Nurul Wahyuni

Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world with over 18 thousand islands, more than 300 ethnic groups and over 800 known languages spoken. Even with its vast and diverse characteristics, it still maintains its unity as one country. Stretching from Sumatra to Papua, the people of Indonesia share a national language, Bahasa Indonesia. Bahasa Indonesia thus plays a vital role helping to create unity within the diversity of Indonesia.

The Center for Asian Studies has the privilege to facilitate students learning Bahasa Indonesia starting from Beginning to Intermediate Classes. Each year, these language classes are taught by a Fulbright Language Teaching Assistant. In INDO 1110/1120, students learn the basics of the language starting from its vocabulary, colloquial conversation practice, writing sentences, grammar, listening practices, presentations from native speakers as well as formative and summative assessments of their language ability during the semester. In the Intermediate Bahasa Indonesia class (1210/1220), student learn a slightly higher standard of Bahasa Indonesia such as writing paragraphs and short stories, displaying mini- plays, listening practices, interpreting real-time tv-shows, intermediate grammar, practicing colloquial conversations, and conversing with native speakers. Not only do the students get the benefits of learning a new language, but they are als immersed to Indonesia’s cultures through regular events such as the Annual Indonesian Potluck, Indonesian Crafternoon, Indonesian Game Night, Indonesian Cultural Night, I-Fest, Gamelan Workshop Practice, Batik/Jumputan Workshops and many more.

Former and current students who have taken Indonesian language Classes at CU ��«��Ƶ include heritage learners, academic learners, and faculty who were eager to study about Indonesia and Bahasa Indonesia. Some wanted to learn the language to be able to converse with family and friends. Others sought to fulfull a language requirement in their majors or to study it for research purposes in Indonesia. A few also joined the class to practice their language skills for future internships/careers in Indonesia. In comparison to other languages, most of the students said that they enjoyed learning Bahasa Indonesia because of its similarities with English in the sentence structure. Furthermore, some of them liked it because the grammar (i.e. tenses) in Indonesian language were surprisingly easier to learn compared to English. Although most words in Bahasa Indonesia have many affixes and suffixes, it gets easier the more you get used to it in time with practice. Indeed, the students always say that Bahasa Indonesia is susah-susah gampang! Which means it is a little hard but very easy!

As an instructor teaching Bahasa Indonesia to American Students at CU ��«��Ƶ, it has been an enjoyable experience and a great adventure to teach and showcase about my own culture and language to people outside of Indonesia. It was also amazing to see students who were so fascinated to study my languagea and participate in Indonesian culture through many events.
This year, I also had the opportunity to spend Ramadan in the United States. I shared my experiences through @america, the US Embassy’s cultural center located in Jakarta. You can check out this link which provides a video snippet of my daily life during Ramadan while teaching Bahasa Indonesia in the U.S.!

Off

Traditional

White

Asia-Related Courses Spring 2025

Elizabeth Williams — Mon, 28 Oct 2024 14:36:43 +0000

Asia-Related Courses Spring 2025 Elizabeth Williams Mon, 10/28/2024 - 08:36

Internationalize your spring semester - take a course about Asia or study an Asian language.

ASIA 1700 Introduction to Tibetan Civilization

T/Th 12:30-1:45
Dan Hirshberg (dan.hirshberg@colorado.edu)

Surveys the dynamic history of Tibet to the present, with interdisciplinary perspectives on Tibetan civilization, including religion and politics, society and culture, arts, and literature. Topics include Buddhism in Tibetan society through the rule of the Dalai Lamas; myths that inform a shared cultural identity; civil war and sectarian conflicts; and modern Tibetan responses to Chinese policies.

ASIA 2852 Contemporary Southeast Asia: Environmental Politics

T/Th 11:00am-12:15pm
Shae Frydenlund (shfr8297@colorado.edu)

This course examines globally pressing questions of environmental sustainability, regional inequality, and development in the dynamic and heterogeneous landscapes of contemporary Southeast Asia. Together we will focus on interactions between histories of uneven development and contemporary debates over energy and infrastructure, food security, governance and access to land, forest, and water-based resources.

ASIA 4100 China's Space Dream: Long March to the Moon and Beyond

T/Th 3:30pm-4:45pm
Lauren Collins (collinlk@colorado.edu)

This interdisciplinary, project-based course explores the history and future of China’s space program, from its early development during the Mao era to the present. By integrating historical analysis with current policy discussions, we will investigate the long-term implications of the U.S.-China space rivalry on global industry and international relations. The course blends history, policy, science, and literature, drawing on a variety of materials such as primary source documents, policy and business case studies, and contemporary Chinese science fiction.

ASIA 4500 Urban Asia

T/Th 3:30-6pm
Shae Frydenlund (shfr8297@colorado.edu)

Together we will explore change in urban Asia, the geography of Asian cities, and the challenges of urban life through a transdisciplinary and thematic approach using books, academic articles, documentaries, and literary materials. This course is organized around case studies that enable us to delve more deeply into the complexities of urbanization in Asia – from the precolonial period to today. We will learn about the past and present of Asian cities - and together imagine urban futures. This class takes a hybrid approach to learning about Asia's cities, pairing traditional academic materials with works of creative urban fiction by Asian Authors. Asian cities are often in the spotlight in reporting and research on the impacts climate change, and we regularly see images of catastrophe and ruin - from flooding to heat stress to infrastructure issues.

