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While #MeToo movement has emerged as a significant global phenomenon since late 2017, Japan initially exhibited a notably muted response. This stands in stark contrast to neighboring South Korea, where the movement ignited a powerful wave of revelations, empowering women to break their silence. However, the persistent efforts of courageous women like Shiori Ito, coupled with a series of controversial not-guilty verdicts in sexual assault cases, eventually catalyzed a shift in Japan.

Kevin Bubriski’s fifty year career as a documentary photographer began in the mid 1970s with his years in the Peace Corps as a community water supply technician in Nepal’s remotest mountain villages. He has returned to Nepal numerous times, done extended documentary work in South Asia, the Middle East, Central Asia and the USA and has published a number of photographic books. He will be speaking retrospectively about his work in Nepal, the USA, Syria, Tibet and Xinjiang.

Over the past two decades, China has increased its investment across the African continent, leading to economic development. As much of this economic development is located, where fragile ecosystems intersect with weak governance, the resultant environmental costs can be high. Mustapha Manneh, West Africa Regional Editor of the China Dialogue Trust, will speak about the social, financial, and environmental impact that Chinese fishing investments are having in The Gambia.

, noted Korean-Japanese writer, will meet with students, staff, and faculty colleagues for an informal discussion of her career and her new novel, . She is the guest of the Japanese Studies Department and the Language Schools.

World-renowned calligrapher Masako Inkyo will be giving a calligraphy performance based on Oborozukiyo from The Tale of Genji. After her performance, she will lead two calligraphy workshops at 5:30 PM and 6:30 PM where attendees will have the opportunity to practice the art of calligraphy. You must RSVP to attend the workshop at go/inkyo or by emailing japaneseclub@middlebury.edu.

Speaker: Scott D. Rozelle, Stanford University

Title: Rural China’s Schools: Challenges and Potential Solutions

This event will place in conversation two high profile translators of Asian novels. Stephen Epstein, translator of The Wandering by Intan Paramaditha, and Stephen Snyder, translator of The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa will discuss their work as professional translators of novels in Asian languages. Epstein, Director of the Asian Languages and Cultures Programme at Victoria University in Wellington has translated multiple novels from Korean and Indonesian to English.

Kofi Bazzell-Smith will share his knowledge about manga techniques that he learnt under the tutelage of Japanese artists and will teach the audience how to draw Japanese comic books.

Kofi Bazzell-Smith will share his knowledge about manga techniques that he learnt under the tutelage of Japanese artists and will teach the audience how to draw Japanese comic books.

: Participants are encouraged to bring a pencil and ruler, if possible, and to sign up using .

Paula Park, Associate Professor of Spanish at Wesleyan University