 Prof. Kai Kappel (Humboldt University of Berlin):
"Architecture of Cultural Exchange: Japan and Western Modernism 1900–1939, Interweaving Histories" (Monday, 13 May, 6pm - 8pm) This lecture focuses on the multifaceted processes of exchange between Japanese and European/American architects at the beginning of the 20th century, in particular between the two World Wars. A closer look at architects’ travels, research trips and the mutual reception of journals, books and manifestos (including photography) could shed new light on our understanding of this cultural exchange of interweaving histories and multiple modernities. On the one hand, “western” architects disseminated new construction methods while simultaneously discovering the timeless qualities of traditional Japanese architecture; on the other hand, Japanese architects – in particular those who had studied Art Nouveau in Vienna, concrete architecture in France, expressionism, modernist urban structures, Bauhaus design in Germany or wooden constructions in Scandinavia – raised the question about the role of what might be considered intrinsically “Japanese” within the international modernist movement. Lecture will take place in the Akamon General Research Bldg., Room 742, University of Tokyo, Hongo Campus (building no. 38 on this map).  "Problematic Pasts and Fearful Futures: Where Do We Go from Here?" The Liberlit conference is an ongoing forum for literature teachers and academics based in Japan that addresses attitudes and approaches to literary texts in English, and seeks to discuss how and why literature should figure in Japan’s English curriculum.
2019 marks the tenth year of the annual Liberlit conference, and it seems like a suitable time to pause and reflect on the nature of the past and the present. How has the past informed our understanding of the present? In what ways has it been created, manipulated, obscured or curated through text? As educators, do we participate in this process knowingly or unknowingly? Reluctantly or enthusiastically? The same might be asked about our concepts of the future, from the expression of hopes and dreams through dystopic fatalism, to the expansive recanvassing of reality that can take place in, for example, speculative fiction. Our yesterdays and tomorrows can collide as well, resulting in a profound sense of surreality. The schedule for the day is now finalized, with nearly 50 speakers and four parallel sessions. The cost has been kept to 3,000 yen, and there is no charge for students. The plenary lecture is by Professor Michael Pronko. The conference will also feature a postgraduate parallel session in which literature students present 20-minute papers in English. A prize is given to the best paper. More details are available on the Liberlit website. |
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February 2020
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