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Gary Mukai
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Last week, I had the chance to visit one of my uncles, George Mukai (92), who is a veteran of the Korean War. He recently moved into an assisted-living facility and had very few items delivered from his home to his new residence. One thing that he did have delivered was a curio cabinet that contains Korean War-related items including medals, a cap, a United Nations Command certificate, and a piece of wire from the DMZ.

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United Nations Command Certificate
As he has in the past, he shared recollections of his experiences during the Korean War, but unlike when he was young, his recollections felt more poignant. He is a very proud veteran. Another one of my uncles, Roy Mukai (deceased), was also a Korean War veteran, and a third, Toichi Mukai, was stationed in Korea after the Korean Armistice Agreement was signed in 1953.

This month marks the 71st anniversary of the beginning of the Korean War on June 25, 1950. After my visit with George, I started to reflect on the work that my colleagues (past and present) at SPICE have done to promote the study of Korea in U.S. schools and directly to students in the United States. They are:

They have developed extensive curriculum on Korea. The offerings can be found on this webpage and includes offerings such as the following:

  • Colonial Korea in Historical Perspective
  • Divided Memories: Comparing History Textbooks
  • Dynamics of the Korean American Experience
  • Economic Development: The Case of South Korea
  • Inter-Korean Relations: Rivalry, Reconciliation, and Reunification
  • Traditional and Contemporary Korean Culture
  • Uncovering North Korea
  • U.S.–South Korean Relations
     

In addition, the Sejong Korea Scholars Program, an online course for high school students in the United States, has been offered by SPICE since 2013. The SKSP annually selects 20–25 exceptional high school students from throughout the United States and engages them in an intensive study of Korea and U.S.–Korea relations. Selected students participate in the online course on Korea from February to June of each year. The current instructor is Jang.

Lastly, SPICE offers annual summer institutes to middle school and high school teachers in partnership with the National Consortium for Teaching about Asia, and also the East Asia Seminars for Teachers in Hawaii. These are facilitated respectively by Edman, Naomi Funahashi, and Sekiguchi. These programs focus in part on Korea and are funded by the Freeman Foundation.

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George Mukai 2021
I wish that I could inform veterans of the Korean War about programs such as these that help to promote a greater understanding of Korea and U.S.–Korea relations among students in the United States, and also to encourage students to reflect upon the sacrifices that were made by the veterans.

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Blogs

My Experience with the Sejong Korea Scholars Program in the Midst of a Global Pandemic

The following reflection is a guest post written by Jason Lu, an alumnus of the Sejong Korea Scholars Program, which is currently accepting applications for the 2021 course.
My Experience with the Sejong Korea Scholars Program in the Midst of a Global Pandemic
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Blogs

Coming Full Circle: The Sejong Korea Scholars Program and Stanford

The following reflection is a guest post written by Sandi Khine, an alumna of the Reischauer Scholars Program and the Sejong Korea Scholars Program, which are currently accepting applications for the 2021 courses.
Coming Full Circle: The Sejong Korea Scholars Program and Stanford
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SPICE Wins Buchanan Prize for Fifth Time

SPICE Wins Buchanan Prize for Fifth Time
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George Mukai in Munsan, a town south of the Imjin River near Panmunjom, during the Korean War, 1951
George Mukai in Munsan, a town south of the Imjin River near Panmunjom, during the Korean War, 1951; image courtesy George Mukai
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SPICE offers a series of Korea-focused lesson plans, an online course for U.S. high school students, and teacher professional development opportunities.

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Callista Wells
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In collaboration with Global:SF and the State of California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, the China Program at Shorenstein APARC presented session five of the New Economy Conference, "Navigating Chinese Investment, Trade, and Technology," on May 19. The program featured distinguished speakers Ambassador Craig Allen, President of the US-China Business Council; David K. Cheng, Chair and Managing Partner of China & Asia Pacific Practice at Nixon Peabody LLPJames Green, Senior Research Fellow at the Initiative for U.S.-China Dialogue on Global Issues at Georgetown University; and Anja Manuel, Co-Founder and Principal of Rice, Hadley, Gates & Manuel LLC. The session was opened by Darlene Chiu Bryant, Executive Director of GlobalSF, and moderated by Professor Jean Oi, William Haas Professor of Chinese Politics and director of the APARC China Program.

