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New Book by Prof. Thomas Mazanec: Poet-Monks

Posted on | by Thomas Mazanec

Book cover for "Poet-Monks: The Invention of Buddhist Poetry in Late Medieval China" by Thomas J. Mazanec

Prof. Thomas Mazanec’s book, Poet-Monks: The Invention of Buddhist Poetry in Late Medieval China, is now available from Cornell University Press.

Poet-Monks focuses on the literary and religious practices of Buddhist poet-monks in Tang-dynasty China to propose an alternative historical arc of medieval Chinese poetry. Combining large-scale quantitative analysis with close readings of important literary texts, Thomas J. Mazanec describes how Buddhist poet-monks, who first appeared in the latter half of Tang-dynasty China, asserted a bold new vision of poetry that proclaimed the union of classical verse with Buddhist practices of repetition, incantation, and meditation.

Mazanec traces the historical development of the poet-monk as a distinct actor in the Chinese literary world, arguing for the importance of religious practice in medieval literature. As they witnessed the collapse of the world around them, these monks wove together the frayed threads of their traditions to establish an elite-style Chinese Buddhist poetry. Poet-Monks shows that during the transformative period of the Tang-Song transition, Buddhist monks were at the forefront of poetic innovation.

You can download an open-access digital edition for free here, or you can purchase a physical copy from the publisher’s website (30% off with code 09BCARD).

pile of excavated bones next to ammunition.

Hyung Il Pai Memorial Lecture 2024: Heonik Kwon, “Exhuming the Korean War,” 2/13, 4pm

Posted on | by Thomas Mazanec

Please join us for the 2024 Hyung Il Pai Memorial Lecture, by Dr. Heonik Kwon of Cambridge University, titled, “Exhuming the Korean War.”

Date: Tuesday, February 13
Time: 4:00 PM
Location: Interactive Learning Pavilion (ILP) 2101

Abstract:
Since the end of the Cold War, the remains of the Korean War dead, both civilian and non-civilian, have been brought out of the ground in large numbers. What do these exhumed remains tell us about the reality of the 1950-1953 war and the changing geopolitics of our time?

Speaker:
Professor Heonik Kwon is a Senior Research Fellow in Social Science and Distinguished Research Professor of Social Anthropology at Trinity College, University of Cambridge. He is a Fellow of the British Academy in the fields of Anthropology, Asian Studies and Modern History. Author of prizewinning books on the Vietnam War social history and on Asia’s postcolonial Cold War experience (The Other Cold War, 2010), Professor Kwon’s other publications include North Korea: Beyond Charismatic Politics (2012), After the Korean War: An Intimate History (Cambridge, 2020), and Spirit Power: Politics and Religion in Korea’s American Century (2022).

Lecture and Concert with Gagaku master musician Ōta Yutaka on January 24-25

Lecture and Concert with Gagaku master musician Ōta Yutaka on January 24-25.

Posted on | by Thomas Mazanec

Maestro Ōta Yutaka is one of the leading and most active performers of Gagaku in Japan today. He began learning the ryūteki flute with Maestro Anzai Shōgo, former director of the Gagaku orchestra at Tokyo Imperial Palace. He then studied Japanese music at Tokyo University of the Art, specializing in Gagaku (flute, biwa, and Gagaku dances and vocal repertory). He also plays the saxophone. He is also active as a composer for theater and TV, and as a jazz musician. He has performed, with various formations, in Japan, Europe, South Korea, and California (including here at UCSB).

Ōta Yutaka Lecture
Recreating a Lost Performing Art: Gendai Sangaku

Wednesday, January 24, 2024 at 5:00 pm
Social Sciences and Media Studies (SSMS) Building, Conference Room 2135

Sangaku is a sort of acrobatic, circus-like performing art that arrived in Japan from the Asian continent, probably originating in India, and disappeared around the ninth century. Ōta Yutaka has tried to revive it in contemporary form with his ensemble Gendai Sangaku (“Contemporary Sangaku”). Its first important event was a performance offering at the Great Buddha Hall in Tōdaiji, Nara, in 2019. The ensemble represents the origins and the features of original Sangaku in multiple ways: it employs various musical instruments from different cultures and ages (the Japanese flute, the shō mouthorgan, the Japanese large drum, Turkish string instruments, even the saxophone), it displays acrobatic juggling, and it makes effective use of storytelling. Ōta will present a history of this genre and discuss his attempts to revive it today and his motivations.

