Seminars
The “Japanese Turn” in the Art, Architecture and Cuisine of Europe and the United States, 1860–2020 (Oct. 21, 2023)
Join us for this free online workshop with distinguished historian Sam Yamashita. Over the last forty years, Japanese cuisine has had an oversized influence on fine dining in the United States. Chefs cooking at celebrated American restaurants are now freely using Japanese ingredients, condiments, culinary techniques, and concepts, and the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, the leading culinary school in the country, now offers a concentration in Japanese cuisine.
Webinar for K-12 Educators: Ian Johnson on his new book Sparks (Nov. 29th, 2023)
Throughout its history, the Chinese Communist Party has sought to dictate what is written and taught about its past. And some have always found ways to offer a fuller picture of what they and others have experienced. Join Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Ian Johnson for this webinar on his newest book.
The Rise of Modern Japan, Saturday workshop (October 7, 2023)
K-12 educators from all disciplines are invited to join this free online workshop. Japan's remarkable transformation from a secluded island nation to a major world power in just a few decades during the 19th and early 20th centuries is a fascinating tale of resilience, adaptability, and strategic reform. Several key factors drove these dramatic changes, ultimately leading to Japan's rise on the global stage.
Summer Online Book Club Explores Chinese Culture (August 10th, 2023)
The book, Eighteen Vats of Water, welcomes readers to the world of Chinese calligraphy while emphasizing the importance of determination and creativity. Despite calligraphy's potential waning popularity in the age of modern technology, the art form still possesses unique and inspiring charms.
East Asia since 1800 (Fall 2023)
This seminar is intended for all k-12 educators eager to bring more of East Asian history and culture to their students. It also explores what makes the region so dynamic and important today. This accredited seminar is complimentary for qualified teachers. This seminar is completely online. It includes recorded lectures, assigned readings and live discussion sessions via Zoom. You can view seminar requirements here.
Summer Online Book Club Explores Japanese Culture (June 22nd, 2023)
Calling all educators, librarians, teachers, and anyone interacting with learners of any age! Join our enriching virtual book discussion event centered around the captivating novel "While I Was Away" by Waka T. Brown. By delving into this thought-provoking story, we will explore the profound themes of bullying, cultural identity, family and heritage, and the transformative power of inter-generational relationships. Immerse yourself in the backdrop of Japan, spanning from 1980 to the present, and gain a deeper understanding of the richness of Japanese culture.
China's Cultural Revolution with guest speaker Professor Andrew G. Walder (April 14th, 2023)
The Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education (SPICE), Stanford Global Studies (SGS), and the USC U.S.-China Institute are excited to offer a professional development workshop for community college and high school educators who wish to internationalize their curriculum.
Objects And Ritual In Japanese History (April 11 - May 9, 2023)
This course will use objects from art, industry, technology, and war to consider the richness of the Japanese past. From court ceremonies to samurai rituals on the battlefield, from daily gift exchanges to Buddhist mortuary markers, Japanese communities have expressed their dreams, fears, power, and imagination using material culture and rituals focusing on objects. Join us to explore Japan’s history through the study of things.
Two Koreas (Tuesdays, March 7 - April 4, 2023)
This five-week intensive online course will help participants better understand North Korea and South Korea as two countries with a common past, divided only since 1945, and still stuck in the Cold War years after the fall of the Soviet bloc.