ASIA 4700 Enlightened Visionaries, Dirty Tricksters, and Warrior Heroes

T/Th 2-3:15pm
Dan Hirshberg (dan.hirshberg@colorado.edu)

Explores Tibet’s great literary masterworks, from folktales and trickster stories to heroic warrior epics to the aftermath of enlightenment in Buddhist biographies. Students become familiar with the various cultural, intellectual, and historical movements that shaped the Tibetan literary landscape. A discussion-based seminar, students take active roles in directing the conversation towards the topics of their greatest interest. In lieu of quizzes and exams, students rely upon Tibetan symbolism, tropes, episodic elements, and other literary devices to construct an original narrative, which is workshopped over the course of the semester.

ASIA 4830 Senior Seminar in Asian Studies

T/Th 12:15-1:45
Lauren Collins (collinlk@colorado.edu)

This capstone course offers an in-depth discussion seminar on key topics in Asian Studies, designed for students interested in exploring Asia through advanced research. Students will have the opportunity to dive deep into a topic of their choice, conducting independent research and producing a substantial final paper or project that demonstrates a thorough understanding of their chosen subject. Whether you are focusing on history, politics, culture, or another aspect of Asian societies, this course provides the guidance and flexibility to develop your own specialized research agenda. This course is required for Asian Studies majors but is open to all students seeking a comprehensive research experience in Asian Studies.

INDO 1120 Beginning Indonesian ll - DILS

M/W/F 2:30-3:20pm
Dwi Purwanto (dwpu4338@colorado.edu)

A continuation of Beginning Indonesian 1 (INDO 1110), this is an integrated course. Classes are offered in person or remotely using the Directed Independent Language Study method. Classes will employ "flipped" task-based learning approaches. Coursework includes reading, listening, grammar, answering questions, and speaking practice. Grades are based on demonstrated proficiency of written and spoken Indonesian through in-class performance and examinations.

INDO 2120 Intermediate Indonesian ll - DILS

M/W/F 10:10-11:00am
Dwi Purwanto (dwpu4338@colorado.edu)

Continuation of Intermediate Indonesian 1. In the second year, students will be exposed to more active communication The structure, vocabulary and language features and the four language skills are embedded within various topics. Throughout the semester, students will be exposed to Indonesian vocabulary, structure, and culture.

TBTN 1120 Beginning Tibetan II - DILS

M/W/F 8-8:50am Meets Remotely
Dan Hirshberg (dan.hirshberg@colorado.edu)

Continuation of TBTN 1110; provides a thorough introduction to the colloquial and literary Tibetan language, emphasizing speaking and listening in the Lhasa dialect. Trains students in basic conversations and the idiomatic and syntactical features of Tibetan through drills and dialogues.

ANTH 1105 Contemporary Tibet: Exploring Global Cultural Diversity

M/W, 11:15am-12:05pm
Carole McGranahan (carole.mcgranahan@colorado.edu)

Tibet, known as “the Roof of the World” and “Shangri-la,” is a land of mountains and monasteries, of yaks and snow lions, and of momos and salty buttered tea. Home to Mount Everest and the headwaters of Asia’s major rivers, Tibet is truly unique in terms of landscape, culture, and religion. However, at present Tibet is a country split in two, part of the population inside Tibet under the colonial rule of the People’s Republic of China and part outside Tibet (including in ��«��Ƶ) as refugees under the leadership of the Dalai Lama. In this course, you will learn about contemporary Tibet from an anthropological perspective. We will start at the heart of Tibet, with the Dalai Lama, who escaped in 1959. In India, he established an exile government and refugee community while simultaneously fighting religious and political oppression, human rights violations, and the marginalization of Tibetans in China. Through readings by scholars of Tibet, including many Tibetan authors, we will seek to understand contemporary Tibetan experiences of dispossession and accomplishment, and of both sorrows and joys, at elite and everyday levels. In addition to leaders such as the Dalai Lama, this course will focus on “ordinary” people and the lives they are leading in these extraordinary times.

CHIN 3321 Political Thought in Ancient China

T 3:30–6:00pm
Matthias L. Richter (MLR@Colorado.edu)

Co-Seminar: ASIA 4001 Ancient Chinese Philosophy and Culture in Internet Sources and Popular Comics

Focuses on the political, religious, philosophical and literary aspects of ancient Chinese civilization (1500 B.C.-A.D. 200). Special attention is paid to foundational works that influenced later developments in Chinese culture. All readings are in English and taught in English.

CHIN 4042 Readings in Classical Chinese

M/W/F 11:15am-12:05pm
Antje Richter (antje.richter@colorado.edu)

Introduces a wide spectrum of texts from medieval China written in classical and literary Chinese: philosophical, historical, ghost stories, and poems (including the Ballad of Mulan). We will read these texts closely, focusing on their linguistic and literary features and on their cultural background.

GEOG 4002 Global China

M/W 12:20-1:35pm
Tim Oakes (toakes@colorado.edu)

Is there a distinct 'China Model' of development? This course addresses this question by exploring the emergence and practices of China as a global development actor. Analyzes spatial patterns of China's global capital investments in infrastructure construction, e-commerce and digital infrastructures, logistics hubs and special economic zones, labor management practices, financial technology (fintech), and urban development. Case studies will be drawn from Africa, Latin America, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Central Asia.

