Launching the series of seminars "New Research on Japan and Asia"

Previously, through seminars and especially the recent workshop on "Japan in the Asian Era" organized by the Faculty of Oriental Studies, young faculty members have had the opportunity to present their research and enhance their understanding of their specialized fields. However, such seminars have only been held on a small scale within a group of faculty members, so continuing and developing this program is necessary. In this context, the Faculty's young staff members' union proposes elevating this scientific program to the Faculty level so that not only young faculty members but also researchers from other faculties and research institutes can participate and experience a new scientific environment.

In the development strategy of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities with a vision to 2020, research is considered the main pillar driving and guiding the university to become a research university. In this trend, multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research methods are encouraged. In this context, the Faculty of Oriental Studies has many advantages due to its regional and interregional characteristics, as well as its high degree of multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary nature. Furthermore, most faculty members have been trained in various countries, thus they can share research methods and theories related to their own specialization and other disciplines.

The first seminar in the series "New Studies on Japan and Asia" took place on May 24, 2014.

This series of seminars aims to achieve the following goals:

- Bringing together participants from various disciplines within the Faculty of Oriental Studies such as Chinese Studies, Korean Studies, Japanese Studies, Indian Studies, Southeast Asian Studies, as well as other fields such as Economics, History, Politics, Linguistics, International Relations… to approach issues from multiple research perspectives and clarify questions raised by young lecturers.

- Expand the network of young researchers studying Japanese studies as well as Oriental studies.

- To clarify Japan's role and position within the current political and international relations in Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia.

The series of seminars will consist of four main seminars, taking place from May 24, 2014 to March 31, 2015.

The specific details will be discussed at the seminars:

ButNew approaches in Asian studies;

- Applying corpus linguistics to the teaching and learning of Asian languages;

- Traditional cultural and religious characteristics of Japan and other Asian countries - their influence on modern life in these countries and the Asian region;

- The role of Japan in the development of the new Asia;

- New findings in research from Japan and other Asian countries;

- Researching contemporary literary trends in Japan and other Asian countries.