Food Study Group: Food, Society & Public Health

Call for papers: British Sociological Association Food Study Group, “Food, Society and Public Health”, July 14-15, 2008, London

The conference will explore the interface between food, society and public health through a sociological lens. Practices and decisions involving food are not solely matters of individual behaviour or action and food and health therefore need to be considered within the context of families, communities, other social groups, and society at large.Does exploring food allow scholars to look beyond what is eaten to highlight fundamental differences between segments of society? Understanding differences in food consumption patterns could offer wider insights into, for example, social class, ethnicity, self-identity or the life course and the implications of these patterns for social and health inequalities. This conference will bring together researchers, practitioners and policy makers interested in addressing such questions.

The conference will allow for in-depth presentation and discussion of key topics along with shorter sessions for the presentation of emerging findings, work in progress and new research from postgraduate students.Liz Jackson, Events Officer
The British Sociological Association
Tel: +44 (0)191 383 0839
Fax: +44 (0)191 383 0782
Email: conference@britsoc.org.uk
Visit the website at http://www.britsoc.co.uk/events/food.htm

Inaugural Conference, International Society for Cultural History

Call for papers: Inaugural Conference of the International Society for Cultural History, Ghent, August 27-31, 2008

At this four-day event – the inaugural assembly of the International Society for Cultural History that was founded at a successful conference on cultural history in Aberdeen in July 2007 – we want to address a series of fundamental questions about the recent impact and the near future of diverse forms of cultural history. Taking its cue from the fundamental work of, among others, Catherine Belsey, Peter Burke, Lynn Hunt, and Philippe Poirrier, the conference will tackle the vexing question of the precise nature of cultural history. Which disciplinary models and/or critical paradigms can be brought together under this label? Do we actually need such a unifying label? If we do, then what exactly do we understand by it? Are there different, ‘national’ (British, French, German, Italian, Finnish…) forms of cultural history and what distinguishes them from one another? How does one teach cultural history and what does one teach when one teaches cultural history?Jürgen Pieters / Alexander Roose
University of Ghent
Belgium
Email: jurgen.pieters@ugent.be
Visit the website at http://www.abdn.ac.uk/isch/index.shtml

Asian Ways: Traditions and Transitions – 2nd Annual Conference, Bangkok

Call for Papers: Asian Ways: Traditions and Transitions – 2nd Annual Asian Cultural Studies Association Conference, Bangkok, Thailand, 5-6 August 2008
DEADLINE 31 MARCH 2008

The insistence of journalistic discourse to refer to Asia today as to a continent in transformation, on the rise, in motion, in progress, in transfer and transition can but make one wonder about the seemingly irresistible need to resort to the metaphor of movement to convey the world’s opinion on the changes Asia has been undergoing in recent decades.

Still, movement implies a journey and journeys map out the roads – those more and less taken. And while moving us forwards, the same roads may in fact lead us back into the past. To a journalist this may well seem yet another opportunity to invoke the famous ‘Asian Paradox’- a useful turn of phrase coined to express practically every aspect of Asian culture that escapes Occidental logic. For has it not been already declared that Tradition stands in a way of Progress and the two are mutually incompatible? How is one then to comprehend the notion of a modern traditional society – as an oxymoron, a paradox, or perhaps as just one of the many observations that can be made about contemporary Asia?This conference seeks to explore new ways of understanding Asian traditions and transitions, inviting contributions reflecting on the changes in reading and representing Asian literatures, cultures and societies.We invite papers and presentations on Asia-related aspects in literature, language, literary criticism, film & media, theatre & performing arts, art & design, architecture, new media, cultures & societies, gender, race & ethnicity, popular culture, martial arts, religion, philosophy, ideology, semiotics, critical theory and any other forms of cultural expression. All critical approaches are welcome.

Please submit your 200-word abstracts to Katarzyna Ancuta at kancuta@au.edu
or kancuta@gmail.com by 31.03.2008, including your University affiliation, and whether or not you will require any visual aid equipment for your presentation.