Organized by Fabio Rambelli. Supported by UCSB’s Department of Religious Studies, Department of East Asian Languages and Cultural Studies, Department of Music, and Department of Theater and Dance, with support from the UCSB Shinto Studies Endowment, the Uberoi Foundation, and the Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Global.

Ōta Yutaka
Performance-Demonstration
The World of Gagaku: Instruments, Songs, and Dances

After a brief outline of Gagaku ceremonial music and dance, maestro Ōta will play musical instruments (flutes and biwa), songs (saibara and rōei), and perform an example of Bugaku dance. It is a unique way to experience the variety of this ancient art form, recognized by UNESCO as part of the cultural heritage of humankind as the oldest continuously performed orchestral music and dance.

Thursday, January 25, 2024 at 6:00 pm
Theater Studio (next to Hatlen Theater)

Organized by Fabio Rambelli. Supported by UCSB’s Department of Religious Studies, Department of East Asian Languages and Cultural Studies, Department of Music, and Department of Theater and Dance, with support from the UCSB Shinto Studies Endowment, the Uberoi Foundation, and the Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Global.

Academic Coordinator I for the Center for Taiwan Studies

Posted on | by Rebeca Adam

Job #JPF02678
East Asian Languages and Cultural Studies / College of Letters & Science – Humanities and Fine Arts / UC Santa Barbara

Apply now: https://recruit.ap.ucsb.edu/JPF02678/apply
View this position online: https://recruit.ap.ucsb.edu/JPF02678

POSITION OVERVIEW
Salary range: See Table 36 and Table 36N for the salary range for this position. A reasonable estimate for this position is an annual salary of $59,727 at fulltime annualized rate.
Percent time: 50.0%

APPLICATION WINDOW
Open date: January 19, 2024
Next review date: Friday, Feb 2, 2024 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.
Final date: Friday, Mar 29, 2024 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.

POSITION DESCRIPTION
The Center for Taiwan Studies (CTS) at the University of California, Santa Barbara, invites applications for a half-time Academic Coordinator I position. This is a 12-month fiscal year appointment(non-tenure track). The Academic Coordinator (AC) assists the Center for Taiwan Studies Director in developing and implementing programming consistent with the mission of the Center, including yearly international conferences of scholars whose work relates to Taiwan, and two to three quarterly events, such as movie showings, lectures, cultural events, graduate student forums, etc. The AC also assists, as needed, with events
in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultural Studies that include Taiwan in full or as a component. The goal of the programming at CTS is to promote Taiwan Studies and to educate students, scholars, and community members about the culture, literature, history, society, and politics of Taiwan. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States without the need for employer sponsorship.

Program Administration
The AC performs administrative functions for CTS, serving as a key contact for all visiting speakers, UCSB faculty, staff and students, and the off-campus community. The AC oversees the coordination and implementation of all Center activities and interacts with public speakers and visiting scholars, writers, authors, and other public figures. This includes arranging accommodations, venues, food, technical assistance, logistics, agendas, name cards, posters, and office support.

The AC is also responsible for assisting the Director in implementing research and learning support opportunities for UCSB students and faculty associated with the Center. The AC manages routine communication with faculty and community members; supervises and coordinates visits and events, including receptions for visiting speakers; maintains budget records for the program; coordinates travel and lodging for speakers; supervises student assistants; maintains the website; and supervises public information materials, such as the quarterly calendar, publications, and interviews with speakers.

Program Analysis and Evaluation
The AC analyzes the Center’s budget and prepares regular reports for the Center Director regarding the Center’s finances. The AC assists with grant writing and reporting, and program analysis. The AC monitors the demographics of program attendance and works with other campus centers and programs to coordinate co-sponsored events and to ensure diversity of participants and audience. The AC assists the Director in writing and editing grant proposals and reports.

