Date and Location:
9:00 am – 1:00 pm
1401 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest,
Washington, D.C. 20004
Lunch and a brief breakfast will be provided
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Contact Information:
James Tetlow / Chris Wood
Washington CORE
TEL: 240-491-1013
Email: info@okinawa-conference.com
Members of the media should contact the Event Coordinator.
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Working with Mr. Zhang was a remarkable experience. He is not a
teacher of the Chinese language, but rather a performer, artist, and comedian.
This being so, I had the unique opportunity to advance my knowledge of a
specific art form that is still extremely popular in China today. “Xiangsheng”
is generally translated in English as “cross talk”, however this translation
says little about what it really is. In many ways, it is similar to standup
comedy, but only with two people. Xiangsheng performances tend to be
characterized by thick accents and word play (Click on the photo on the left to
get a video clip of the performance.). The first time I read the script he had
written, so much of it went over my head. I understood the words, but the jokes
consisted of puns as well as references to events and persons of cultural
significance. In performing with Mr. Zhang, I was forced to explore the deeper
meaning and cultural significance behind these references – a lesson that has
reminded me that mastery of any language demands a consistent and relentless
effort to understand its respective culture and
history.
while the other was GW’s very own Caleb Dependahl. Caleb is
a senior in the Elliott School (double majoring in Chinese) who I have had the
pleasure of working with both here in DC as well as in China. As a student who
walked into CHIN001 at GW only about 3 years ago, the thought of walking onto a
stage and speaking Mandarin in front of an audience of nearly a thousand Chinese
and Chinese Americans was enough to put more than a couple butterflies in my
stomach. Yet when the time came, I simply went out there and gave it my all.
Watching Caleb go on stage first to introduce me also helped settle my
nerves.
This experience has been but one of a series of great
experiences I have had since my return from China. I never imagined when I first
started studying Chinese at GW that I would be elevated and encouraged to use my
Chinese in such a capacity. Since coming to GW and studying Chinese within this
department, I have come to discover that by learning a new language I can
interact with and have an impact on new communities that I never even knew
existed. Sitting in Professor Miaochun Wei’s intermediate level class my
sophomore year, I never imagined that I would spend the following summer in
Ningxia Autonomous Region working in ethnic Hui schools. Sitting in my dorm
room in Guthridge making flashcards every week in order to prepare for dictation
exercises, I never thought that the following year I would be on a stage
performing ‘xiangsheng’ alongside an accredited Chinese performer in a concert
hall. As a freshman registering for Chin001, I never thought that four years
later I would be offered such an amazing opportunity to do graduate work at a
prestigious Chinese university. Needless to say, my experience studying Chinese
here at GW and working with the department’s outstanding faculty has been
immensely rewarding. If I can offer any other language learners a piece of
advice it would be this: always remind yourself why you decided to learn the
language by getting out there and using it. Use your target language to meet new
people and do new things – you never know what sort of opportunities it might
open up! 
In remembrance of the 9.0 earthquake that hit the Tohoku region of Japan a year ago, the Japanese American Student Union of D.C. hosted an event inviting distinguished speakers and 28 students from Japan. This event was generously co-sponsored by the Sigur Center for Asian Studies. The first part of the event consisted of students from Japan sharing their personal experiences on the catastrophe, as well as giving presentations on their research. After the student presentations, Ms. Emma Chanlett-Avery of Congressional Research Service and Dr. Edward Lincoln and Dr. Mike Mochizuki of GWU, led a panel discussion, focusing on the implications of the disaster on Japan’s diplomatic, domestic, and economic policies. The panelists and the guests were then split into smaller groups to have discussions on topics such as the importance of volunteering. 
Reflecting on the event, I gained much more than what I had expected. The presentations by the students from Japan were informative and striking. Though I was aware of the severity from seeing images on the TV and on the internet, it reminded me that the level of devastation was, and still is, astonishing. Although I was not in Japan when the disaster struck the country, as a fellow Japanese citizen, I was reminded that the reconstruction process is still ongoing and is full of hardships. Of all the presentations, the topic of volunteering was the most compelling. As someone who is an active volunteer, it was encouraging to hear that volunteerism in Japan has gained value among the Japanese people after the earthquake.
Furthermore, I was encouraged and motivated to hear from the panelists that the future of Japan is bright. The panel discussion made me think twice about Japan. The following is a brief summary of the panelists' speeches. Dr. Lincoln discussed that the Japanese economy is in a rebuilding process following an unexpected level of shock, though there are some long term issues remaining, such as population dislocation and power supply sources. Dr. Mochizuki discussed fundamental changes in Japanese politics, including the increasing level of centralization, as well as rising importance and more active roles being taken by local governments. He also mentioned that we need a new breed of leaders. In other words, the young ones need to step up. Lastly, Ms. Chanlett-Avery stated that the US's immediate reaction towards Japan in helping the country was assisted by a cordial relationship that had already been established, though the issues regarding US military base in Okinawa still remain.
