Student Report on Migratory Ghost Reading Event
Pictured left to right: Maya Peak ‘25, Juli Min, Sidney Brown ‘26, and Zhou Sivan.
By Rebecca Combs
On September 22nd, 2024, the HRC welcomed authors Juli Min and Zhou Sivan, along with Migratory Ghost DKU student winners Maya Peak ‘25 and Sidney Brown ‘26, to read their award-winning works in an immersive session. About 20 students and 8 faculty members attended.
The event began with the announcement of both student winners: Maya Peak, Class of 2025 Global Cultural Studies – Literature Track Major, and Sidney Brown, Class of 2026 Global Cultural Studies – Literature Track Major. This was promptly followed by each of them reading their submitted work to the attendees.
First, Maya read her short story titled Metamorphoses: Homunculus, a frankenstein-esque telling of a scientist, their life-given experiment, the gruesome steps of the process, and the emotionally painful reality of their creation having autonomy: “it’s a whole person who treats me like a mystery for not knowing what it is”.
Next, Sidney read her four poetry pieces titled “I Believe I Can Fly”, “Lost at Sea”, “Tempest”, and “The Great Escape”. Each explored the complexities of negative emotions and captured themes of transformation, change, and letting go: “for this moment I am airborne, looking down at this swath of land and empty bodies limping with their strings sewn up”. (“I Believe I Can Fly”)
Following the student winners, Shanghai-based Korean-American author and Harvard University graduate Juli Min read a section of her book Shanghailanders. Published in May of this year, Min’s work of fiction covers Shanghai cosmopolitans told backwards in time. In light of the theme of migratory ghosts, New York Times reviewer Jean Kwok states: “having knowledge of these characters’ futures before we know about their past makes stumbling on their bygone days all the more touching”.
Finally, Hong-Kong-based Malaysian poet and author Zhou Sivan read from his book of poems “The Geometry of Trees”. Published in 2022, Sivan details themes of queer desire through the trees, their trunks, and language, revealing how their growth has stayed with him throughout his entire life. Much like the lurking nature of ghosts, Sivan emphasizes how “in the background, trees dramatize the architectural displays of empire”.
Faculty, authors, and student-winners were treated to a dinner. The event was a complete success, student and faculty attendees alike having been immersed in prose which illuminated the starkly different facets of migratory ghosts–whether fear, folklore, our pasts, or periods of transition and change.
Migratory Ghost Series Finale with Pulitzer Prize-winning author Viet Thanh Nguyen : Screening of The Sympathizer,Episode 01 & QA Section
Time: Thursday, Dec. 5 @ 6:30 PM
Location: CCTE Theater
Food and drink will be provided.
Date: December 6
Time: 11:15 AM
Location: IB Lecture Hall
About Viet Thanh Nguyen:
Viet Thanh Nguyen’s novel The Sympathizer won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and was adapted into an HBO series. A recipient of Guggenheim and MacArthur fellowships, his most recent publication is A Man of Two Faces: A Memoir, A History, A Memorial.
Organized by:Stephanie Anderson, Ye Odelia Lu
History Through a Student’s Eyes: Research Assistant & Signature Work
Date and Location: Dec. 4, AB 1079 , 5 to 6pm.
On Wednesday, Dec. 4, from 5-6pm, Haiyi Guo will share insights from his experience working as student researcher for Prof. Zach Fredman for his recently published book The Tormented Alliance and for Prof. Fredman’s new project on the “Rest and Recreation” program in Vietnam. Haiyi will also present his own Signature Work project and receive feedback and comments from the community.
Sponsored by: HRC’s Archives and History Initiative
Student report on Book Proposal Workshop of Incendiary Cities: Fire, Technology, and the Origins of Modern Emergency Response in Germany and the U.S., 1800-1900
Reported by Sydney Brown, class of 2026 &Yuruo Zhang, class of 2027
On Thursday, November 7 2024, the Archives and History Initiative hosted a Book Proposal Workshop. The workshop focused on Professor Jan Hua-Henning’s proposal for his first book Incendiary Cities: Fire, Technology, and the Origins of Modern Emergency Response in Germany and the U.S., 1800-1900. Guest speaker Scott G. Knowles from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology provided feedback on the proposal. Duke Kunshan University (DKU) Professors Titas Chakraborty, Zach Fredman, Joseph Giacomelli, Andrew Fields, and Archivist Ryder Kouba attended the workshop and provided feedback as well. Three students were also in attendance. The comments made by the professors were about the book proposal that was circulated in advance.