U.S.-China economic relations have grown increasingly fraught and competitive. Even amidst intensifying tensions, however, our two major economies remain intertwined. While keeping alert to national security concerns, the economic strength of the United States will depend on brokering a productive competition with China, the world’s fastest growing economy. Precipitous decoupling of trade, investment, and human talent flows between the two nations will inflict unnecessary harm to U.S. economic interests--and those of California.  

Chinese trade and investments into California have grown exponentially over the last decade. But they have come under increasing pressure following geopolitical and economic tensions between the two nations, particularly in the science and technology sectors. Ambassador Craig Allen, David Cheng, James Green, and Anja Manuel explored the role of Chinese economic activity in California in the context of the greater US-Chinese relationship. Watch now: 

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U.S.-China Relations in the Biden Era

Dr. Thomas Wright examines the recent history of US-China relations and what that might mean for the new administration.
U.S.-China Relations in the Biden Era
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Ambassador Craig Allen, David Cheng, James Green, and Anja Manuel explore the role of Chinese economic activity in California in the context of the greater US-Chinese relationship.

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The California Department of Education adopted the Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum last March. Chapter 3 of the Model Curriculum includes a section on “Native American Studies.”

On June 18, 2021, SPICE will host a panel of three Native and Indigenous scholars to reflect on California’s new model curriculum and the state of ethnic studies in their respective regions. The panel will include Navajo, Native Hawaiian, and Ainu educators who will provide a range of educational perspectives on Native and Indigenous studies in the United States and Japan.

  • Dr. Harold Begay, Superintendent of Schools, Navajo Nation
  • Dr. Sachi Edwards, Faculty Member at Soka University in Tokyo, Japan
  • Dr. Ronda Māpuana Shizuko Hayashi-Simpliciano, Vice Principal, Ke Kula Kaiapuni ʻo Ānuenue, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi

The webinar, titled “Indigenous Voices: Educational Perspectives from Navajo, Native Hawaiian, and Ainu Scholars in the Diaspora,” will address several additional topics, such as the various academic field names of the study of Native and Indigenous people, the complexity and diversity of Native and Indigenous people’s experiences, and recommended resources for K–12 educators.

These topics are not only relevant to teachers in California but to educators in other states as well. K–12 educators and administrators are encouraged to attend. Register in advance at https://bit.ly/3z4kxtc.

This webinar is a joint collaboration with the National Consortium for Teaching about Asia (NCTA) and the Center for East Asian Studies at Stanford University.

To stay informed of SPICE news, join our email list and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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Tokyo’s Shin Okubo neighborhood, known for its Korea Town
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Global Human Rights and Minority Social Movements in Japan: A Webinar by Professor Kiyoteru Tsutsui

Tsutsui introduced the audience to three minority groups in Japan—the Ainu, resident Koreans (Zainichi), and the Burakumin—and illustrated how human rights have galvanized minority social movements there.
Global Human Rights and Minority Social Movements in Japan: A Webinar by Professor Kiyoteru Tsutsui
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Stanford’s Center for East Asian Studies and SPICE Co-Sponsor Webinar on “Chinese Railroad Workers in North America Project”

The speakers shared extensive primary source documents from Stanford Libraries’ Department of Special Collections, as well as free lesson plans from SPICE's online curriculum unit on Chinese railroad workers.
Stanford’s Center for East Asian Studies and SPICE Co-Sponsor Webinar on “Chinese Railroad Workers in North America Project”
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Flyer for the SPICE webinar "Indigenous Voices: Educational Perspectives from Navajo, Native Hawaiian, and Ainu Scholars in the Diaspora"
The June 18 webinar will feature Dr. Harold Begay, Dr. Sachi Edwards, and Dr. Ronda Māpuana Shizuko Hayashi-Simpliciano.
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Navajo, Native Hawaiian, and Ainu educators will join together on June 18 to examine the state of Indigenous studies.

