Although many Americans are familiar with the kimono and similar fashions for men and women that are still worn in modern Japan, very few are familiar with one of the most elaborate of all styles, known as the twelve-layered robe (jūnihitoe, pronounced joo-nee-he-toe-eh) that often weigh in excess of 50 pounds, only seen today in museums, period films, or at certain annual festivals in Japan, as production of these robes has almost died out.

This talk examines recent love songs in the popular music of the Toraja region of Eastern Indonesia. For some Toraja critics, romantic love songs raise fears of cultural loss, as they suggest alternatives to the traditional valorization of familial love and performance of duties dictated by family and caste obligations. Indeed, some of these songs suggest a critique of arranged marriage, a key institution in the region’s traditional exchange-based economy.

Institute for International Studies in Education present the 2011 Symposium Series

Shannon Wanless, Assistant Professor in Pitt Department of Psychology in Education, will present a lecture titled "Comparing Methods of Assessment of Early Self-regulation in Asia, Europe, and the US"

Anne-Marie Lodermann, IISE Visiting Research Scholar from the University of Augsburg, will present a lecture titled "A Systemic View on Peer Mentoring Programs for Female Faculty"

Khet Mar is from Burma and she will be reading a short story of hers entitled " Night Flow". Before she will begin the reading , she will explain a little bit about Burma with power-point . She will compare between the situation in her country and how she tries to write to pass censorship. Khet Mar is a journalist, novelist, short story writer, poet and essayist born in Burma. Author of the novel Wild Snowy Night, three collections of short stories and a volume of essays, she has had work translated into Japanese, Spanish and English, broadcast, and made into a film.

Produced by Hollywood, “Memories of a Geisha” combined multi-cultural flavors through its international cast, including China, Japan and America, etc. In this novel-adapted movie, Nitta Sayuri(starred by Ziyi Zhang) reveals how she transcended her fishing-village roots and became one of Japan's most celebrated geisha in Japan. Asian-flavored snacks and beverage will be provided during the event and no registration is required. Come and join us into a dramatic trip to the unknown side of Japan around World War II.

Conference is free but space is limited and participants must register; contact asianlitconference@gmail.com for more information.

Speakers:
Rashimi Bhatnagar, independent scholar; Toral Gajarawala, New York University; Priya Joshi, Temple University; Patricia May Jurilla, University of the Philippines; Shuchi Kapila, Grinnell College; Aparajita Sagar, Purdue University; Shuang Shen, Penn State University; Richard So, University of Chicago

October 2, 2011, "Medea" will be performed by the Shizuoka Performing Art Center at the Pittsburgh School for Creative and Preforming Arts (CAPA) at 2 PM. Sponsored by the Japan Society of New York and the Japan America Society of Pennsylvania.

ASIA OVER LUNCH LECTURE – Noon in 4130 Posvar. Please feel free to join us for this lecture – all are welcome to bring their lunch or a snack along if you wish and enjoy!

This is the 11th seminar presented by the National Consortium for Teaching about Asia (NCTA), the Global Studies Center (UCIS), and the World History Center at the University of Pittsburgh. The general public is welcome.

ASIA OVER LUNCH LECTURE – Noon in 4130 Posvar. Please feel free to join us for this lecture – all are welcome to bring their lunch or a snack along if you wish and enjoy!