Professor Hua-Henning’s book project began in 2016 when he worked with a research group in Germany on critical infrastructures. The group questioned what is considered critical, and what societies deemed worthy of protection. Critical Infrastructure Protection, both a practical endeavor and topic of research, attracts much funding on both sides of the Atlantic. Hua-Henning started to investigate emergency services – rarely considered critical infrastructures – because they offer unique insight into what societies consider worthy of protection. The origins of emergency services lie in the nineteenth century and thereby in the development of early volunteer and paid fire departments. Fire services and the technologies they employed influenced all subsequent forms of emergency response. Incendiary Cities explores how and why emergency services evolved during the nineteenth century. The book argues that the technologies employed by fire services materialized norms and values that continue to guide risk response today.
Scott G. Knowles highlighted several points from the proposal including fire becoming politically and financially intolerable in US cities which created space for the firehouse. He pointed out that firefighting was an urban industrial occupation but occupied a space outside of the factory, and that firefighters were part of a malleable service economy.
Knowles praised Prof. Hua-Henning for his rich archival work and interaction with existing literature. He invited Jan Hua-Henning to further explain his transnational-comparative approach, which focuses on the United States and Germany during a time of rapid industrialization and imperialism. Knowles acknowledged that the book connects to a multitude of historiographies and therefore urged the author to highlight one main argument that allows addressing a broader audience. According to Knowles, the first half of the book connects to the literature on the networked city, while the second half of the book could be understood as a novel approach to transnational networks of risk and to gender in fire response.
Professor Hua-Henning provided a brief response to these comments. He highlighted that the main argument of the book is that firefighting was at the center of a deep transformation of risk management in the nineteenth century. Incendiary Cities takes a transnational approach because fire response evolved in a transnational sphere. The U.S. and Germany took a leading role in this development and compared themselves during this time of rapid industrialization.
Professors Fredman, Chakraborty, Giaocomelli, and Field also provided invaluable information about pathways to improving the argument, structure, and audience of the book. Professor Joseph Giaocemelli, for instance, highlighted that theorizing risk may be attractive to several groups of readers as it appeared as a common theme throughout Hua-Henning’s work.
“UNBOUND: Flow and Resistance” Exhibit Launch
Date: December 3rd
Time: 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Location: HUM Space (AB1075A)
We are excited to announce the upcoming exhibit hosted by the Humanities Research Center: “UNBOUND: Flow and Resistance“! Join us for the launch on December 3rd at 5:30 PM at HUM Space (AB1075A).
This exhibit features the thought-provoking film “The Stain: Unshaming Menstruation (痕)“, which explores themes of body, shame, and resistance in a powerful and engaging way. Light refreshments and drinks will be provided.
Don’t miss out on this inspiring event! We look forward to seeing you there.
Special Screening: Ethereal Echoes (2023) with Director Q&A
- Date: Wednesday, Nov. 27
- Time: 7:00 PM
- Location: IB Lecture Hall
Join us for a screening of Ethereal Echoes (2023), followed by a Q&A with director Cui (Autumn) Ziqiu and producer David Buckley. This documentary follows a young Chinese filmmaker’s journey from London to Tibet, exploring education and values.
Boba will be served.
HRC Funding Opportunities: Call for Proposals for Spring 2025
The DKU Humanities Research Center (HRC) invites proposals from all DKU/Duke faculty and affiliates working on humanities-related projects. Projects should be based at DKU and/or connect Duke and DKU faculty. Proposals should be sent to Fei Xu at fx20@duke.edu by Dec 14th, 2024.
All approved projects should be completed by June 30, 2025.
- Small Events
- Large Events
- Book Manuscript Workshops
Small Events
The HRC will fund a number of small-scale events, which could take the form of workshops, reading groups, film screenings and discussions, excursions, and so forth. Experimentation and innovation is encouraged, and applications may be submitted by either individuals or by groups of collaborators. All DKU and Duke faculty affiliates may apply.
A complete proposal (max 5 pages single-spaced) should include a title, a description of the research question, a summary of the activities to be undertaken, a list of the applicants and collaborators to be invited (with brief bios), a description of anticipated outcomes, and a budget. The maximum contribution from the HRC for each small event is $5,000.
Large Events
The HRC will also fund at least one larger-scale event, which could take the form of a workshop, a lecture series, a curatorial project, etc. Experimentation and innovation is encouraged, and applications may be submitted by either individuals or by groups of collaborators. All DKU and Duke faculty affiliates may apply.
A complete proposal (max 5 pages single-spaced) should include a title, a description of the topic/research question, a summary of the activities to be undertaken, a list of the applicants and collaborators to be invited (with brief bios), a description of anticipated outcomes, and a budget. The maximum contribution from the HRC for a large event is $15,000.