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Webinar recording: https://youtu.be/sQBR-NZBWks

 

Webinar Description:

On March 18, 2021, the California Department of Education adopted the Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum. Chapter 3 of the Model Curriculum includes a section on “Native American Studies.” Three Native and Indigenous educators will reflect on this and the state of ethnic studies in their regions. The educators are Dr. Harold Begay, Dr. Sachi Edwards, and Dr. Ronda Māpuana Shizuko Hayashi-Simpliciano. Kasumi Yamashita will serve as the moderator of the panel. She is an Instructor for SPICE and was trained as a cultural anthropologist at Harvard University and was a Fulbright Scholar to Brazil.

Some of the topics that will be addressed include (1) the various academic field names of the study of Native and Indigenous people; (2) the complexity and diversity of Native and Indigenous people’s experiences, highlighting key concepts like indigeneity, settler colonialism, diaspora, social justice and activism; and ontological and epistemological philosophy; and (3) recommended resources for K–12 educators.

These topics are not only relevant to teachers in California but to teachers in other states as well. K–12 educators and administrators are encouraged to sign up at https://bit.ly/3z4kxtc.

This webinar is a joint collaboration between the National Consortium for Teaching about Asia (NCTA), Center for East Asian Studies, and SPICE.
 

Featured Speakers:

Dr. Harold Begay

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Dr. Harold Begay, Superintendent of Schools, Navajo Nation, was raised on the Navajo Nation in northern Arizona, amid a deep bicultural chasm irrevocably bound by his traditional Dine’ (Navajo) culture upbringing and mainstream Western Greco-Roman education in the United States. He completed his Ph.D. in school finance/economics, concentrating his advanced studies in educational administration, bilingual education, and social foundations of education from the University of Arizona. Dr. Begay has worked in several Native American school districts in different teaching and administrative capacities over a span of 25 years. Has been a Visiting Scholar at U.C. Berkeley and is currently doing transnational educational work with Stanford University.


Dr. Sachi Edwards

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Dr. Sachi Edwards is a Faculty Member at Soka University in Tokyo, Japan, and also a Lecturer in the Educational Foundations department at the University of Hawaiʻi, Mānoa. Her areas of research include higher education, internationalization, and religious identity, diversity, and oppression. Dr. Edwards received a Ph.D. in higher education from the University of Maryland, College Park. She teaches classes about higher education, international and intercultural education, educational theory/philosophy, qualitative research methods, and academic writing. She was recently featured with Dr. Ronda Māpuana Shizuko Hayashi-Simpliciano in discussion on “Ainu in Diaspora: Rising from Shame, Honoring Ainu Resilience,” hosted by the Japanese American Memorial Pilgrimages.


Dr. Ronda Māpuana Shizuko Hayashi-Simpliciano

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Dr. Ronda Māpuana Shizuko Hayashi-Simpliciano is Vice Principal of the Hawaiian language immersion school, Ke Kula Kaiapuni ʻo Ānuenue, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi. She is an Ainu-Hawaiian scholar and educator who works in the field of indigenous language and culture restoration. She did her doctoral work at the University of Hawaiʻi, Mānoa. Dr. Hayashi-Simpliciano recently gave a talk on “Ainu in Diaspora History,” hosted by the Japanese American Memorial Pilgrimages.

Via Zoom Webinar. Registration Link: https://bit.ly/3z4kxtc.

Dr. Harold Begay Superintendent of Schools, Navajo Nation
Dr. Sachi Edwards Faculty Member at Soka University in Tokyo, Japan
Dr. Ronda Māpuana Shizuko Hayashi-Simpliciano Vice Principal, Ke Kula Kaiapuni ʻo Ānuenue, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi
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* Please note all CISAC events are scheduled using the Pacific Time Zone.

