http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/ NEWSです ja-jp Wed, 22 May 2013 19:21:36 +0900 NEWS SYSTEM 2 copyright(c) 2013 ADMIN http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2013&m=05&log_id=179
Professor Matsueda explained the distribution and current situation regarding extraction of rare metals and other natural resources in the Kurils and Kamchatka from the mineralogical perspective. He particularly emphasized the circulation of water due to volcanic activity, which precipitates the formation of heavy metal strata and is crucial for the region’s geology. In particular Kamchatka today has almost 30 active volcanoes and operates geothermal power plants, while the investigations of a team from Hokkaido University in the region confirmed the presence and the potential for extraction of deposits of gold, platinum and indium.

Despite the terrible weather, with over 70 people in attendance every seat was full. With this talk, the seminar series held in connection with the Eighth Museum Exhibition on “Unknown Kamchatka and Kuril Islands- Russian images of the borderland” comes to a close. The Exhibition at the Museum will run until the 26 May and is free to view, please pop along and take a look.

]]> Wed, 22 May 2013 19:21:36 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2013&m=05&log_id=179 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2013&m=04&log_id=178 http://borderstudies.jp/en/program/education/index.htm
The GCOE Program will provide the participants with costs for local accommodation in Sapporo.
Deadline for application is June 2 (Sun), 2013.

Application Form (.doc) ]]> Fri, 12 Apr 2013 17:02:43 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2013&m=04&log_id=178 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2013&m=03&log_id=177 "Live at the Border-The Dawki-Tamabil border and Mawlynnong Village: India-Bangladesh"
Please click the following link:
http://borderstudies.jp/en/essays/essays/pdf/mirza.pdf ]]> Fri, 08 Mar 2013 16:43:58 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2013&m=03&log_id=177 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2013&m=03&log_id=176
Relations between the Center and our Global COE Program are longstanding, and we would encourage border researchers based in Japan to apply.

For more information, please see:

http://www.brookings.edu/about/employment/fellowship/2012/fp12164 ]]> Tue, 05 Mar 2013 12:57:08 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2013&m=03&log_id=176 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2013&m=02&log_id=175
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/29269736/theater ]]> Tue, 05 Mar 2013 12:49:00 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2013&m=02&log_id=175 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2013&m=02&log_id=174

]]> Wed, 20 Feb 2013 13:38:17 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2013&m=02&log_id=174 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2013&m=01&log_id=173
Herself an artist and teacher of fine arts, Ms. Kiriukhina provided an overview of the system of fine arts education in Sakhalin and the Russian Far East, summarized the activities of artists and collectives in the region since Soviet times and analyzed some paintings of the Kurils and Sakhalin. In particular, she emphasized the mesmerizing effect that the beauty of Shikotan and Etorofu had had on artists in the Soviet period. During the Soviet period artists came to the Kurils not only from Moscow but all parts of the Union, and a large number of paintings have been left depicting the fascination in which these natural landscapes were held. Thanks to her analysis of these paintings, the large audience was able to catch a glimpse of the ‘near, yet distant’ lands of the Kurils.

]]> Wed, 30 Jan 2013 13:55:37 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2013&m=01&log_id=173 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2013&m=01&log_id=172

]]> Wed, 30 Jan 2013 13:54:00 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2013&m=01&log_id=172 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=12&log_id=171 this seventh exhibition organized by the Global COE Program on the Saami.

In the lecture, she explained how the concept behind the exhibition had been to show the ‘Contemporary reappearance of the Saami as between traditional and modern lifestyles’. The lecture then moved on to explain, with the extensive use of visual materials, that the revitalization of the Saami language and the vocational training provided by Saami educational institutions form the backbone of contemporary Saami society. Finally, Martina spoke about the exhibiting of Ainu designs cross-fertilized with Saami cultural elements in Europe and the possibilities of reindeer herding management projects between the Saami and the Tsaatan on the Russo-Mongolian border.

Around 70 people turned up and were treated to a lecture provided in Martina’s excellent Japanese. With this seminar, the ‘Saami Culture in Borderlands’ series of seminars comes to an end. The Museum exhibition itself shall run until the 27th December.

We are planning an exhibition on the Kurils and Kamchatka to run from the end of January 2013. Please keep checking the website for further details.
]]> Fri, 21 Dec 2012 11:36:02 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=12&log_id=171 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=12&log_id=170
http://borderstudies.jp/cnaps.pdf

Any further queries should be directed to:

Mr. Kevin Scott, Associate Director, Center for Northeast Asian Policy Studies
The Brookings Institution
1775 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20036
Telephone: (1-202) 797-6307 / Fax: (1-202) 797-2481
Questions should be forwarded via email to kscott@brookings.edu.
]]> Fri, 21 Dec 2012 10:51:14 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=12&log_id=170 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=12&log_id=169
The fifth DVD, on the Oki Islands, again grew out of a conference held there in September of this year, and is now available in Japanese. It is expected that the DVDs shall be mailed to research centers and libraries from the latter half of this month. The DVDs will be granted to public institutions so anyone with an interest in viewing them should get in touch with the Global COE office at the Slavic Research Center, Hokkaido University.

]]> Mon, 10 Dec 2012 14:30:08 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=12&log_id=169 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=11&log_id=168 The candidates were; Dra. Sandra Bustillos-Durán, a professor at the Autonomous University of Ciudad Juárez, Mexico and Dr. Akihiro Iwashita, a professor at the Slavic Research Center of Hokkaido University, Japan.
Akihiro Iwashita was declared the winner.
78 votes were received from 196 eligible members. This indicates a 40% response rate.

(Dr. Tony Payan, ABS Past President and Dr. Akihiro Iwashita)

]]> Fri, 30 Nov 2012 17:51:39 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=11&log_id=168 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=11&log_id=167
On the opening day of the conference, following a talk given by the President of Hokkaido University, Hiroshi SAEKI, the organizer of the conference and head of our Global COE program, Akihiro IWASHITA, gave a speech entitled “BRIT XII: Challenges and Perspectives”. In it, he emphasized the lack of prior border research centered on Eurasia and East Asia and the consequent importance of this first BRIT to be held in East Asia. The Fukuoka International Conference Center hosted a keynote lecture by Professor Kang Sang-Jung and a roundtable involving students of both Kyushu and Dongseo Universities. Following two days of intensive discussions in Fukuoka, the participants departed Hakata Port on a jetfoil for the border island of Tsushima, listening to a talk from the Mayor of Tsushima and being taken on a tour of the island from south to north, before departing by sea and arriving in Korea via the port of Pusan. While a special feature of BRIT Conferences is that they incorporate at least two locations in two different countries, that the border was crossed by boat on this occasion was particularly significant for the border specialists in attendance.

In Pusan, discussions continued at the brand-new Centum Campus through the cooperation of Dongseo University. In the closing address given by Dongseo University President, Jekuk Chang, he expressed his belief that the continuation of cross-border exchange and the encouragement of border research would aid in the resolution of political issues between Japan and Korea as well as larger problems in south-east Asia. This was a fitting note on which to end four days of intensive discussion. The combined Fukuoka/Pusan Conference had seen over 180 researchers engage in two roundtables and over forty sessions, but more than anything it was a significant opportunity for participants from Eurasia and East Asia, particularly Japan, the Russian Far East, China, Singapore, Thailand and India, to get involved, which with the participation of nationalities from 47 countries and over 220 people made this the most diverse BRIT yet. With this we can say that that aims of Hokkaido University’s Global COE “Reshaping Japan’s Border Studies” program to fill in the East Asian gap in border research have been more than fulfilled.

]]> Wed, 21 Nov 2012 13:10:49 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=11&log_id=167 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=10&log_id=166
Please visit the section "Eurasia Border Review" under publication or go to http://borderstudies.jp/en/publications/review/

]]> Tue, 23 Oct 2012 18:26:13 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=10&log_id=166 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=10&log_id=165 “On the Road to BRIT XII: The Making of a Worldwide Community of Border Studies” have been uploaded. This was a special session held at this year’s Border Studies Summer School hosted by the Slavic Research Center at Hokkaido University. During the session, young researcher’s from the host center and the Summer School’s international participants discussed the meaning and methods of border studies, serving to reaffirm the importance of the framework adopted for the forthcoming BRIT XII Conference to open next month.

]]> Wed, 10 Oct 2012 12:48:22 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=10&log_id=165 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=10&log_id=164 East Asia-Arctic Relations: Boundary, Security and International Politics project, headed by the independent Canadian think tank, The Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI).

The Arctic Circle and its rich natural resources is gaining attention from Japan, China and Korea in addition to those states, the USA, Canada, Russia, Norway and Denmark, that border the Arctic Sea, and with disputes over sovereignty and resource access, is becoming a big issue in border research.

The projects first workshop is scheduled to take place in Canada at Whitehorse and Waterloo in March 2013.

]]> Wed, 03 Oct 2012 13:08:51 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=10&log_id=164 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=09&log_id=163 From the 12th to 15th September, 2012, the Association for Borderlands Studies (ABS) held its European conference in Lisbon. ABS emerged on the western seaboard of the US and has held annual conferences in that area, but in recent years European border scholars have sought to create a European version, with this year’s conference coming on the back of the one held in Greece the previous year.

With the 100 or so participants headed by the Finns Anssi Paasi and Ilkka Liikanen, and with researchers from Denmark, France and the Netherlands strongly represented, and the likes of David Newman from the Middle Eastern and North Americans such as Emmanuel Brunet Jailly also in attendance, the result was a broader and deeper conference. Being a mere two months before the BRIT XII Conference in Fukuoka and Pusan, the opening address dwelt repeatedly on the importance of extending BRIT into Asia. With the majority of BRIT’s European Executive Committee in attendance at the conference, and researchers scheduled to present in Fukuoka and Pusan not in short supply, this was a good conference with which to build momentum for BRIT in November.

The opening day of the conference saw presentations from PhD candidates, overwhelmingly from Finland and Lisbon, providing them with a great opportunity to receive comments from their more senior colleagues. Following the conference itself on the 13th and 14th, the 15th saw an opportunity, with the support of Lisbon University, for undertaking fieldwork at the border with Spain. A twelve hour tour starting in the early morning, there was a great deal to learn, in particular that despite both being members of the EU there remain border issues between the two states, in particular at Olivenza (the border here has still not been formally recognized by Portugal). The other European participants were themselves unfamiliar with the issue (the photo is taken from the Portuguese side, of the assembled researchers viewing the bridge at the ‘border’ toward Olivenza).

While the only attendee speaking on East Asian issues was myself, about the recent division of islands in the Ussuri River and the border settlement between China and Russia, hearing this paper together with that on Israeli-Palestinian border issues focused the attention of European researchers on the importance of border issues to peace, and appeared to have a considerable impact.

The proposed First ABS World Conference to be held in the summer of 2014 jointly by Finland and Russia will perhaps incorporate the European version, but a number of presentations from Asia, starting with Japan, are eagerly awaited.

(Iwashita Akihiro)
]]> Wed, 26 Sep 2012 15:26:43 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=09&log_id=163 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=09&log_id=162
This forum had sought to think about the problem of Takeshima and discuss the issue with those living at the problem’s doorstep, and had been planned for over a year, but with the recent worsening of Japanese-Korean relations, media scrutiny was intense. The crowd was impressed by the emphasis on the depth of regional connections between Oki-no-shima and Ulleungdo, and by Ankei Yuji’s emphasis on the significance of the work of Miyamoto Tsuneichi’s on these issues. Mayor Matsuda Kazuhisa’s appealed repeatedly to Oki-no-shima’s use of the sea, and therefore the importance of dividing provisional waters between Korea and Japan. From the start, passionate shouts for it being ‘our integral territory’ could be heard from the floor, but the locals views were diligently sought after. Through this and the sincere efforts of the outside experts, the slide into politicized uproar was avoided and the forum’s aims of seeking to possibilities of protecting people’s livelihoods was, I think, achieved.

During the symposium, I personally found my mind drawing parallels between the fisherman in Nemuro, unable to freely enter the Habomai Islands, and the situation on Oki. When you think that Goka held jurisdiction over Takeshima for the islanders themselves it can be nothing less than the division of their lived environment. I felt it was important that border studies experts both at home and abroad sought to understand local knowledge and take such issues into account.

It is planned to create a DVD from this conference in the near future, and I would like to take this opportunity to express my thanks to all the islanders starting with Mayor Matsuda Kazuhisa, and the Japan Society for Island Studies, for enabling this symposium to reach fruition.

(Iwashita Akihiro)

]]> Wed, 26 Sep 2012 14:48:58 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=09&log_id=162 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=09&log_id=161
The speaker, Mr. Veikko Feodoroff, is both manager of a reindeer herding concern and a Skolt Sami representative in the Sami Parliament. Wearing indigenous costume, he spoke of the Skolt Sami’s situation since the Second World War and the importance of preserving language and culture.

