Dear All,

As you may know, the Department of EALC at Harvard invited applications to the VASI summer program contingent on the receipt of a Group Programs Abroad grant from the U.S. Department of Education (DOE). We had hoped that despite the budget delays in Congress the grant application process would proceed in time to run VASI this summer. We regret to inform you that while Congress has finally authorized the DOE budget for this year, the review of GPA grant applications will not be completed in time for VASI to take place in 2012.

What does this mean to those who have applied, or are in the process of applying? We are writing today to let you know their options.

1) They may choose to withdraw their application at this point and not be charged the application fee (if they have sent a check we will not deposit it). They may, if they select this option, apply again next year for VASI 2013, contingent on our receipt of funds for the program from the DOE.

2) They may proceed with their application in order to be considered for the VASI program that will take place in the summer of 2013, again contingent on receipt of funding. Should they be selected for participation they will not be charged the $1000 program fee until the 2013 applicants are selected. Selecting this option means they will be charged the $25 application fee this year. If they are not selected this year, they may apply again when the 2013 program is announced.

We understand that for some applicants, participating in VASI this summer would have been an important part of their studies in Vietnamese, and we wish to convey our sincere regret that due to circumstances beyond our control we are unable to organize the program for them this year. Should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Sincerely,

Gustavo Espada

Gustavo Espada
Staff Assistant to the VASI Program
Financial/IT Coordinator
Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations
Harvard University

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“INDONESIAN RANDAI THEATRE AT UHM: INSIGHTS INTO THE ADAPTATION AND REHEARSAL PROCESS”
A Presentation by Kirstin Pauka, professor in the Department of Theatre and Dance at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa

Professor Pauka and some of her collaborators will share insights into the rehearsal and production process of training and performing Randai theatre from West Sumatra. This is the third Randai production Pauka has directed in the Department of Theatre at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa; UHM is the only place outside of Indonesia where audiences can see Randai theatre. 

This Spring, the UHM’s Department of Theatre and Dance presents the rare theatre form of Randai with its production of “The Genteel Sabai,” a folk dance-drama from the Minangkabau ethnic group in West Sumatra, Indonesia. Randai comes from the Minangkabau ethic group in Sumatra, and features beautiful traditional music and singing, martial arts, dance and acting; and its signature pants-slapping percussion!

Kirstin Pauka is a professor in the Department of Theatre and Dance at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. She is uniquely suited to the career of director, performer, scholar and most especially teacher of Asian and cross-cultural theatre.

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Call for Papers – 14th Annual Southeast Asian Studies Graduate Conference
Kahin Center for Advanced Research on Southeast Asia at Cornell University
Location: Ithaca, New York
Program dates: 2-4 March 2012
Deadline: 10 December 2011

The Cornell Southeast Asia Program invites submission for its 14th Annual Southeast Asian Studies Graduate Conference. This annual event will be held at the Kahin Center for Advanced Research on Southeast Asia at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York on March 2-4, 2012.

We welcome submissions from graduate students at any stage engaged in original research related to Southeast Asia. Papers related to a wide variety of subjects are encouraged. We hope to attract a wide-range of submissions focused on themes that are currently of greatest interest to graduate students. The Cornell Southeast Asia Program’s Graduate Committee will review the abstracts, select presenters, and organize sessions by theme. In order to aid this process of thematic organization, we ask that you please include at least two keywords summarizing your presentation. Selected authors will present their work as part of a panel at the conference and paper abstracts will be included in the Conference Program.

Please submit abstracts to the following email address: ( seapgradconference@gmail.com). All abstracts should be limited to 250 words (using 1” margins on all sides, Times New Roman, and 12 pt font size) and send in MS Word format. Please name your abstract using your first initial and last name (for example, jsmith.doc for John Smith’s abstract). The subject of the message should specify “Abstract” and the body should include the following information:

* Author’s name(s), affiliation(s) and a primary email address
* Title of paper
* Paper topic or keywords

Submission Deadline: December 10th, 2011

Notification of Acceptance: Mid/Late December 2011

Confirmation of Attendance: January 5th, 2012

A very limited number of modest travel subventions may be available for those traveling longer distances. We encourage applicants to seek funding from their home institutions first. Please indicate in your message whether you expect to receive travel funding from your home institution and if you would like to be considered for a travel subvention from the Cornell Southeast Asia Program.

