Migratory Ghosts Series: Open Call for Student Works

Calling all writers with a creative (and optionally spooky) spark!

Submit 3-5 poems or 2-5 pages of prose to be judged by our visiting writers, Juli Min and Zhou Sivan. A winner from each genre will be chosen to read alongside them on November 22. Let your words haunt us!

Bio:

Juli Min is the author of Shanghailanders.

Zhou Sivan has published three poetry chapbooks, which address poetic form (Zero Copula, Delete Press, 2015), Malaysia’s policies on refugees and migrants (Sea Hypocrisy, co-published by DoubleCross Press and Projective Industries, 2016), and trees as metaphor (The Geometry of Trees, Sputnik & Fizzle, 2022).

Deadline: November 22, 2024

Send your submission to: yl984@duke.edu

Migratory Ghosts Series: A Reading By Megan Mcdowell

Megan McDowell has translated many of the most important Latin American writers working today, including Alejandro Zambra, Samanta Schweblin, Mariana Enríquez, and Lina Meruane. Her translations have won the National Book Award for Translated Literature, the English PEN award, the Premio Valle-Inclán, and two O. Henry Prizes, and have been nominated for the International Booker Prize (four times) and the Kirkus Prize. Her short story translations have been featured in The New Yorker, The Paris Review, The New York Times Magazine, Tin House, McSweeney’s, and Granta, among others. In 2020 she won an Award in Literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, She is from Richmond, KY and lives in Santiago, Chile.

Zooming in from New York, Megan McDowell will read from her newest work of translation, A Sunny Place for Shady People, by Mariana Enríquez. “A diabolical collection of stories featuring achingly human characters whose lives intertwine with ghosts, goblins, and the macabre, by ‘Buenos Aires’s sorceress of horror.’ ” (Samanta Schweblin, The New York Times). The reading will conclude with a Q&A. Bubble tea will be provided.

Please RSVP here: https://duke.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6saDBs3eAJRUZeK

Student Report on US-China Relations Symposium

Report By Yaxuan Wang, Class of 2027 & Photos by Ruixiang Hu, class of 2027

On October 11, 2024, DKU’s AB1079 was buzzing with discussions as around 15 faculty, staff, and students gathered for the US-China Relations Symposium. This event brought together a diverse group of scholars and students eager to dive into one of the most critical global relationships of our time. From deep historical analyses to cutting-edge geopolitical debates, the day was packed with engaging sessions that left everyone reflecting on the complexities of Sino-American dynamics.

Opening and Morning Research Presentations

Prof. Erez Manela from Harvard University began the morning session with an exploration of how racial equality movements following WWII influenced global diplomacy, particularly in the context of US-China relations. His insights into the role of racial dynamics within international organizations sparked a lively conversation among attendees.

Shifting focus to China’s internal strategies, Prof. Peter E. Hamilton of Lingnan University examined the country’s adoption of scientific management post-1978. He highlighted how these management practices contributed to China’s economic rise and their continued influence on international relations today.

Offering a different angle, Prof. Ivan Willis Rasmussen from NYU Shanghai challenged the common narrative of a “New Cold War” between the US and China. His thought-provoking take invited the audience to reconsider whether this term accurately describes the current geopolitical situation.

As the only Chinese speaker here, Prof. Ariel Shangguan of Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University delved into the epistemological differences between the two nations, exploring how contrasting approaches to knowledge shape policy-making. Her talk encouraged reflection on the deep-rooted cultural distinctions that impact global relations.

Turning the conversation towards the Middle East, Prof. Gürol Baba from the Social Sciences University of Ankarahighlighted China’s expanding influence in the region. He drew comparisons between China’s diplomatic efforts and the US’s traditional dominance, particularly focusing on China’s role in brokering Saudi-Iran relations.

Closing the session, Prof. Zach Fredman from Duke Kunshan University provided a historical perspective, focusing on US military rest and recreation during the Vietnam War. His analysis uncovered the often-overlooked effects of military policy on US-Asia relations, adding a unique historical layer to the day’s discussions.

Afternoon Discussions and Workshops

After lunch, the event moved into more interactive sessions. During the syllabus workshop, faculty discussed ways to improve how US-China relations are taught, with an emphasis on making the curriculum more interdisciplinary. There was a lot of excitement as professors shared ideas on how to bring fresh perspectives into the classroom. The following pedagogy session focused on connecting academic learning with real-world experiences. Professors shared examples of integrating current events, internships, and co-curricular activities into their teaching, sparking practical discussions on how to make learning more dynamic.

Wrap-Up and Reflections

By the end of the symposium, participants left with a sense of accomplishment and curiosity. The discussions had raised more questions than answers, highlighting the complexities of US-China relations. The event showcased the dedication of both faculty and students to understanding this vital relationship, making it a memorable and thought-provoking day.

Special thanks go to all the professors, students and the workers whose contributions made this symposium a success.