Discussion group was extremely memorable to me. What exceeded my expectations was the level of engagement and eagerness by both the American and Japanese students. Prior to the event, there were some concerns about how this discussion group portion of the event would follow. Since one of the goals of the students coming from Japan was to exchange cultures through sharing their opinions, my organization wanted to assure that their goal would be achieved. Such concern was alleviated as soon as this part of the event began. It was incredible to see how passionately all of the participants listened and shared their thoughts. This, I thought, was a true cultural exchange; I will never forget this occasion.
It was remarkable to hear from both the American and Japanese students about how much they enjoyed the event and how appreciative they were for providing such an academic and cultural setting. I hope that this event was an unforgettable event to each and everyone. I would like to thank all the guests for participating in this event. Most importantly, I would like to thank the Sigur Center for co-sponsoring this event. Without their support, this event could not have been taken place.Illinois/Indiana National Dissertation Workshop: “Chinese Law, Conflict, and Society”
Indiana University Bloomington, July 20-21, 2011.
The Illinois/Indiana East Asia National Resource Center Consortium (IL/IN East Asia NRC) is pleased to announce its fifth annual IL/IN National Dissertation Workshop in the field of Chinese law, conflict, and society. The workshop will be held July 20-21, 2011 on the campus of Indiana University Bloomington. Doctoral students in the humanities, social sciences, and law whose dissertation projects concern Chinese law and social, political, or cultural conflicts in modern and contemporary China are invited to apply. Areas of interest include anthropology, history, legal studies, political science, and sociology, among others. The workshop is designed to enable students just beginning work on their dissertations, as well as those farther along, to engage in intensive discussions of their own and each other’s projects. Possibilities for continuing networks among interested students and faculty will also be explored. The workshop will be limited to eight participants, and the cost of the workshop, some meals, and two nights’ lodging will be covered by the IL/IN East Asia NRC.
Faculty leaders: The workshop will be led by Ho-fung Hung, Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology at Indiana University Bloomington; Klaus Mühlhahn, Professor in the Departments of History and of East Asian Languages and Cultures at Indiana University Bloomington; and SHAO Dan, Assistant Professor in the Departments of East Asian Languages and Cultures and of Gender and Women’s Studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Eligibility and application: Applicants must be enrolled full-time in a doctoral program and must have drafted a dissertation research proposal, although they need not have advanced to candidacy. Those in the early phases of writing are also encouraged to apply. In order to prepare the ground for a productive exchange, participants must come to the workshop having read and prepared comments on the other participants’ writing samples.
The application deadline is March 14, 2011. Application materials consist of two items: (1) a current CV and (2) a 4-6-page double-spaced dissertation proposal (including a description of the specific issues being addressed, the intellectual approach, and the materials being studied). Applications should be submitted by e-mail attachment to easc@indiana.edu. Applicants will be informed whether or not they have been selected for the workshop by late April.
The Elliott School Office of Academic Advising & Student Services
is pleased to announce a special Faculty Lunch for sophomores
considering or pursuing a major in Asian Studies or an Asia concentration.
Join us for lunch with Professors Shawn McHale and Edward McCord!
Tuesday, November 16
12:00 to 1:30 pm
Sigur Center for Asian Studies
1957 E Street, Suite 503
RSVP to esiasophomores@gmail.com now!
In the subject line, please specify “Asian Studies.”
Twelve attendees will be selected on a first-come, first-served basis.
Please only RSVP if you are a sophomore and are certain that you will be able to attend.
You will hear back within 48 hours whether you have secured a spot.
At the luncheon, Professors McHale and McCord will discuss their academic backgrounds and research and will answer students’ questions about their own academic plans, as well as about opportunities both inside and outside of the classroom.
This event is part of the Elliott School’s efforts to offer special opportunities and programming to sophomores as they transition from first-year life and prepare to move on to the heart of the curriculum, declare their concentrations, and plan for internships, study abroad – and even life after GW!
The luncheon also falls under of GW’s observance of International Education Week, a joint initiative of the U.S. Departments of State and Education. International Education Week is an opportunity to celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide. Our celebration includes a variety of programs that highlight the international richness of our community and the many international opportunities available to our students. More information on GW’s observance of International Education Week is available here.