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FALL 2011 PHILIPPINE STUDIES COLLOQUIUM SERIES

The San Remigio, Cebu Excavations: Notes from the University of Guam 2011 Archaeological Field School

Co-sponsored with the Department of Anthropology
Location: Honolulu, HI USA
November 2, 2:00pm – 3:30pm
Manoa Campus, Moore Hall 319 (Tokioka Room)

Summary
The archaeology of the island of Cebu in the Philippines has recently received increased attention from local and international scholars. The support provided by the local government and the presence of a robust heritage and historical programs in Cebu-based universities has made research in the island-province conducive to collaboration among local and international archaeologists. An example of this collaboration is the recently concluded University of Guam Archaeological Field School in San Remigio, Cebu, a collaborative training and research project between the University of Guam, the National Museum of the Philippines, the University of San Carlos (Cebu City), and the University of the Philippines- Archaeological Studies Program (Quezon City). The field project excavated an ‘Iron Age’ burial site in San Remigio, Cebu, located on the northwestern tip of the island. Excavations provided ecological, landscape, and cultural data on the ‘Iron Age’ of the island- province. More importantly, the project provided the first secure Cebu Iron Age radiocarbon dates. I will present the preliminary findings from the 2011 field season of the San Remigio, Cebu archaeological project.

Speaker Bio:

Stephen Acabado received his BA in Anthropology from the University of the Philippines, Diliman and his MA and PhD in Anthropology from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. He is currently an Assistant Professor of Anthropology in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, University of Guam. His research interests include Southeast Asian archaeology, landscape archaeology, and heritage management.

Event Sponsor
The Department of Anthropology and the Center for Philippine Studies, Mānoa Campus

More Information
Clem Montero, 956-6086, cps@hawaii.edu

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Call for Papers – From the Adriatic to the Sulu Sea: Islam and Identity in Southeast Europe and Southeast Asia
Location: Franke Institute for the Humanities: The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
When: February 10-12, 2012
Abstract submission deadline: November 15, 2011

This conference is the third in a series comparing two edges of the Islamic world. The first “Islam at the Edges: Southeast Europe and Southeast Asia” was held at Northern Illinois University 30 March 2009, the second “Southeast Europe and Southeast Asia: Islam, Mergers, and Margins” at Malaysian National University 4-5 January 2011, and the third “From the Adriatic to the Sulu Sea: Islam and Identity in Southeast Europe and Southeast Asia” is planned for the University of Chicago for February 10-12, 2012.

Our choice of Southeast Europe and Southeast Asia for the foci of these conferences is motivated by the fact that in each of these regions at opposite ends of the traditional Islamic world Islam is an important historical and social factor that continues to interact with both previous and subsequent cultural traditions and political realities in ways that are informatively comparable. This third conference understands “identities” in the broadest possible manner, and the papers will examine phenomena from music and literacy to politics and spirituality and beyond.

If you are interested in presenting at this conference, please send a title and brief abstract (1-2 paragraphs) to Meredith Clason, Associate Director, Center for East European and Russian/Eurasian Studies (CEERES) ( mclason@uchicago.edu) by November 15, 2011. Notification of acceptance will be given by December 15, 2011.

This conference is sponsored by the Center for East European and Russian/Eurasian Studies at the University of Chicago and the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at Northern Illinois University. Both Centers are supported by National Resource Center funds from Title VI of the US Department of Education.

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Call for Papers – Southeast Asia: Between the Lines
Graduate Student Conference at the University of Michigan
December 9-10 2011
Abstract submission deadline: October 28, 2011

In 2010, the Center for Southeast Asian Studies (CSEAS) at the University of Michigan celebrated its 50th anniversary with an interdisciplinary conference on the state of Southeast Asian Studies. CSEAS is now hosting Southeast Asia: Between the Lines, a graduate student conference and workshop. The conference aims to continue conversations on Southeast Asia across disciplinary lines, build connections between graduate students at different institutions, and facilitate intensive interactions between participants, both faculty and students. Support for this event comes from the Henry Luce Foundation and U-M’s Rackham Graduate School.