DKU US-China Relations Symposium

Date: October 11, 2024

Location: AB1079

About the Symposium:

The DKU US-China Relations Symposium aims to promote meaningful dialogue among faculty and students on the topic of Sino-American relations. Participants will have the opportunity to share research, review course syllabi, and brainstorm innovative ideas for both academic and co-curricular programs. The goal is to help students gain a dee per understanding of this pivotal bilateral relationship. This one-day event will feature an esteemed panel of interdisciplinary scholars from DKU, Harvard University, Lingnan University, and NYU-Shanghai, exploring the evolving dynamics of China-U.S. relations within a global context.

Symposium Schedule:

9:00 – 9:15 AM: Opening Remarks9:15 – 11:15 AM: Faculty Research Presentations11:30 AM – 12:30 PM: Student-Faculty Discussion12:30 – 2:00 PM: Lunch2:00 – 3:30 PM: Syllabus Workshop3:45 – 5:15 PM: Pedagogy and Co-Curricular Programming Discussion

Speakers Bio

Professor Gurol Baba
Gürol Baba is a Professor at the Social Sciences University of Ankara;Faculty of Political Science, Department of International Relations. His research focuses on Middle Powers in International Politics, Asia-Pacific Regional Affairs and more. He published An Asymmetrical Transregionalism, in the Journal of Asian and African Studies, which he guest edited with his colleague Amit Ranhan. The issue features Baba and Ranjan’s introduction, as well as Baba’s research article Middle East–South Asia Relations: Transregional Minilateralism Cemented with Bilateralism. Baba, G. (2023). Journal of Asian and African Studies58(4), 500–517.

Professor Zach Fredman
Zach Fredman is an Associate Professor of History and Chair of the Division of Arts and Humanities at Duke Kunshan University. His research focuses on US-China relations. He is the author of The Tormented Alliance: American Servicemen and the Occupation of China, 1941-1949 (UNC Press, 2022) and co-editor of Uneasy Allies: Sino-American Relations at the Grassroots, 1937-1949 (Cambridge UP, 2024).

Professor Peter E. Hamilton (韓墨松)

Peter E. Hamilton (韓墨松) is the Assistant Professor in World History (Pacific World) at Lingnan University. He is the author of Made in Hong Kong: Transpacific Networks and a New History of Globalization (Studies of the Weatherhead East Asian Institute, Columbia University Press, 2021). It was recently translated into Chinese as 香港製造:跨太平洋網絡與全球化新史 (Monsoon Zone, 2024). His second book project is researching the history of scientific management across twentieth-century Chinese thought and society. Research from this project has recently been published in The Journal of Asian Studies, Business History, and multiple anthologies.

Professor Erez Manela

Erez Manela is the Francis Lee Higginson Professor of History at Harvard University, where he teaches international history and the history of the United States in the world. He is the author of the prize-winning book The Wilsonian Moment: Self-Determination and the International Origins of Anticolonial Nationalism (2007) and co-editor of four collaborative volumes, most recently The Anticolonial Transnational: Imaginaries, Mobilities, and Networks in the Struggle against Empire (2023). He also has a longstanding interest in the conceptual and methodological aspects of writing international history and is currently working on a collaborative volume titled Explaining International History.

Professor Ivan Willis Rasmussen

Professor Ivan Willis Rasmussen is the Undergraduate Coordinator of Social Sciences and an Associate Professor of Practice in Political Science at NYU Shanghai. He previously served as a Visiting Assistant Professor at Hamilton College and a Research Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center. His research includes contributions to the Asian Journal of Public Affairs and Chinese Yearbook of International Law and Affairs, and he co-authored the book At the Dawn of Belt and Road: China in the Developing World (RAND Report).

Professor Rasmussen has taught at institutions such as Tufts University and Boston College and has worked with the US Department of State, Duke University/Gates Foundation, and the RAND Corporation. He is a member of several associations, including the American Political Science Association, and has received the Teaching Excellence Award from NYU Shanghai. Recently, he was named a Mansfield Luce Asia Scholar.

Join Us:
Don’t miss this exceptional opportunity to engage with leading experts and enrich your understanding of US-China relations. Together, we can foster insightful discussions and innovative ideas that shape the future of this vital field. We look forward to seeing you there!

US-China Relations Symposium Call for Student Proposals

Date: October 11, 2024
Location: Duke Kunshan University

The Duke Kunshan University (DKU) US-China Relations Symposium invites students to submit proposals for presentations at our upcoming event. This one-day symposium will bring together a distinguished group of interdisciplinary scholars, including faculty from DKU, Harvard University, Lingnan University, and NYU-Shanghai. The symposium will focus on exploring the complex and evolving relationship between China and the United States in a global context.

 About the Symposium:

The US-China Relations Symposium at DKU aims to engage both faculty and students in meaningful discussions about Sino-American relations. Participants will have the opportunity to share research, discuss course syllabi, and brainstorm new ideas for pedagogical and co-curricular programming that can help students gain a deeper understanding of this crucial bilateral relationship.

