Call for Applications

Transcription

1 Call for Applications HeKKSaGOn Spring School 2018 in Kyoto Theme: Integrating Transcultural Studies in HeKKSaGOn As part of their ongoing cooperation in education and research, the two HeKKSaGOn partners Kyoto and Heidelberg University deepened their collaboration by establishing a new joint degree master programme in Transcultural Studies. The first cohort of students will enrol in the programme in April In conjunction with the establishment of this new major, the Graduate School of Letters of Kyoto University invites students from the six HeKKSaGOn institutions to participate in a spring school for advanced MA students and doctoral candidates. The spring school seeks offers students the opportunity to engage the perspective of transculturality by studying with experts who have established this field of inquiry. Transculturality denotes not only concrete objects of investigation, such as hybrid or cosmopolitan subject positions of people repeatedly crossing borders of nation-states, the translation and putting into practice of governmental techniques developed elsewhere, or fusion food appropriating and combining culinary traditions from various regions. The term also and more importantly refers to an analytical, interdisciplinary method. We propose that by studying the flows of concepts, practices and people, we may shed light on processes of negotiating difference not only in the present age when an unstoppable, liberal globalization meets immobile nationalisms and autocratic forms of governance, but also in the past. Engaging with the making and unmaking of cultural, political, social, linguistic, aesthetic, and also disciplinary borders, and by tracing the global as a connection of locals, we sharpen our competence and literacy to think, write and speak transculturally. With this spring school s topic, the Graduate School of Letters ventures into new domains of research on the transcultural dynamics between and within regions, focusing on Asia and Europe. Brought forth from within the humanities and social sciences, transcultural studies nevertheless seeks to bridge the divide between the human and natural sciences and has encouraged also research projects that combine history, medicine and biology to better understand how human bodies and concepts create realities together.

2 The spring school takes place from April 15to 21, and invites up to five young scholars from each HeKKSaGOn university to participate in theoretical lectures, methodological workshops, and applied fieldwork within one of the three following research foci: Knowledge, Belief and Religion (KBR): This focus investigates the dynamic histories, circulations and practices of knowledge, beliefs and religion. It highlights relations between, and entanglements of, political and ideological, social and cultural, linguistic, and artistic aspects. Of particular interest are disciplines such as philosophy, history and art history, religious studies and philology, and anthropology. This focus emphasises the engagement with a variety of resources and sources, from archival, to textual to visual and material matter. Society, Economy and Governance (SEG): This focus explores complex histories of globalisation and transregional connectivities. Key themes here are the social, political, and cultural dimensions of market dynamics and networks, the shaping and governance of social systems (e.g., civil society), consumer cultures, transregional migration, demographic change, global governance, and urbanisation processes. Visual, Media and Material Culture (VMC): This focus deals with the production, proliferation, and reception of images and objects as well as their collection, display, and reconfiguration with a view to the human agency involved. Transculturality also addresses the enmeshing of visual technologies, institutional practices, placemaking, and im/mobility in ways that cut across bipolar asymmetries. Interdisciplinary conversations and research-based projects help reach into literary, linguistic, musical, performative or ritual dimensions of creative cultures. Preliminary Program (TBC) April 15 (Sun) Relocation from Osaka to Kyoto; Program briefing at Hotel April 16 (Mon) Welcome, Introductory Lecture, Reception April 17 (Tue) Theoretical Lectures, Group Workshops April 18 (Wed) Group Field Research April 19 (Thu) Field Research Wrap-up, Application of transcultural theories April 20 (Fri) Group Presentations, Discussion April 21 (Sat) School Wrap-up and Closing Ceremony Field Research may include Buraku historical feudal outcast community and its development, and establishment of modern Kyoto including the historical legacies of its darker side.

3 Registration fee No registration/participation fee is needed. Registration will start at 9:00 A.M. on April 16, 2018 at the venue. Language Working language will be in English. Spring School lecturers (TBC) Harald FUESS (Heidelberg University, Cultural Economic History), research topic: impact of Western industrial and mercantile capitalism on East Asian economies. TAKAGI Hiroshi, (Kyoto University, Institute for Research in Humanities), research topic: Japanese history, particularly the institution and cultural history of the emperor system. Judit ÁROKAY (Heidelberg University, Japanese Studies); research topics: Classical Japanese poetry and poetology, classical and early modern Japanese literature. Björn-Ole KAMM (Kyoto University, Transcultural Studies), research topic: media representation of social issues in Japan and cultural mediation through live-action role-play. Somdev VASUDEVA (Kyoto University, Transcultural Studies), research topic: Sanskrit aesthetics, literature and language. Mitsuyo WADA-MARCIANO (Kyoto University Project Professor, Transcultural Studies), research topic: Post-Fukushima Visual Culture, Zainichi Representations in Moving Image, Memory in Cinema, Post-Colonial Taiwanese/Japanese Visual Culture. ASATO Wako (Kyoto University, Transcultural Studies) research topic: Welfare Policy in Asia, Migration and Social Integration, Action Research. Venue Institute for Research in Humanities, Kyoto University 京都大学人文科学研究所 Yoshida Honmachi, Sakyo, Kyoto City, 京都府京都市左京区吉田本町 Capacity people. Screening may apply.

4 Travel Support The organizers will cover hotel accommodation costs for overseas and domestic participants based on rules and regulations of Kyoto University. For details, inquire at the OPIX secretariat office. Other costs such as flights, meals and field work within Kyoto City is at participants own expense. Participants are also responsible for taking out appropriate insurance. Eligibility for application Master s students and Ph.D. students of HeKKSaGOn Universities. Please see We also welcome applicants from other universities within Japan. The organizer will confirm your application a week after the application deadline. Application Applicants should provide the following information as a PDF attachment via a) Name (please capitalize your family name) b) Position (Master s student, Ph.D. student, etc.) c) Affiliation d) Postal Address, Telephone Number, and Address e) Area of your research interest (Approx. 400 words) The application should be sent as a PDF file to staff.kuasuoffice@bun.kyoto-u.ac.jp Subject Line should read: Application for HeKKSaGOn Spring School 2018 Deadline December 20, 2017 Organizer Organizing committee for the HeKKSaGOn Spring School 2018 in Kyoto Division of the Joint Degree Master of Arts Program in Transcultural Studies Graduate School of Letters, Kyoto University ASATO Wako, Björn-Ole KAMM, HIRATA Shōji, KURATA Shōko Application submission For inquiries about and submission of your application, please contact the

5 Office for the Promotion of International Exchange (OPIX), Graduate School of Letters