HIST 2639 The United States and China; Intertwined Histories

M/W/F 4:40-5:30
Timothy B Weston (timothy.b.weston@colorado.edu)

China and the United States: Intertwined Histories: The relationship between China and the United States (aka Sino-American relations) is the single most important bilateral relationship in the world today. How China and the United States get along going forward will have an incomparable impact on geopolitics, the global economy, and the planetary environment. In this course we will study the dramatic, twisting and turning, history of Sino-American ties, which reach back to the middle of the eighteenth century. That history laid the foundations for the troubled nature of the Sino-American relationship today.

HIST 2718 History of Japan Through Cinema

M/W/F 10:10-11:00 AM
Marcia Yonemoto (yonemoto@colorado.edu)

Over the course of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, Japan produced some of the world’s most acclaimed films. Directors like Kurosawa, Ozu, Mizoguchi, Ichikawa and, of course, Miyazaki, created unforgettable portrayals of Japanese life across the ages. This rich corpus of dramatic films provides an opportunity for students of history to explore Japan’s past through the medium of modern film. This course seeks to use careful and contextualized viewing of a selection of Japanese films as a way to understand key issues in the history of the late medieval, early modern, and modern periods in Japan, roughly covering the years 1500-1990. Among the issues we will explore: the changing role of the samurai in the late medieval and early modern periods, women and the “floating world” in early modern culture, the modernization of Japan in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, the devastation of war in the 1930s and early 1940s, the postwar recovery in the 1950s-60s, and the downside of prosperity in the 1980s. All the films we will watch were made by Japanese directors, in Japanese but subtitled in English.

HIST 4020 Modernity in China and Japan

M/W/F 2:30-3:20pm
Timothy B Weston (timothy.b.weston@colorado.edu)

This class will concentrate on the creation of “modernity” in China and Japan. It is organized around the proposition that “modernity” is an overarching historical idea, a state of consciousness, closely connected to, but also distinct from, “modernization.” We will proceed from the premise that the Chinese and Japanese cases should be studied together, in relation to one another, rather than separately. We will consider the multiple ways that ideas, culture, and power formations operated outside of and crossed the political boundaries of the nation-states that arose in China and Japan in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

HIST 4738 Japan's Great Peace, 1590-1868

M/W/F 1:25-2:15pm
Marcia Yonemoto (yonemoto@colorado.edu)

When we think of early modern Japan we think first of samurai: swords flashing, blood spilling, heads rolling. Such images of samurai dominate our own popular culture, circulated through films, books, anime, manga, and video games. But samurai famously turned away from warfare in the early modern period, and the term “samurai” meant a status group that included not only male warriors but women, children, and families. Further, samurai were only one (relatively small) part of a complex society that included farmers, merchants, artisans, and others who comprised the majority of the population. In fact, it was the commoner class in the early modern period that developed much of what we now think of as “traditional” Japanese arts and culture: woodblock prints (ukiyōe), the kabuki and bunraku (puppet) theater, the sprawling urban entertainment and pleasure quarters. Through readings of primary and secondary sources as well as the viewing of visual art and films, this course will focus on several key processes that enabled Japan’s “great peace”: establishing political stability, growing the economy, managing the environment, restructuring gender and family roles, and fostering the growth of popular culture. We will pay particular attention to the way historians have written and are now writing the history of the early modern period, and how and why historians’ views have changed over time.

ARAB/LING 3251 Language in Arab Society

T/Th 3:30-4:45pm
Mona Farrag Attwa (Mona.Attwa@Colorado.EDU)

This course introduces the multilingual situation of Arab societies and presents fundamental concepts in sociolinguistics. Students study the major theories and frameworks of language variation and change and the influence of variables such as gender, social class, religion, and colonization on language choice. Students will understand the relationship between language, identity and ideology revealing power dynamics in Arab communities. The course is taught in English and no prior knowledge of Arabic language is required.

JPNS 4120 Advanced Readings in Modern Japanese 2

M/W/F 11:15am -12:05pm
Mariko Yoshimura (Mariko.Yoshimura@colorado.edu)

Surveys a variety of material written in modern Japanese, including texts from literature, the social sciences, religion, and cultural history. Emphasizes content and style.

RLST 3040 The Quran

M/W/F 10:10am-11am
Aun Hasan Ali (aun.ali@colorado.edu)

Examines how Christian constructions of religion and scripture have shaped Muslim understandings of the Quran and marginalized other views with a much longer history. Helps students appreciate how this process of marginalization is negotiated and explores the Quran from other perspectives including sound, performance, embodiment, and occultism. By highlighting marginalized approaches to the Quran, it promotes a better understanding of how social and religious differences are shaped by different political legacies.

RLST 3200 Yoga, Castes and Magic: Hindu Society and Spirituality

T/Th 2pm- 3:15pm
Loriliai Biernacki (Loriliai.biernacki@colorado.edu)

This course addresses the practices of magic and yoga and religious asceticism in the context of spirituality and power in Hinduism in India from ancient times through the modern period. How do spiritual practices in India change social roles and expectations? And how do religion, magic and mysticism talk about the attainment of both happiness and enlightenment? This course will examine this in the context of the ways that spiritual practices in the quest for happiness have contributed to subverting dominant orders of power. This course will also probe the ideas and practices contributing to yoga and mysticism, particularly as they reference practices for strengthening the mind and body through different forms of yoga.