Southeast Asia: Between the Lines invites submissions from graduate students to participate in the two-day conference. The first day features presentations in four moderated panels. The second day features discipline-focused workshops facilitated by invited moderators. Graduate students submitting papers will be expected to attend both days and prepare for the workshop according to the facilitator’s request.

Invited moderators/workshop facilitators are: Ian Baird, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Vicente Rafael, University of Washington; Dan Slater, University of Chicago; and Anna Tsing, University of California, Santa Cruz.

Graduate students are asked to submit original work that falls under one of the following categories:
• Anthropology and Culture, Sociology (Ian Baird)
• History and Pre-Modern Legacies, (Vicente Rafael)
• Politics and the State (Dan Slater)
• Environmental Sustainability and Local Resources. (Anna Tsing)
Please submit abstracts (500 words or less) to Kate Wright at the Center for Southeast Asian Studies: katemw@umich.edu. The deadline for abstract submissions is Friday, October 28, 2011.

If accepted, graduate students will receive a modest travel subvention and meals during the conference. There are a number of hotels in the Ann Arbor area, and students can arrange to stay for free at the homes of local graduate students.

Notification of acceptance will be on or before Friday, November 4, 2011, and we request that participants confirm their attendance by Wednesday, November 9, 2011. Papers will be due to the organizers by Monday, November 28, 2011.

Please direct questions to Kate Wright at katemw@umich.edu or 734-764-5261.

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FALL 2011 PHILIPPINE STUDIES COLLOQUIUM SERIES

Weaponizing Language: U.S. Counterinsurgency and the Politics of Translation Dr. Vicente Rafael
Co-sponsored with The History Workshop, Department of History
Location: Honolulu, HI USA
October 7, 2:30pm – 4:30pm
Manoa Campus, Sakamaki A201

Summary
Professor Vicente Rafael (University of Washington, Seattle) will present “Weaponizing Language: U.S. Counterinsurgency and the Politics of Translation,” as the next talk in the History Workshop series “War and Society: Considering Justice, Violence, and the Military in History.” Much has been written recently about the rise of counterinsurgency stressing the “protection of the population” as the preferred strategy of the U.S. in its permanent “global war on terror.”

This talk will focus on two of the most prevalent tropes in the discourse of counterinsurgency: the “weaponization” and “targeting” of foreign languages. How is the counterinsurgent notion of languages as “weapons” and “targets” linked to the strategic imperative of deploying translation as a means for colonizing the lifeworld of occupied populations?

How does the American military seek to expropriate the practice of translation through the development of automatic translation systems and exploitation of the mediating power of native interpreters? What are the limits and contradictions to the targeting of speech and the militarization of linguistic exchange between occupiers and occupied? What do these limits on the weaponization of translation tell us about the vicissitudes of counterinsurgency as a strategy for sustaining the U.S. empire? Finally, are there other ways of conceiving translation in ways that exceed the terrifying demands of war?

Speaker Bio:

Dr. Vicente L. Rafael is Professor of History at the University of Washington. His research and teaching specialties include the following fields: Southeast Asia (especially the Philippines), Comparative Colonialism (especially Spain and the United States), and Comparative Nationalism. Professor Rafael also maintains an active interest in the related fields of cultural anthropology, literary studies and European continental philosophy. Through his location in the department of history, he have sought to touch on topics that include language and power, translation and religious conversion, technology and humanity, the politics and poetics of representation.

Event Sponsor
History and the Center for Philippine Studies, Manoa Campus

More Information
Suzanna Reiss and Matt Romaniello, 956-7407, histwork@hawaii.edu

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Graduate Assistant – (2) Positions Available
School of Pacific and Asian Studies, Asian Studies Program
Location: University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Deadline: 19 October 2011
Salary: Half-time, $1,198.50/month plus tuition waiver and medical benefits

SPAS is searching for a full-time, classified graduate student who can initiate, develop, and coordinate overall activities for the Muslim Societies in Asia and the Pacific program (MSAP) across departments on campus. In addition to this, the candidate with assist in the development of affiliations with other educational, professional, and community organizations with a shared interest in Muslim Asia and the Pacific.

