Podcasts about Hokkaido University

Why does the modern pursuit of happiness so often leave people feeling lost? In this episode of The Lectern, John Vervaeke speaks with cognitive scientist Mark Miller about the emerging science of happiness and the deeper architecture of the human mind. Drawing from predictive processing theory, the conversation explores how human beings function as epistemic agents who constantly construct models of the world and themselves. The discussion examines why common cultural narratives about happiness are often misleading and why genuine flourishing requires understanding the underlying cognitive processes that shape perception, motivation, and meaning. Mark introduces the framework behind his Lectern course Generations of Joy, which integrates cognitive science, philosophy, contemplative practice, and modern neuroscience. Mark Miller is a cognitive scientist specializing in predictive processing, wellbeing, and the cognitive science of happiness. He teaches in the psychology and cognitive science programs at the University of Toronto and conducts research with the Center for Consciousness and Contemplative Studies at Monash University. He is also affiliated with Hokkaido University where he contributes to interdisciplinary work on artificial intelligence, neuroscience, and human nature. Mark Miller Website https://www.markdmiller.live/ Cognitive Science https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/cognitive-science/ Philosophical Psychology https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/cphp20/current Socrates https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/socrates/ Support the Lectern community on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/johnvervaeke Explore the course Generations of Joy on The Lectern https://lectern.johnvervaeke.com/courses/generations-of-joy 00:00 Welcome to the Lectern 03:30 Mark's background and research homes 04:30 Course preview Generations of Joy 06:00 Cutting edge meditation science 08:00 Ancient philosophy meets cognitive science 10:30 Defining happiness beyond media narratives 12:30 First principles cognitive framework 15:30 Humans as epistemic agents 17:45 Knowing your owner's manual 18:00 Meaning wisdom and insight 27:00 Addiction despair and course roadmap 28:00 Flexibility and reframing 29:00 Week one the predictive mind 31:00 Dogen on ignorance 33:00 Neuroscience of emptiness 35:00 Weeks two through eight overview 40:00 Why the course matters 43:00 Interlocking crises and relevance 47:30 Doomscrolling drugs and misinformation 50:00 Discernment versus spiritual buffet 51:00 Meditation risks ethics and education 53:30 Off the shelf spirituality critique Follow John Vervaeke Website https://johnvervaeke.com Twitter https://x.com/DrJohnVervaeke YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@johnvervaeke/videos Patreon https://www.patreon.com/johnvervaeke

In this episode of The Lectern, host Ethan Hsieh sits down with philosopher and cognitive scientist Mark Miller to explore the science of predictive processing and its implications for happiness, meaning, and wellbeing. They unpack how the brain is not a passive receiver of reality, but an active prediction engine—constantly generating its best guesses about the world and updating them through experience. From belief formation and perception to resilience, virtue, play, and mindfulness, the conversation bridges cutting-edge cognitive science with ancient contemplative wisdom. Together, Ethan and Mark discuss how understanding the predictive nature of the mind can transform how we relate to uncertainty, cultivate agency, and develop a deeper, more participatory sense of happiness—both individually and collectively. This episode also introduces Mark Miller's upcoming course, Generations of Joy, which explores these ideas through neuroscience, philosophy, and contemplative practice. Sign up for the course: https://lectern.johnvervaeke.com/courses/generations-of-joy   00:00 Welcome back to The Lectern 02:30 Mark Miller's background and research focus 06:00 Predictive processing and cognitive science 09:00 Belief, perception, and meaning-making 10:18 "You're not seeing the world—you're seeing your best guess about the world." 13:00 Course overview and key themes 27:00 Honesty, virtue, and transformation 39:30 Practical applications and course dynamics 41:30 Real-world implications of science 43:00 Emptiness, neuroscience, and insight 43:30 The frame problem in cognitive science 45:30 Optimism vs. pessimism: locking onto the world 46:30 Training the mind to discern 47:30 The interpretive nature of reality 52:00 The role of play in cognitive development 56:00 Managing uncertainty through play 01:12:30 Mindfulness and emerging evidence 01:22:00 The Transformational Neuroscience course   Mark Miller is a philosopher and cognitive scientist whose work bridges philosophy, neuroscience, and contemplative science. His research explores how the predictive brain shapes happiness, wellbeing, and meaning in a technologically saturated world. He is a Senior Research Fellow at Monash University's Centre for Consciousness and Contemplative Studies (Australia), cross-affiliated with the Psychology Department at the University of Toronto (Canada), and a visiting researcher at Hokkaido University's Centre for Human Nature, Artificial Intelligence, and Neuroscience (Japan). Website: https://www.markdmiller.live/   Ethan Hsieh is a facilitator, educator, and philosophical practitioner working at the intersection of performance, cognition, and transformative pedagogy. He is the creator of TIAMAT, a three-tier developmental framework integrating cognitive science, dialogical philosophy, and embodied practice. Through immersive learning environments and collaborative inquiry, Ethan helps individuals cultivate virtuosity as a way of life—emphasizing participatory sense-making, metacognitive mapping, and shared agency. His work with the 5toMidnight collective focuses on building deliberately developmental communities grounded in relational ontology and lived philosophical transformation.