RLST 3550 [Death & Rebirth in] Tibetan Buddhism

T/Th 9:30-10:45am
Dan Hirshberg (dan.hirshberg@colorado.edu)

This course explores Tibetan Buddhist theories and practices of dying and death to survey its diverse contemplative techniques, philosophical principles, and ultimate objective of total liberation from suffering. With its elaborate descriptions of the experience of death, the so-called Tibetan Book of the Dead has been an object of Western fascination for a century––but we will survey its complete form, not only as a manual for dying but for living, while placing it within its historical, textual, and literary contexts as a religious scripture and ritual liturgy. Assigned readings will include primary texts in translation, commentaries by classical and contemporary lineage holders, and secondary analyses. We will also investigate the range of death rites, signs of accomplishment, and rebirth options in Tibetan Buddhism, from “sky burial” to mummification, rainbows to relics, heavens to hells, and ghosts to zombies, as well as the Tibetan reincarnation system of tulku, who are considered the “magical emanation bodies” of buddhas.

RLST 4200 Gandhi and Meditation

T 3:30-6pm
Loriliai Biernacki (Loriliai.biernacki@colorado.edu)

Gandhi accomplished something in the 20th century that had never been done before. He overthrew the greatest, most expansive empire the world had ever seen with a “bloodless revolution.” His method of social, political engagement, what he termed “satyagraha,” – “hanging on to truth” has forever changed the way we think about how ordinary citizens can change the course of a nation. We will look at how Gandhi connected his belief system to his social activism, and especially we will look at how Gandhi articulated his social goals in light of spiritual concerns, the use of spiritual techniques like meditation, and his idea of religion.

RLST 4610 Topics in Islam: Sufism

W 3:35pm-6:05pm
Aun Hasan Ali (aun.ali@colorado.edu)

A detailed exploration of diverse intellectual approaches to central questions in Islamic traditions. Department consent required.

WGST 3712 Trans and Queer Asias

T/Th 12:30-1:45pm
Jianmin Shao (jianmin.shao@colorado.edu)

Drawing on disciplines across humanities and social sciences, this course will interrogate the historical and sociopolitical implications of “trans” and “queer” within, across, and alongside with what has come to be called “Asia.” In so doing, the course will approach “trans,” “queer,” and “Asia” not as fixed concepts but rather as heterogenous formations irreducible to predetermined categories and geographies. To this end, this course focuses on the queering and transing of Asian studies while opening trans and queer studies to new interdisciplinary and geopolitical possibilities. Students will gain analytic skills and tools to reimagine trans and queer Asias as a traveling theory, method, and critique capable of de-centering Euro-American queer and trans thoughts while flourishing in relation to them.

Spend part of your summer in Asia! Several Global Seminars will be offered in the summer of 2025 - Application deadline is December 1, 2024.

Global Seminar: Excavating Taiwanese History, 1600-Present

Attend this new summer Global Seminar in Taiwan, conducted by History Professor Timothy B. Weston and offered by Education Abroad, the Center for Asian Studies and the Tang Fund. Explore the island's uniquely important role in history to understand the nature of and reasons for the great tension that exists over its status in our own time. Selected participants will receive a generous scholarship funded by the Tang Fund and the Center for Asian Studies.

Learn More

Global Seminar: Self-Awareness and Images of the Other in Xi'an, China

This program will give you a first-hand look at China in the making by studying it through literature and integrating into campus life at Xi’an Jiaotong University. Excursions to see the Crested Ibis Nature Reserve in Yangxian, the Terra Cotta Army, the Tang Dynasty tomb, and an overnight trip to Beijing, the Great Wall, and the Forbidden City are included. This program offers each participant a generous Tang Scholarship through the Center for Asian Studies.

Learn More

Global Seminar: Sustainability and Social Entrepreneurship Bali, Indonesia

Attend this new summer Global Seminar in Bali Indonesia, conducted by Stories and Societies faculty member Laura DeLuca and offered by Education Abroad and Environmental Studies. Explore the island's uniquely important role in sustainability, ecotourism and social innovation.

Learn More

Off

Traditional

White

CAS Celebrates 25 years

Anonymous — Fri, 11 Oct 2024 17:05:30 +0000

CAS Celebrates 25 years Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 10/11/2024 - 11:05 CAS Executive Director Danielle Rocheleau Salaz

CAS faculty, staff, faculty affiliates, students, and members of the broader community came together in the Chancellor’s Hall on September 27 to mark the 25^th anniversary of the Center. Pictured are CAS faculty director Rachel Rinaldo and CAS executive director Danielle Rocheleau Salaz. Photo by Frank Lee.

This year marks the 25^th anniversary of the establishment of the Center for Asian Studies. The occasion provides an opportunity to look back at the history of Asian Studies on the CU ��«��Ƶ campus and the impact that CAS has made.

It may seem odd to begin discussion of a 25^th anniversary by going back 89 years, but CAS stands on the shoulders of those who came before, and this history is worth reviewing[1]:

In 1935, the first full-time faculty hire in Asian Studies was Professor Earl Swisher, who specialized in East Asian history. In his first year, 130 students enrolled in his Asia-related courses.

