ISSN 1472-6653 December 2006 Number 13 World experts select Centre of Excellence on East Asia A joint bid by the School of East Asian Studies at the University of Sheffield and the Department of East Asian Studies at the University of Leeds to establish an international Centre of Excellence on East Asia has been successful. The bid was made in response to the organizing new research initiatives; Japanese imperialism. She joins the £25 million Language and Area Studies developing existing research through the cluster on East Asian identities and initiative launched jointly by the Higher appointment of research fellows; cultures. Education Funding Council, the providing young scholars with Economic and Social Research Council, postdoctoral fellowships; organizing Professor Glenn D. Hook of SEAS, the the Arts and Humanities Research conferences and workshops; and Director of the National Institute of Council and the Scottish Funding building up international networks to Japanese Studies and a member of the Council. These councils called on leading support the development of globally Executive Board of the White Rose East experts from East Asia and the United recognized research. Asia Centre, stressed the role the States as well as the United Kingdom Centre will play as a national resource: and other European countries to act as One of the first initiatives was the “the success of the bid is testimony to referees to help them to select the best selection of two White Rose Scholarship our track record as a leading trainer of bid to strengthen Britain’s research students through an open competition postgraduate research students and as a profile and specialization in Japanese in the summer of 2006. Philip Shetler- centre of international research and Chinese studies. Jones was awarded a four-year excellence. The pooling of cutting-edge scholarship that combines one year researchers from both Leeds and Drawing upon the white rose, the studying for an MA in Advanced Sheffield has enabled us to create an historical symbol of Yorkshire where Japanese Studies (Research Methods) unparalleled depth and breadth of Sheffield and Leeds are both located, and three years completing his PhD research on East Asia. The centre’s role the new centre of excellence is called dissertation on Japan’s role in as a national resource will mean the the White Rose East Asia Centre. The peacekeeping. He joins the research whole research community will be able National Institute of Japanese Studies cluster on globalization and to benefit from this new initiative.” and the National Institute of Chinese regionalization. Lisa Nye was also Studies together constitute the White awarded a four-year scholarship to For regularly updated information on the Rose East Asia Centre. pursue the same MA programme and activities of the White Rose East Asia thereafter a research project on Centre, please visit http://www.wreac.org The new Centre was launched officially on 1 September 2006. Funding of £4 million has been secured for the next five years, with the possibility of further funding to be considered in the future. The key aims of the Centre include developing an international reputation for excellence in research on East Asia; pooling the expertise in the two universities to provide high quality research training for the next generation of scholars in East Asian studies covering the disciplines of the humanities, business and social sciences; Professor Glenn D. Hook (centre), Director of the National Institute of Japanese Studies, with the two new White Rose Scholarship students, Lisa Nye (left) and Philip Shetler-Jones (right). EastAsia@Sheffield 1 All change in Confucius Centre developments the Distance Professor Bob Boucher, Vice- Institute in Sheffield, as reported Chancellor of the University of in the previous edition of Learning Centre Sheffield, and Professor Peter EastAsia@Sheffield. We look Fleming, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for forward to bringing you regular SEAS was sorry to say goodbye External Relations, recently visited updates on the activities of the recently to Karen Gascoigne and Sali Nanjing to sign the memorandum Confucius Institute in future Morris. Karen worked in the Distance of understanding related to the editions. Learning Centre since 1996, when establishment of the Confucius distance learning was still very new, and made a major contribution to the success of the programmes. Sali was with us for five years as a senior secretary and was a fount of knowledge on all areas of the centre’s activities. We wish them well in their future endeavours. Sandra Tassie, our new Administrative and Examinations Officer, comes well equipped to take up the challenge. A graduate of the MA in Japanese Language and Society who has worked for the past three years in other university departments, she is familiar with the workings of SEAS as well as the University. Katherine Gallagher, who has been in SEAS for over two years, moves up to take on Front row from left to right: Professor Peter Fleming, Pro-Vice Chancellor for