The man who killed former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was given an indefinite prison term on Wednesday for the fatal shooting with a homemade gun in the western Japan city of Nara in 2022. Referring to Yamagami's background, the ruling said, "he became unable to find a haven within the family" after his mother became a follower of the controversial religious group known as the Unification Church.Presiding Judge Shinichi Tanaka suggested that the motive claimed was irrational, stating, “It cannot be said that his background had a great impact.” During the trial, the defence argued that, given Yamagami's troubled background related to the controversial religious group Unification Church, with which Abe allegedly had ties, his sentence should be no more than 20 years. Defendant Tetsuya Yamagami, 45, plans to decide next week whether to appeal his sentence. Yoshihide Sakurai, a specially appointed professor of sociology of religion at Hokkaido University, who attended the trial as a defense witness, said after meeting with Yamagami on Thursday, that Yamagami appeared to have expected a long prison sentence and did not express dissatisfaction with the verdict. Episode notes: ‘Judge in Ex-PM Abe Trial Says of Killer: “It cannot be said that his background had a great impact”': https://barrierfreejapan.com/2026/01/21/judge-in-ex-pm-abe-trial-says-of-killer-it-cannot-be-said-that-his-background-had-a-great-impact/

Sorry it sounds so echo-y. I'm dog/housesitting for my parents, so I'm not in my usual recording space. Ruby the Beagle says “hi.” Music by James Milor from PixabayInformation provided by:Diphylleia grayi-inspired stretchable hydrochromics with large optical modulation in the visible–near-infrared region by Guofa Cai, et al. (2018). ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, 10(43), pg. 37685-37693. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.8b12490 [Abstract]https://www.thespruce.com/skeleton-flower-plant-profile-4802581Cytological effects of chemicals on tumors, XXV: Further studies on the effect of Diphylleia grayi extracts on tumor cells by Kohtaro Yamamoto and Yanagi Kimura (1964). Journal of the Faculty of Hokkaido University, Series 6 - Zoology, 15(3), pg. 347-352.https://www.scienceabc.com/nature/skeleton-flowers-how-does-this-white-flower-turn-transparent-in-the-rain.htmlhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diphylleia_grayihttps://www.bhg.com/how-to-plant-and-grow-skeleton-flower-8553286Diphylleia grayi-inspired intelligent hydrochromic adhesive film by Gang Yeol Yoo, et al. (2020). ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, 12(44), pg. 49982-49991. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.0c13185 [Abstract]Diphylleia Grayi-inspired intelligent temperature-responsive transparent nanofiber membranes by Cengceng Zhao, et al. (2024). Nano-Micro Letters, 16(65). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-023-01279-z