In 1942, the Navy Japanese Language School moved to CU from the University of California Berkeley. Renamed the Navy School for Oriental Languages in 1944, 684 officers were enrolled in credit-bearing CU courses in Japanese, Chinese, Malay, and Russian before the school again relocated in 1945. Alumni included many diplomats, intelligence officers, and scholars such as Donald Keene, Edward Seidensticker, and Theodore de Bary.

In 1944, the CU Institute of Asiatic Affairs was established by modern history professor Carl Eckhardt, with support from the Rockefeller Foundation, Guggenheim Foundation, and Social Science Research Council. Funding for the Institute dropped off in the 1950s, after the immediacy of World War II had started to recede into the past.

In 1958, the degree-granting Asian Studies Program was established. The first B.A. degrees in Asian Studies were granted in 1961. Though requirements and course offerings have shifted through the years, this is the same Asian Studies program that CAS houses today.

In 1967, CU was designated as a “Language and Area Center: East Asia” by the U.S. Office of Education, one of only 21 such centers nationwide. That designation led to the establishment of an East Asian Studies Program in 1968 and the Department of Oriental Languages and Literatures (today’s Department of Asian Languages and Civilizations) in 1969.

In a 1972 article entitled “CU’s New Asset: A Window to the Orient,”[2] the status of Asian studies is reported as reaching “well over 3000 students enrolled in more than 80 courses on Asia taught by dozens of specialists….which ranked CU in the top three or four universities in enrollment on strictly Oriental studies.” Although some of the language has become outdated, the expressed rationale for such study stands the test of time:

Why the interest? Because America’s relations with Asia probably will become more substantial and complex in the remaining decades of this century, says Dr. Lawrence W. Beer, … a professor of political science specializing on Japan.

The aim of the CU programs is to render the Oriental world more intelligible to Americans. In the 37 years since the Asian studies program’s modest beginnings in ��«��Ƶ, the history of the United States has been tightly interwoven with that of the Orient. Wars have been fought. Economic relations have been established, broken and reestablished with Japan. Other Asian nations have moved from colonial status to independence and now America’s relations with China are moving toward improvement after shifting from friendship to enmity.

What’s clear, Dr. Beer emphasizes, is that wide dissemination of some basic knowledge of the nations of Asia is essential to America’s national interests.

In the mid-1990s, we reach the first efforts to establish today’s Center for Asian Studies: Dennis McGilvray (Anthropology, retired), Laurel Rodd (Asian Languages and Civilizations, retired), and Steve Snyder (Asian Languages and Civilizations, now Dean of Language Schools at Middlebury College) established the Asian Studies Task Force and sent a 1996 memo to the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Wallace Loh, which reads in part

A special task force, representing the approximately 45 UCB faculty members engaged with Asian research and teaching, has been working over the past 12 months on a proposal to establish a new Center for Asian Studies on the CU ��«��Ƶ campus. We are now pleased to present this proposal for your consideration.

We feel that the ��«��Ƶ campus, with its surprisingly strong and diverse faculty in Asia-related disciplines, can serve as a resource in Asian Studies for all of the CU campuses and for the Rocky Mountain region as a whole. As an academic enterprise, Asian Studies represents a perfect example of the sort of cross-disciplinary scholarship and integrative teaching which will be necessary for the 21^st century to provide the essential training our students need to become effective entrepreneurs, communicators, and ambassadors to the diverse regions and cultures of Asia.

We believe there will be … a unifying and catalyzing role for the CAS among the dispersed Asian Studies research faculty rostered in the various schools and colleges across campus…. Visitors to the CAS, guest speakers, and other public events sponsored by CAS will enhance the academic environment for Asian Studies both among students as well as among the faculty. The CAS will also coordinate for the first time an off-campus outreach effort in Asian Studies, seeking to provide a community and state-wide resource for citizens interested in Asia.

In 1998, then Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Phil DiStefano provided $15,000 in seed funding, and the Asian Studies Task Force sent the excellent news to other interested faculty members:

The Center is intended to support Asia-related research and outreach activities for the entire ��«��Ƶ campus, including the College of Arts & Sciences as well as the Colleges of Business, Education, Engineering, Journalism, Law, and Music…. The Center for Asian Studies will assist faculty in arranging visiting speakers, organizing conferences and workshops, and sponsoring performances & cultural events. It will help to publicize Asia-related events, and to promote increased awareness and knowledge of Asia across the campus and in the wider community.

The creation of the Center for Asian Studies is something many of us have dreamed of for years, and we hope you will be willing to contribute your ideas and energy to making it a success.

Immediately after the Center’s founding, new faculty director Dennis McGilvray submitted a proposal to the CU President’s Fund for the Humanities for programing in Spring and Fall 1999. Professor McGilvray requested understanding that the details of the proposal had not been completely fleshed out, given that CAS was only a few weeks old at that point. The proposal was for an inaugural symposium series. The vision for the Center and its first events overlapped:

Asian Studies is an interdisciplinary field of scholarship which inextricably blends humanistic and social science research in a shared quest to understand and interpret Asian cultures and civilizations. While some scholars focus on the ancient and classical roots of Asian societies, others study the latest events and cultural trends in contemporary Asia. This symposium series on the theme of “Asia Today” will require that both types of expertise and knowledge are brought to bear on some of the most momentous issues in contemporary Asian affairs. Asia is changing, but how and why is this occurring? If we are to understand Asia today, we must appreciate both the deeply rooted traditions which are under siege and the newer patterns which are taking their place. By means of this inaugural symposium series, we intend to demonstrate that the field of Asian Studies generally, and the scholars and students affiliated with the newly formed CU Center for Asian Studies in particular, are committed to a kind of Asian scholarship and teaching which is both interdisciplinary in outlook and engaged with the significant historical and cultural factors which are molding major events in Asia today.

