Research Clusters
APSI annually provides up to $3,000 in funding for research clusters that promote interdisciplinary and cross-cultural inquiry and collaboration among East and Southeast Asian studies faculty and students at Duke University and other Triangle area universities.
Each proposal requires three signers, at least two of whom must be APSI core faculty members. A faculty member may co-sign up to 2 proposals.
A report of the cluster’s activities, including a budget summary, is due from the recipient faculty by the end of the academic year.
Research clusters supported by APSI for the 2022-2023 academic year are:
Translating Asia Research Cluster
- Organizers: Eileen Chow, Shai Ginsberg, Carlos Rojas
- Purpose: This cluster focuses on three interrelated concerns of translation relating to Asia, broadly understood (including East Asia, as well as South and West Asia): literary translation (including both into and out of "Asian" languages); theoretical translation (translating theoretical works into and out of "Asian" languages); and translation theory (theories about translation as well as the use of translation concepts within theoretical discourse).
- Planned activities: In addition to monthly meetings bringing together area faculty and graduate students, events will include public conversations on translation available to interested undergraduates, colleagues in other language fields, and the local translation community
Asian Digital Media Research Cluster
- Organizers: Guo-Juin Hong, Ralph Litzinger, Carlos Rojas
- Purpose: This cluster will examine issues of digital culture as they relate to Asia and global Asia. Given the interests and expertise of the organizers, the research cluster will place particular emphasis on digital media from or relating to China and Greater China as well as other East Asian nations and the global Asian mediasphere. The cluster is open to interested local faculty and graduate students and is particularly interested in supporting students working on projects relating to digital culture.
- Planned activities: The organizers anticipate the cluster will meet once per month during the academic year, with most meetings consisting of seminar-style discussions of works related to Asian digital media. The cluster plans to bring in at least two visiting speakers to discuss their work with the group (and possibly give a public lecture).
East Asian Language Pedagogy Research Cluster
- Organizers: Yan Liu, Kun-Shan C. Lee, Hae-Young Kim, Yunchuan Chen
- Purpose: The East Asian language pedagogy cluster actively promotes interaction and cooperation on research, pedagogic, and administrative issues among East Asian language instructors in the AMES department as well as language faculty at Duke and in the Triangle
- Planned activities: For 2022-23, planned events include inviting guest speakers to Duke to give public talks and discussion sessions or presentations by research cluster members, including how to integrate DEI principles in East Asian language classrooms at Duke
East Asian Religions Research Cluster
- Organizers: Richard Jaffe, Anna Sun, Matthew Hayes
- Purpose: The East Asian Religions Cluster sponsors a reading group and talks on subjects of interest to the members. The reading group typically meets twice per semester and is organized by graduate students. When possible, readings are from works by invited speakers, giving members a chance to discuss the piece with the author.
- Planned activities: This cluster plans to invite a selection of speakers to campus.
