Spring 2019 Newsletter from Asian & Middle Eastern Studies
Dear Friends,
Our big news this semester is that the name of our department has changed to the Department of Asian & Middle Eastern Studies. This name change allows greater visibility for what we already do in terms of teaching and research. We offer a wide range of courses related to the areas of East Asia, South Asia, and the Middle East on all facets of culture, environment, and society. We hope the name change will make it easier for students to describe their experiences in the department as they pursue their future academic and career goals.
While graduation is nigh for many of our students, some are preparing for our summer courses. This summer, we will offer courses in Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. We will also offer a new online course called Chinese Movies in Chinese, which has been created for students who have advanced knowledge of Chinese and for whom travel to the Twin Cities campus may not be possible.
Also this summer, our Korean studies program will host the American Association for Teachers of Korean for the Association’s 25th year. The conference will focus on the diversity of Korean languages, including—but not limited to—dialects and emerging localized, hybridized varieties of Korean.
Finally, before we leave for summer vacation, I’d like to extend my sincere thanks to those who have supported the department in the form of scholarships and fellowships. We are pleased to celebrate our first Mary Griggs Burke Endowed Chair in Asian Studies featured here in the newsletter. And we are grateful to be able to offer select students an opportunity to travel to Taiwan, supported by our new Lin Zhen Scholarship aimed at helping stellar students who have financial need. Thank you so much for your interest and support.
Have a great summer!
Christine
Chair of the Department of Asian & Middle Eastern Studies
This global seminar provided students with a unique opportunity to study Japanese performing arts while attending live performances. 25 students visited four cities and immersed themselves in the culture and art. No matter their major, they each left with an understanding of the relationship between theatre and tradition and their influence on each other. Read "The Power of Performing Arts in Japan".
The Mary Griggs Burke Endowed Chair in Asian Studies was created to provide remarkable scholars the resources to pursue advanced research in Japan studies. Professor Paul Rouzer has exciting ideas as the first Endowed Chair. Read "Paul Rouzer, the First Mary Griggs Burke Endowed Chair, Shares his Vision".
The Chinese Flagship program gave recent graduate Martin Miller an unexpected start into his career. During his time abroad, he interned at the film production company, Pearl Studio, which guided him toward writing his own pitches for his new TV show. Read "Breaking into the Entertainment Industry through Chinese Flagship".