In 2001, the Program for Teaching East Asia (TEA) and its director, Lynn Parisi, came to CAS as an established program with 16 years’ experience. TEA’s mission is to enhance and expand teaching and learning about East Asia in U.S. K-12 education. Since coming to CU, TEA has received more than $17 million in grants from private foundations and federal agencies. TEA conducts national, regional, and state projects for teachers and students, with specific project activities including an annual offering of online and in-person seminars and workshops, annual summer institutes, and occasional co-sponsored study tours in East Asia for teachers.

2001 also saw CAS’ first successful grant application to the U.S. Department of Education, with an Undergraduate International Studies and Foreign Languages (UISFL) grant supporting hires in Korean language and South Asian History, as well as the first award from the Freeman Foundation’s Undergraduate Asian Studies Initiative, which ran through 2009 and supported faculty hires in Japanese women’s studies, Chinese history, and Chinese art history, as well as student scholarships, event funding, and faculty research activities.

CAS joined the prestigious National Resource Center network with a successful application to this program of the U.S. Department of Education in 2006. The first NRC grant supported hires in Asian political science, Farsi, Indonesian, Asian art history, and an East Asian librarian, as well as the staff South, Southeast, and West Asia (SSEWA) Outreach position.

CAS provided academic year and summer Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships, also funded by the U.S. Department of Education, from 2006 to 2014.

In 2022, CAS again achieved National Resource Center recognition and received a Foreign Language and Area Studies grant, both of which will run from 2022 to 2026. These two grants together total $2.2 million.

All told, CAS and its partners the Program for Teaching East Asia and the American Association of Japanese have brought in nearly $30 million in external gifts and grants since 1999.

Over the years:

CAS has hosted about 900 events, averaging approximately 1200-1500 attendees each year.
Approximately 150 students have visited China and Taiwan on Global Seminars taught by CU faculty members with generous scholarship support from the Tang Family Endowment.
CAS has served as the host unit for forty visiting scholars, from universities in China, France, Germany, Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Taiwan.
Eleven issues of the Colorado Journal of Asian Studies have been published by the Center, including 51 student papers.
CAS has awarded over 100 undergraduate scholarships and over 100 graduate scholarships and fellowships.
Approximately 35 CU students have participated in internships coordinated by CAS, including those at local organizations such as the Consulate General of Japan, Denver Art Museum, Little Treasures Chinese School, Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Company, ��«��Ƶ Valley School District, and the Governor’s Office of International Trade. Additionally, 13 interns have worked at organizations in Tokyo and Shanghai through the summer Asia Internship Program.

Growing from 130 students learning about Asia in 1935-36 to 12,521 students enrolled in Asian language and area studies courses in 2023-24, and from 45 faculty members with interests in Asia in 1998 to approximately 120 today, Asian studies at CU has reflected the growth of interest in and curiosity about Asia over the decades. From the global pandemic to the climate crisis, there has never been a time when our world has felt more interconnected and the health and longevity of people in all corners of the globe more interdependent. CAS continues to strive to help our students recognize and prepare for their roles as global citizens, meeting them where they are and ensuring that learning about Asia and its people is accessible to all willing and interested parties. For our Asian students, we aim to help create a more welcoming and understanding campus environment, and for the broader community, we hope to provide much-needed context and nuance beyond news bites and political talking points.

There is much work to do, and we at CAS look forward to many more years dedicated to carrying out this mission. We invite members of the CAS community, whether faculty, students, staff members, alumni, partners, or global citizens, to share thoughts about your experiences with CAS on our 25^th anniversary webform. Additionally, all donors to CAS of amounts in multiples of $25 this year will be recognized on the CAS website as 25^th Anniversary Supporters. We will use all contributions to continue and expand our work.

Thank you to all the CAS Directors over the years:

1999-2001 - Dennis McGilvray, Faculty Director

2001-2002 - Stephen Snyder, Acting Faculty Director

2001-2005 - Lynn Kalinauskas, Associate Director

2002-2012 - Laurel Rodd, Faculty Director

Spring 2004 - Dipankar Chakravarti, Acting Faculty Director

2005-present - Danielle Rocheleau Salaz, Assistant Director/Executive Director

2009-2015 - Tim Weston, Associate Director (Fall 2009, Acting Faculty Director)

2012-2021 - Tim Oakes, Faculty Director (2022-2023, Acting Faculty Director)

2015-2019 - Collen Berry, Associate Director and Asian Studies Program Director

Spring 2017 - Carla Jones, Acting Faculty Director

2021-present - Rachel Rinaldo, Faculty Director

2022-present - Lauren Collins, Asian Studies Program Director

[1] Much of this early history is taken from “The Study of Asia at the University of Colorado, Past and Present,” an unpublished report drafted in August 1971 and revised in January 1972, by the Coordinating Council on Asia, Lawrence W. Beer, Chair.

[2] Howard M. Kaplan, “CU’s new asset: a window to the Orient,” Empire Magazine, 10/1/72.