Manuscript Workshops
The HRC will fund one or more faculty book manuscript workshops, which provide a structure for generating constructive, informed criticism on near-final book manuscripts. The goal is to transform already excellent scholarly projects into superior published works, and the Center will provide up to $5,000 for faculty to organize a workshop that will include experts in their field and potentially an acquisitions editor from a major scholarly press. The Center will also help with relevant logistics. During a half-day workshop, these guests present their thoughts on the manuscript, followed by a response from the author and a general discussion.
All DKU faculty who will complete a book manuscript by Spring 2025 may apply.
A complete proposal should include a title, a synopsis of the book project, a draft of the introduction, a short CV of the applicant, a list of suggested invitees (including both outside scholars and local participants), and specification of which press the applicant would like to invite.
Inquiries should be directed to HRC co-directors Selina Lai-Henderson ( slai.henderson@dukekunshan.edu.cn ) and Carlos Rojas ( c.rojas@duke.edu )
Student Report on Forum and Exhibition on Multimodality in Multilingual and Intercultural Education
Report by Delfin Kaplan, class of 2027
On November 1st, 2024, Dr. Xin Zhang, assistant professor of Chinese and Intercultural Communication from the Langauge and Culture Center at Duke Kunshan University(DKU), and Dr. Peiru Tong, associate professor of International Education at Wuhan University (WHU) co-hosted the Forum and Exhibition on Multimodality in Multilingual and Intercultural Education. A collaboration between DKU and WHU, the forum and exhibition took place in-person at DKU, though it was also attended by audience online through Zoom and on Spot, the latter being a metaverse exhibition. The one-day forum consisted of invited talks, workshops, and faculty lightning talks by professors across multiple acclaimed universities beyond DKU and WHU, including Duke, University of Sydney, the Ohio State University and University of HongKong, and a student-led artwork exhibition.
The forum started with a welcome speech by the senior director of Language and Culture Center (LCC) Dr. Don Snow, followed by Dr. Peiru Tong’s introducation of the “Multimodal Intercultural Education Interdisciplinary Innovation Platform”, co-funded by the WHU and DKU Joint Research Platform Seed Funding and the Kunshan Municipal Government Research Funding, and the DKU HRC Small Event Grant.
The talks and workshops on Multimodality in Multilingual and Intercultural Education were led by nine accomplished professors: Dr. Francis Troyan from Ohio State University and Dr. Zhenjie Weng from Duke Kunshan spoke about the development of language teacher identity through photo-elicitation in TESOL teacher education, which is a reflection technique used to explore the connection between emotions and the teachers’ identities. They also shared some reflections from participating teachers. Dr. Yan Liu gave a speech on the multimodal approaches to teaching Chinese, focusing on the power of visual arts, followed by a collaborative presentation between Dr. Xin Zhang from Duke Kunshan University and Dr. Peiru Tong from Wuhan University on the visual narratives of international students’ multilingual identity (co)construction during their long-term studies abroad in China. After that, Dr. Hongzhi (Veronica) Yang from the University of Sydney shared her insights on the use of generative AI to create multimodal language learning resources.
After a lunch break to allow participants to explore the exhibition and discuss the contents of the morning presentations, Dr. Mari Noda and Dr. Galal Walker from the Ohio State University led a pedagogy workshop on applying performance watch tasks in language and culture classrooms. Dr. Tai, Kevin W.H. from the University of Hong Kong, led the a second workshop on research methodology for understanding the construction of translanguaging spaces in multilingual classrooms, focusing on insights from combining multimodal conversation analysis with interpretative phenomenological analysis. Another highlight of the forum was the faculty-led lightning talks which showcased various teaching and research projects by faculty in the Language and Culture Center at DKU, and faculty from peer institutions including Wuhan University and University of Sydney.
The student artwork exhibition consisted of artwork and reflections created by DKU, WHU, and University of Sydney (USYD) students, as part of a collaborative research project between Dr. Xin Zhang and Dr. Peiru Tong. Student participants were asked to reflect on their identity as international students in an intercultural student cohort and their experiences with multilinguality over two months with weekly check-ins, which were then processed through an extensive selection process and displayed by two student workers, Delfin Kaplan and Davit Kavkasyan, supervised by Dr. Xin Zhang. Both students responsible for the exhibition were also part of the preliminary artwork collection process in 2023.
Throughout the weeks leading up to the exhibition, Delfin and Davit individually inspected every single one of the dozens of artworks and the accompanying reflection and chose around 30 final artworks to be presented in the exhibition. The forum attendees could view these posters on the day of the exhibition, and they will remain visible in the foyer outside Performance Cafe in CCTE for another month. The artwork can also be viewed virtually via a metaverse exhibition.
