Interdisciplinary Japanese Studies 2021-2023 — Introduction
Female Shinto Deity, camphor wood, Kamakura period (c.1185–1333C.E.)
© Asha Bardon 2021
A week ago, I started my MA in Interdisciplinary Japanese Studies (try saying that three times without coffee!!) at the University of East Anglia.
As part of our introduction week, we began two modules: the year-long ‘Researching Japan’ (run by Eugenia Bogdanova-Kummer et al) and the first semester course ‘Constructing Japanese Heritage’ (run by Dr. Simon Kaner, with Oliver Moxham). Next term I’m planning on doing ‘Japanese Art History and Cultural Heritage: Interdisciplinary Approaches’ (also run by Eugenia).
Part of the courses involves setting up a blog (ta-dah!) and learning to write academically. Granted, at this point, I’m constantly thinking in citations (Harvard, of course). This blog will become a place for me to record my research but also be used for assessment as part of the IJS MA.
As I intend to go on to ph.D research, this blog will basically focus on academia, Japan and also my work as an editor and manga adaptor (which means monthly #iadaptedthis posts highlighting upcoming titles). I might also go into detail in other posts about my novels, especially once I start submitting them to trad publishers but that’s a discussion for another time.
This week has been all about meeting my colleagues in our cohort. I’m the only one with a background in religion but we’ve got a nice mix. Also, everyone has the obligatory favourite Ghibi movie, though I think I’m the only one who remembers watching Castle in the Sky (「天空の城ラピュタ」) in 1988…
I’m not the only part-time student (meaning the course will take me two years) but I am the only first year. I’m actually pleased to be doing things this way as it means I have more module options next year. As well as doing that, I’ll also be writing my 15,000 words dissertation in 2022-23. Thankly I’ve got two advisors and have vague ideas of what I want to focus on but I certainly need a break between massive work projects.
As part of our intro week, we got to visit the Sainsbury Centre. Most people will recognise this as the Avengers’ campus in the Infinity Saga films. That airport-looking building Thanos blows up in Endgame? That’s the Sainsbury Centre… That said, I admit having a museum on campus is really cool. The place is about contemplation, with comfy chairs and its own library. I look forward to wandering it during my down-time at the UEA.
We got our own little tour of the facility beginning with the Female Shinto Deity. This is the highlight of a small exhibition examining the cult of Shōtoko Taishi which is running at the Sainsbury Centre between 18th June and 3rd October 2021. We also got a sneak peek at the fascinating Ikemura Leiko exhibition ‘Usagi in Wonderland’, which is opening later this year.
I’m really excited about this course (J’ve been waiting since 2019 to do it…) but I think the wait has actually been beneficial. The syllubus has been tweaked, we have nice rooms in which to study, we’re allowed to do in-person lectures and seminars. The campus itself feels safe, though I’m still getting lost (it’s mainly dimensional…) and Tate has, to her great interest, seen her first squirrels.
I look forward to sharing my research journey, as well as using this space for other thoughts and musings.