We kick off season five of The Subverse, focused on the element of ‘air', with host Susan Mathews in conversation with Dr. Roxy Mathew Koll, a climate scientist at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology in Pune, India. Roxy has made breakthrough contributions to the research, monitoring, and modelling of climate and extreme weather events over the Indo-Pacific region. His work has advanced the scientific understanding of monsoon floods and droughts, terrestrial and marine heatwaves, and cyclones, facilitating the food, water, and economic security of the region. His recent research focuses on developing climate-smart health warning systems that integrate climate and health data with AI/ML to enable early action and long-term planning. Roxy actively collaborates with citizen science networks, local governments, and media to bring science to society.  Roxy starts by explaining that the average atmospheric temperature rise of 1.2 to 1.5 degrees doesn't tell the whole story. 93% of the heat produced by anthropogenic climate change is absorbed and contained by the oceans; the heat we feel is only 7% of it. Even this is also not equally distributed over time or space. The tropics, and regions like India which are surrounded by warming oceans, experience more heat. The changes in gradients in the temperature affects the paths of atmospheric jet streams and ocean currents that distribute heat, which changes the rhythm of the seasons, intensifying monsoons and increasing heat waves. The Indian Ocean, bordered by 40 countries that are home to a third of the global population, is warming faster than other oceans and moving to a near permanent marine heat wave state. Corals, on which 25% of the marine biodiversity depends, are the first to die in these heatwaves, losing their protective symbiotic algae. And this affects the numbers and species of phytoplankton, which produce half the oxygen we breath, and there are cascading impacts through the food chain.  He emphasises, however, that climate change is not the only factor in these changes. Industrial fishing has resulted in more depletion of fish than temperature changes. Flooding in India is caused not just by climate change but also rapid and unplanned urbanization and other local changes, but politicians will only blame the former. In the USA, they don't focus on climate change because they have a historical responsibility. The world is polarized and the narratives around climate change are selective based on alliances, but we need to have a comprehensive view.  There is hope, Roxy says. If we can use the data that we have to understand the heat waves over the land and ocean, we can adapt and safeguard the ecosystems and our own lives. If we act now, we can have different socioeconomic pathways for the future. Data is key to making these changes. Roxy's pet project is to make every school in India a weather station, starting with tools as simple as a plastic bottle to measure rainfall, because if children grow up with an awareness of how the climate is changing, they can adapt.  While a lot of the focus is on climate mitigation, this is outside the scope of the individual, or even a single country, and the necessary global cooperation doesn't exist. Roxy reminds us, however, that adaptation is something that can and needs to be done locally. We can track local data, project this data into the future, and prepare our homes, farmlands, and our daily life for a climate changed world. Roxy is that unusual blend of rigorous scientist and amazing science communicator, who speaks with empathy, heart and an outlook prioritizing action and deeds. This conversation was also proof of something I have found in this elemental journey in the past few years. Quoting John Muir, “When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe.”   This season of The Subverse has been produced by Tushar Das. A special thank you to Julian Wey for access to his Qumquat studio and Daniel Schwenger for his assistance.  More about the guest:  Roxy Koll did his Ph.D. in Ocean and Atmospheric Dynamics from Hokkaido University, Japan. He is a Lead Author of the IPCC Reports and the former Chair of the Indian Ocean Region Panel. He received the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar (National Science Award), the highest recognition in the field of science, technology and innovation in India, from the President of India in 2024. He was conferred a Fellow of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) and was awarded the AGU Devendra Lal Medal for outstanding research in Earth and Space Sciences in 2022. He is among the top 2% scientists ranked by Stanford University. The U.S. National Academy of Sciences awarded him the Kavli Fellowship in 2015 and the NRC Senior Research Fellowship in 2018. The Indian Meteorological Society felicitated him with the Young Scientist Award in 2016 for his research on the changes in the Monsoon. You can follow Roxy on X, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Read more about his work here.