Following the redrawing of national boundaries after the war, the Skolt Sami moved to Finland in 1949 and whilst their living was secured through legal and infrastructural developments, he emphasized that the orthographic reform of 1972, allowing for the appearance books in Skolt Sami and the subsequent means to promote the language as a mother tongue, as a particularly important event. On the other hand, he pointed out that opportunities to use Skolt Sami in the workplace remained limited to the reindeer herding industry and teaching the language, and that in the future it would be necessary to create opportunities for employ speakers of the language, through the establishment of a cultural center and so forth.

Around 40 members of the public were in attendance and questioned the speaker on the specific situation of the Sami language and details of problems within the reindeer industry.
]]> Wed, 26 Sep 2012 13:46:35 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=09&log_id=161 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=08&log_id=160
Bakytbek Jumagulov from the 'Institute of Peace and Development' in Central Asia, a Public Foundation, gave a talk entitled ‘Islam in Kyrgyzstan and the activities of illegal religious parties’. Beginning with an overview of Kyrgyzstan’s religious policies and make-up, including Christians and new religions, Jumagulov explained more about the activities of Islamic ‘extremists’ in the country, with the details behind the financing, organization and ideals of the movement for Islamic liberation particularly interesting.

Following this, Igor Savin of the South Kazakhstan State University, presented a talk entitled ‘Characteristics and contemporary state of religious affairs in Kazakhstan’. Beginning by describing the religious affiliations of the people and the government’s religious policies, Savin analyzed the reasons for the penetration of ‘extremism’ into Kazakhstan, focusing on three in particular. First is dissatisfaction with the state and official religious establishment encouraging the flight to extremism, the second is the lack of prospects for the youth encouraging the adoption of a ‘religious’ identity, while third is the effectiveness of Islamic educational foundations. The success of this ‘extremism’ is shown in the clashes between supporters and police in 2011.

Despite being on a Sunday in early August, it was a lively seminar for the audience of 15 and went at least an hour over time. Our gratitude must be expressed to Professor KOMATSU Hisao for permission to host this seminar in Tokyo and to Professor SHINMEN Yasushi and SHIMIZU Yuriko for setting up the room. We will try and host more seminars like this in Tokyo.

CHIDA Tetsuro (Global COE Special Researcher, Slavic Research Center, Hokkaido University)

]]> Wed, 15 Aug 2012 11:15:40 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=08&log_id=160 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=08&log_id=159
Our third Summer School was made up of young researchers of nine nationalities. As the lectures focused on Asia rather than the more familiar European or US experiences, the speakers were bombarded with questions, particularly at the session on borders issues within Japanese society. At the end of the program, the participants received their certificates.

The Summer School serves to not only help develop young researchers, but also to build networks, and we eagerly await the participants’ submissions to our ‘Eurasia Border Review’ journal.

]]> Wed, 15 Aug 2012 10:27:06 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=08&log_id=159 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=07&log_id=158
SPECIAL SECTION ON JAPAN'S BORDERS AND BORDERLANDS
・An Invitation to Japan's Borderlands: At the Geopolitical Edge of the Eurasian Continent　(Akihiro Iwashita)　
・Northern Challenges: The Japan–Russian Border Dispute and Local Voices (Yukiko Kuroiwa)
・Bordering Japan: Towards a Comprehensive Perspective (Koji Furukawa)
・Cross-strait Tourism in the Japan–Korean Border Region: Fukuoka, Busan, and Tsushima (Naoki Arai)
・Exploring “Borderlity” on the Ogasawara Islands (Yuki Sato)
・Russian Perceptions of Japan and China in the Aftermath of the Bolshevik Revolution: A Comparative Case Study of Boris Pil'niak's Travelogue　(Alexander Bukh)
・Japan's New National Border Strategy and Maritime Security　(Yoshihiko Yamada)

]]> Wed, 18 Jul 2012 13:03:37 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=07&log_id=158 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=06&log_id=157 Eurasia Border Review Special Issue "China's Post-Revolutionary Borders, 1940s-1960s."
Please visit the following URL:
http://borderstudies.jp/achievements/public3/ebrs.htm


]]> Fri, 22 Jun 2012 16:57:37 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=06&log_id=157 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=06&log_id=156 BRIT XII-2012) will be held in Fukuoka, Japan and Busan, Korea, 13-16 November 2012. In order to register for the Conference, you must use an online user-name and password. Early Online Pre-Registration will be available from June 22, 2012, until July 31, 2012. Regular Online Pre-Registration will be available from August 1, 2012, until September 28, 2012. Pre-Registration will remain open until Friday, September 28, 2012.

http://borderstudies.jp/brit2012/registration.html ]]> Fri, 22 Jun 2012 14:03:21 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=06&log_id=156 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=06&log_id=155
Representatives of the Japanese, European and American Border Studies communities appeared with two Washington-based China experts to discuss border issues in the East China and South China Seas in front of around 70 attendees. Former Association of Borderlands Studies President Tony Payan of the University of Texas explained the genesis of border studies as a discipline, while Akihiro Iwashita provided an outline of continental and maritime border issues. China experts Thomas Bickford, of the China Security Affairs Group, and Abraham Denmark, of the National Bureau of Asian Research, spoke about China’s maritime security policy and strategy towards its neighbors. Finally Martin Pratt, of the International Boundaries Research Unit at Durham University, UK, provided a comparative analysis of these issues from an International Legal and Geographical standpoint.

The Border Studies perspective made a big impression on the East Asian Policymakers in attendance, and we can anticipate the likes of BRIT and ABS making more of an impact on the United States’ Eastern seaboard in the future.

A recording of the event is available here.

IWASHITA Akihiro
]]> Fri, 22 Jun 2012 13:35:31 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=06&log_id=155 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=06&log_id=153 This seminar brings together leading researchers on border studies and experts on the perspectives of the United States and China and their approaches to maintaining managing maritime border issues in the Asia Pacific. The seminar will begin with a brief introduction of the Border Regions in Transition (BRIT) initiative.

For detail, please check here.
]]> Wed, 06 Jun 2012 13:15:04 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=06&log_id=153 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=06&log_id=154 BRIT XII conference. This was the result of a month and a half of both private and public debate by the scientific committee, who ultimately selected 200 papers from over 40 countries. The number of submissions from Russia, India and Finland was particularly noticeable, while applicants stretched from the European countries well-represented by the Netherlands, France and the UK, to Canada, the USA, China and central Asia. Panel submissions were overwhelmingly from Southeast Asia, while the Middle East, Africa and Central and South America are also represented with some fascinating papers. With around 75% of those in attendance not from either of the two hosts, Japan and Korea, it promises to be a richly international conference. More information and the provisional program of events should be up on the homepage by the middle of June.

I would like to thank and extend my gratitude to all who responded to the original call-for-papers.

Akihiro IWASHITA
]]> Wed, 06 Jun 2012 14:27:10 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=06&log_id=154 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=05&log_id=152
Mr. Jomppanen opened his talk with a story of about how, amongst the materials held by the Museum of Northern Peoples in Abashiri, he came across items crafted by his Grandfather. The bulk of his time, though, was allocated to the current state of the Saami language and efforts to support it, as the ability to speak Saami is particularly central to their ethnic identity. With over two-thirds of the Saami resident outside their indigenous territory and with the younger generation not necessarily acquiring Saami as their mother tongue, he introduced efforts to revive its usage through universities and internet radio. He also introduced various activities of the community like the Saami Parliament, Saami museum and running specialist tours. Questions were asked on the Saami language, the aims of the museum, how indigenous people viewed tourism and comparisons with the Ainu situation. Given his experience, Mr. Jomppanen’s talk provided many useful suggestions for the maintenance and development of the cultures of indigenous peoples. Those who wish to know more about the Saami should consult the websites below:

Saami Parliament Homepage

Saami Museum Homepage
]]> Wed, 30 May 2012 13:37:10 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=05&log_id=152 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=05&log_id=151 here. ]]> Wed, 23 May 2012 14:36:06 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=05&log_id=151 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=05&log_id=150
Our successful open seminar series shall run in conjunction with this exhibit, starting from Saturday, May 26th, whilst film seminars focusing on the Saami shall be held from June. These events shall take place at the Information Exchange Corner on the first floor of the Museum.

Both the exhibition itself and the seminars are free and open to everybody, and we look forward to you dropping by!

]]> Wed, 23 May 2012 14:24:56 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=05&log_id=150 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=05&log_id=149 here. ]]> Wed, 23 May 2012 14:03:34 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=05&log_id=149 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=05&log_id=148 http://borderstudies.jp/en/program/education/index.htm ]]> Wed, 16 May 2012 13:00:51 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=05&log_id=148 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=04&log_id=147
Akihiro Iwashita
]]> Wed, 25 Apr 2012 13:59:25 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=04&log_id=147 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=04&log_id=146
IWASHITA Akihiro’s presentation, “Breaking the Curse of Japan’s Maritime Borders” emphasized the importance of maritime borders to Japan, highlighting its prewar situation as an enormous maritime state and the current efforts to preserve its EEZ (Economic Exclusion Zone). He then utilized this maritime perspective to explain the significance of the BRIT XII Conference to be held in Fukuoka and Pusan in November later this year.

HANAMATSU Yasunori’s presentation, “National, Regime, and Knowledge Borders in Ecosystem Management: The Case of the Amur‐Okhotsk Ecosystem”, highlighted how the Okhotsk Sea’s maritime resources were contingent on protecting the environment of the entire Amur River system. These maritime resources are thus hostage to differences between Japan and Russia downstream, and China and Mongolia further upriver, and the presentation demonstrated the various policies that could increase coordination between these countries.

CHIDA Testuro’s presentation, “The Origins of Transboundary Water‐Energy Problems in Contemporary Central Asia: ‘Transformation of Nature’ Concept and the Water Development during the Soviet Time”, looked at the development of water rights in Central Asia. While pointing out that even today the region is historically affected by the ‘Great Stalin Plan for the Transformation of Nature within the USSR’, he introduced the contemporary situation where, exacerbated by heavy industrial development policies in Western China, conflicts amongst the Central Asian countries and with their neighbors over water resources are increasing in intensity.

HIRAYAMA Akihiro’s presentation, “The Governance of Borderlands in the Process of Nation‐State Building during the War of Independence in Northern Vietnam”, utilized a rich collection of cartographic materials to explore the vicissitudes of Vietnamese territory. He particularly highlighted how the territorial flux of the French Colonial and Independence periods served to confuse subsequent policies of mass mobilization and taxation.

FUJIMORI Shinkichi’s presentation, “Gaseous Borders: The Former Soviet Republics between Producer and Consumer” emphasized how the differential in the price of gas that has been visible between the Russian and European markets did not reflect a ‘friendship price’ but existed because of profits in the gas re-export business and the structural profit obtainable through the export of electricity produced with cheap gas. However, with Russia’s entry into the WTO and the spread in the use of LNG, maintaining such a price differential has become difficult, and in the future it is likely that there will be convergence at the 'market price'.

With the members of ABS predominantly focused on North American borders (US-Canada and US-Mexico), these presentations, on Asian or former Soviet countries and grounded in primary sources, were from a little-known region of the world. Nevertheless, with points of similarity and difference being highlighted by both the discussants and in the questions from the floor, one looks forward eagerly to the expansion of such border research in the future. In particular, the possibilities of comparison with the enormous body of literature on riverine resources and environmental protection along the US-Mexico border region were clear.
]]> Wed, 18 Apr 2012 13:53:38 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=04&log_id=146 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=04&log_id=145 http://borderstudies.jp/en/program/education/index.htm
Deadline for application is June 1 (Fri), 2012. ]]> Wed, 04 Apr 2012 15:18:43 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=04&log_id=145 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=03&log_id=144 Eurasia Border Review Vol.3, No.1 (Spring 2012).

Please visit the section "Eurasia Border Review" under publication or go to http://borderstudies.jp/en/publications/review/

]]> Thu, 29 Mar 2012 13:39:02 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=03&log_id=144 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=03&log_id=143 Nihon no ‘Kokkyo Mondai’ – Genjo kara kangaeru (Japan’s ‘Border Issues’ – Thoughts from the field) was published last week, as the 19th Volume in Fujiwara Publishing’s ‘Kan: History, Environment, Civilization’ Series.

Edited by Global COE Project Leader IWASHITA Akihiro, and with diverse contributions from 50 individuals including officials, industrialists, politicians, local historians, academics and journalists, this is a special collection that will promote a reconsideration of territorial and border issues. In particular, coverage was granted to the burning issue of island and maritime borders. We urge those comfortable with reading Japanese to check it out.