External Relations, Sali’s role and we are now recruiting Professor Chen Jun, President of Nanjing University, and Professor Bob Boucher, Vice-Chancellor of to fill Katherine’s position. the University of Sheffield. Local high school students get a Note on names Following East Asian convention, taste of life at SEAS the family name precedes the given name/s in Chinese, Japanese Students from three local schools – they had the chance to meet some and Korean names, unless the Lady Manners School, Wales High first-year students – David Janke particular person uses the School and Hope Valley College – (Chinese Studies with Japanese), Western name order (given name attended the third annual Taster Day Charlotte Steels (Japanese) and followed by family name) in in SEAS on 8 November 2006. Peggy Ng (Korean Studies) – to find his/her publications and/or During their visit, the students took out what they think of life as a everyday life. classes in Korean with Dr Judith student at SEAS. The visitors also Cherry and Chinese with Dr Hu had an additional, impromptu Xiao-ling. They also participated in language class when our Editor’s note seminars on the topics of “Women enthusiastic students took over the The views expressed in the in Chinese Cinema” with Dr Sarah whiteboard to explain some articles in this newsletter are Dauncey and “Why Study Japan?” Japanese grammar points and those of the individual authors with Dr Rick Siddle. At lunchtime, vocabulary. Diane Walsh, who and do not necessarily reflect accompanied a group of students those of the School of East Asian from Wales High School, told us, “it Studies and the University of was a worthwhile event and my Sheffield. students were very positive about the experience. They enjoyed the Certain images used in this Chinese film and being able to newsletter are scaled-down, participate in the guided discussion low-resolution images used to based upon it. They also particularly illustrate films or books, or to enjoyed the Chinese and Korean provide critical analysis of the language taster sessions.” content or artwork of the image. It is believed that these images From left to right: Peggy Ng, David Janke and qualify as fair use under Charlotte Steels help out at the language taster sessions. copyright law. 2 EastAsia@Sheffield Welcome to SEAS! SEAS is delighted to welcome four new members of staff to Sheffield: Dr Jeremy Taylor as lecturer in Chinese Studies, Ms Mika Ko as lecturer in Japanese Studies, and Ms Mineko Arai and Ms Yumiko Iwashita as Japanese language teaching fellows. Jeremy Taylor Mika Ko was educated at completed an the University of MA in Sydney and the International Australian Media Studies at National the University of University. It was Ulster in from the latter Northern Ireland institution that in 1999. She he was awarded chose Northern Yumiko Ishiwata (right) received her a PhD in 2003 for Ireland because undergraduate and postgraduate a thesis that explored the uses of she was particularly interested in education in the Department of the built environment and its links to the way the media reported political Foreign Languages of Reitaku conflicting interpretations of the conflict. She also developed an University in Japan. After graduation, colonial past in Taiwan. Since then, enthusiasm for Film Studies and she worked in Romania as a Jeremy has spent a number of years decided to undertake PhD research volunteer Japanese language teacher studying, working and conducting into contemporary Japanese cinema. for the Japan International research in Asia. He has also worked This research has focused on Cooperation Agency from 2003 to in local government, marketing and representations of minority groups 2005. This was Yumiko’s first other industries. From 2003 to 2005, in contemporary Japanese cinema experience as a language teacher he served as an advisor to Taiwan’s and how these relate to images of and she learned a great deal about Foreign Ministry, where he was Japanese national identity. For cross-cultural communication. After responsible for translation, editorial example, in the case of a popular leaving Romania, she taught and speechwriting work. He has filmmaker like Miike Takashi, she has Japanese at the University of spent most of 2006 living in explored the way in which Limerick in Ireland where she Singapore, where he has been a contemporary Japanese experienced a different teaching member of the editorial team for multiculturalism has helped to approach. Yumiko looks forward to Singapore: The Encyclopedia. maintain conventional notions of the joining and contributing to the high- Japanese nation. In the future, Mika quality Japanese language teaching Recently he has developed an is particularly interested in team at SEAS. interest in Nationalist Chinese and investigating the development of Taiwanese propaganda, with a transnational East Asian cinema and Mineko Arai (left) originally taught particular focus on the ways in its potential to challenge traditional English to Japanese children but which Nationalist Chinese leaders forms of national cinema.