Katarzyna Ancuta
Graduate School of English
Assumption University of Thailand
Ramkhamhaeng Rd. Soi 24, Huamak,
10240 Bangkok, Thailand

Freeman Japan Studies Workshop – Honolulu

FREEMAN INSTITUTE FOR INFUSING JAPAN STUDIES INTO THE UNDERGRADUATE CURRICULUM, HONOLULU, HAWAII    MAY 18 – JUNE 6, 2008
Application deadline:  February 1

The Japan Studies Association, with a generous grant from the Freeman Foundation, will conduct a 3 week intensive workshop on Japan for faculty and administrators from two and four-year colleges and universities. The workshop is for individuals who have little or no prior academic background on Japan and who wish to begin incorporating Japan Studies into their courses. The program is open to faculty in the humanities, social sciences, business or education. Administrators and librarians are also eligible to apply.

The workshop will cover a wide variety of topics relating to Japan, including history, politics, literature, business, and the arts. Its primary purpose is to introduce faculty and administrators into all aspects of Japanese society so that they can return to their institutions and begin incorporating Japan Studies into their courses.  It will have multiple instructors, primarily drawn from the University of Hawaii, but also including noted scholars from other universities.

The workshop will be held at Tokai University in Honolulu, Hawaii. Tokai is located about a ten- minute walk from Waikiki. Participants will be expected to arrive at Tokai on Sunday, May 18th by 6:00 PM for opening ceremonies. The obligatory closing banquet is Friday evening, June 6th. Participants must check out of Tokai by Saturday, June 7th, unless other arrangements are made with the Tokai staff. Due to the intensive nature of the program, participants are not allowed to bring spouses or domestic partners.

There will be only 20 participants selected for the Freeman Fellowships. Each participant will receive up to $600 to cover roundtrip airfare to Hawaii. Single rooms, some meals and a stipend will be provided.  Each college or university is required to pay a $500 Program Fee for its participant. This fee must be paid by May 1st.  Completed applications are due electronically by February 1st. Successful candidates will be notified by February 15th.   Application forms and a sample schedule may be found at the JSA website: http://www.japanstudies.org/freemaninfo.htm

If you have any questions address them to Dr. Joseph L. Overton, President of the JSA at: overton@hawaii.edu

A World of Labour: Transnational and Comparative Histories

CALL FOR PAPERS – A World of Labour: Transnational and Comparative Histories

An International Conference of the Society for the Study of Labour History – University of Ulster, Coleraine, Northern Ireland, UK, 1-3 Sept 2008

Recent years have seen historians moving beyond the nation-state as the principal unit of historical analysis. Contemporary globalisation has helped shape a growing interest in the history of world-wide networks of power, communication and social and economic formation. Within an English-speaking world, the repackaging of aspects of imperial history under the heading of the ‘British World’ has added further pressure for global, transnational and comparative histories. This conference aims to explore these issues, with a particular emphasis upon labour and working-class histories. The society wishes to encourage the widest possible definition of labour history and to embrace social, cultural, economic and political approaches to the past. Themes for consideration could include:

Transnational and global institutions
Internationalism in labour history
Formal and informal labour networks
Global examples of associational culture
Activities or campaigners operating in more than one national context
Social and culture rituals across territories
Strikes, violence, and resistance in comparative perspective
International markets and their effect on labour migration
Class, race, ethnicity and gender in transnational or comparative perspective
Transnationalism, globalisation and Diaspora as conceptual issues or problems
The strengths and weakness of comparative labour history

Confirmed keynotes:
Professor John Belchem (Liverpool)
Professor Stefan Berger (Manchester)
Professor Marcel van der Linden (Amsterdam)
Professor Melanie Nolan (Wellington, NZ)

We welcome proposals for individual papers of 20 minutes, or for panels of up to four papers of that length. Some financial assistance may be available to postgraduates travelling from other parts of the UK or Ireland. A selection of the papers may be published in the Society’s journal, Labour History Review.

Please email proposals (300 words maximum per paper) and brief CV (one page
maximum) to Professor Donald MacRaild d.macraild@ulster.ac.uk or Dr Charlotte Alston c.alston@ulster.ac.uk by 1 May 2008.

CFP: Buddhist Worldviews and Concepts of Peace

Call for papers: “Buddhist Worldviews and Concepts of Peace.”