]]> Wed, 28 Mar 2012 13:34:19 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=03&log_id=143 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=03&log_id=142 Scientific Research Program on Innovative Area “Comparative Research on Major Regional Powers in Eurasia” Group6 (Culture) financially supports selected researchers, whose research topics are related to Images of Borderlands, Cross-border Communication, and Identity Problems related to Border Issues, to attend BRIT XII 2012. (http://www.borderstudies.jp/brit2012/about.html) Support covers transportation costs (Economy class) and living expenses during the conference.

For detail, please, click following link.
http://src-h.slav.hokudai.ac.jp/rp/english/applications/index.html


]]> Wed, 21 Mar 2012 18:11:38 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=03&log_id=142 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=03&log_id=141 Scientific Research Program on Innovative Area “Comparative Research on Major Regional Powers in Eurasia” (Group 1: International Relations), for researchers wishing to attend the BRIT XII 2012 whose research topics are related to Borderland Issues on International Relations and Diplomacy.

For detail, please, click following link.
http://src-h.slav.hokudai.ac.jp/rp/english/applications/index.html#20120319

]]> Wed, 21 Mar 2012 17:49:11 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=03&log_id=141 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=03&log_id=140 Hokkaido University’s Global COE Program, “Reshaping Japan’s Border Studies”, financially supports researchers from the Middle East region whose research topics are related to border studies to attend BRIT XII 2012. Support covers transportation costs (Economy class) and living expenses during the conference.

For detail, please, click following link.
http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/FinancialAssistanceBRITXII2012ME.pdf

]]> Wed, 21 Mar 2012 17:44:06 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=03&log_id=140 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=03&log_id=139 Hokkaido University’s Global COE Program, “Reshaping Japan’s Border Studies”, financially supports researchers from South America whose research topics are related to border studies to attend BRIT XII 2012 . Support covers transportation costs (Economy class) and living expenses during the conference.
　For detail, please, click following link.
http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/FinancialAssistanceBRITXII2012SA.pdf





]]> Wed, 21 Mar 2012 17:34:17 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=03&log_id=139 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=03&log_id=138
Recently, sections of the Tokyo media and foreign policy makers have been overestimating Russian fears regarding China, optimistically viewing this as a possible lever in the Northern Territories issue and other aspects of Russo-Japanese relations. However, the papers presented here, based on research on the ground, all made clear that this somewhat superficial understanding does not get to the heart of the matter, and demonstrated that, while complex, it is possible to draw a picture of the flexible and multi-layered interactions occurring in the chasm between the two nations.

I think that at the moment, Japanese research on Sino-Russian relations is setting the standard for the rest of the world. I look forward to presenting our collective findings both at home and abroad.
]]> Wed, 21 Mar 2012 11:18:30 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=03&log_id=138 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=02&log_id=137
At the Seminar, YOSHIDA Osamu (Professor at Hiroshima University) and ISHII Akira (Emeritus Professor at the University of Tokyo) gave reports on the current state of the Sino-Indian border region on the basis of their research trip in the summer of 2011.

In his presentation, ‘Aksai Chin between China and India’, Professor YOSHIDA touched on the history of Sino-Indian competition before emphasizing the Chinese state’s current policies of accelerated infrastructural development in its border regions and the continuing restrictions on the entry of foreigners into these areas. Professor ISHII gave a talk called ‘Contemporary Tibet: Lhasa, Shigatse and Gyangzê’ in which he highlighted how the state, under the rubric of ‘public order’, is engaging simultaneously in increased surveillance and accelerated economic development of the region, and explained that this was resulting in the problem of restrictions on movement for everyone, including foreigners.

Following these two presentations on the situation in China’s eastern border regions, Global COE head Professor IWASHITA Akihiro provided a comparison with China’s borders in the west. He spoke of the trend mirroring that in other parts of the world, with borders here being more clearly defined, the construction of various monuments being undertaken on the Chinese side of the border, and the memory of past strife being maintained into the present.

From the floor came historical questions on relations between the Mongols and Tibetans and Chinese motivation during the Sino-Indian wars.
]]> Wed, 07 Mar 2012 14:28:24 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=02&log_id=137 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=02&log_id=136 On 23 February, a border studies seminar entitled ‘Nice Bear or Naughty Bear’ was held at the Slavic Research Center, Hokkaido University.

At the seminar, Professor TAKEDA Masayu explained, using a great number of materials, how to interpret representations of the Soviet Union and Russia in Chinese cartoons (renkanga) and film. He explained how the scientific and technical expertise of the Soviets was shown in the cartoon representations of them as Professors, and how these representations became patterned along the lines of other ‘goodies’ and ‘baddies’. As relations worsened between the two countries, Soviet citizens began to pop up in numerous spy films as the enemy.

A number of questions were asked from the floor, including these cartoons seen from the perspective of gender, the reason behind the contemporary boom in reprints of these images, and the ripping off of foreign materials, making clear the rich possibilities for a comparative research project. Professor TAKEDA is not only a keen supporter of a Global COE project, but also the Supervisor and Curator behind the current ‘China Seen from Across the Border’ Media Exhibit at the Hokkaido University Museum. This fascinating exhibition will run until May.
]]> Wed, 07 Mar 2012 13:45:33 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=02&log_id=136 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=02&log_id=135 On February 18th, a public seminar on ‘China seen from across the border’ was held at the Hokkaido University Museum. The Seminar was conducted by Professor WATANABE Kohei, a specialist on the role of the media in China who has published in Japanese on Changing China, Changing Media (Kodansha Gendai Shinsho Publishing) and China’s Internet Frontline: ‘Democratization’ and ‘Information Control’ (Sososha Publishing), and is a keen promoter of our Global COE Program.

The seminar opened with an explanation of Chinese media traditions and the current state-of-affairs in Chinese TV and Newspapers. Many examples were given of provincial-level media outlets which, buffeted between the demands of the Party and the market, had carved out their own independent line.

Furthermore, it was explained how with internet usage now expanding from the coastal youth to encompass the entire country, internet forums, blogs, and tweets have become both a source for the media and occasionally, as shown in the Wenzhou Train Collision last year, able to influence the government itself.

Notwithstanding heavy snow, around 80 people turned up to receive a talk on the state of the internet in China.
]]> Mon, 20 Feb 2012 09:56:45 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=02&log_id=135 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=01&log_id=133 Please click the following link:
http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/essays/essays/index.htm ]]> Mon, 23 Jan 2012 23:09:52 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=01&log_id=133 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=01&log_id=134
While feeling that perhaps the concept of a border and the general border studies framework was left undefined in many of the presentations, I firmly believe that with over 50 people in attendance on both days witnessing some lively debates, it was the perfect occasion to introduce a new audience to the appeal and significance of border studies. We eagerly await the publication of the fruits of this workshop in either of our journals, ‘境界研究、Kyoukai Kenkyu’ (Japan Border Research) or the Eurasian Border Review.

Akihiro IWASHITA



]]> Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:58:54 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=01&log_id=134 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=01&log_id=132 For detail, please visit BRIT XII official Home Page.
http://www.borderstudies.jp/brit2012/top.html ]]> Fri, 06 Jan 2012 17:03:55 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2012&m=01&log_id=132 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=12&log_id=131 End-of-year special: ‘Borders do not Believe in Tears’

The Global COE program has been working with HBC (Hokkaido Broadcasting Corporation) to produce the ‘Unknown Borders’ series of DVDs, and using material from the ‘Karafuto and the Chishima Islands’, ‘Tsushima’ and ‘Yaeyama Islands and Taiwan’ DVD’s, HBC have produced a one hour year-end special. The program is broadcast from the Hokkaido University Museum and features Global COE project head Professor Akihiro Iwashita presenting alongside Sasaki Yuka. We at the Global COE would like to express our appreciation to Ms. Sasaki for her efforts on our behalf.

The program makes use of a great deal of original material. Please watch ‘Borders do not Believe in Tears’ and get involved in the Japan Border Studies Network’s activities.
]]> Wed, 21 Dec 2011 13:54:16 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=12&log_id=131 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=12&log_id=130 http://www.ustream.tv/user/gekiron-hoppo-j/videos

Additionally, the ‘The United States-Japan Alliance and Maritime Security Challenges’ held at the East-West Center in Washington DC on December 12th is also available online:
http://player.vimeo.com/video/33305477?
]]> Wed, 14 Dec 2011 14:17:39 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=12&log_id=130 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=12&log_id=128 Essays from all four participants are available here:
http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/essays/essays/index.htm
]]> Wed, 07 Dec 2011 17:01:58 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=12&log_id=128 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=11&log_id=129 International Winter Symposium. As in previous years, an introductory speech from our Program Leader, Professor Akihiro Iwashita, was followed by a session with a theoretical remit, while the afternoon saw two sessions on ‘Borders and Development in South-East Asia’ and ‘Divided spaces’ that between them covered a great deal of thematic and geographical ground. This year's theoretical session saw presentations by two leaders in the field of Border Studies, with a North American perspective provided by Professor Tony Payan and a European one from Professor James Scott. North America incorporates the most studied borders in the field, those between the US and Canada and the US and Mexico, while through EU-led integration, Europe is a region re-envisaging the meaning of a ‘border’. Both Professor’s drew upon their own research and, through theoretical and comparative engagement, provided a keen critique of the state of the ‘Border Studies’ field.

Interspersed with a trip to the 'China seen from across the border' Media Exhibition at the Hokkaido University Museum and the Luncheon Seminar, participants reconvened in the afternoon for the ‘Borders and Development in South-East Asia’ session. The three papers focused on issues surrounding the damming of the Mekong River, population movements in North-East India and Cambodia's International relations . Based on intensive research in the regions concerned, these presentations not only proved a rich source of detailed information but succeeded in imparting something of the atmosphere of the areas they described.

The final session consisted of presentations drawn from research in a variety of ‘Divided Spaces’; Jerusalem in Israel, Mostar in Bosnia-Herzegovinia, Ireland and Okinawa. Unfortunately, for family reasons Professor Haim Jacobi was unable to attend, so Professor Taizo Imano of Osaka City University stepped in to present his own research and explain the pattern of division within the city of Jerusalem. The study of Mostar was from the perspective of Urban Architecture, that on Ireland was an historical study over a long-span, while recent issues surrounding the potential move of an American Naval Base in Okinawa rounded off the panel. The discussant commented that perhaps there was a need to consider the basis and methods by which such empirical cases can be compared with others on a global scale. Such a comment mirrors that often made by students of comparative politics against area studies, and is particularly pertinent for our Slavic Research Center given its area studies vocation.

The symposium was conducted in simultaneous translation in Japanese and English, and provided an excellent opportunity for the participants and attendees of the following days’ ‘Debate on the Northern Territories Dispute’ to be made aware of discussions in the ‘Border Studies’ field. The ‘Debate’ itself was held on the afternoon of the 27th at Sapporo’s L-Plaza Hall, under the auspices of the Global COE program. It was chaired by the journalist Nakamura Yoshihiko, and with panelists including the TBS presenter Kanehira Shigenori vigorously debating the ‘Present and Possibilities’ of the Northern Territories Issue, the audience of around 150 were treated to a battle of experts familiar with both the Russian and Japanese viewpoints.
]]> Wed, 14 Dec 2011 14:15:53 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=11&log_id=129 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=11&log_id=127 Thanks to the efforts of the Global COE 'Reshaping Japan's Border Studies' program, the 2012 BRIT (Border Regions in Transition) Conference will be held jointly in the cities of Fukuoka, Japan and Busan, Korea. The homepage for the conference is available here.

The contents will be fleshed out as we move towards the staging of the conference itself in November of next year. If there are any queries regarding the event, they can be addressed to brit2012(at)borderstudies.jp
]]> Wed, 09 Nov 2011 13:20:00 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=11&log_id=127 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=11&log_id=126 The sixth exhibition of the Global COE program Reshaping Japan's Border Studies, 'China seen from across the Border', opened today at the Hokkaido University Museum.

Everyone can enjoy this visual feast, and visitor's can easily gain a sense of the portrayal of China and its culture while viewing hundreds of fascinating artifacts, such as posters and 'Renkanga' (Chinese Manga-style comics).

The exhibition will run in the projects room on the 3rd floor of the Hokkaido University Museum until February next year. Entrance is free, so if you have the opportunity, please stop by. ]]> Wed, 02 Nov 2011 13:33:36 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=11&log_id=126 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=10&log_id=124
*Information on the “Unknown Tales of an Island Border: Tsushima” DVD is here.