Off

Traditional

White

Susan Schmidt recipient of 2024 Kentaro Kaneko Award

Anonymous — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 15:29:46 +0000

Susan Schmidt recipient of 2024 Kentaro Kaneko Award Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 10/01/2024 - 09:29

America-Japan Society announces recipients of 2024 Kentaro Kaneko Award

The 2024 Kentaro Kaneko Award ceremony will be held Oct. 15 at the International House of Japan in Tokyo’s Minato Ward.

The America-Japan Society has announced this year’s recipients of the Kentaro Kaneko Award, which honors individuals who have significantly contributed to bilateral relations through grassroots efforts.

This year’s awardees are Masako Kawai from Gifu Prefecture, who has been involved in volunteer activities relating to international exchange, and Susan Schmidt from Colorado, who has worked to promote Japanese-language education in the United States as well as via exchange programs in higher education.

In addition to the two main awards, a special award will be presented to Sadao Watanabe, a renowned jazz musician from Tochigi Prefecture.

Kawai, 74, has been a driving force in volunteer activities related to international exchange. She played a pivotal role in organizing the "Hello Gifu, Hello World" international exchange event, which promotes American culture in collaboration with the Nagoya American Center.

She also spearheaded an English-language discussion and issue-driven presentation event for high school students in Gifu co-hosted by the Gifu Prefecture Japan-America Society and the U.S. Consulate in Nagoya, in order to foster students’ English in language study and studying abroad.

In 2015, she arranged the planting site in Gifu for the centennial celebration of the 1915 gift of flowering dogwood trees made to Japan by then-U.S. President William Taft and organized related ceremonies with local governments.

Since 1999, Schmidt, 76, has served as a director and secretary-general of the American Association of Teachers of Japanese and managed scholarship programs for American students studying in Japan and related projects, greatly influencing Japanese-language education and higher education exchanges between Japan and the U.S.

She has also promoted publications and teaching materials for the Japanese- language education community and expanded professional development opportunities for teachers.

Watanabe, 91, has been a prominent figure in jazz for decades, known for incorporating Brazilian and African elements into his music. He has released over 80 albums and continues to perform live, maintaining his influence in the jazz world.

In 1996, Watanabe played the saxophone at a luncheon hosted by then-Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto during then-U.S. President Bill Clinton’s visit to Japan and presented the instrument to the president, himself a saxophone enthusiast.

Named after the first president of the America-Japan Society, the Kentaro Kaneko Award was established in 2017 to commemorate the society’s 100th anniversary and is based on recommendations from members of America-Japan Societies in both countries. Recipients receive a plaque featuring Kaneko's portrait and a monetary prize. e award ceremony will be held Oct. 15 at the International House of Japan in Tokyo’s Minato Ward.

BY JESSICA SPEED, STAFF WRITER Aug 24, 2024
The Japan Times

Traditional

White

Congratulations to Sangbok Kim, 2024 ASSETT Excellence in Teaching with Technology Award Winner!

Anonymous — Thu, 26 Sep 2024 06:00:00 +0000

Congratulations to Sangbok Kim, 2024 ASSETT Excellence in Teaching with Technology Award Winner! Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 09/26/2024 - 00:00

Congratulations to Sangbok Kim, 2024 ASSETT Excellence in Teaching with Technology Award Winner!

Dr. Sangbok Kim is a Teaching Professor and a Korean Language Coordinator who is dedicated to enhancing language learning experiences. Dr. Kim's impact extends far beyond traditional classroom walls. His innovative spirit is evident in the creation of PIP Lang, or Pronunciation - Interpretation - Performance Language. PIP Lang streamlines language acquisition by offering students a unique opportunity to practice their Korean oral skills from the comfort of their homes. Join Dr. Kim for a workshop as he shares more about PIP Lang: Showcasing Learners’ Conversation Activity with AI Korean Speakers and an Automatic Grading System. (October 30 at 3pm)

Off

Traditional

White

Event Thursday: Manufacturing Consent for Hindu Rashtra (Rule): How the Virtual Ramjanmabhoomi Movement Operates as Political Religion

Anonymous — Mon, 23 Sep 2024 15:06:47 +0000

Event Thursday: Manufacturing Consent for Hindu Rashtra (Rule): How the Virtual Ramjanmabhoomi Movement Operates as Political Religion Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 09/23/2024 - 09:06

Thursday, September 26, 2024, 5:30pm-6:30pm
Eaton Humanities 250

Dheepa Sundaram, University of Denver

On November 9, 2019, the Indian Supreme Court (ISC) rendered a decision granting Hindus the right to build a Rama temple on the location of Babri Masjid razed by Hindu extremists in 1992. This talk explores the broad contours of the ISC judgement, how Facebook and Twitter communities discuss it, and why this matters politically in India. Prof. Sundaram shows how the ISC’s judgement becomes possible through the production of a mediatized, transnational, Hindu belief community (e.g. social media, blogs, and the sharing of journal/televised news pieces) that takes shape through a virtual/digital network of likes, shares, and hashtags.