Fluent Fiction - Japanese: Friendship & Focus: A Lesson from Hokkaido's Library Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/ja/episode/2025-08-10-22-34-01-ja Story Transcript:Ja: 夏の日差しが窓から差し込み、北海道大学の図書館は静かで涼しい避難場所だった。En: The summer sunlight streamed through the window, and the library at Hokkaido University was a quiet and cool refuge.Ja: 外では、お盆の準備が進んでいたが、ここでは時間が止まっているようだった。En: Outside, preparations for Obon were underway, but it felt as if time had stopped here.Ja: ハルトとユキは、来たる試験に向けて集中的に勉強していた。En: Haruto and Yuki were focusing intensely on preparing for the upcoming exams.Ja: ハルトは優秀な学生だった。En: Haruto was an excellent student.Ja: 彼の目標は、奨学金を得るために試験で高い点数を取ることだった。En: His goal was to score highly on the exams to obtain a scholarship.Ja: しかし、彼の心の奥には失敗への恐れがあった。En: However, deep down, he had a fear of failure.Ja: 一方、ユキは楽しげで、明るい友達だったが、ハルトについていくのがやっとだった。En: On the other hand, Yuki was a cheerful, bright friend, but she was barely keeping up with Haruto.Ja: 彼女も密かに、自分の力を証明したいと思っていた。En: She, too, secretly wanted to prove her capabilities.Ja: 「この問題集、難しいね」とユキは小声で言った。En: "This workbook is difficult," Yuki whispered.Ja: 「うん、でもがんばれば大丈夫だよ」とハルトは励ました。En: "Yeah, but if we keep at it, we'll be fine," Haruto encouraged her.Ja: しかし、お盆の祭りの音楽が耳に入ると、集中力が途切れそうになった。En: However, as the music from the Obon festival reached their ears, it almost broke their concentration.Ja: ユキは今夜、少しの時間だけ祭りに行こうかと考えていた。En: Yuki was contemplating whether to go to the festival for a little while that evening.Ja: 「ハルト、少し休んで、祭りに行こうよ」とユキが提案した。En: "Haruto, let's take a break and go to the festival," Yuki suggested.Ja: 「いや、僕はここで勉強を続けるよ。En: "No, I'm going to keep studying here.Ja: 時間がない」とハルトは答えた。En: We don't have much time," Haruto replied.Ja: しかし、次の日、二人の間には緊張感が漂った。En: However, the next day, tension lingered between them.Ja: 図書館での勉強中、ユキはついに不満を爆発させた。En: While studying in the library, Yuki finally burst out with frustration.Ja: 「私は、ハルトにはついていけないかも」と涙をこらえながら言った。En: "I might not be able to keep up with you, Haruto," she said, holding back tears.Ja: 「ごめん、ユキ。En: "I'm sorry, Yuki.Ja: 本当に君をプレッシャーに感じさせたくなかったんだ」とハルトは申し訳なさそうに言った。En: I really didn't want to make you feel pressured," Haruto said apologetically.Ja: すると、二人は静かにお互いの気持ちを話し合い始めた。En: Then, they quietly began to talk about their feelings with each other.Ja: 「私は、ただ仲間として支えたいだけなの」とユキが続けた。En: "I just want to support you as a friend," Yuki continued.Ja: 「僕も、ユキと一緒に楽しむことを忘れていたね」とハルトは優しく言った。En: "I forgot about enjoying things together with you, too," Haruto said gently.Ja: それから、二人はお盆の間、勉強と祭りの両方を楽しむ計画を立てた。En: After that, they made plans to enjoy both studying and the Obon festival.Ja: 短い休憩を挟むことで、かえって集中力が高まることを理解したのだ。En: They realized that taking short breaks actually improved their concentration.Ja: お盆の明るい提灯の光が図書館の窓からほのかに見えた。En: The faint light of the bright Obon lanterns could be seen from the library window.Ja: 二人は、友情とバランスの大切さを心に刻み、また勉強に戻ったのだった。En: They etched the importance of friendship and balance in their hearts and returned to their studies. Vocabulary Words:streamed: 差し込むrefuge: 避難場所underway: 進んでいるfocus: 集中するupcoming: 来たるscholarship: 奨学金contemplating: 考えていたtension: 緊張感lingered: 漂ったburst out: 不満を爆発させたfrustration: 不満apologetically: 申し訳なさそうにquietly: 静かにsupport: 支えるeternally: 永遠にetched: 刻むbalance: バランスimportance: 大切さlanterns: 提灯cheerful: 楽しげbarely: やっとcapabilities: 力whispered: 小声で言ったfestival: 祭りconcentration: 集中力plan: 計画realized: 理解したfaint: ほのかbright: 明るいongoing: 進行中の

Despite decades of overfishing, Southeast Asia's fishing ecosystem has remained consistently healthy, according to a new study out of Hokkaido University in Japan. Get all the details on today's "What's Right with the World".