This DVD, as with the first two, will be released as a 40 minute English-language version in order to explain the long-standing relations between the Yaeyama’s and Taiwan to a global audience. The generosity of HBC Flex has also allowed for the release of a 60-minute Director’s Cut Japanese version. We would like to take the opportunity to offer our deepest thanks to all those who appeared in and co-operated with this production.

We are seeking to provide everyone with opportunities to view these DVDs by distributing them to libraries and universities. Additionally, if any film societies are interested in showing the DVD, we would be happy to co-operate, so please contact the Global COE program.
]]> Wed, 26 Oct 2011 14:19:36 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=10&log_id=124 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=10&log_id=125 On October 22nd, at the Kurayoshi City Library, the ceremony to mark the occasion of the 24th Regional Publishers Cultural Achievement Awards was held. This award is sponsored by Tottori Prefecture and was first held in 1987, and is open to regional publishers from throughout Japan. Last year saw the book edited by Professor Iwashita, “Japan’s Borders: How to break the ‘Spell’” (Hokkaido University Publishing), emerge from amongst 650 contenders to claim the prize.

On receiving the award, Professor Iwashita gave a speech with a theme of ‘National borders not believing in nationalism’, and showed part of the ‘Unknown Tales of the Northern Borders: Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands’ DVD to the assembled audience. Over 120 people were introduced to the excitement currently felt in the border research community. Professor Iwashita also announced that the prize money would be split 50/50 between the Etupirka Libraries on Yonaguni and Tsushima.
]]> Wed, 26 Oct 2011 14:49:21 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=10&log_id=125 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=10&log_id=122
The first half of the event saw screenings of the ‘Tsushima’ and ‘Yaeyama and Taiwan’ DVDs produced by the Global COE program, while the second, under the direction of the Global COE project leader, Professor IWASHITA Akihiro, saw the attendees chew over last year’s Japanese border issues. The discussion focused particularly on two points: border disputes with neighboring countries over outlying islands, and the government’s policy towards these islands. On the first point, as well as the San Francisco Peace Treaty, the importance of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) recognized in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea was particularly emphasized by Professor YAMADA. On the second, it was pointed out by Professors NAGASHIMA and YAMAGAMI that those islands on the outer frontier had been left out of Japan’s postwar economic reconstruction. All the participants emphasized that in order to preserve an EEZ based on the islands, as well as maintain its borders, the importance of the state’s promotion of residency and economic activity was impossible to ignore.

Despite the foul weather, an audience of around 50 was in attendance, granting the general public and opportunity to become acquainted with the issues surrounding Japan’s maritime borders.


]]> Fri, 14 Oct 2011 16:35:26 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=10&log_id=122 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=10&log_id=123 here.

The 25th will see presentations by young researchers on China, border researchers from around the world shall give their talks on the 26th, while the 27th shall be an event under the aegis of the Japan Border Studies Network. The discussion held over the Northern Territories issue on the afternoon of the 27th at Sapporo's L-Plaza promises to be particularly lively.

More details and how to apply shall be uploaded in due course, but we eagerly await your participation. ]]> Fri, 14 Oct 2011 16:46:43 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=10&log_id=123 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=09&log_id=121 In the final day’s session, organized by the IGA (Institut de Géographie Alpine) of université Joseph Fourier, Grenoble, presentations were given by Hirayama Akihiro (GCOE, Hokkaido University), Miyazaki Chikashi (JSPS scholar) and Mari Miyamoto (National Museum of Ethnology). Additionally, the “Mobile Borders of the Korean Peninsula in regional perspective” panel, put together by the Slavic Research Center’s GCOE program, saw talks by Kimura Takashi (Kyushu University), Hye-in Han (Konkuk University, Korea) and Ihk-pyo Hong (Korean Institute of Economic Policy).
With the head of the GCOE program, Professor Iwashita, calling in his closing speech for the hosting of the next BRIT Conference to occur in Fukuoka and Pusan, the 11th BRIT Conference came to a satisfactory conclusion.



]]> Wed, 28 Sep 2011 15:10:06 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=09&log_id=121 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=09&log_id=120
International Political Science Association (IPSA) Research Committee
(RC) 15 on Political and Cultural Geography will be held in Madrid 2012.
http://www.ipsa.org/events/congress/madrid2012/congress-theme

The information about accepted panels for all RC's is now available at:
http://www.ipsa.org/events/congress/madrid2012/panel/accepted

RC15 has accepted six excellent panels for the 2012 Madrid Congress.
They are posted at:
http://www.ipsa.org/events/congress/madrid2012/session/6346/panel/accepted

There is one more important panel organized jointly with RC41 on
Geopolitics at:
http://www.ipsa.org/events/congress/madrid2012/session/6370/panel/accepted

If you are interested to participate, you can submit your paper proposal
(abstract) to one of these panels. For rules for participation, please
look at:
http://www.ipsa.org/events/congress/madrid2012/submit-abstractpaper-proposal

For more Information, please contact:
YAMAZAKI Takashi, Ph.D.
Department of Geography
Graduate School of Literature and Human Sciences
Osaka City University
E-mail: yamataka(a)lit.osaka-cu.ac.jp ]]> Wed, 28 Sep 2011 14:46:38 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=09&log_id=120 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=09&log_id=119 presentations by Messrs Nishijima (Fukuoka City), Kabu (Kyushu Economic Research Center) and Jung-Duk Lim (Emiritus Professor, Pusan University) on Japanese-Korean co-operation across the Tsushima Strait, before Iwashita Akihiro, head of the Slavic Research Center’s GCOE program, showed the GCOE’s newly-released Tsushima DVD and provided a multimedia presentation inviting the next BRIT Conference to East Asia for the first time.


Additionally, an overview of the GCOE’s activities was provided at the poster session.


On day 2, the “Fluctuating Borders in Post- Soviet Countries” session saw presentation' by two GCOE Researchers, Fujimori Shikichi and Fukuda Hiroshi. Fujimori’s “Border makes money? Unknown Business between the Unrecognized State and Neighbors” talk dealt with economic issues in the breakaway region of Transnistria, while in his “Central Europe as a Shifting Zone” presentation, Fukuda spoke about concepts of Central Europe amongst intellectuals from the Habsburg to Inter-war periods, with both displaying an excellent grasp of their material. While the start of the session was delayed, the 20 or so experts on the former Soviet territories who attended engaged with the presentations, and continued to exchange views with the presenters even after the end of the session.


In the “The Edge of Eastern Eurasia: Mobile Borders between Russia and Japan?” session that occurred simultaneously, four presentations were provided by Itani Hiroshi, Iwashita Akihiro, Tamura Masato and Paul Benjamin Richardson. Itani’s focused on ‘Mobile Borders and Townscapes’, looking at border and landscape changes seen from the city of Korsakov, facing the Soya Strait in Southern Sakhalin. In his “Mobile Islands on the Border”, Professor Iwashita spoke of the changes in Russo-Japanese border in the Kurils since the 1855 Treaty of Shimoda, the course of negotiations, and the separation in Territorial perceptions between the center and regions. Tamura’s “Mobile Border and Indigenous People” highlighted the history of forced resettlement of the Ainu as a result of changes in the Russo-Japanese border on Sakhalin. Finally, in his ‘The Southern Kurils as a ‘Hyper-Border’’, Paul Richardson introduced his concept of the hyper-border, and emphasized its utility in examining the place of the ‘Northern Territories’, the four disputed islands between Japan and Russia, in discursively analyzing their deployment by its inhabitants, by those concerned with the islands, and in the wider mass media. Despite the 08:30 start, attendance increased steadily to around thirty, who engaged in a lively discussion towards the end of the session.
]]> Wed, 28 Sep 2011 14:36:34 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=09&log_id=119 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=09&log_id=118 ・Itani : Sakhalin-Kuriles: The Prospects of the Japan Russia Border Changes
・Fujimori: Business Interests in Transnistria
・Fukuda: Central Europe as a Shifting Zone: Its Geographical Significance from a Historical Point of View
A number of questions emerged, with those to Itani, perhaps reflecting Poland’s geographical position to the west of the former Soviet region, asked from a comparative perspective, while those to Fujimori and Fukuda sought to clarify certain empirical details.



]]> Wed, 28 Sep 2011 14:34:50 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=09&log_id=118 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=08&log_id=117 2nd GCOE-SRC Border Studies Summer School.
Please click the following link:
http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/essays/essays/index.htm ]]> Wed, 24 Aug 2011 12:01:48 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=08&log_id=117 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=07&log_id=115 Eurasia Border Review Vol.2, No.1 (Summer 2011).

Please visit the section "Eurasia Border Review" under publication or go to http://borderstudies.jp/en/publications/review/.

]]> Tue, 19 Jul 2011 15:57:46 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=07&log_id=115 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=07&log_id=116 "China's Panda Diplomacy in terms of Borders Studies"

The GCOE-SRC Special Seminar "China's Panda Diplomacy in terms of Borders Studies" was held at the Slavic Research Center, Hokkaido University, on Friday, July 15, 2011. The speaker was Masaki Ienaga (PhD candidate of The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo).
Mr. Ienaga is becoming recognized as a promising and lively Chinese historian. His research interests include national construction and nationalism in contemporary China. He focuses particularly on national cultural assets, such as the panda or the collections in the national palace museum. Earlier this year, he published Panda Diplomacy (in Japanese) through Media Factory.
Mr. Ienaga’s presentation on this occasion was a history of China's Panda Diplomacy; for example, the “discovery” of panda during the second half of nineteenth century, a gift of one to the USA in 1941, and the continued diplomatic resonance of the panda through the Cold War, the normalization of Sino-Japanese diplomatic relations, and into the present. He emphasized that China adopted what was originally a Western view of the panda and that as a consequence, the panda became one of China's ‘national treasures’.

Report by Masashi HOSHINO,
Slavic Research Center, Hokkaido University

]]> Wed, 20 Jul 2011 14:00:47 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=07&log_id=116 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=06&log_id=114 The seminar focused on the ‘Shikotan Group’ movement centered on Oleg Loshakov, and introduced a number of their paintings while explaining the history and motifs of the Shikotan style. In particular, while the artists were gripped by the natural richness and dramatic change in the seasons, the classic European tropes in the picture of Chachadake (on Kunashiri) from Shakotan Bay on the northern shore of Shikotan Island reveal it to be a constructed landscape. Furthermore, it was noted that while the painting of a canning factory and its female workforce seems a particularly Soviet touch, the young male artists may have had more personal reasons for engaging in a close study of the latter.
Additionally, Professor Yakuo speculated that the recovery of the Donkey’s Tale group’s activities by Khrushchev in 1962, as a result of which young Russian artists were dispatched to the Provinces in order to depict the realities of the Soviet Union, forms the historical background to the promotion of the ‘Shikotan group’ movement. Questions on whether the paintings were political propaganda and the group’s position in artistic pantheon were taken from the floor, and all the attendees were, through a look at one movement developed in the border regions under communism, given an insight into Soviet art.



]]> Wed, 29 Jun 2011 14:32:16 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=06&log_id=114 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=06&log_id=113 (see http://borderstudies.jp/en/news/index.php?y=2011&m=04&log_id=98)
The cooperation agreement demonstrates the SRC’s desire to support this new Korean border studies initiative. Existing studies of Korea-Japan border disputes, such as the Takejima/Dokto issue, have been analyzed solely in political terms, but this new initiative will allow the views of locals at the border site to be heard and incorporated into academic understandings of border issues. We celebrate this Korean project as a trailblazer for academic research occurring in border studies.

The first seminar on “Making Borders and Borderless coexist” was successfully held in Keimyung University on June 25, 2011. Three Japan-based scholars, a US-based scholar, and a China-based scholar presented reports with simultaneous interpretation. Koji Furukawa (Chukyo University) delivered a report on “The Possibilities for Reshaping Japan’s Border Regime Administration” based on the results of the ‘Japan's Network on Border Studies’ seminars held on Yonaguni and Taiwan in May.
(Akihiro Iwashita)


]]> Wed, 29 Jun 2011 13:25:06 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=06&log_id=113 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=06&log_id=112
]]> Tue, 21 Jun 2011 13:15:12 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=06&log_id=112 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=06&log_id=111 “Unknown Northern Borders: ‘Karafuto and the Chishima Islands’”, was held at the Community Plaza in Iwamizawa, central Hokkaido. Thanks to the co-operation of the organizer's, ‘Hanekoma-no-kai’, an audience of 114 was in attendance. Within the hall, physical exhibits like the replica of the border stone from Karafuto and the undersea telegraph cable between Nemuro and Kunashiri Island were displayed together with maps and photos from Karafuto and the Chishima Islands. The seminar itself consisted of a keynote speech from Professor Akihiro Iwashita, the screening of the titular DVD, Hiroshi Itani’s presentation on Shumshu Island (one of the Chishima Islands) and finally a showing of the trailer for the new DVD about Tsushima. Despite the seminar lasting two hours, the atmosphere never flagged and afterwards the audience stayed to examine the exhibits.