 

Seminar Recording: https://youtu.be/Mip2dRr2w7o

 

About the Event: With the rapid rise of China, power transitions and the possibility of great power conflict are the focus of popular and scholarly attention. The discipline of International Relations offers many insights on why violent power transition conflicts occur, yet few substantive treatments exist on why and how peaceful change happen in world politics. The Oxford Handbook of Peaceful Change in International Relations (co-edited by T.V. Paul, Deborah Larson, Harold Trinkunas, Anders Wivel and Ralf Emmers) is the first comprehensive treatment of the subject of peaceful change in the field. It contains some 41 chapters, written by scholars from different theoretical and conceptual backgrounds examining the multi-faceted dimensions of this subject. Chapters in the volume examine this issue through the lens of different approaches in international relations theory, through a focus on key challenges in the international system, and from regional and state-level perspectives on the prospects for peaceful change. This panel with Handbook editors and contributors will discuss the conceptual framework, substantive contributions, and key findings of the project.

 

About the Speakers:

 

T.V. Paul is James McGill Professor of International Relations in the Department of Political Science at McGill University, Montreal, Canada and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. He served as the President of International Studies Association (ISA) for 2016-17. He is the Founding Director of the Global Research Network on Peaceful Change (GRENPEC). Paul is the author or editor of 21 books and over 80 scholarly articles/book chapters including: Restraining Great Powers: Soft Balancing from Empires to the Global Era (Yale University Press, 2018); The Warrior State: Pakistan in the Contemporary World (Oxford University Press, 2013); Globalization and the National Security State (with N. Ripsman, Oxford University Press, 2010); The Tradition of Non-use of Nuclear Weapons (Stanford University Press, 2009); India in the World Order: Searching for Major Power Status (with B.R. Nayar Cambridge University Press, 2002). Paul currently serves as the editor of the Georgetown University Press book series: South Asia in World Affairs.

 

Deborah Welch Larson is professor of political science at the University of California, Los Angeles. She received her Ph.D. at Stanford University. Her publications include Origins of Containment: A Psychological Explanation (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1985); Anatomy of Mistrust: US-Soviet Relations during the Cold War (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1997); and “Status Seekers: Chinese and Russian Responses to U.S. Primacy,” International Security 34, no. 4 (Spring 2010): 63-95 (with Alexei Shevchenko). She has most recently published Quest for Status: Chinese and Russian Foreign Policy (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2019), with Alexei Shevchenko.

 

Alexandra Gheciu is a Professor at the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, and Associate Director of the Centre for International Policy Studies. Her research interests are in the fields of international security, international institutions, Euro-Atlantic relations, global governance and the liberal order, the Global Right, state (re)building, and International Relations theory.

Alexandra's publications include, in addition to articles in leading academic journals, several books: NATO in the ‘'New Europe': The Politics of International Socialization After the Cold War: (Stanford University Press, 2005); Securing Civilization? (Oxford University Press, 2008),  The Return of the Public in Global Governance (co-edited with Jacqueline Best, Cambridge University Press, 2014 and 2015);  and, more recently, Security Entrepreneurs: Performing Protection in Post-Cold War Europe (Oxford University Press, 2018); and  The Oxford Handbook of International Security (co-edited with William Wohlforth, Oxford University Press, 2018).

 

Virtual Seminar

T.V. Paul Professor McGill University
Deborah Welch Larson Professor UCLA
Alexandra Gheciu Professor Centre for International Policy Studies
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The CDDRL Spring seminar series will be open to the Stanford community via Zoom

and will be recorded for the general public to watch later.

