“For example, we are encouraging our National Resource Centers to strengthen ties with partner institutions in areas of the world with substantial Muslim populations. We will support and help build on innovative education efforts like the University of Hawaii’s Muslim Societies in Asia and the Pacific program”

U.S. Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan, to Council on Foreign Relations on “International Engagement Through Education” (26 May 2010)

full speech

2010 University of Hawai’i Regents’ Medal for Excellence in Research Awarded to CSEAS Director Barbara Watson Andaya

The University of Hawai’i Research Council is pleased to announce that CSEAS Director Barbara Watson Andaya is one of three UHM faculty members to receive the prestigious Regents’ Medal for Excellence in Research for 2010.

Dr. Watson Andaya will be honored at the Fall UHM Convocation ceremony on September 21, 2010.

All of us in Southeast Asian Studies applaud this recognition of your outstanding achievements in the field of Southeast Asian research.

Congratulations, Barbara!

To reassess the complex interconnections between Brecht’s work and various Asian cultures at the beginning of the 21st century, the International Brecht Society (IBS) and the Department of Theatre and Dance at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa invite scholars and artists in theater, performance, and other cultural fields to Honolulu for the 13th IBS Symposium on “Brecht in/and Asia” from May 19-23, 2010.

Brecht was not the only Western modernist to turn to Asian theater and thought for inspiration, but he was an especially astute observer of the cultural encounter with this “other,” which had such a significant impact on his work. Conversely, Brecht’s own theater and thought returned to inspire new forms of political and aesthetic experiments in many parts of Asia. With the dynamic, ongoing echoes of this mutual relationship as point of departure, the symposium will provide a forum to explore its multiple dimensions.

Below are the Southeast Asian focused panels:

Fritz Bennewitz’s Caucasian Chalk Circle in the Philippines
Thursday, May 20 at 3:45 pm in Webster Hall 103
Presented by David G. John, University of Waterloo, Ontario

Linking with the previous presentations by Rolf Rohmer and Joerg Esleben, this paper will first outline former GDR director Fritz Bennewitz’s long association with Philippine theatre through his interactions with indigenous theatre practitioners there, and especially his collaboration with the Philippine Education Theatre Association (PETA) in producing many plays. It will then focus on his 1977 production, with local actors and collaborators, of Brecht’s Caucasian Chalk Circle, in Tagalog (Ang Hatol na Bilog na Guhit), staged in Manila with thematic and stylistic connections to the southern Philippine region of Mindanao and its Muslim culture. Bennewitz asserted frequently that this play was an ideal vehicle for mutual intercultural exploration and understanding. Although judged by Philippine critics to be the country’s best production of the year, questions need to be asked as to whether or not it was indeed a successful intercultural venture from points of view then and now.

Since 1974 David John has been Professor of German Language and Literature at the University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. His major book publications focus on eighteenth-century German theatre, Goethe and Schiller, and he has just completed a book on Fritz Bennewitz’s seven productions of Faust in various countries. He is currently involved in an international collaborative project on Bennewitz in India.

In Contestation over Hegemonic Narrative: Kamron’s Brechtian Theatre and Beyond
Thursday, May 20 at 11:00 am in Webster Hall 103
Presented by Parichat Jungwiwattanaporn, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa

During seventy-eight years of parliamentary democracy (1932 – 2010), Thai democratization has gone through a number of significant challenges including coup d’états and the recent call by neo-nationalist royalists for a semi-absolute monarchy. The hegemony of the national ideology of the “Three Pillars” (i.e., nation, religion/Buddhism, and the King) has been so deeply imbedded in the Thai consciousness that any attempt to question the meta-narratives of Thai history can be construed as an act against national security. Since open discussions and criticism about these meta-narratives have been legally, socially, and culturally repressed, live theatre has become an important tool for contemporary artists in Thailand to express their dissent and to create a space in which they can interact live with an audience. For the past three decades, the Crescent Moon Theatre Group (CMTG), led by Kamron Gunatilaka, has been known to use both Thai and Western theatre techniques, especially the Brechtian theatre, to articulate dissent. In countering different meta-narratives, his productions take great risk at criticizing the hegemonic social memory, history, and collective psyche of Thailand. This paper will be a case study of Kamron’s most important production, The Revolutionist, which has been the most frequently performed contemporary theatre production in Thailand since 1987. Thai theatre critics consider it one of the most important Thai plays of the 20th century. The Revolutionist, inspired by Brechtian theatre, depicts a story of the leader of the Thai revolution in 1932, Pridi Banomyong, a progressive intellectual who fell victim to political intrigues. The play also provides historical details that provide a counter-metanarrative to the well-known metanarratives of recent Thai history. Through Lyotard’s postmodern lens, this paper intends to analyze the influences of Brechtian elements in Kamron’s dramaturgy as well as the creative outcomes that resulted from using this approach.