Off

Traditional

White

Event Thursday: Spiderweb Capitalism: How Global Elites Exploit Frontier Markets

Anonymous — Mon, 16 Sep 2024 15:57:58 +0000

Event Thursday: Spiderweb Capitalism: How Global Elites Exploit Frontier Markets Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 09/16/2024 - 09:57

Thursday, September 19, 2024
12:30-1:30pm MST
Ketchum 1B40

with Kimberly Kay Hoang

In 2015, the anonymous leak of the Panama Papers brought to light millions of financial and legal documents exposing how the superrich hide their money using complex webs of offshore vehicles. Spiderweb Capitalism takes you inside this shadow economy, uncovering the mechanics behind the invisible, mundane networks of lawyers, accountants, company secretaries, and fixers who facilitate the illicit movement of wealth across borders and around the globe.Kimberly Kay Hoang traveled more than 350,000 miles and conducted hundreds of in-depth interviews with private wealth managers, fund managers, entrepreneurs, C-suite executives, bankers, auditors, and other financial professionals. She traces the flow of capital from offshore funds in places like the Cayman Islands, Samoa, and Panama to special-purpose vehicles and holding companies in Singapore and Hong Kong, and how it finds its way into risky markets onshore in Vietnam and Myanmar. Hoang reveals the strategies behind spiderweb capitalism and examines the moral dilemmas of making money in legal, financial, and political gray zones. Spiderweb Capitalism sheds critical light on how global elites capitalize on risky frontier markets, and deepens our understanding of the paradoxical ways in which global economic growth is sustained through states where the line separating the legal from the corrupt is not always clear.

Kimberly Kay Hoang is Professor of Sociology and the College and the Director of Global Studies at the University of Chicago. Prof. Hoang is the author of two books: Spiderweb Capitalism: How Global Elites Exploit Frontier Markets (Princeton University Press 2022) and Dealing in Desire: Asian Ascendancy, Western Decline, and the Hidden Currencies of Global Sex Work (University of California Press 2015).

Off

Traditional

White

Keynote talk Friday: The Dalai Lama's Future Succession: Understanding the 14th Dalai Lama and His Formidable Contributions

Anonymous — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 14:45:50 +0000

Keynote talk Friday: The Dalai Lama's Future Succession: Understanding the 14th Dalai Lama and His Formidable Contributions Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 09/09/2024 - 08:45

Dr. Dawa Lokyitsang
Friday, September 13 at 4 pm
Hale 230

Reception to follow

All are invited to join us on Friday, September 13 for a keynote lecture by Dr. Dawa Lokyitsang on "The Dalai Lama's Future Succession: Understanding the 14^th Dalai Lama and His Formidable Contributions." Scholars Tenzin Dorjee (Columbia University), Cameron Warner (Aarhus University), and Nicole Willock (Old Dominion University) will be respondents for the lecture. Free and open to the public, plus livestreamed at: https://cuboulder.zoom.us/j/93464212808

At a recent tenshug, a long-life ritual and prayer ceremony offered by the Tibetan, Mongolian, and Himalayan communities to the 14th Dalai Lama in New York, the Dalai Lama affirmed once again that he would live well past the age of 100. The crowd responded with boisterous applause. Yet, everyone including the Chinese government, Western governments and academics, former Tibetan politicians and activists have been in a rush to weigh in on his future succession. Why is this? My presentation will answer this question by contextualizing the 14th Dalai Lama’s legacy as a refugee who created foundational Tibetan institutions in exile for the thrivance of the Tibetan refugee community and their cause for freedom. In addition, given the Dalai Lama’s status as a formidable leader with immense global influence, he is capable of shaping and challenging the People’s Republic of China’s international relations and its legitimacy in Tibet. Understanding how and why international debates about the Dalai Lama’s succession have evolved requires a detailed consideration of his leadership accomplishments in exile.

Sponsored by the University of Colorado Department of Anthropology, Center for Asian Studies, and Tibet Himalaya Initiative together with the School of Culture and Society at Aarhus University. This is part of the Leadership and Reincarnation of the Dalai Lamas Project (LEAD): A Research Network on Succession, Innovation, and Community.

For further information, contact Professor Carole McGranahan at carole.mcgranahan@colorado.edu

Off

Traditional

White

Meet Dwi Purwanto, Fulbright Foreign Language Instructor

Anonymous — Tue, 03 Sep 2024 06:00:00 +0000

Meet Dwi Purwanto, Fulbright Foreign Language Instructor Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 09/03/2024 - 00:00

Hi,

I'm Dwi Purwanto, and I’m excited to join The Center for Asian Studies this semester. As a proud Indonesian, I come from the world’s largest archipelago and the fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a leader in biodiversity, a linguistic treasure trove, and a central player in ASEAN, driving regional politics, economy, and culture. With the largest economy in Southeast Asia and a seat in the G20, Indonesia’s global influence is significant. Historically, Indonesia was also the heart of the spice trade, home to the Dutch East India Company (VOC), one of the most prominent and powerful trading entities in world history. Did you know Bahasa Indonesia is recognized as an official language of the UNESCO General Conference? With Indonesia's significant role in global socioeconomics, history, and biodiversity, there's so much to explore!

I was born and raised in the island of Borneo, in the province of West Kalimantan, where lies one of the world's longest island rivers, the Kapuas River, and the place where hornbills and Orangutans roam the forests.

I am here in CU ��«��Ƶ as the visiting scholar under FLTA (Foreign Language Teaching Assistant) Fulbright Scholarship Program and I will be teaching Bahasa Indonesia for one academic year.

I love making visual arts and designs, strolling around the town, and engaging in projects and volunteering activities.

Salam kenal,

Dwi P.

Off

Traditional

White