Question - "How does Jhana meditation simplify experience to facilitate insight and cognitive flexibility?" John Vervaeke is joined by Mark Miller, Rick Repetti, to explore the intersection of predictive processing, relevance realization, and embodied cognition in contemplative practices. They introduce PhD candidate Jonas Mago, who discusses his research on Jhana meditation and its impact on cognitive flexibility and insight. The conversation touches on contrasting Jhana practices with charismatic Christian traditions such as speaking in tongues. They also explore how Jhana states temporarily reduce the complexity of perception, allowing practitioners to observe the construction and deconstruction of their experiential models. The neuroscientific evidence provided, such as changes in brain responses during these states, adds depth to this exploration, illustrating how such simplification can lead to profound insights. Mark Miller, a philosopher and cognitive scientist, holds a senior research fellowship at Monash University's Center for Consciousness and Contemplative Studies in Australia, with affiliations at the University of Toronto and Hokkaido University in Japan. His work, which dives into the interplay between human thought, technology's impact on well-being, and human-computer interaction, is at the forefront of integrating cognitive neuroscience with philosophical inquiry. Rick Repetti is Professor of Philosophy at Kingsborough Community College, CUNY, USA. He is the author of The Counterfactual Theory of Free Will (2010), as well as several articles on Buddhism, meditation, free will, and philosophy of religion. Jonas Mago is a cognitive neuroscientist and wellbeing aficionado, deeply invested in understanding the cognitive and neurobiological mechanisms underlying human flourishing. His research explores contemplative practices designed to cultivate wholesome states of mind—spanning meditation, prayer, collective cultural rituals, and psychedelic therapies. I approach these topics from an interdisciplinary perspective, integrating cognitive science, neurobiology, computational modeling, and phenomenology to investigate mechanisms of self-regulation and transformation. He is currently pursuing my doctoral studies in Neuroscience at McGill University under the supervision of Dr. Michael Lifshitz, with co-supervision from Prof. Dr. Karl Friston. His academic journey includes a master's degree in Mind, Language, and Embodied Cognition from the University of Edinburgh (UK) and undergraduate studies in Liberal Arts and Sciences at University College Maastricht (Netherlands). Connect with a community dedicated to self-discovery and purpose, and gain deeper insights by joining our Patreon.   Notes:  (0:00) Introduction to the Lectern. This is the beginning of The Predictive Processing Series (0:30) Mark Miller, Rick Repetti, and Jonas Mago joins John Vervaeke  (1:30) Predictive Processing and Meditation (4:00) Inside Jhanas Meditation (10:00) Phenomenology and Cognitive Functions of Jhanas (11:30) “Is Jhanas essential for the path of awakening?” (13:00) Predictive Coding and Cognitive Models (18:00) Jhana meditation and the transient nature of predictive models (25:00) Analysis of the risks and benefits associated with Jhana practice (30:00) EEG Studies on Jhana Practitioners (37:00) Jhana versus Pure Consciousness (45:00) High Arousal Contemplative States: Jhana and Christian prayer (54:00) The Importance of Context in Contemplative Practices (1:05:00) Final Words   ---  The Vervaeke Foundation is committed to advancing the scientific pursuit of wisdom and creating a significant impact on the world. Become a part of our mission.   Join Awaken to Meaning to explore practices that enhance your virtues and foster deeper connections with reality and relationships.   John Vervaeke: Website | Twitter | YouTube | Patreon     Ideas, People, and Works Mentioned in this Episode: Predictive Processing Epistemic Vulnerability Metacognition Absorption States fMRI Studies Sangha EEG Studies Relevance Realization Embodied Cognition Jhana Meditation Thomas Metzinger Michael Lifshitz Alton Ram Dass Buddha Tanya Luhrmann Shaila Catherine Metzinger, T. (2021). The Elephant and the Blind: Insights into pure consciousness experiences. Lerman, T. (2012). When God Talks Back: A study on evangelical experiences of speaking in tongues.   Quotes:   “What we're trying in, in meditation is starting to model our predictive hierarchy of the brain opaque. So to notice that experience ultimately is not something that's, that's kind of a real grasp on reality, that all we have is this imprint of reality on our experiential or generative modeling, through this, this predictive hierarchy.”   "The interplay between micro and macro perspectives mirrors the flexibility we aim for in meditation and science."   "Epistemic vulnerability can be a doorway to growth if properly framed—or a risk without it." Mark Miller: Website | X | Podcast | YouTube Rick Repetti: Website | X | Facebook Jonas Mago: Website | X |  —   Thank you for Listening!

包括連携協定を締結したラピダスの小池淳義社長と北海道大学の宝金清博学長、５日、札幌市次世代半導体の国産化を目指すラピダスと北海道大学は５日、半導体産業を通じた技術力向上や人材育成を推進するため包括連携協定を結んだ。 Japanese chipmaker Rapidus Corp. said Wednesday that it will set up a facility at Hokkaido University to assess and analyze next-generation semiconductors.