For further inquiries, please contact Dr. Michael Aung-Thwin at either 808-956-5962 or aungthwi@hawaii.edu. Pending position clearance and availability of funds. Two graduate assistant positions available, position number 85073 and 000GA09. Starting January 1, 2012 for academic year 2011-2012.

• Cover letter indicating how you satisfy the minimum and desirable qualifications
• CV
• Contact Information (including email and addresses) of 3 professional references (see below for instructions)

* Full-time, classified graduate student in good standing; familiar with the Muslim world and sensitive to Muslim cultural concerns.
* Background in Asian/Pacific studies or a humanities/language related discipline with a primary focus on an Asia/Pacific region including, but not limited to religion/anthropology/sociology/social work/political science/theater/music.
* Experience with word processing, database development, spreadsheets, and Powerpoint/Keynote.
* Accomplished Mac user for a Mac equipped office. Possess a keen sense of and passion for good design; able to use camera and recording equipment.
* Good English writing skills, ability to organize, attention to detail, and ability to work in a team, but with minimum supervision.

* Knowledge of an Asian language used in Muslim Asia/Pacific and/or Arabic.
* Website development skills using WordPress, experienced in the use of Apple publication software Pages, skilled in the use of Constant Contact email marketing and survey tool.
* Skilled in recording and editing sound files for podcasting, skilled in shooting and editing film for web streaming, knowledgeable in the use of social networking tools (Facebook, Twitter, etc.).
* Possess good public speaking skills.

Submit cover letter indicating how you satisfy the minimum and desirable qualifications, your resume and names and contact information (including email and addresses) of 3 professional references to aungthwi@hawaii.edu via email attachment. Electronic submissions are preferred. If available, include a sample of your web design work (a URL is sufficient) with your application.

Address:
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
School of Pacific and Asian Studies
Asian Studies Program
1890 East West Road, Moore 416
Honolulu, HI 96822

Inquiries:
Dr. Michael Aung-Thwin; 808-956-5962; aungthwi@hawaii.edu

Pending position clearance and availability of funds. Two graduate assistant positions available, position number 85073 and 000GA09. Starting January 1, 2012 for academic year 2011-2012.

View posting here

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Royal Society for Asian Affairs
Deadline: 28 October 2011

The Royal Society for Asian Affairs invites applications from individuals aged 18-25 for an award established in memory of Sir Peter Holmes MC (1932-2002), a long-standing member of the Society who besides becoming Chairman of the Royal Dutch Shell Group was a distinguished traveller, mountaineer, fisherman and photographer.

The aim of the award is to encourage purposeful travel in Asia by young people. Applicants should submit a plan of a project involving travel in a country or countries of Asia and relating to the geography, history, politics, environmental conservation, culture or art of the area to be visited. Any part of Asia, including the Middle East, may be chosen. Plans should be costed as far as possible and should state the duration of the travel involved and how the costs will be met. The award will be made on the basis of originality, coherence, evidence of background knowledge, and the degree to which the project is likely to add to general understanding of the area chosen and/or to benefit local people or the applicant. Preference will be given to projects that are not requirements in an academic or other course.

Applicants should provide their postal address and contact details for two referees. To avoid unnecessary expense, the aim is to make the award on the basis of written submissions, which should be *no more than two sides of A4 in length* and should, if possible, be sent both in electronic form and in hard copy. A one-page CV including date of birth would also be helpful, as would a statement how the applicant heard about the award. In the event that two or more submissions were deemed to be of equal worth, candidates would be called for interview in London. An acknowledgement of the application will be sent on its receipt.

The successful applicant will be expected to make a presentation to the Society about the project after its completion, and to provide a photographic or other pictorial record.

The present notice refers to travel in 2012. The award will consist of up to £1000 and two years’ gratis membership of the Society. The adjudicators have discretion to divide the award among more than one candidate if appropriate.

Applications should be sent by 28 October 2011 to:
The Secretary
RSAA
2 Belgrave Square
London SWlX 8PJ
email: sec@rsaa.org.uk

The Society will notify the successful candidate by 31 January 2012.

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