Parichat Jungwiwattanaporn is a PhD candidate in Asian Theatre at the Department of Theatre and Dance, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Since 1999, as a researcher and writer on theatre history and criticism in Thailand, she has participated in a national research project, “Criticism as an Intellectual Power in Contemporary Thai Society.” Her publications include three co-authored books and two books on Thai Contemporary Theatre and Criticism, as well as a number of articles for such journals as ATJ and SPAFA and various newspapers.

The aim of this introductory course on Contemporary Asian Cinema is to acquaint students with significant films from the major countries in Asia and how these films reflect and comment on profound social, political, and historical changes that have occurred in recent decades. The course will investigate recent films from China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Taiwan, and a Vietnam, including those made by the diaspora. These films will be approached through a variety of critical perspectives, including formalism, auteurism, and genre theory, watching art films, mainstream commercial films, and films that fall between these two categories. While examining universal themes embodying roles, customs, culture, relationships, identity, and such critical concerns as diaspora, hybridity, transnationalism, an attempt will be made to discern the effects of globalization on the Asian film industry and its changing relationship with Hollywood.

Course information: Summer Session II: 6 July – 13 Aug 2010, MWF 2:00-4:15pm, 3 credits

For information/override permission contact Asian Studies Office 956-6085

On behalf of the Program Committee for the 2011 joint Association for Asian Studies (AAS) and International Convention of Asia Scholars (ICAS) conference “70 Years of Asian Studies,” to be held at the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu, we are pleased to invite colleagues in Asian Studies to submit proposals for Organized Panels, Roundtables, Workshops, and Individual Papers for sessions to be created by the Conference Committee.

The Committee seeks sessions that will engage panelists and audiences in the consideration of ideas, information, and interpretations that will advance knowledge about Asian regions and, by extension, will enrich teaching about Asia at all levels.

Because space constraints will not be a concern in 2011, we should be able to accommodate more than 400 panel sessions (compared to our usual 250), including substantially more panels comprised of individual paper proposals. The larger number of panel sessions will allow many more scholars to be on the formal program, thus facilitating institutional travel funding and maximizing attendance.

Institutions, organizations and affiliated groups are particularly encouraged to submit panel, roundtable, and workshop session proposals for the formal program, rather than as Meetings-in-Conjunction, which will be limited primarily to business meetings or social functions.

We look forward to your colleagueship at the Honolulu conference and to a program that reflects the culture and dynamism of both the AAS and ICAS, and celebrates the last 70 years of scholarship in the field of Asian Studies.

Questions? Please contact a member of the Program Committee or the AAS Conference Manager, Robyn Jones, rjones@asian-studies.org.

For more information on the conference, please visit the official website.

Taken by Cars, usually referred to as TbC, is a Filipino indie rock band composed of Sarah Marco on vocals, Bryce Zialcita on lead guitar, Derek “Siopao” Chua on rhythm guitar, Isa Garcia on bass guitar, and Bryan Kong on drums and sampler. They describe their sound as a mixture of electro, shoegaze, and new wave.

Zialcita, Chua, Yap, and Kong, who have been friends since elementary school, formed a rock band in 1998 when they were high school sophomores. In an interview with Philippine Daily Inquirer, Zialcita said that their only goal was to play gigs in saGuijo, a café in Makati City, Philippines, which caters to indie rock enthusiasts. They performed during their high school and college days under different names like “Kung Fu Benny,” “Mexican Rice Bowl,” and “Morning Wood” until finally deciding on the name “Taken by Cars” because of its association with the concept of movement and that they “listened to a bulk of their music in their cars.”  They also tried out several music genres before settling into its “classic rock-modern indie vibe” when Marco joined the group in 2006. However, after just one month of gigging in small audiences using original materials, the band took a hiatus due to what they described as “personal reasons.” They made most out of this idle time writing and recording new songs in preparation for their return. Without a major record label to promote them, the band uploaded their music on MySpace, where they garnered fans from different parts of the world.

Taken by Cars returned to scene in early 2007 and have become notable in Manila’s indie rock scene that fans began to compel local radio stations for them to play the band’s first single, “A Weeknight Memoir (In High Definition).” On February 2007, the band submitted a demo copy of the single to NU 107, a rock music station in Pasig City, Metro Manila, for its segment “In the Raw.” Despite its less-than-perfect audio quality, “A Weeknight Memoir (In High Definition)” received heavy radio airplay and has even reached the top spot of NU 107′s daily countdown. Their next single, “Uh Oh,” also reached number one in the station’s charts.