Japanese chipmaker Rapidus Corp. said Wednesday that it will set up a facility at Hokkaido University to assess and analyze next-generation semiconductors.

In this Space Café Radio Geopolitics, SpaceWatch.Global publisher Torsten Kriening spoke with Prof Kazuto Suzuki about Japan's SLIM mission, which landed on the moon successfully. They discuss the purpose and challenges of the mission, as well as the geopolitical implications and future plans for Japan's involvement in lunar exploration.Kazuto Suzuki is a Professor at the Graduate School of Public Policy at the University of Tokyo, Japan, and Director of the Institute of Geoeconomics at the International House of Japan.  He has worked in the Fondation pour la recherche stratégique in Paris, France, as an assistant researcher and as Associate Professor at the University of Tsukuba from 2000 to 2008 and served as Professor of International Politics at Hokkaido University until 2020.  He served as an expert in the Panel of Experts for the Iranian Sanction Committee under the United Nations Security Council from 2013 to July 2015.  He currently serves many advisory committees of the government of Japan, inter alia, the National Space Policy Committee of the Cabinet Office, the Government of Japan, and the President of Japan Association of International Security and Trade.  His research focuses on the conjunction of science/technology and international relations, subjects including space policy, non-proliferation, export control, and sanctions.  His recent work includes Space and International Politics (2011, in Japanese, awarded Suntory Prize for Social Sciences and Humanities), Policy Logics and Institutions of European Space Collaboration (2003), and many others.Space Café Radio brings you talks, interviews, and reports from the team of SpaceWatchers while out on the road. Each episode has a specific topic, unique content, and a personal touch. Enjoy the show, and let us know your thoughts at radio@spacewatch.globalYou can find us on: Spotify and Apple Podcast!Please visit us at SpaceWatch.Global, subscribe to our newsletters. Follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter!

In this episode of Voices with Vervaeke, philosopher and cognitive scientist Mark Miller joins John Vervaeke and Rick Repetti for a fascinating discussion on the connections between philosophy, science, and contemplative practice. Mark provides insight into his work as a 'synthetic philosopher', integrating diverse fields like neuroscience and Buddhism to create theoretical frameworks for understanding the mind and contemplation. The conversation explores whether there can or should be a 'philosophy of meditation', and how science and philosophy might contribute to human flourishing and contemplative development. Mark shares rich examples of how computational models and cognitive science can elucidate contemplative skills and states, providing nuance to traditional teachings. He emphasizes the importance of balance between insight practices and compassion cultivation on the contemplative path.   Mark Miller, a philosopher and cognitive scientist, holds a senior research fellowship at Monash University's Center for Consciousness and Contemplative Studies in Australia, with affiliations at the University of Toronto and Hokkaido University in Japan. His work, which delves into the interplay between human thought, technology's impact on well-being, and human-computer interaction, is at the forefront of integrating cognitive neuroscience with philosophical inquiry.   Glossary of Terms   Predictive Processing: A cognitive science theory that suggests the brain continuously makes predictions about the environment based on past experiences. Synthetic Philosophy: An interdisciplinary approach that integrates insights from various fields to develop comprehensive frameworks for understanding complex phenomena. Contemplative Science: A field of study that investigates the effects of meditation and contemplative practices on the mind and well-being.   John Vervaeke: Website: https://johnvervaeke.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@johnvervaeke  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/johnvervaeke   X: https://twitter.com/vervaeke_john   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VervaekeJohn/   Rick Repetti: Website: https://www.rickrepetti.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rickrepetti/  X: https://twitter.com/rickrepetti  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/philosophicalpractitioner/   Mark Miller: The Contemplative Science Podcast: https://www.thecontemplativescientists.com/ Website: https://www.markdmiller.live/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaYjSup-Hp3V9P6MGt2zPuA X: https://twitter.com/predictivelife Join our new Patreon https://www.patreon.com/johnvervaeke   The Vervaeke Foundation - https://vervaekefoundation.org/   Awaken to Meaning - https://awakentomeaning.com/   Books, Articles, and Publications   Routledge Handbook on the Philosophy of Meditation - Rick Repetti  https://www.amazon.com/Routledge-Handbook-Philosophy-Meditation-Repetti/dp/036764746X Why I Am Not a Buddhist - Evan Thompson https://www.amazon.com/Why-I-Am-Not-Buddhist/dp/0300264674   Quotes   “Meditation is philosophy. It's not about relaxing, and it's certainly not about just creating weird psychedelic states so that we can blow our minds and talk about it. Meditation is a way of knowing ourselves, knowing our situation, and then flourishing through that special knowing.” - Mark Miller [00:16:42]   "Don't under appreciate the value of love for your training. If you're listening to this, and you're contemplative, and you're tuning in now to help your practice, don't overlook it. It's valuable at the beginning, in the middle, in the end - like even a small amount of loving kindness and kindness practice now is going to make all the difference." - Mark Miller [00:56:00]   Chapters   [00:00:00] Introduction  [00:06:00] - Mark Miller's Journey in Contemplative Science [00:14:00] - Meditation's Role in Philosophy and Contemplation [00:17:00] - Synthetic Philosophy and Contemplative Science [00:23:00] -  Bridging Science, Philosophy and Contemplative Practice  [00:30:00]  - Blending Philosophy and Cognitive Science in Contemplative Practice  [00:47:00] -  Exploring Deep Belief Structures and Skillful Engagement [00:55:00] - Concluding Thoughts  

