#Asia: Here and Now: April 21-22, 2023

This was the Inaugural Conference of the ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ Asia Research Institute Program.

Although we strongly encourage in-person attendance, we realize some people may want to join us remotely.

Friday, April 21

Location: Buffalo Room (10 Capen Hall), ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ North Campus

8:30-9:00: Registration and refreshments

9:00-9:15: Welcoming remarks

  • A. Scott Weber, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
  • Nojin Kwak, Vice Provost for International Education

9:15-11:00: Crossing Boundaries in Asian Studies

Andrew Walder, Stanford ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½
Area Studies and Social Science Disciplines: Perennial Themes

Philip Lutgendorf, ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ of Iowa
Reflections on an ‘Undisciplined’ Career (or) Where Studying a ‘Great Book’ May Take You.”

Sonja M. Kim, Binghamton ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½
Seeking Space, Living History, Studying Asia/America

Moderator: Walt Hakala, Asian Studies Program/Department of English

11:00-11:15: Break

11:15-12:25: Current Issues in Public Health in Asia

Zuo-Feng Zhang, ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ of California-Los Angeles
Current Issues in Public Health in Asia

Moderator: Lina Mu, School of Public Health

12:25-1:40: Lunch Break

1:40-3:15: UB Faculty Research Panel 1 on Asia

Jin Young Song, School of Architecture and Planning
From Joinery to Facade: Learning from Asia in Pursuit of a Carbon-Neutral Built Environment

Nadine “Shaanta” Murshid, School of Social Work
Love and Desire Among Transnational Middle-Class Bangladeshis in the US

Tsugumi “Mimi” Okabe, Asian Studies Program
From Otaku to Scholar: "Playing," Teaching and Researching Japanese Pop Culture 

Moderator: Mitsuaki Shimojo, Department of Linguistics

3:15-3:30: Break

3:30-5:00: Education in Asia and the U.S.

Joseph Tobin, ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ of Georgia

Continuity and Change in Chinese and Japanese Preschools

Ming Ming Chiu, Education ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ of Hong Kong
Macro- and Micro-Inequalities Harm Learning

Moderator/Discussant: X. Christine Wang, Graduate School of Education

Discussant: Jaekyung Lee, Graduate School of Education

Saturday, April 22

Location: Buffalo Room (10 Capen Hall), ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ North Campus

8:30-9:00: Registration and refreshments

9:00-10:30: UB Faculty Research Panel on Asia 2

Wooksoo Kim, School of Social Work
Asia in Buffalo: The Dream vs. the Reality for Refugees

Jieun Lee, Department of Political Science
Corporate America and the U.S.- China Trade War 

Yige Dong, Departments of Sociology and Global Gender & Sexuality Studies
The Dilemma of Foxconn Moms: Social Reproduction and the Rise of ‘Gig Manufacturing’ in China

Moderator: Mark Nathan, Asian Studies Program / Department of History

10:45-11:10: Break

11:00-12:30: Being Asian in America: Politics, Education, and the Pandemic

Angie Chung, ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ at Albany

Koreatown Politics and the Future of "Ethnic" Enclaves

Eujin Park, Stanford ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½
Contesting “Asian American” through Education

Justin Huang, ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ of Michigan
The cost of anti-Asian racism during the COVID-19 pandemic

Moderator: Zhiqiang Liu, Department of Economics