In curating the exhibitions, the two student workers independently handled the budget, acquired the materials, communicated with the creators of the artworks, set up the exhibition, and they gave a short speech in the forum to talk about their experience and what they’ve learned. Both students reported that seeing the perspective of other international students was ‘eye-opening’ and that this exhibition was especially important to them due to both of them being the only students from their countries.
Event Report: Lecture on “Western Feminism and Its Analytics in Neoliberal Times”
On November 7th 2024 Professor Anna Krylova delivered a zoom lecture for the Gender Studies Lab titled “Western Feminism and Its Analytics in Neoliberal Times.” Prof. Krylova is a professor of History and Gender, Feminist and Sexuality Studies at Duke University. She is a specialist on the history of gender and feminism, with a particular emphasis on the Soviet Union. She is author of the award winning book, Soviet Women in Combat: A History of Violence on the Eastern Front. Around 25 faculty and students were present, both in person and online.
Prof. Krylova’s lecture was based upon the current book she is writing, tentatively titled History-Writing or Sleepwalking Through History in Neoliberal Times. The lecture assessed the ways that “post-structural” forms of thinking, despite having many generative elements, were disarming both for feminist activism and feminist history writing in the west. As Krylova explained it, post-structuralism, broadly speaking, was politically disabling for feminism because it privileged discourse over structure, micro-level analysis over analysis of larger formations of economic power. As a result, post-structuralism focused more on localized and “everyday” forms of individual resistance and neglected, or even condescended towards, organized forms of resistance to power. This neglect, she argued, ultimately aligned post-structuralism, perhaps unwittingly, with western economic neo-liberalism and Cold War political imperatives. Krylova made her case by focusing particularly on James Scott’s highly influential work Weapons of the Weak as a case study. Scott is widely known for showing the ways peasants in Southeast Asia engaged in everyday forms of spontaneous, often individual resistance in order to survive and determine their own lives. Krylova provocatively suggested that Scott’s work overrates the effectiveness of everyday resistance while ignoring that “organized forms of power” requires “organized forms of resistance.” For Scott, “organized forms of resistance” are themselves repressive and thus his own framework of thought is a dissuasion from systematically organizing against structural injustices such as patriarchy.
The lectured lasted for roughly 35 minutes and was concluded with 40 minutes of discussion between Krylova and her audience. Questions by faculty and students were various. One faculty questioner asked about the recent elections and whether the Democrats had made a mistake by emphasizing identity politics over class-based issues. Another faculty questioner noted that not all aspects of Scott’s work were disarming, but truly generative, while yet student questioner noted (correctly) that Scott had worked for the CIA, and was a thinker devoted to “counterinsurgency” and not to emancipation. A number of other questions were also asked as part of the discussion.
Student Report on Reading Group for “Stretched Kinship: Parental Rejection and Acceptance of Queer Youth in Chinese Families”
Report by Yaxuan Wang, class of 2027 & Photo by Ruixiang Hu, Class of 2027
On Friday, November 8, 2024, DKU faculty, staff, and students gathered for our last reading group session in this semester. This time, the focus was on John Wei’s Stretched Kinship: Parental Rejection and Acceptance of Queer Youth in Chinese Families(2023), an insightful exploration of the challenges faced by queer youth and their families in China.
The session began with an overview of the reading’s key themes, led by Dr. Zhenjie Weng and Dr. Yanan Zhao. Participants discussed the concept of “stretched kinship” as Wei defines it, particularly how parental expectations and societal pressures complicate family relationships for queer youth in China. The discussion highlighted the emotional and social challenges both parents and queer youth experience, especially under the pressure of filial duties and cultural norms.
The main highlight of the event was a talk by Guest Speaker Professor Andrew Wortham, Visiting Assistant Professor of Cultural Anthropology, who shared his experiences conducting research on LGBTQ+ groups in China, with a focus on gender and sexuality. Prof. Wortham also reflected on his time in Chengdu, providing personal insights into the complexities of queer identity and kinship within Chinese society. His experiences resonated with many attendees and brought additional depth to the themes of Wei’s work.
Following Prof. Wortham’s talk, participants were encouraged to ask questions. The Q&A segment saw a high level of engagement, with questions addressing various aspects of LGBTQ+ life in China, the influence of cultural expectations, and the academic challenges of studying sensitive topics in this field.
The event concluded with an open discussion, allowing participants to share their reflections and consider ways to foster greater inclusivity and understanding within their own communities.
The reading group session was organized by DKU’s Humanities Research Center and facilitated by Dr. Zhenjie Weng and Dr. Yanan Zhao, with the support of student worker Yaxuan Wang.