This week on the podcast, Chris interviews Eric K. Ku, an Associated Professor at Hokkaido University. Multilingual Matters Contacts: haswell247@gmail.com, LostInCitations@gmail.com

Ebola is a highly contagious and often deadly virus and has been a persistent threat to several countries in Africa.In this episode, Africa Science Focus spoke to researchers at the University of Zambia and Hokkaido University, Japan, who designed a kit which can detect the Ebola virus within minutes. Katendi Changula, infectious disease researcher at the University of Zambia, explained how this test can be a game-changer, while Ayato Takada, professor at the International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Japan, explains how the kits were developed.And Joseph Ndebe, researcher at the School of Veterinary Medicine, disease control department, at the University of Zambia, sheds light on the challenges faced in deploying the test kits.We also hear from Sheila Makiala, who works at the National Institute of Biomedical Research in the Democratic Republic of Congo. She spoke to us about how the tests play a pivotal role in the effective management of Ebola outbreaks in the DRC. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This project was funded by the European Journalism Centre, through the Solutions Journalism Accelerator. The fund is supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation. This piece was produced by SciDev.Net's Sub-Saharan Africa English desk.Do you have any comments, questions or feedback about our podcast episodes? Let us know at podcast@scidev.net

In 2020, Finland's sauna culture was added to the List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Sauna culture is an integral part of the lives of the majority of the Finnish population. Interestingly, the Finnish style of sauna-going has inspired quite a few individuals in Japan to travel to Finland to learn more about sauna as a lifestyle. It seems that there is active interest in investigating foreign bathing habits in Japan. In this episode, Julie Yu-Wen Chen talks to Eetu-Antti Hartikainen, a Finnish research student at Hokkaido University to understand the sauna boom and the localization of sauna culture in Japan. Eetu-Antti also shares his research of how Japanese sauna enthusiasts form some commonly shared values to differentiate themselves from others. However, sauna enthusiasts are very diverse as a group, which is seen in the contrasting opinions and assumptions concerning how sauna space should be utilized for enjoyment. Julie Yu-Wen Chen is Professor of Chinese Studies at the Department of Cultures at the University of Helsinki (Finland). Dr. Chen serves as one of the editors of the Journal of Chinese Political Science (Springer, SSCI). Formerly, she was chair of Nordic Association of China Studies (NACS) and Editor-in-Chief of Asian Ethnicity (Taylor & Francis). You can find her on University of Helsinki Chinese Studies' website, Youtube, and her personal Twitter. The Nordic Asia Podcast is a collaboration sharing expertise on Asia across the Nordic region, brought to you by the Nordic Institute of Asian Studies (NIAS) based at the University of Copenhagen, along with our academic partners: the Centre for East Asian Studies at the University of Turku, and Asianettverket at the University of Oslo. We aim to produce timely, topical and well-edited discussions of new research and developments about Asia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