]]> Mon, 13 Jun 2011 15:15:33 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=06&log_id=111 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=06&log_id=110
We will be contacting successful candidates very soon.

Thank you! ]]> Mon, 13 Jun 2011 14:12:43 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=06&log_id=110 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=06&log_id=109 June 12th.

The application form can be downloaded at the section "education" on our website.

]]> Tue, 07 Jun 2011 10:51:54 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=06&log_id=109 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=05&log_id=107
In his talk, Tetsuo Mochizuki emphasized that to move around a Russian Empire of commingled landscapes, cultures, ethnicities and classes was itself to experience borders. Professor Mochizuki first introduced the diversity of nature and peoples in the Empire and the history of Russian expansion, before turning his attention to how the personal border
experiences of Dostoevsky and Tolstoy impacted on their work.

In Dostoevsky’s case, his Siberian exile exposed him to the borders between diverse peoples, religions, status’ and views, and also that between the mundane and the terrible, the theme of ‘The House of the Dead”. Tolstoy’s work reflected stratified boundaries within the Cossacks that he had seen while serving on the Caucasian front.

Despite the terrible weather, close to 80 people came to the seminar and heard about ‘literature and borders’.

]]> Wed, 01 Jun 2011 13:43:22 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=05&log_id=107 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=05&log_id=108
The session on the 14th began with the showing of a new DVD on border islands produced by the Slavic Research Center. Following this, keynote speeches were made by officials of three towns in border regions; Yoshinari Takarabe (Mayor of Tsushima), Morikichi Sotoma (Mayor of Yonagumi), and Masatoshi Ishigaki (vice-mayor of Nemuro). These speeches revealed the challenges facing border areas, and discussion chaired by Akihiro Iwashita focused on how such problems could be overcome.

The second session occurred under the theme of ‘Reviewing border regions within national legislation’. The session was chaired by Hiroshi Furukawa of Chukyo University, and six officials delivered presentations on legislative issues facing these border regions; Masanori Takahashi (Nemuro), Yoshio Yumura (Ogasawara), Minori Kubo (Goto Island), Naganori Komine (Yonaguni), Higawashi Watanabe (National Institute of Japanese Islands), and Yuji Tsuchiya (the Cabinet Office).

Hiroshi Furukawa also chaired the day’s final session on ‘Towards supra-regional economic zones’, which heard five presentations on the problems of economic co-operation beyond Japan’s borders from Takayoshi Kabu (Kyushu Economic Research Center), Hideshi Sato (Wakkanai), Koichi Imamura (Wakkanai), Naganori Komine (Yonaguni), and Yuji Tsuchiya (the Cabinet Office).

The second day’s session moved to Hualian City in Taiwan and was held in the Banquet Hall of the Park View Hotel. It opened with a welcome speech by Tien Chih-hsuan, the Mayor of Hualian, and a reply by Morikichi Sotoma of Yonaguni. After this, Yoshinari Takarabe (Tsushima), Masatoshi Ishigaki (Nemuro), Koichi Imamura (Wakkanai), Toshimasa Asai (Kubura Primary School, Yonaguni), and Yoshitaka Matsuda (Yaeyama Mainichi Shimbun) reported on various issues in Japanese border areas. For the citizens of Hualian city, the seminar provided a rare window onto these ‘hidden’ Japanese border regions.


]]> Mon, 06 Jun 2011 13:54:38 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=05&log_id=108 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=05&log_id=106
On 15th May, participants at a seminar in Yonaguni, Okinawa, organized by 'Japan's Network on Border Studies', flew on a chartered plane to Hualien in Taiwan. The city of Hualien is located about 111km westwards of Yonaguni Island. The flight was operated by Trans-Asia Airways based in Taipei, and the anniversary of Okinawa’s reversion to Japanese administration was commemorated with the holding of two consecutive days of seminars in Yonaguni and Hualien.

The three mayors of Yonaguni, Ishigaki and Taketomi in the Yaeyama Islands, Shuukichi Hokama, Yoshitaka Nakayama and Eicho Kawamitsu respectively, were on board the flight. For them, the flight was also meant as the opening event in their tour of Taiwan to promote sightseeing in the Yaeyama Islands. At a ceremony conducted before the plane took off, the three mayors joined Akihiro Iwashita, leader of the Global COE Program, Masatoshi Ishigaki, deputy mayor of Nemuro, and Yasunari Takarabe, mayor of Tsushima, in celebrating the realization of this flight.

At Hualien Airport, the seminar participants were warmly welcomed by the mayor of Hualien, Tien Chih-hsuan, and municipal government officials. They then repaired to the Parkview Hotel to participate in the second day of seminars, again organized by the Research Network of Border Regions in Japan.
]]> Wed, 01 Jun 2011 13:40:01 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=05&log_id=106 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=05&log_id=105
In relation to the establishment of the Yonaguni Etupirka Collection, the mayor of Tsushima – the location of the second Etupirka Collection – presented a plaque for the library to the mayor of Yonaguni. The name Etupirka comes from an Ainu word for “tufted puffin”, and symbolizes a bird flying freely across national borders.

The first Etupirka Collection was established in the City of Nemuro, the second in Tsushima, which bought publications on border issues using donations from Hokkaido University Professor Akihiro Iwashita following his receipt of the prestigious Osaragi Jiro Prize for his book, Northern Territorial Issues: Neither Four nor Zero, nor Two.

The collection showcases a variety of publications on national borders and border issues.
]]> Wed, 01 Jun 2011 13:37:22 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=05&log_id=105 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=05&log_id=104 "Cross Border Tolstoy (Лев Толстой сквозь рубежи и межи)" at Kumamoto Gakuen University, subsidised by the Japan Foundation (Grant Program for Intellectual Exchange Conference) and the Global COE Program "Reshaping Japan's Border Studies." JASRLL and the Global COE Program jointly published the symposium’s proceedings, under the editorship of NAKAMURA Tadashi (Associate Professor at Yamagata University and Visiting Professor at the Slavic Research Center).

The publication includes a number of interesting papers, such as "Толстовские героини и непреодолимые «границы»" by SATO Yusuke (Moscow State University), "Диалоги за чертой оседлости: Толстой и еврейский вопрос" by Inessa Medzhibovskaya (New School in NY), "Tolstoy and Neuroscience" by Seog Young Joong (Korea University), and "«Уход » и смерть Л.Н. Толстого в газетных полемиках" by Aleksandr Aleksandrov (Institute of Literature, Russian Academy of Science).It also reproduces comments to the papers and discussions that took place at the symposium (in Russian and English).

To view the publication, please click the link.

]]> Fri, 20 May 2011 16:58:01 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=05&log_id=104 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=05&log_id=103
Please note that the deadline for the submission of application form is June 5, 2011. ]]> Mon, 16 May 2011 12:21:03 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=05&log_id=103 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=05&log_id=102 Global COE Program “Reshaping Japan’s Border Studies” at the Slavic Research Center, Hokkaido University, Japan
Job posting date: May 9, 2011

The Global COE Program “Reshaping Japan’s Border Studies” at the Slavic Research Center at Hokkaido University is seeking candidates to fill a position for a post-doctoral researcher with the following requirements. Please see below for full detail.

1. Position
Post-doctoral Researcher (by contract)　　　　

2. Period of Employment
July 1, 2011 to March 31, 2012 (renewal possible which will be decided upon evaluation)

3. Specialization: Border Studies (humanities or social sciences)

4. Position available: 1 part time researcher

5. Conditions
1)　Content of Work：Assisting with and conducting research for the Global COE Program “Reshaping Japan’s Border Studies”, editing the English journal “Eurasia Border Review”, editing and updating the website, organizing and coordinating international workshops and symposia
2)　Others
Working hours: 8:30AM to 17:00PM
38 hours and 45 minutes per week (7 hours and 45 minutes per day for 5 days)
Holidays: Saturday, Sunday and all national holidays, December 29-January 3 and other holidays designated by the university
Vacation：annual paid vacation and other special leaves (paid or unpaid)
Salary: Decided upon the candidate’s experience and regulations of Hokkaido University
※Will vary depending on educational background and experience. This will amount to approx. 300,000-480,000 yen per month.
other allowances: commute allowance and overtime pay will be paid according to the regulations of Hokkaido University
Social insurances: Health insurance, pension, and employment insurance
Others: Moving expenses will not be paid
3)　Place of work: Kita 9 Nishi 7, Slavic Research Center, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan

6. Qualifications
1) English native speaker or equivalent;
2) Has previous experience of editing English journals;
3) Holds relevant Ph.D or equivalent;
4) Should demonstrate a minimum command in Japanese sufficient to handle daily administrative matters in Japanese;
5) Some experience of creating a website and utilizing multimedia;
6) Should be available to conduct the above mentioned duties on the date mentioned below without any other obligations.
*Candidate should not be affiliated with any other institution. Graduate students or research fellows must ask for permanent leave before commencing work for the center.
　.
7. Commencement: July 1, 2011

8. Required documents
1) Curriculum Vitae (with photo, educational background since high school, digital version is allowed but with handwritten signature)
2) 3 of the candidates previous work in Japanese and/or English（outprints, photocopies are allowed）
4) Certificate of Graduation (photocopy of diploma would be allowed)
5) Research Proposal (approx. 2000 words in English, the proposal should not be proofread professionally)
6) Proposal regarding the contents of the Global COE Program website and museum exhibition (approx. 1000 words in English)
(Reference: URL http://borderstudies.jp/en/)
*Documents will not be returned.

9.Deadline: May 31, 2011 (Tuesday) (postdated)
*When mailing the documents to the center, please write “Documents for the position of post-doctoral researcher” in red and send it by registered mail (Expack is also OK). We will not accept documents sent by email.
Electronic submission is allowed.
10. Selection process: The selection method will be based on the screening process of the documents sent by the candidate but we may request an interview. The result will be notified to the candidate by mid-June, 2011..

11. Mailing address
Secretariat of the Global COE Program “Reshaping Japan’s Border Studies”
Slavic Research Center, Hokkaido University, Kita 9 Nishi 7, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Japan
〒060-0809　

12. Contact information
Mr. Shinkichi Fujimori
Secretariat of the Global COE Program “Reshaping Japan’s Border Studies” at the Slavic Research Center
Tel.:011-706-2388　FAX:011-706-4952 E -mail : fujimori@123slav.hokudai.ac.jp (please take off the 123 before slav when sending an email, for spam purpose)
]]> Mon, 09 May 2011 14:34:59 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=05&log_id=102 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=05&log_id=101 http://borderstudies.jp/en/program/education/index.htm. ]]> Mon, 02 May 2011 14:28:23 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=05&log_id=101 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=04&log_id=100
On April 14, Yuki Sato (Waseda Univ.) and Koji Furukawa (Chukyo Univ.) presented their work “Border Networking and the Development of Peripheral Initiatives” at the panel “Regions as Constructed Places” where they introduced the current border networking initiative programs conducted by the GCOE program including the Borderland Forum hosted in Yonaguni, the Ogasawara Islands, Nemuro and Tsushima, which are the “border” islands and city of Japan. Such an initiative is first of its kind in Japan and they presented their achievements in bringing together the borderland communities to build a network in Japan as well as some challenges that they are facing in terms of involving the policy-making circle in Japan.

The following day, Yuka Mizutani (Center for Ainu and Indigenous Studies, Hokkaido Univ.) presented her work titled “Presenting the Border through Indigenous Studies: Yaqui Exhibition in Japan” at the panel “Power, Perception and Borderlands”. She presented her project that was jointly conducted with the Hokkaido University Museum on the Yaqui Exhibition which was held at the Museum from December 2010 to April 2011. She talked about her experience of collecting the artifacts and materials in Tuscan, Arizona as well as how the Yaqui exhibit in a faraway country in Japan was received by the Yaqui people. She concluded by emphasizing the importance of the power of visual exhibitions and tapping into people’s senses to raise awareness of the history and culture of indigenous people.

The last day of the conference included the panel entitled “Modern and Contemporary Border Issues in Slavic Eurasia” comprised by Hiroshi Fukuda, Shinkichi Fujimori, and Hiroshi Itani (SRC, Hokkaido Univ.). The panel looked at the borders of the former Soviet space after the collapse of the Soviet Union and the disintegration of the former European communist sphere. Hiroshi Fukuda presented his work “Imagination for Borderlands-Czech Nation-Building and Body Culture in 19th Century” which explored the relations between physicality and nationalism and how sports promoted national integration in Czechoslovakia. Shinkichi Fujimori presented his work, “Border in Eurasia: A Case of Transdnistria” which analyzed the relations between the unrecognized state of the former Soviet spaces of Transdnistria with Moldova, Ukraine and Russia, which explored the elusive yet practical relations among these state and countries in terms of the economic cooperation. Lastly, Hiroshi Itani presented his work, “Korsakov and Odormari: Transition of Border and Landscape” where he illustrated the modern border issues of Sakhalin (former Karafuto) in the 19th and 20th century through the historical tracing of the architecture in Sakhalin.