The band’s appeal has gotten noticed by Warner Music Philippines, which signed the group to a distribution deal. Their debut album, Endings of a New Kind, was released in early 2008 under the production of Mong Alcaraz, who is also behind the music of Sandwich and Chicosci. Endings of a New Kind was received warmly by critics and fans. Entertainment writer Diego Rosano P. Mapa reviewed that he “can hear Bloc Party, CSS and New Young Pony Club in their music, but they are doing something that sounds different and refreshing. The drums party like a drum machine, the riffs are shimmering, the basses distorted like an analog keyboard, and Sarah Marco’s vocals are gonna rip all the men’s boxer shorts to shreds.” The album also includes a download card that provides access to remixed versions of its tracks. They also released a mashup version of “Uh Oh” entitled “Uh Oh It’s Electro,” which was collaborated with house DJ Funk Avy. They are working on their second album, which will be released in late 2009. -taken from wikipedia.org

Nike+ Article | Wilyfilapino Interview | Myspace | Last.fm | Multiply | Odyssey Live

These series of classes are designed for those of you who are interested in learning proper cooking or baking techniques and skills. Classes are held in the culinary arts laboratories and lecture rooms at Kapi’olani Community College.

Thai food is amazing! The incredible aromas and flavors that come from balancing ingredients like lemon grass, kaffir lime, coconut milk, chilies and spicy curry will lift your taste buds to new heights! And believe it or not, it’s easier than you think to cook. In this class, you’ll try your hand at another classic Thai menu. We’ll be making a thick rice noodle stir fry, Thai beef salad, crispy fish with a chili basil sauce and black sticky rice for dessert.

Dress code: As a safety precaution, participants in all culinary classes are encouraged to wear covered, non-slip shoes (e.g. tennis shoes) and comfortable long pants. Aprons or any other personal items may also be brought to class. The college, however, will not be held responsible, if such items are lost or stolen.

Sign-up: Call the registrar’s office at 734-9211, 8-4, M-F, or fax registration form to: 734-9447. | download registration form

Course Information: 8:00am-12:00pm, Saturday, 29 May 2010; fee: $68

Yuphaphann Hoonchamlong is an associate professor of Thai who coordinates the Thai program drawing upon her 20-year experience teaching Thai as a foreign language. She has a PhD in Linguistics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is no stranger to the University of Hawai‘i where she received her Master’s degree in Linguistics. Before coming to Hawai‘i, she taught Linguistics at Thammasat University in Thailand. In accord with the University’s mission of positioning itself as a distinguished resource and leading institution in Asia-Pacific affairs, Hoonchamlong hopes that the Thai program will gain international recognition for its language instruction, as well as for its cultural teachings, which are invaluable for communicative proficiency. To achieve this goal, she is determined to develop effective instructional materials and employ innovative instructional methodology; attract more students and increase community access to the Thai program; strengthen the relationship between students and the local Thai communities/businesses; and increase collaboration between other relevant departments and schools at UH.

The course will cover art and architecture of tribal groups from island Southeast Asia. Topics include bronze age prehistory and indigenous cultures from Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan, and the Philippines.

Course information: Summer Session II: 6 July – 13 Aug 2010, M-F 10:30 – 11:45am, 3 credits

Jerome Feldman teaches art history at Hawaii Pacific University. His specialization is in the arts of tribal Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands. He received his Ph.D. in tribal art history from Columbia University and has conducted field studies in remote islands of Indonesia and Polynesia. He has studied museum collections in Europe and America and has aided in several important exhibitions including The Eloquent Dead at the Fowler Museum at UCLA, Nias Tribal Treasures at the Volkenkundig Meumeu Nusantara in Delft, and Beyond the Java Sea a Smithsonian sponsored traveling exhibition. He has also written books and articles and lectured extensively on tribal Southeast Asian, Micronesian and Polynesian art and architecture. In fall 2004, he was the Slade Visiting Professor at Cambridge University, England. between distribution patterns of human knowledge of biodiversity and actual biodiversity.

Looking for a place to listen to radio from across southeast asia? The CSEAS staff recently discovered radiotime, a free streaming radio program online called radiotime! All the major southeast asian countries are listed, in addition to other countries across the globe. Some countries are even further categorized by locality! Check out the site and be sure to let us know what you think!

Until today, the Muslim Societies in Asia & the Pacific program (MSAP) only had a facebook presence online, so we are very excited to announce their new website: http://www.msiahawaii.com!  We hope our readers enjoy the site as much as we do!

The Center for Southeast Asian Studies would like to recognize the incredible efforts of graduate assistants, Nezia and Effendy, who were instrumental in the building of the Muslim Societies in Asia program.  The quality and success of the current MSIAP is a testament to their hard work and the CSEAS wishes them the best of luck on their future endeavors.