Publishing & Design Work
The AC edits and designs proceedings, anthologies of Taiwan literature, and other publication projects, including the biannual journal, Taiwan Literature: English Translation Series. Editorial assistance includes editing, writing, and proofreading for CTS publications, the CTS newsletter, webpages, and flyers for public lectures and cultural events.

The University is especially interested in candidates who can contribute to the diversity and excellence of the academic community through research, teaching and service as appropriate to the position.

QUALIFICATIONS
Basic qualifications (required at time of application)
M.A. in the humanities or social sciences.

Additional qualifications (required at time of start)
•1-2 years of experience working within an academic institution
•1-2 years of experience in a position that required administrative and organizational activities
•1-2 years of experience designing marketing materials and books in InDesign and Photoshop
•2-3 years of experience using Word and Excel for standard administrative duties.

Preferred qualifications
•Experience coordinating public events
•Strong written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills
•Significant editing, writing, and proofreading skills and experience
•Ability to prioritize, conduct, and manage multiple projects
•Ability to oversee and mentor student assistants
•Experience in financial management
•Demonstrated ability to write reports and communications to high-level grant-dispensing institutions
•Familiarity with Taiwan and its culture
• Basic reading and conversation proficiency in Chinese language

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
Document requirements
• Curriculum Vitae – Your most recently updated C.V.
• Cover Letter
Reference requirements
• 2-4 required (contact information only)
Applicants must provide contact information for two references. All applicants have the option to provide an additional two references. In total, four references
may be provided. A reference check will be performed for the top-ranked candidate following their interview.

Apply link: https://recruit.ap.ucsb.edu/JPF02678
Help contact: rebeca_adam@ucsb.edu

ABOUT UC SANTA BARBARA
The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

As a condition of employment, you will be required to comply with the University of California Policy on Vaccination Programs, as may be amended or revised from time to time. Federal, state, or local public health directives may impose additional requirements.

JOB LOCATION
Santa Barbara, CA

Flyer for "Racism is not a #trend!: Digital Activism, Afro-Japanese Identity, and Viral Justice Contemporary Japan" by Dr. Kimberly Hassel on 1/22 from 4-5PM in HSSB 3041

Talk: Kimberly Hassel, “Racism is not a #trend!” Digital Activism, Afro-Japanese Identity, and Viral Justice in Contemporary Japan

Posted on | by Thomas Mazanec

Time: January 22 (Mon), 4-5pm
Place: HSSB 3041

Join us on January 22 (Mon), 4-5pm, in HSSB 3041, to hear a talk from Dr. Kimberly Hassel, assistant professor in the Department of East Asian Studies at the University of Arizona, on “‘Racism is not a #trend!’ Digital Activism, Afro-Japanese Identity, and Viral Justice in Contemporary Japan.”

In what ways can Social Networking Services (SNS) serve as sites of community building and critical resistance through the sharing of personal stories of injustice? The talk approaches this question through the case study of digital activism among Black Japanese youths during the Black Lives Matter (BLM) demonstrations of 2020. Black Japanese youths on Instagram and Twitter used storytelling to contest racialized stereotypes, address misunderstandings of BLM, and raise awareness of the racism experienced by Black individuals in Japan.

Dr. Hassel is an anthropologist and digital ethnographer of digital culture, youth culture, diaspora, and identity in contemporary Japan. Her current book project examines the relationships between Social Networking Services, smartphones, and shifting notions of sociality and belonging in Japan.

Book Cover for "Digital Humanities and Religions in Asia, An Introduction" edited by L.W.C van Lit and James Harry Morris

PhD Candidate Kaitlyn Ugoretz Publishes on Shinto, Material Religion, & Algorithms

Posted on | by Thomas Mazanec

PhD Candidate Kaitlyn Ugoretz has published a chapter on her research into global Shinto communities in a new volume, Digital Humanities and Religions in Asia, edited by L.W.C. van Lit and James Harry Morris (De Gruyter 2023). The volume explores the limitations and potential opportunities of applying a digital humanities approach to pre-modern Asian religions. Ugoretz’s chapter, “Consuming Shinto, Feeding the Algorithm,” analyzes the impact of social media software on digital habitus and global religious aesthetic formations through a case study of posting practices relating to domestic altars in digital Shinto communities on Facebook.

Congrats, Kaitlyn!