Also on the last day was a presentation by Naomi Chi (SRC, Hokkaido Univ.) titled “Canada as a Principle Model of Multiculturalism?: Case Study of the Korean-Canadian Community in Vancouver, Canada” in the panel “Security, Human Security, Culture and Multiculturalism: Issues for the US-Canada Border.” In her presentation, she reviewed the various literature on multiculturalism with an emphasis on Canadian political philosopher Will Kymlicka, examineed the historical background to and the actual policies that have been promoted and enforced in Canada and the application of and challenges to multicultural policies by examining the case study of the Korean-Canadian in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

This year’s ABS not only included the above individual presentations and panel, but also a showing of the DVD “The Unknown Tales of the Northern Borders in Japan” as well as a roundtable discussion “Conceptualizing the Border in Non-Traditional Regions: Intersecting Academia, NGOs and Government “ as a continuation of the Practitioners Meeting in Tokyo in Dec. 2010.



]]> Wed, 20 Apr 2011 16:19:23 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=04&log_id=100 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=04&log_id=97
At the conference there were over 700 panels with sessions focusing on countries and regions as diverse as North Korea, Nepal, Japan, India and Russia. Perhaps unsurprisingly, a great number of panels were devoted to the opportunities and challenges that a rising China is presenting to the region and beyond. Thousands of delegates were in attendance and included such academic ‘celebrities’ as Francis Fukuyama.

Supported by the GCOE Programme: ‘Reshaping Japan’s Borders’, the Slavic Research Center presented a panel entitled: ‘Evolving States of Northeast Asia: Borders and Representation’. This panel provided a broad historical and contemporary look at the various meanings of boundary lines in this region with a particular focus on the border between the two Koreas, the dispute over Russia’s border with Japan, as well as the wider representations of borders through cartography and museums.

Ted Boyle, a graduate student at the Faculty of Law, Hokkaido University began the proceedings with a paper on the cartographic construction of state borders in northeast Asia. He was followed by Dr. Naomi Chi (Assistant Professor at the SRC), who gave an insightful presentation on inter-Korean Relations and their implications for a new regional order. Paul Richardson, a final year doctoral researcher from the University of Birmingham and visitor at the SRC, introduced the concept of the ‘hyper-border’ as a device for helping to understand the issue of the Southern Kurils / Northern Territories. The panel was concluded by Professor Akihiro Iwashita’s discussion of the importance of museums for representing and interpreting borders.

Although the SRC panel took place on the last afternoon of the conference and despite many distractions provided by the beautiful island of Oahu, the session was well attended and included in its audience eminent professors from the United States, Japan, Canada and Russia. There was a lively but good-natured discussion after the presentation and all the panellists received useful comments and questions. In short, this panel proved to be an excellent forum to promote both the work being undertaken on borders at the SRC as well as allowing the participants to discuss their work and broaden their contacts with international experts.


]]> Mon, 18 Apr 2011 23:36:18 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=04&log_id=97 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=04&log_id=98
We will keep you posted of our joint ventures and projects.
]]> Mon, 18 Apr 2011 23:44:00 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=04&log_id=98 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=04&log_id=96 http://borderstudies.jp/en/essays/essays/index.htm"target="_blank">
http://borderstudies.jp/en/essays/essays/index.htm



]]> Fri, 08 Apr 2011 02:10:15 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=04&log_id=96 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=04&log_id=99
The keynote speech by Dr. Jeong Seok Lee, the former Korean Minister of Unification, explored the historical process of the North Korean and Chinese border (that stretches 1300km) demarcation process. This process was more advantageous for North Korea due to the historical and international environment of China at the time. He also introduced that the demarcation process also included the friendly conclusion by both countries that resulted in the joint usage of the river along the border which he obtained from historical documents. He concluded and emphasized that in the era when the East Asian countries including South Korea, Japan and China are working towards the formation of the framework for the Asian Union, it is more so important now to not isolate but engage North Korea

The international panel included three panellists from Korea and Japan. First speaker, Yoshinobu Mori (Saga Univ.) presented the notion of that the “mutual interdependence of the two Koreas was manipulated to maintain the narrative of the divided peninsula” and that although the Sunshine Policy was the beginning of the transformation of the inter-Korean relations, however, the current administration’s North Korean policy has been experiencing serious setbacks in this regard. Haein Han (Kunkuk Univ.) presented her work on border politics in the Korean peninsula through the historical tracing of the North Korean diaspora in Sakhalin. She noted that the North Koreans who have returned to Korea are still experiencing discrimination and hardships due to the historical abandonment of them by both Korea and Japan. Ihkpyo Hong (KIEP) presented his work on the current status and future of the regional economic cooperation of the Northeastern provinces of China (Jilin, Heilongjiang, Liaoning).

All four presentations explored the North Korean issue through the prism of “border politics” and attempted to shed light on the region not through the overt emphasis of the potential threat and danger that the media has portrayed, but rather from the historical tracing and contemporary analysis of the social, political, and economic circumstances that surround not only the actual borders but also the psychological barriers that surround North Korea.


]]> Wed, 20 Apr 2011 16:17:10 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=04&log_id=99 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=03&log_id=95
A great tragedy has hit Japan. Our prayers and thoughts are with the victims and their family.

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 11:53:17 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=03&log_id=95 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=02&log_id=94
Admission is free but prior registration is necessary. Please visit the following URL to register. Limited seating is available.
http://src-h.slav.hokudai.ac.jp/cgi/20110313wwwmail.html


]]> Sun, 20 Feb 2011 16:18:22 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=02&log_id=94 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=02&log_id=93
Please click the following to go directly to the essay: http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/essays/essays/pdf/tokyo_meeting_report.pdf

]]> Tue, 08 Feb 2011 17:28:29 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=02&log_id=93 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=01&log_id=92
Please click the following to view the transcript:http://borderstudies.jp/en/essays/transcripts/index.htm





]]> Wed, 19 Jan 2011 22:19:09 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=01&log_id=92 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=01&log_id=91
You can go directly to the report by clicking the following: http://borderstudies.jp/en/essays/live/index.htm




]]> Fri, 07 Jan 2011 16:05:17 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=01&log_id=91 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=01&log_id=90
No prior registration is necessary and everyone is welcome to attend.

Pleaes visit the section "Calendar of Events" for more information and to download Prof. Gatrell's paper. Or please click the following to go directly to the page http://borderstudies.jp/en/events/workshops/index.htm#110112



]]> Fri, 07 Jan 2011 15:54:48 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=01&log_id=90 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=01&log_id=89 HAPPY 2011!!!

The members and staff of the GCOE programme would like to wish all our friends around the world a very happy new year. Wishing everyone all the very best in 2011.

Stay tuned for another great year of events and publications by the programme!

]]> Thu, 06 Jan 2011 17:52:54 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2011&m=01&log_id=89 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=12&log_id=88
Date and Time: Wednesday, December 15 3:30 P.M. – 5:00 P.M.
Venue: East-West Center in Washington
1819 L Street NW, Washington, D.C., 2nd Floor Conference Room

Please click the following to go directly to the EWC website to view the detailed flyer for this event. http://www.eastwestcenter.org/fileadmin/resources/washington/images/events/Flyer__Energy_and_Environmental_Cooperation_in_Northeast_Asia.pdf

This event is free and open to the public.
To RSVP, please click this link: www.eastwestcenter.org/go/130

Kindly send your reply by December 14.
Please note that seating is limited. ]]> Thu, 09 Dec 2010 12:37:56 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=12&log_id=88 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=12&log_id=87
The English translation of his essay has been uploaded to our website in the section "essays" or you may click the following URL to go directly to the essay: http://borderstudies.jp/en/essays/essays/index.htm

]]> Thu, 09 Dec 2010 12:22:10 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=12&log_id=87 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=12&log_id=86
The workshop is open to the public and everyone is welcome to attend.

Please visit the section "workshop" for the programme of the workshop or click http://borderstudies.jp/en/events/workshops/index.htm to go directly to the page.



]]> Fri, 03 Dec 2010 11:31:38 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=12&log_id=86 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=12&log_id=85
NEW SCHEDULE
14:15-16:15
Session 2: From the Eyes of Political Geographers:
The Balkans, Central Asia and Okinawa (originally session 3)
Moderator Akihiro Iwashita (SRC, Japan)
Speakers: (1) Anton Gosar (University of Primorska, Slovenia)
“The Border Puzzle: Results of Disintegration and EU Integration Processes on the Territory of Former Yugoslavia”
(2) Reuel Hanks (Oklahoma State University, U.S.)
“Border Dynamics and Political Geography in Central Eurasia:
Themes in Decolonization, Modernization and Regionalization”
(3) Takashi Yamazaki (Osaka City University, Japan)
“Space, Subject, and Political Behavior at Border: Okinawa as a Double Periphery”
Discussants: Osamu Ieda (SRC, Japan)
Tomohiko Uyama (SRC, Japan)
Akihiro Iwashita (SRC, Japan)

16:30-18:30
Session 3: Encounter with Transnational Sociology:
Refugees, Migrants and Minorities (originally session 2)
Moderator: Kenichi Nakamura (Hokkaido University, Japan)
Speakers: (1) Hideki Tarumoto (Hokkaido University, Japan)
“Managing Borders and Migrants through Citizenship: A Japanese Case”
(2) Daniele Joly (University of Warwick, U.K.)
“The European Asylum Regime and Temporary Protection:
A Restrictive Paradigm”
(3) Muzammil Quraishi (University of Salford, U.K.)
“Transnational Lives: Experiences of Muslim Ex-Offenders in the UK”
Discussant: Kazuhisa Nishihara (Nagoya Univ., Japan)

We apologize for the change and we look forward to seeing you at the symposium. ]]> Fri, 03 Dec 2010 11:18:17 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=12&log_id=85 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=11&log_id=84
Please go to the site GCOE Symposia and click on the titles of the paper on the schedule.

]]> Fri, 03 Dec 2010 11:11:21 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=11&log_id=84 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=11&log_id=83 Areanization of Border Studies: The 'Greater Eurasia' and its Neighbours" on December 3 and 4.

Please find the programme at our website in GCOE Symposia or click the following to go directly to the page. Please click the following to go directly to the report: http://borderstudies.jp/en/events/symposia/index.htm


]]> Thu, 18 Nov 2010 14:53:05 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=11&log_id=83 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=10&log_id=82
We have updated our website with the final programme.

Please contact chi@borderstudies.jp for inquiries about the forum. ]]> Wed, 27 Oct 2010 11:50:36 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=10&log_id=82 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=10&log_id=81 ]]> Fri, 22 Oct 2010 16:11:19 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=10&log_id=81 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=09&log_id=80
Please click the following to go directly to the report: http://borderstudies.jp/en/essays/live/pdf/Paul_live.pdf
]]> Tue, 28 Sep 2010 17:21:00 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=09&log_id=80 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=09&log_id=79
Please visit the Brookings website or click the following to go the article directly: http://www.brookings.edu/papers/2010/09_northeast_asia_iwashita.aspx
]]> Wed, 15 Sep 2010 22:28:46 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=09&log_id=79 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=09&log_id=78
Last year’s winter symposium brought together the global community of border studies to present and discuss current trends and issues in border studies in Europe and North America. This year’s symposium will bring together the global community once again to discuss the application of border studies theories, contradictions that emerge, as well as focus on the potentials and challenges of border studies in the social sciences.

The aim of the pre-symposium seminar is to provide an arena for young researchers (post-doctoral to junior researchers) to introduce their work among border studies scholars from around the world, promote the exchange of opinions and ideas, as well as to facilitate the building of networks among the global community.

We are planning to select 3-5 papers for this seminar and successful panellists will be provided a round trip coach airfare to and from their city and Sapporo, local accommodation and other additional costs (such as the field studies trip scheduled on Dec. 5). Also, successful panellists will be asked to submit their manuscript for our periodical Eurasia Border Review as part of the condition of the sponsorship.

Although the theme of this year’s symposium will be centred around the convergence and/or divergence across borders around the world, papers dealing with a wide range of aspects related to borders are most welcome.