 Symposium Schedule:

  • 9:30 to 11:00 AM: Faculty Research Presentations
  • 11:15 AM to 12:30 PM: Student-Faculty Discussion
  • 12:30 to 2:00 PM: Lunch
  • 2:00 to 3:30 PM: Syllabus Workshop
  • 3:45 to 5:15 PM: Pedagogy and Co-Curricular Programming Discussion
  • 5:30 PM: Dinner

 Invitation to Students:

We welcome all DKU students to submit proposals to present their own research on topics related to US-China relations. This is a valuable opportunity to showcase your work and engage in discussions with scholars working in this field. Students interested in presenting are invited to submit a 100-word abstract summarizing their research. Proposals should focus on any aspect of Sino-American relations, whether historical, contemporary, economic, political, cultural, or related to educational and co-curricular programming.

 Submission Guidelines:

  • Deadline: Please submit your abstract by September 30th, 2024.
  • How to Apply: Send your proposal (100-word abstract) to Professor Zach Fredman at zsf5@duke.edu.
  • Eligibility: All DKU undergraduate and graduate students are eligible to submit proposals.

 About Professor Zach Fredman:
Zach Fredman is an Associate Professor of History and Chair of the Division of Arts and Humanities at Duke Kunshan University. His research focuses on US-China relations. He is the author of The Tormented Alliance: American Servicemen and the Occupation of China, 1941-1949 (UNC Press, 2022) and co-editor of Uneasy Allies: Sino-American Relations at the Grassroots, 1937-1949 (Cambridge UP, 2024).

We look forward to receiving your submissions and hope to see you at the symposium!

Student Report on Migratory Ghosts – Poetry Translation Workshop

Report by Rebecca Combs, class of 2025 & Photos by Ruixiang Hu, Class of 2027

On September 20th, 2024, HRC’s Migratory Ghosts reading series welcomed previous DKU Professor and University of Leeds Teaching Fellow Austin Woerner for an interactive discussion and workshopping of Chinese-English poetry translation. About 25 students and 3 faculty members attended the event at the HUM Space.

 

Prof Woerner started the event asking each student how many languages they knew, with the audience being filled with a thorough distribution of native Chinese and English speakers. He then began a discussion of how and why he became interested in poetry translation in the first place. He talked about his post-undergrad interests and perspectives, specifically esteemed contemporary Chinese poet Ouyang Jianghe and his desire to assist translating some of his poems into English. Prof Woerner had heard that Jianghe’s poetry was really hard to translate, some even saying his poetry was untranslatable.

His initial thoughts on the prospect were: “that’s what I want to do, I want to be the guy that translates the untranslatable poetry, and I want to be the first one to do it well”. Prof Woerner got the opportunity to fly out to Beijing where the poet lived, spending several weeks working with him in person to understand his poetry better in order to translate it better. “Maybe I could even do a version in English that is better than the original!” Prof Woerner thought at the time.

 

What he learned from that experience was that his  desire to inhabit the author’s vision and channel it, a perfect version of translation, actually doesn’t male a lot of sense. What is powerful about a poem is not what it is in the author’s mind, but what is in the readers’ minds; “it was the conversations I had about the work I was translating that was the most interesting”.

 

Students were then given two poems and two choices: Sunday’s Empire by Peter Gizzi to translate into Chinese, or to edit an initial Chinese-to-English translation of Fake House by Lu Dong. They split off into groups to work for the rest of the event, coming together at the end to review each other’s work alongside Prof Woerner.

Migratory Ghosts: An Autumn Reading Series – Poetry Translation Workshop

How can we experience poetry? We can read it, we can write it—and if we’re lucky enough to know more than one language, we can translate it! Down through the ages, translating poetry has been a vital source of inspiration for poets and writers, challenging our creativity to convey those messages that seem the most untranslatable. It can also spark some of the most fascinating conversations between speakers of different languages, and lead us to discover things about our own language that we did not know. Join Chinese-English poetry translator Austin Woerner for a hands-on workshop in poetry translation, where we will discover poetry is not just what is lost in translation—it is what is found in it, as well.

 

Important: Speakers of all languages are encouraged to come! Though our attention will naturally be drawn to Chinese and English, there will be something for everybody to do, even those who only know English, and I will tailor our activities to the language competencies of the participants who show up.

Speaker bio:

Austin Woerner is a writer and Chinese-English literary translator whose work has appeared or is forthcoming in PloughsharesPoetryThe New York Times Magazine, and Best American Essays. He is the translator of a novel, The Invisible Valley by Su Wei, and two volumes of Ouyang Jianghe’s poetry, as well as the editor of Chutzpah!: New Voices from China. He has taught creative writing and translation in China for many years, first at Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou and then at Duke Kunshan University in Suzhou, and he is currently a Teaching Fellow in Translation Studies at the University of Leeds.