Blue Pine Books invites submissions of papers on the topic “Buddhist Worldviews and Concepts of Peace” for possible inclusion in an upcoming publication of collected articles. As an addition to our continuing series of publications on Buddhism and peace, the resulting book will investigate the topic from the theoretical and practical perspectives of the vast array of Buddhist traditions. Submissions may address such issues as the individual and peace, society and conflict resolution, scriptural bases for or against engaged Buddhist practices, the vinaya and peacemaking, historical or contemporary examples of Buddhist activism for peace and justice. From these or similar points of reference, submissions should address and contribute to the development of the theory and practices of socially engaged Buddhism.

Email submissions should be sent directly to the editors, Professor Chanju Mun: chanjumun@bluepinebooks.com or Dr. Ronald S. Green at: rsgreen@bluepinebooks.com. Blue Pine Books is a non-profit organization established to distribute Buddhist teachings and to promote peace in the world. We are committed to publishing quality academic materials in the field of Buddhist Studies.

DEADLINE for submissions: April 30, 2008

GUIDELINES: Electronic submissions are acceptable in Word,
WordPerfect, PDF or HTML formats. Please use standard academic style (Chicago preferred). References must be cited in full. Papers should be written primarily in the English language with Asian citations in transliteration or Asian scripts.
Chanju Mun
Department of Philosophy
University of Hawaii – Manoa
2530 Dole Street, Sakamaki D – 301
Honolulu, Hawaii 96822-2383
Cell: (213) 675-0336
Fax: (808) 593-0478
Email: chanju@hawaii.edu

For Filipinos only, tawa naman d’yan!

I got this from my inbox and I would like to share it with you (to soften the harsh realities of life). This is mostly in Pilipino, the national language of the Philippines. For our foreign readers, you can ask your favorite Filipino friend for a translation. Happy reading, kabayan! Mabuhay ka!

NOON: Ang presidential pardon hinihiling sa pangulo
NGAYON: Ang presidential pardon iniaalok ng pangulo

NOON: Ang nahatulang kriminal diretso sa Bilibid
NGAYON: Ang nahatulang kriminal diretso sa rest house

NOON: Ang Christmas gift, masayang ibinibigay sa mga bata
NGAYON: Ang Christmas gift, palihim na ibinibigay sa matatanda
(governors and congressmen ang tawag sa kanila

NOON: Sa lalawigan, ang bulkan sumasabog
NGAYON: Sa siyudad, ang mall sumasabog

NOON: Kapag may sumabog na bomba, dagsa ang aktibista sa kalsada
NGAYON: Kapag may sumabog na bomba, deadma! Dagsa ang tao sa Mall of
Asia! May 3-day sale!

NOON: Ang opisyal ng Comelec, sinusuhulan
NGAYON: Ang opisyal ng Comelec, nanunuhol

NOON: Ang opisyal ng Comelec nagbibilang ng boto
NGAYON: Ang opisyal ng Comelec, nagbibilang ng balato

NOON: Ang presidente… kinatatakutan, iginagalang at minamahal
NGAYON: Ang presidente… kinatatakutan

NOON: Ang First Lady… either “sobrang kinasusuklaman” or “sobrang minamahal”
NGAYON: Ang First Gentleman… !*#%(*&@j?Y%$#*8$#9o{x%$#$@B!!

NOON: Kapag namatay ang pangulo, pinapalitan ng pangalawang pangulo
NGAYON: Kapag namatay ang pangulo… snap elections na lang!

NOON: Ang Katolikong nakikinig sa homily ng Obispo, naliliwanagan
NGAYON: Ang Katolikong nakikinig sa homily ng Obispo, nagagalit,
gustong sumama sa rally

NOON: Naging uso – sari-saring produkto may lycopene
NGAYON: Usong-uso – sari-saring produkto, may formalin

NOON: Ang pulis, sumbungan ng mga biktima ng krimen
NGAYON: Ang pulis, isinusumbong ng mga biktima ng krimen

NOON: Ang All-Filipino Conference sa PBA, lahat Filipino.
NGAYON: Ang All-Filipino Conference sa PBA, lahat Filipino – ang referee.

NOON: (Kapag may bagyo) Motorista: “Lord, iligtas mo po ako sa baha.”
NGAYON: (Kapag may bagyo) Motorista: “Lord, iligtas mo po ako sa billboard.”

NOON:Kapag ang dalawang matinee idol na–chismis na bakla, asahan mo…promo lang ‘yan sa pelikula.
NGAYON: Kapag ang dalawang matinee idol na–chismis na bakla, asahan mo… totoo!