At this time, we cordially invite you to submit an abstract (250-300 words max.) and a C.V. by no later than October 15, 2010 and a full paper by November 20, 2010. Successful candidates will be notified no later than October 22, 2010. Please click on the image below (please enlarge when viewing) for the tentative schedule of the 2010 winter symposium. Please note that the schedule is subject to change.

Please submit your abstract and C.V. to Naomi Chi (chi@borderstudies.jp). All inquiries can also be sent to the above email as well.

]]> Wed, 08 Sep 2010 17:55:53 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=09&log_id=78 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=09&log_id=77
Please click the title of Prof. Popovic's presentation in the "workshops" section of the website or click the following to go directly to the page: http://borderstudies.jp/en/events/workshops/index.htm#100927

]]> Wed, 08 Sep 2010 17:53:05 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=09&log_id=77 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=08&log_id=76
For more information, please visit the following site: http://www.jobs.sdu.dk/vis_stilling.php?id=6042&lang=eng

The deadline for application is September 21, 2010. Application forms are available at www.sdu.dk/sam/phduk ]]> Tue, 31 Aug 2010 10:01:10 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=08&log_id=76 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=08&log_id=75
Please click the following URL to go to the web version of the article: http://www.hokkaido-np.co.jp/news/culture/247403.html (article in Japanese) ]]> Fri, 27 Aug 2010 23:02:17 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=08&log_id=75 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=08&log_id=74 application deadline is September 15, 2010.

For more information, please visit the SRC website or click the following URL to jump directly to the site: http://src-h.slav.hokudai.ac.jp/rp/english/applications/index.html#20100812/a>.


]]> Mon, 23 Aug 2010 08:55:30 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=08&log_id=74 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=08&log_id=73
Though the program ended in a success, our GCOE members will take into consideration the feedbacks from the participants and work toward to improve the program for next year.

Thank you to the participants and lecturers for wonderful presentations and exciting discussions and also to the GCOE members for their relentless efforts.

Till next summer!


]]> Fri, 13 Aug 2010 17:47:30 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=08&log_id=73 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=07&log_id=71 http://borderstudies.jp/en/events/workshops/index.htm.

Everyone is welcome to attend. No prior registration necessary. ]]> Tue, 20 Jul 2010 15:03:34 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=07&log_id=71 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=07&log_id=72 http://borderstudies.jp/en/program/education/index.htm.


]]> Tue, 20 Jul 2010 15:11:29 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=07&log_id=72 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=07&log_id=70
Please click museum exhibitions or click the following to go directly to the site: http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/media/museum_exhibitions/. ]]> Thu, 08 Jul 2010 15:05:25 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=07&log_id=70 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=07&log_id=69
Please visit our new section "transcripts" under "essays" or click the following to jump directly to the section: http://borderstudies.jp/en/essays/transcripts/index.htm. ]]> Thu, 01 Jul 2010 11:57:10 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=07&log_id=69 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=06&log_id=68
Please click http://borderstudies.jp/en/essays/live/index.htm to go to the page directly.
]]> Sat, 26 Jun 2010 13:15:53 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=06&log_id=68 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=06&log_id=67 Eurasia Border Review.

Please visit the section "Eurasia Border Review" under publication or go to http://borderstudies.jp/en/publications/review/. ]]> Sat, 19 Jun 2010 13:42:51 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=06&log_id=67 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=06&log_id=66
Talking Borders Audio Archive
CIBR, Queen's University Belfast
This is a collection of 20 audio recordings of specialists commenting on border issues around the world. These recordings were produced by S. James for the Centre for International Borders Research, Queen's University Belfast between 2005-2008.
www.archive.org/details/borders.


Contested Spaces Video Project
Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies
University of Sydney
This is a series of 10 minute talks by experts on territorial and identity issues around the world produced by S L James. These videos were produced between 2005 and 2009 with the majority being edited during 2007 to 2008. Video footage was collected and recorded between 2000 and 2009.
www.archive.org/details/Contested-Spaces-Video-Project.


]]> Thu, 17 Jun 2010 16:07:18 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=06&log_id=66 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=05&log_id=65
The afternoon session consisted of 2 panels, one that was co-hosted by the GCOE program entitled, “China and its Frontiers: China’s Maritime and Land Border Issues.” Four panellists, Prof. Kawashima, Prof. Li, Prof. Sato and Prof. Yoshida delivered their presentations on, “Memories of the Borders in Modern and Contemporary China,” “Maritime Border Disputes between China and Neighbouring Countries,” “China and its Frontiers: Border Issues in South China Sea,” and “Border Disputes between China and India,” respectively.

Prof. Kawashima examined the historical memories and the dynamics of Chinese borders, while Prof. Li examined China’s maritime border issues, factors that are prolonging the disputes and necessary elements to resolve these issues. Prof. Sato considered the disputes in the South China Sea and examined the issue of the map of South China Sea created by China, while lastly Prof. Yoshida focused on the land border disputes between China and India and examined the issues from the perspective of Indian nationalism and foreign relations.

One of the two discussants, Prof. Xing, commented on China-Russian border disputes and the bilateral efforts for resolution, while Director Iwashita referred to M.T. Fravel’s book, “Strong Border, Secure Nation,” which states that the possibility of China resorting to violent conflict over territories are overstated. While developing the concepts of cooperation and escalation in territorial disputes, Fravel explains that when China is faced with internal threats it has been more willing to cooperate to strengthen its control over a certain territory, whereas China has been more prone to use force to avoid or reverse decline in its bargaining power in territorial disputes with powerful neighbouring countries. Fravel concludes that over the past sixty years China has been more likely to compromise than many experts might expect.

During the discussion, comments and questions concerning the possibility of China using military force, historical discourse in China, sports diplomacy, and the differences in resolving land and maritime territorial or border disputes (that is to say possibility of reaching common interests) were raised by the audience. Moreover, one participant also indicated that the importance of sea lane to China has less to do with China’s attempt for escalation or to stress its bargaining power, but more to do with securing maritime resources in order to continuously support and promote its development, similar to any other countries, and that while China’s basic diplomatic stance emphasizes flexibility and coordination, mutual understanding or understanding of the emotions concerning territorial disputes is crucial to reach a win-win situation.




]]> Tue, 25 May 2010 22:29:48 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=05&log_id=65 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=05&log_id=64
Prof. Iwashita argues that the relocation issue, a taboo in Japanese politics, was finally exposed with the new Democratic Party in Japan, and that the criticisms against Prime Minister Hatoyama has less to do with the prime minister's "irresponsibility" but more to do with the general public's reluctance to move the bases to the mainland. However, people's apathy toward the bilateral alliance and Okinawa's burden undermines Japan's post-war peace.

You may find the article at: http://mdn.mainichi.jp/perspectives/news/20100520p2a00m0na006000c.html .

]]> Thu, 20 May 2010 22:05:30 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=05&log_id=64 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=05&log_id=63
We ask that those who are interested in participating in the program to send in their application forms as soon as possible.

]]> Wed, 19 May 2010 14:26:35 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=05&log_id=63 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=05&log_id=62
This 3rd museum exhibition captures southwestern Japan as a “sea frontier” or a zone where people and culture interact beyond the borders. We have on display materials and specimens from the Ryukyu Islands, Daito Islands, Bonin Islands and Tsushima from which we can see a glimpse of their history that transcends the physical boundaries.

This exhibition would like to introduce the history and the daily lives of the people living in border areas in the southern part of Japan. We hope that this exhibition will be a good opportunity for our visitors to reflect on the common features of people living in border areas by comparing their history and lives.

Our aim is to create a new paradigm to consider the world that we live in by helping to link the realities and people’s “emotions” of those living in various border areas.


]]> Wed, 19 May 2010 14:19:27 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=05&log_id=62 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=05&log_id=61 http://azstarnet.com/news/article_a9006f6b-f9b6-59db-87b4-d54a09b4b786.html . (Brady McCombs, “Experts go over SB 1070’s key points,” in Arizona Daily Star, May 2, 2010). The law is to be enforced in August, 2010.

The bill has been met with demonstrations and strong criticisms as many fear for the abuse of racial and ethnic profiling. While Gov. Brewer has emphasized that racial profiling will not be tolerated and that the bill provides a tool for border state to counter illegal immigration, however, there are still overwhelming concerns over the hostile environment and detrimental effects it may have on border state areas.

Our Global COE program is on a careful watch on this issue and will continue to observe the future of this law and its effects.

(For more information, please refer to the following New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/24/us/politics/24immig.html and Washington Post http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2010/04/29/ST2010042905051.html articles.
]]> Mon, 10 May 2010 15:05:50 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=05&log_id=61 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=04&log_id=60
The original article (in Russian) can be found at the following VOA's website: http://www1.voanews.com/russian/news/world-news/okinawa_military_2010_04_26-92123199.html.
]]> Thu, 29 Apr 2010 19:51:05 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=04&log_id=60 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=04&log_id=59 Eurasia Border Review which will be published in May 2010.

The Eurasia Border Review is a peer-reviewed, semi-annually published periodical which is committed to publish in-depth scholarly research for a diverse audience of scholars, practitioners and policy decision-makers and welcomes original manuscript submissions from all social sciences and humanities disciplines that focus on border or borderland issues in the wider Eurasian region.

Instructions for authors who wish to submit their manuscript can be found in the section "Eurasia Border Review" under "Publications" or you can jump directly to it by clicking the following URL: http://borderstudies.jp/en/publications/review/instructions_for_authors.htm.




]]> Tue, 27 Apr 2010 11:48:00 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=04&log_id=59 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=04&log_id=58
A short report of the meeting will be uploaded to the website shortly.




]]> Wed, 21 Apr 2010 13:26:15 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=04&log_id=58 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=04&log_id=57
]]> Thu, 15 Apr 2010 20:07:10 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=04&log_id=57 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=04&log_id=56 "education".
]]> Tue, 13 Apr 2010 15:48:28 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=04&log_id=56 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=04&log_id=55


]]> Tue, 06 Apr 2010 11:28:32 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=04&log_id=55 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=03&log_id=54
This workshop will compare and analyze the social history of urban spaces in the so-called "border towns" and "border regions" of Northeast Asia (Russian and Soviet Far East, Siberia, Northeast China, Mongolia, Korea, and Japan) during the first half of the 20th century. This area and period present a complex history of competing powers and diverging colonial interests. Japan, the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union, China, the United States, and other Western powers pursued their own economic and geostrategic objectives in the region. One of the outcomes from this power struggle was the prevalence of encounters between different social, political, ethnic, and cultural groups in addition to the emergence of boundaries beyond traditional borders as defined by nation-states and empires.

Those who wish to participate must submit an abstract (300 words max.) and a short CV by April 15, 2010. Successful applicants are to submit the paper (6,000 words max.) until September 30, 2010.

For more information, visit the website at http://www.asia-europe.uni-heidelberg.de/en/research/b-public-spheres/b10.html ]]> Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:43:12 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=03&log_id=54 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=03&log_id=52 Regional Security and Okinawa in the U.S.-Japan Alliance on March 9, 2010 at the Cosmos Club in Washington D.C. A full house of 150 guests attended the forum including participants from think tanks, media and policy makers in D.C.

The first panel "Regional Security and U.S.-Japan Alliance" looked at the current security policies of Japan and emphasized how Japan would need to formulate national security by articulating national interests to meet challenges such as a rising China and consider new design for regional security for traditional as well as non-traditional security issues in light of the U.S.-Japan alliance Discussions ranged from the North Korean factor, Japan’s power protection capacity, possibilities of other security dialogues such as a trilateral dialogue among U.S., Japan and China as well as other security relationships with countries like Australia and India, and how traditional and how non-traditional roles of Japan would be perceived by other Asian countries.

The second panel “Okinawa and U.S. Japan Alliance” tackled a very current and pressing issue on the US military bases in Okinawa and while the two speakers acknowledged the importance of the U.S-Japan security alliance they questioned the justification of the geographical advantages of the concentration of forces in Okinawa, and considered the “lies” to continue Okinawa’s burden and the “truth” in the difficulty of relocating the U.S. forces in other parts of Japan has less to do with military purposes of deterrence against threats such as North Korea or potential Chinese aggression but has much to do with political purposes of trying to portray a stable and strong U.S. Japan alliance. Discussions ranged from the feasibility of alternatives, the implications of the DPJ on Okinawa base issue and impact of moving ground forces from East Asia.

]]> Thu, 11 Mar 2010 01:26:14 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=03&log_id=52 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=03&log_id=53
Dr. Chi gave a talk about the foreign policies of the conservative administration of Lee Myung Bak and examined President Lee’s “Global Korea Strategy,” “Resource and Energy Diplomacy,” as well as reinforcing diplomatic relations with East Asian countries such as China and Japan (and Russia). The current administration has emphasized the strengthening of South Korea’s international and global commitments and to secure energy and resources for a resource scarce South Korea to further its economic growth in the future. However, she also indicated that President Lee’s diplomatic initiatives have been met with internal and external obstacles thus far such as domestic politics (conservative vs. progressive) as well as the North Korean issue and the dynamics of East Asia’s political configuration.

