The transnational adoptee, Eleana Kim (2010) has written, is often considered the figure of “postnational cosmopolitanism” (267) par excellence. Products of transnational movement and visible elements of “blended international families,” and yet almost invisibly absorbed into white US life, foreign adoptees have for decades been figures around which the hopes of postracial progressivism have coalesced. Yet just as scholars have critiqued attitudes of postracialism as continuing to perpetuate inequality through the liberal disavowal of racism as a structuring element of US life (see Watts 2021, Squires 2014, Bonilla-Silva 2018[2003], Omi and Winant 2015[1986], Halualani 2011, Eng 2010), so, too, have critical adoption scholars noted the limitations on these optimistic treatments of adoptees and their experiences of race in the US. This paper examines the contradictions of postracial discourse in the case of Asian American adoptees, asking what work the insistence in minimizing adoptees’ racial difference has done since the 1950s, when transnational adoption was institutionalized. Following Pate (2014) and Woo (2019), who note that the political project of racial tolerance in the form of Asian adoption, necessary for the US’ expansionist aims in Asia during the Cold War, was predicated on the absorption and assimilation of Asian adoptees into white families, I explore postracial and assimilationist ideology around adoption as a form of intimization of power, and further, as one significant way in which Asian Americans are racialized through discourse. This talk thus explores interdisciplinary connections between scholarship on postracialism, critical adoption studies, Asian American studies, and critical rhetorics of race.The talk runs from 3:00 to 4:45 pm in 602 Cathedral of Learning.
Join us for an enlightening guest lecture by James Welker, the author of Transfiguring Women in Late Twentieth-Century Japan: Feminists, Lesbians, and Girls’ Comics Artists and Fans (University of Hawaii Press, 2024). This groundbreaking book delves into the dynamic and overlapping communities of women and adolescent girls in 1970s and 1980s Japan who challenged traditional gender and sexual norms. The lecture will explore the ūman ribu (women’s liberation) movement, the rezubian (lesbian) community, and the world of queer shōjo manga (girls’ comics), highlighting how these groups redefined the concept of “women” by selectively appropriating Western ideas while remaining deeply rooted in Japanese culture.The talk starts at 5:00 pm in Carnegie Mellon University, Posner Hall 343 (map).
Welker will provide a broad historical overview of these movements and offer insights into how acts of transfiguration reshaped what it meant to be a woman in Japan. Drawing from a vast archive of dictionaries, sexology texts, literature, magazines, comics and interviews, his book talk promises to be a rich exploration of how these communities forged new understandings of gender and sexual expression.
James Welker is a professor in the Department of Cross-Cultural Studies, Kanagawa University, Yokohama, Japan. His research focuses primarily on gender and sexuality in postwar and contemporary Japan, especially fan cultures, feminisms, and the LGBT(Q) community. He is the author of Transfigurations: Redefining Women in Late Twentieth-Century Japan (forthcoming).
The Korea-United States Journalists Exchange, launched by the East-West Center in 2005, is co-sponsored by the East-West Center, Korea Press Foundation, and Pacific Century Institute to increase public understanding of the two countries and their relationship.It runs from 2:15 to 3:30 pm in 4217 Posvar Hall (map) and registration is required.
The bilingual program offers opportunities for six to eight Korean journalists to visit the United States and for six to eight United States journalists to visit Korea. Following these study tours, all Korean and American participants meet at the East-West Center in Honolulu to share their experiences and new perspectives and to exchange opinions on how media coverage of each country can be improved.
A total of 209 journalists, including North Korean defector media, have participated in this program, and Americans have traveled inside North Korea on two different programs.
芸［Gei]: The Beauty of Ephemeral and Eternal invites viewers to explore the captivating duality of Japanese Sogetsu Ikebana and craft, highlighting the profound cultural connections woven through these art forms. Ikebana (生け花, living flowers), the traditional Japanese art of flower arrangement, captures the fleeting beauty of nature. Conversely, we celebrate the eternal through masterful craft objects. These objects embody enduring skill and meticulous attention to detail. From exquisite ceramics to intricate metal and wood sculptures, these crafts echo with the wisdom and patience of their makers, preserving techniques practiced over generations while celebrating individuality and collaboration.
Featured artists Tadao Arimoto, Yoko Sekino-Bové, Carol Kumata, and Miwa Neishi engage in dialogue with Sogetsu Pittsburgh, led by Reiko Nakajima and Atsumi Sewell. Embracing the notion of living sculpture in Sogetsu Ikebana, this juxtaposition prompts contemplation of time, materiality, processes, culture, and heritage. Ikebana celebrates simplicity and imperfection, while traditional crafts speak of a lineage committed to perfection and continuity, enriching our understanding of tradition and innovation.
芸［Gei] uncovers connective networks bridging natural forces with disciplined artistry. Through a community of hands and dedicated practice, these mycelial connections energize a diverse spectrum of artistic spirits. Join us in contemplating the harmony between impermanence and eternity, where fleeting blossoms and timeless crafts weave a narrative of Japan’s rich cultural tapestry—connecting past, present, and future.
After suffering a number of disasters, including losing his job, having his savings wiped out and facing his father's high medical bills, Gao Zhilei (Xu Zheng) takes up a job as a delivery worker, dealing with long days and stomach-turning events. Amongst crazy customers, tight deadlines and competition among app companies, he manages to form strong bonds with his fellow workers. But in his quest for success, he must face a choice: keep the new friendships he's created or move to the next level in his new career by taking advantage of the new business world where he finds himself.It plays locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront and tickets are available online.
Big brother Zun Fei and his gang of brothers are doing well in the underworld. However, when conspiracies arise and the brothers turn against each other, Zun Fei can only take up his gun and risk his life to face the threat.It plays locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront and tickets are available online.
Discover the fascinating world of East Asian print culture in this hands-on workshop! Participants will explore traditional printing techniques used in China and Japan, from ancient woodblock printing to various book binding formats, some of them dating back to the 14th century! We will start by traveling back in time to examine rare prints and books from Archives & Special Collections at the University of Pittsburgh Library System, curated by Runxiao Zhu, Head of the East Asian Library, and Hiroyuki Good, Japanese Studies Librarian. The workshop will conclude with a hands-on activity where you'll create your own block print or mini book in the Text & conText Lab.It runs from 5:30 to 7:30 pm in room 320 on the third floor and is free and open to both the Pitt community and the public. Registration is required and can be completed online. Hillman Library is located at in Oakland (map).
Curious to learn more about this topic? Check out the East Asian Print Culture exhibit on display in the Archives & Special Collections Gallery on Hillman Library’s 3rd Floor on display Fall-Spring 2024!
Join the International Student Peer Network for a professional Chinese Kun Opera group performance, storytelling, open discussion, and the opportunity to try on traditional costumes and makeup.It runs from 10:30 am to 12:00 pm in the Global Hub on the first floor of Posvar Hall (map).