 

 

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Audrey Bloom
Audrey Bloom - Firestone Award Winner

Major: Human Biology
Advisor: Terry Moe

Thesis Title: How Doctors Influence the Price of Healthcare in the United States and Japan: The Critical Role of Interest Group Politics in America’s Healthcare Cost Crisis

 

 

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Hiroto Saito

 
Hiroto Saito - CDDRL Outstanding Thesis Winner 
 

Major: International Relations

Advisor: Dr. Gil-li Vardi, Dr. Stephen Stedman

Thesis Title: Colombia after the FARC: Has Peace Really Arrived?

Online, via Zoom:  REGISTER

Seminars
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Please join us for our final seminar to hear our Honors Program award winners present their research. 

Audrey Bloom - Firestone Award Winner
Major: Human Biology
Advisor: Terry Moe
Thesis Title: How Doctors Influence the Price of Healthcare in the United States and Japan: The Critical Role of Interest Group Politics in America’s Healthcare Cost Crisis


Hiroto Saito - CDDRL Outstanding Thesis Winner
Major: International Relations
Advisor: Dr. Gil-li Vardi, Dr. Stephen Stedman
Thesis Title: Colombia after the FARC: Has Peace Really Arrived?

The CDDRL Spring seminar series will be open to the Stanford community via Zoom and will be recorded for the general public to watch later. 

Online, via Zoom: REGISTER

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CDDRL Predoctoral Scholar, 2021-22
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Alejandra Aldridge is a PhD candidate in the Political Science department at Stanford University. Her dissertation examines how partisanship colors citizens' approval of presidential actions that violate democratic norms. Broadly, her research interests include  executive politics, public opinion, democratic norms, experimental methods, survey methodology, and gender and politics. Alejandra graduated from Brigham Young University with a BA in Political Science. On the side, she loves tennis, Crossfit, Sprinkles cupcakes, and dark chocolate.

 

 

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Sunny Xun Liu is a Senior Academic-Staff Researcher and Associate Director for Research at Stanford Social Media Lab. Liu earned her Ph.D. in Mass Communication and Media from Michigan State University. Her research focuses on the social and psychological effects of social media and AI, social media and well-being, digital literacy, how the design of social robots and AI impact psychological perceptions. Before joining Stanford, she was an Associate Professor at California State University, Stanislaus. She has won top3 faculty paper awards from ICA and AEJMC and published in communication and psychology journals. She has served on the Chinese Communication Association’s Steering Committee and the ICA and AEJMC Research Chair and a steering committee member on PRISM (Promoting Research in Social Media and Health Symposium).  Her research has been funded by NSF, Army Research Office, Google Research and Stanford HAI and has been published in multiple psychology and communication journals.

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About the Event:

The Autocratic Middle Class studies the post-communist middle classes – not as a force for democracy, but as a source of support for autocracy and authoritarian resilience. It helps to explain why authoritarianism deepened across the ex-Soviet region over a period when the middle class was rapidly expanding; why anti-Putin protests in Russia have thus far failed to achieve a critical mass; and why it has been so difficult to consolidate democracy in Ukraine. Drawing on attitudinal surveys, unique data on protest participation, and extensive fieldwork in the former Soviet Union, this book shows that state dependence weakens the middle classes’ incentives to prefer and pursue democracy and sheds light on why development doesn’t necessarily lead to democratization.

 

About the Speaker:

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Bryn Rosenfeld
Bryn Rosenfeld is Assistant Professor of Government at Cornell University. Her research interests include political behavior, development and democratization, protest, post-communist politics, and survey methodology. Her new book, The Autocratic Middle Class examines how middle-class economic dependence on the state impedes democratization and contributes to authoritarian resilience. She is the recipient of a Juan Linz Best Dissertation Prize and a Best Article Award honorable mention, both by the American Political Science Association’s Democracy & Autocracy Section. Her work appears in the American Political Science Review, the American Journal of Political Science, the Journal of Politics, Comparative Political Studies, and Sociological Methods & Research. She holds a PhD from Princeton.

Online, via Zoom:  REGISTER

Bryn Rosenfeld Assistant Professor of Government at Cornell University
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