Prof. Iwashita examined the foreign policies of the current Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) and pointed out the possibility and necessity of the transformation of the current “romantic” Northeast Asian triangle of Japan, U.S. and China into a quadrangle including Russia for a more stable relation among U.S. and Northeast Asian powers. The emphasis on this quandrangle comes from the fact that the U.S. is the only country that does not share a border with the other 3 countries—thereby, many current border issues (i.e. northern territories issue between Russia and Japan) that affect the 3 countries do not transform into “domestic issues” in each country which is important in shaping foreign policies and diplomatic relations among these countries. Prof. Iwashita also mentioned that the quadrangle among these countries must be grounded on traditional and non-traditional “alliance” to meet new challenges that face not only this region but also the world in the new global era.

Discussions included issue such as the influence of public opinion in Korea, the effect of voting behaviours of undecided voters (not conservative nor progressive), feasibility and the consequences of such quadrangle, and possible scenarios in international relations once Korea is unified.

]]> Sun, 14 Mar 2010 11:37:26 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=03&log_id=53 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=03&log_id=51 The Director of SRC, Prof. Akihiro Iwashita and GCOE member, Naomi Chi, will present their work entitled "Fallback or Transformation* Japanese and South Korean Foreign Policies toward Northeast Asia" at the Brookings Institution in Washington D.C. This event will take place at the board room of the Brookings Institution from 12:00 to 13:30 on March 8th.

Prof. Iwashita and Dr. Chi will be speaking about the recent foreign policy trends of the new governments in Tokyo and Seoul toward Northeast Asia and, second, make a critical review of these policies. Are the foreign policies of the Prime Minister Hatoyama and President Lee a fallback in relations or a transformation from the past? Is the past still haunting relations in this region or are the new administrations taking a leap (of faith) for improved relations in the future? This presentation will consider these questions and attempt to illustrate the political configuration of this region from the perspective of Japan and Korea.


]]> Mon, 08 Mar 2010 02:22:38 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=03&log_id=51 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=03&log_id=50
The following three presentations will be delivered at the conference: (Panel, Name and Affiliation, Title of Presentation)

(GCOE Travel Grant Recipients)

April 15th (Thurs): Historical Perspectives on Borders and Revolutions: 19th/20th Century
Yuka Mizutani (Post Doctoral Researcher, Hokkaido Univ.)
"Media on the U.S.-Mexican Border: How Newspapers Described the Yaqui People"

April 16th (Fri): Representation, Territoriality and Transnational Negotiations
Yuki Sato (Research Assistant, Waseda Univ.)
"The Unawareness of Residing on the Borderline: A Case Study on the Ogasawara Islands"

(GCOE Member)

April 16th (Fri): Representation, Territoriality and Transnational Negotiations
Naomi Chi (Assistant Professor, Slavic Research Centre, Hokkaido University)
"Borders in Representation: Case of Museum Exhibition at the Hokkaido University"

Please visit http://www.absborderlands.org/pdfs/abs_program2010.pdf for the detailed programme. ]]> Fri, 05 Mar 2010 17:20:33 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=03&log_id=50 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=03&log_id=49
Yuki Sato (Research Assistant, Waseda Univ.)
"The Unawareness of Residing on the Borderline: A Case Study on the Ogasawara Islands"

Yuka Mizutani (Post Doctoral Researcher, Hokkaido Univ.)
"Media on the U.S.-Mexican Border: How Newspapers Described the Yaqui People"

The two papers have been accepted for the 2010 Annual Conference of the Association of Borderlands Studies (ABS) held in conjunction with the Western Social Sciences Association (WSSA) which will be hosted in Reno, Nevada from April 14th to April 17th, 2010. http://www.absborderlands.org/2annualmeetings.html ]]> Tue, 02 Mar 2010 18:23:17 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=03&log_id=49 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=02&log_id=48
Date: March 9, 2010 (Tues) 9:30-14:00

Venue: Cosmos Club, Powell Room at the East West Center
2121 Massachusetts Avenue N.W., Washington DE.C.

Presenters: Shinichi Ogawa (Ritsumeikan Pacific Univ.)
Eiichi Katahara (National Institute of Defense Studies)
Manabu Sato (Okinawa International Univ.)
Tomohiro Yara (Okinawa Times)

Discussants: Rust M. Deming (Johns Hopkins Univ.)
James E. Auer (Vanderbilt Institute for Public Policy Studies)
Sheila A. Smith (Council on Foreign Relations)

Moderator: Akihiro Iwashita (Hokkaido Univ.)

Keynote Speaker: Derek J. Mitchell (Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Office of the Secretary of Defense)

Contact: Loren Hoeskstra (RSVPDC@EastWestCenter.org) Please RSVP to the above email address including your name, title, organization, address, phone number, email and country of citizenship.


]]> Tue, 23 Feb 2010 12:16:33 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=02&log_id=48 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=02&log_id=47 http://www.plandevel.auth.gr/ for more information.

]]> Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:32:23 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=02&log_id=47 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=02&log_id=46 www.surrey.ac.uk/Arts/CRONEM/index.htm. ]]> Mon, 08 Feb 2010 13:27:07 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=02&log_id=46 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=01&log_id=45
Please click the following Live! at the Border to jump directly to the "live" reports. ]]> Fri, 15 Jan 2010 18:22:59 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=01&log_id=45 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=01&log_id=44
Admission is free ane everyone is welcome to attend. No prior registration necessary.

Please visit the section workshops for more information.



]]> Thu, 14 Jan 2010 11:14:56 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=01&log_id=44 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=01&log_id=43
Such kind of joint ventures are part of the SRC’s ongoing efforts that have beencoordinated between SRC and Seoul National University in Korea and the Brookings Institute in the U.S and we will continue to facilitate dialogues with our various counterparts around the world.



]]> Tue, 12 Jan 2010 08:52:36 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=01&log_id=43 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=01&log_id=42
Please visit http://www.stv.ne.jp/news/item/20100107190808/index.html to see the media coverage that aired on the 7th on the local TV programme "Dosanko Wide" (in Japanese only).

The local newspaper, Hokkaido Shimbun, also reported on the opening of this display. Please visit http://www.hokkaido-np.co.jp/news/culture/209250.html

(Preparation of the display)



]]> Fri, 08 Jan 2010 08:02:53 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=01&log_id=42 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=01&log_id=41 http://www.plandevel.auth.gr/ for more information.
]]> Wed, 06 Jan 2010 11:51:43 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=01&log_id=41 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=01&log_id=40
We have an excellent line up of seminars and events planned for this year too. Please visit this website for updates on events and other announcements.
]]> Mon, 04 Jan 2010 11:28:13 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2010&m=01&log_id=40 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=12&log_id=39 Japan's Borders: How to Break the "Spell" and the Mayor Summit, was hosted in the city of Nemuro on Dec. 21. Over 120 people were in attendance that day including not only border and island studies experts but also citizens and people from the media to discuss themes such as the ongoing territorial border issues in Japan.


]]> Wed, 23 Dec 2009 19:57:45 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=12&log_id=39 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=12&log_id=38
]]> Wed, 23 Dec 2009 19:46:13 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=12&log_id=38 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=12&log_id=37 Japan's Borders: How to Break the "Spell" edited by SRC's Director Iwashita was just published on Dec. 18th.

(from the editor)
“Small island country Japan.” A typical stereotype of Japan, but this is simply not true. There are 6852 islands and the economic zone stretches 4.47 million km2, the sixth largest in the world. Japan shares its borders with not only Russia, North Korea, Korea, China and Taiwan but also the U.S. and Philippines. This is a fact about the sea country Japan. However, many people in Japan do not perceive Japan as a border country. Not only that, many do not understand that Japan is a product of its relations with the surrounding regions that has continued from the past till the present. This book attempts to dismantle the realities of the nation from the border field that is continuously bound by its “light existence."
]]> Tue, 22 Dec 2009 18:45:31 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=12&log_id=37 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=12&log_id=36

]]> Tue, 22 Dec 2009 17:57:20 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=12&log_id=36 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=12&log_id=35
Further details about the post are available at https://jobs.dur.ac.uk/default.asp (ref. 3620) along with information on how to apply.

The closing date for applications is 13 January 2010.
]]> Thu, 17 Dec 2009 10:19:26 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=12&log_id=35 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=12&log_id=34 GCOE Symposia and click on the title to view the speakers' papers.

]]> Wed, 09 Dec 2009 11:05:59 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=12&log_id=34 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=12&log_id=33 world. Please visit the following site for more information: http://www.absborderlands.org/2annualmeetings.html


]]> Tue, 08 Dec 2009 19:06:50 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=12&log_id=33 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=12&log_id=32 http://www.undborderlands.org/


]]> Tue, 08 Dec 2009 18:04:56 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=12&log_id=32 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=12&log_id=31 http://www.fulbrightcanada.com/activities.php#/4 ]]> Tue, 08 Dec 2009 17:58:32 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=12&log_id=31 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=12&log_id=30 "International Sociology" (Minerva Publishing, 2009), which explains the basic theories of international sociology while focusing on the free transnational movement of people due to globalization and its consequences.
]]> Mon, 07 Dec 2009 10:53:42 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=12&log_id=30 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=12&log_id=29 museum exhibitions to see the current exhibition on "Journey through the Eurasian Borders." The 2nd exhibition, "Unknown Tales of the Norther Borders" will start from Dec. 18th, 2009. ]]> Wed, 02 Dec 2009 11:52:26 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=12&log_id=29 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=12&log_id=28 genderin.buffalo.edu. ]]> Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:24:19 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=12&log_id=28 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=12&log_id=27 www.surrey.ac.uk/Arts/CRONEM/index.htm. ]]> Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:21:28 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=12&log_id=27 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=11&log_id=26 essays for more information. ]]> Fri, 27 Nov 2009 12:51:26 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=11&log_id=26 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=11&log_id=25 site .
]]> Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:02:54 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=11&log_id=25 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=11&log_id=24 section for more information. ]]> Thu, 26 Nov 2009 10:42:22 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=11&log_id=24 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=11&log_id=23 website for more details. ]]> Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:42:38 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=11&log_id=23 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=11&log_id=22 website to see the full interview (in Russian). ]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:06:56 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=11&log_id=22 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=11&log_id=21 workshops for the detailed program.

]]> Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:43:51 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=11&log_id=21 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=11&log_id=19 GCOE Symposia to see the latest programs. ]]> Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:31:42 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=11&log_id=19 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=11&log_id=18 website . ]]> Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:59:27 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=11&log_id=18 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=11&log_id=17 link for further details. ]]> Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:56:02 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=11&log_id=17 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=11&log_id=14 essays to see the latest essay written by Prof. Takeshi Yuasa (National Institute for Defense Studies) regarding his "eye-opening" experience at a conference he attended in Rome on Central Asia. ]]> Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:56:47 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=11&log_id=14 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=10&log_id=12 workshops .

]]> Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:18:27 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=10&log_id=12 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=10&log_id=11 ]]> Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:48:11 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=10&log_id=11 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=10&log_id=10 "essays" to view the summary of the Oct. 15th GCOE seminar on "Borders that Surround North Korea" presented by Dr. Mimura (ERINA). ]]> Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:06:59 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=10&log_id=10 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=10&log_id=5
Excerpt from the review: “A 3D revolving globe that shows the actual rugged areas of the earth, including the mountain ranges and the deep sea trenches, was specially made for this exhibition. The globe is one metre in diameter and made to a scale of 1:1200. The names of the countries as well as borders have not been marked on the globe. Dr. Akihiro Iwashita, the Director of the Slavic Research Centre who is also the Leader of the Global COE Programme on Border Studies at the Hokkaido University states that, ‘we would be pleased and honoured if this globe can become an opportunity for everyone to think about the endless border conflicts that are taking place around the world.’ (original article in Japanese, translation by Naomi Chi)”.

The exhibition will be held until December 13th, 2009.

]]> Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:59:12 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=10&log_id=5 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=10&log_id=4
We will upload the detailed program and papers of the panelists as soon as it becomes available. For those who wish to participate, we ask that you register prior to the event. The registration system will be available to you through this homepage. ]]> Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:51:20 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=10&log_id=4 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=10&log_id=2
]]> Tue, 06 Oct 2009 14:51:15 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=10&log_id=2 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=10&log_id=3 ]]> Tue, 06 Oct 2009 17:15:20 +0900 http://www.borderstudies.jp/en/news/?y=2009&m=10&log_id=3