Catherine Clark to present on French Maoism on April 2

The Institute for Chinese Studies will present a lecture featuring guest speaker Catherine Clark, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and discussant Fabio Lanza, University of Arizona, on Friday, April 2 from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. online (registration required). Professor Clark will present "Maoist Chinoiseries, or a Visual, Material History of French Maoism."

Abstract: Scholars have generally studied French interest in Maoism through the lenses of political or intellectual history, asking how French politicians attempted to create close ties with the PRC and how Maoist ideas influenced a generation of thinkers that include Roland Barthes, Philippe Sollers, and Julia Kristeva. This talk asks how we might write a different history of French Maoism that thinks instead about twentieth-century continuities with eighteenth- and nineteenth-century interest in images and objects from China.

Eun Kyong Shin to present on the Covid-19 infodemic on
April 8

The Institute for Korean Studies will present a lecture by Eun Kyong Shin, Korea University, on Thursday, April 8 from 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. online (registration required). Professor Shin will present "Social orchestration of the infodemic: in search of an exit of K-COVID-19."

Abstract: Infectious disease is not a mere pathological matter but a social disaster. The longer the pandemic persists, the more complex the infodemic becomes, and the higher its social costs. An overabundance of information with high uncertainty brews high levels of social distrust that can impede the efficient deliberation. Implementing integrated infodemiology over the digital K-COVID-19 corpus from social media (1,724,027 tweets) and news media (43,057 articles), this study provides reliable empirical evidence to detect social consensus and conflicts in epidemic discourse. Infodemic can be amplified through digital platforms and spread further and faster than the virus and the infectious disease control in the digital era, infodemic surveillance is a pivotal part of the pandemic control. Well-designed data curation and analysis is critical for efficient health resource circulation and distribution. Thus, adequate and appropriate pandemic risk management should involve a larger and inclusive expert community and secure diverse communication channels.

Nathan Bland, Soo Kim to present "Careers in Government" seminar on April 9

The East Asian Studies Center, in collaboration with the University of Wisconsin, will present the Midwestern Professionalization Seminar in East Asian Studies "Careers in Government" featuring guest speakers Nathan Bland, U.S. Department of State, and Soo Kim, Rand Corporation, on Friday, April 9 from 1:50 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. online (registration required). The series is aimed at sharing skills for advancing one’s career and introducing various career paths utilizing East Asian language and area studies expertise.

OATJ to hold Spring Workshop on April 10

The Ohio Association of Teachers of Japanese (OATJ), with support from the East Asian Studies Center, will hold its annual Spring Workshop on Saturday, April 10 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. online (registration required). The workshop will feature guest speaker Takako Aikawa, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Abstract: This workshop consists of three parts. The first part discusses the roles of language teachers in the age of the digital transformation. In the second part of the workshop, Dr. Aikawa will discusss how language technology (such as natural language processing (NLP), speech-to-text, machine translation, etc.) can enhance language instruction. Then, she will present some useful online NLP tools and walk participants through hands-on practice of these tools. The third part focuses on how emerging technologies such as augmented reality (AR)/virtual reality (VR) can impact language learning. In each part of the workshop, Dr. Aikawa plans to include a breakout room session, so that the participants can exchange their ideas and opinions.

Sheena Chestnut Greitens to present on the Biden administration's relations with East Asia on April 13

The East Asian Studies Center and Columbus Council on World Affairs (CCWA) will present a lecture by Sheena Chestnut Greitens, The University of Texas, on Tuesday, April 13 from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. online (registration required). Professor Chestnut Greitens will present "The Biden Administration & East Asia."

Abstract: Under the Trump Administration, US relations with Asia were constantly evolving in surprising directions. While US-China relations worsened significantly due to trade and tech wars, Trump developed an unprecedented relationship with the North Korean regime, marking the start of a new strategy towards working with the secretive country.

Now, President Biden’s administration must pick up where the previous administration left off. Early reports indicate that the new administration will remain tough on China, however many questions still need to be answered. How will the US leverage relationships with other countries in the region? How does the economic and political impact of Covid-19 factor in? Where does the US stand with the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the largest trading block in the world that includes China and 14 other countries? How will our national security relationship with China evolve as tech companies become more intertwined across borders? Finally, what do these economic and political relationships mean for human rights concerns, such as the electoral system conflict in Hong Kong and the coup in Myanmar?

Jack Stoneman to present on Saigyō on April 14

The Institute for Japanese Studies will present a lecture by Jack Stoneman, Brigham Young University, on Wednesday, April 14 from 2:20 p.m. to 3:50 p.m. online (registration required). Professor Stoneman will present "Saigyō: Poet and Sorcerer."

Abstract: Over more than eight centuries of reception, the occult side of the genial wandering monk and poet Saigyō (1118-1190) has been largely ignored, even though he uttered mysterious incantations, ensorcelled with mudras, and employed the power of numinous words to achieve magical ends. This wonderworking aspect of Saigyō is very important to understanding how he was viewed in the pre-modern era as a religious figure, even a thaumaturge and necromancer. It is also very important to understanding his spellbinding poetics. I will analyze a variety of sources, including poems, setsuwa (Buddhist anecdotes), and karon (poetic treatises), to better understand Saigyō the poet-sorcerer. By uncovering this long-obscured aspect of his poetry and legend, we will be better able to comprehend both the unique position Saigyō held in the pre-modern Japanese imagination and the enduring effects of his poesy.

Mershon Center to hold event on U.S.-Korean relations on April 14

The Mershon Center for International Security Studies, with support from the East Asian Studies Center, will present "Divided America, Divided Korea: US-Korean Relations During and After the Trump Years" on Wednesday, April 14 all day online (registration required).

Abstract: During the 2016 election, Donald Trump made clear his contempt for the state of American foreign policy, with the Korean Peninsula coming in for particular criticism. After his election, Trump pledged to employ new approaches to bring DPRK belligerency under control, including a willingness to meet President Kim Jong Un for face-to-face talks and a re-start of negotiations, while also suggesting an increased willingness to use force if necessary. South Korean policy also came in for criticism, as Trump repeatedly castigated this traditional ally for not contributing enough to the alliance and for taking advantage of American generosity. Here, too, he followed new paths, ones that quickly sparked diplomatic turbulence over issues like trade agreements, the costs of the American military deployment, the transfer of wartime operational control, the drawdown and even cancellation of some joint military exercises, and the costs of the THAAD missile system. Considering the importance of both Koreas––and of East Asia as a whole––to American foreign relations and world stability, this event will bring together some of the world’s leading authorities on US-Korean relations for a day of presentations and discussions.

Global Teaching and Learning Grant Competition now open

The Office of International Affairs and the Center for Languages, Literatures and Cultures are sponsoring a grant competition to develop internationally focused learning and cultural exchanges at Ohio State, using a variety of platforms and mediums. Proposals are sought for initiating new and diverse global teaching initiatives to internationalize student learning experiences and the development of competences. Deadline is March 31.