K-12 Seminars

Explore how Japan redefined its role in East Asia after World War II in this online seminar for educators. From postwar reconstruction and the U.S.–Japan alliance to relations with China, Korea, and Southeast Asia, participants will examine Japan’s economic rise, evolving security policy, and contemporary place in the Indo-Pacific.

Join us for this five-week complimentary online seminar that invites teachers to explore Japanese history through objects, rituals, and material culture. The seminar examines how objects from art, industry, technology, and war reveal the richness of Japan’s past, from prehistoric ritual and imperial court life to samurai practices, early modern displays of power, and the construction of traditional culture in modern Japan. Alongside building historical knowledge, teachers will consider how Japanese communities have used material objects and ritual practices to express dreams, fears, power, imagination, and social values over time. Teacher participants will walk away with fresh perspectives and practical examples for bringing Japan’s history and material culture into the classroom in clear, engaging, and meaningful ways.

Explore Chinese women’s history through clothing and textiles, from the late Qing dynasty through the mid-twentieth century. Drawing on LACMA’s Fashioning Chinese Women, this webinar examines how changing styles, including the rise of the qipao (cheongsam), reflect shifting social roles, cultural exchange, and ideas of modern womanhood. Educators will discover how material culture can bring social change and the lived experience of the past into the classroom.

Explore Japan’s transformation from the Edo period to the present in this three-part online seminar series for educators. Through sessions on Edo society, the Meiji era, and contemporary Japan, participants will examine how education, modernization, social change, and regional relationships have shaped Japan over time. Educators may register for one, two, or all three sessions based on their interests and schedules.

This seminar is designed to introduce K-12 educators across all subject areas to Taiwan’s rich history and cultural diversity. Created with educators in mind, participants will explore ways to integrate Taiwan’s unique cultural, political, and ecological narratives into their curriculum, enriching student engagement and promoting global awareness in subjects like history, literature, art, social studies, and science. This experience will include contact hours and provide a comprehensive resource package to help educators bring Taiwan’s stories and innovations to life in the classroom.

Join us for a dynamic 10-week online seminar series exploring the major historical, cultural, and political developments in East Asia from 1800 to the present. Led by expert scholars from USC and UCLA, this program offers a rich, in-depth journey through key topics including early modern transformations, imperial encounters, revolutions, and the reshaping of East Asia in the modern world.