In 2020, Finland's sauna culture was added to the List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Sauna culture is an integral part of the lives of the majority of the Finnish population. Interestingly, the Finnish style of sauna-going has inspired quite a few individuals in Japan to travel to Finland to learn more about sauna as a lifestyle. It seems that there is active interest in investigating foreign bathing habits in Japan. In this episode, Julie Yu-Wen Chen talks to Eetu-Antti Hartikainen, a Finnish research student at Hokkaido University to understand the sauna boom and the localization of sauna culture in Japan. Eetu-Antti also shares his research of how Japanese sauna enthusiasts form some commonly shared values to differentiate themselves from others. However, sauna enthusiasts are very diverse as a group, which is seen in the contrasting opinions and assumptions concerning how sauna space should be utilized for enjoyment. Julie Yu-Wen Chen is Professor of Chinese Studies at the Department of Cultures at the University of Helsinki (Finland). Dr. Chen serves as one of the editors of the Journal of Chinese Political Science (Springer, SSCI). Formerly, she was chair of Nordic Association of China Studies (NACS) and Editor-in-Chief of Asian Ethnicity (Taylor & Francis). You can find her on University of Helsinki Chinese Studies' website, Youtube, and her personal Twitter. The Nordic Asia Podcast is a collaboration sharing expertise on Asia across the Nordic region, brought to you by the Nordic Institute of Asian Studies (NIAS) based at the University of Copenhagen, along with our academic partners: the Centre for East Asian Studies at the University of Turku, and Asianettverket at the University of Oslo. We aim to produce timely, topical and well-edited discussions of new research and developments about Asia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/east-asian-studies

In 2020, Finland's sauna culture was added to the List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Sauna culture is an integral part of the lives of the majority of the Finnish population. Interestingly, the Finnish style of sauna-going has inspired quite a few individuals in Japan to travel to Finland to learn more about sauna as a lifestyle. It seems that there is active interest in investigating foreign bathing habits in Japan. In this episode, Julie Yu-Wen Chen talks to Eetu-Antti Hartikainen, a Finnish research student at Hokkaido University to understand the sauna boom and the localization of sauna culture in Japan. Eetu-Antti also shares his research of how Japanese sauna enthusiasts form some commonly shared values to differentiate themselves from others. However, sauna enthusiasts are very diverse as a group, which is seen in the contrasting opinions and assumptions concerning how sauna space should be utilized for enjoyment. Julie Yu-Wen Chen is Professor of Chinese Studies at the Department of Cultures at the University of Helsinki (Finland). Dr. Chen serves as one of the editors of the Journal of Chinese Political Science (Springer, SSCI). Formerly, she was chair of Nordic Association of China Studies (NACS) and Editor-in-Chief of Asian Ethnicity (Taylor & Francis). You can find her on University of Helsinki Chinese Studies' website, Youtube, and her personal Twitter. The Nordic Asia Podcast is a collaboration sharing expertise on Asia across the Nordic region, brought to you by the Nordic Institute of Asian Studies (NIAS) based at the University of Copenhagen, along with our academic partners: the Centre for East Asian Studies at the University of Turku, and Asianettverket at the University of Oslo. We aim to produce timely, topical and well-edited discussions of new research and developments about Asia.

In 2020, Finland's sauna culture was added to the List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Sauna culture is an integral part of the lives of the majority of the Finnish population. Interestingly, the Finnish style of sauna-going has inspired quite a few individuals in Japan to travel to Finland to learn more about sauna as a lifestyle. It seems that there is active interest in investigating foreign bathing habits in Japan. In this episode, Julie Yu-Wen Chen talks to Eetu-Antti Hartikainen, a Finnish research student at Hokkaido University to understand the sauna boom and the localization of sauna culture in Japan. Eetu-Antti also shares his research of how Japanese sauna enthusiasts form some commonly shared values to differentiate themselves from others. However, sauna enthusiasts are very diverse as a group, which is seen in the contrasting opinions and assumptions concerning how sauna space should be utilized for enjoyment. Julie Yu-Wen Chen is Professor of Chinese Studies at the Department of Cultures at the University of Helsinki (Finland). Dr. Chen serves as one of the editors of the Journal of Chinese Political Science (Springer, SSCI). Formerly, she was chair of Nordic Association of China Studies (NACS) and Editor-in-Chief of Asian Ethnicity (Taylor & Francis). You can find her on University of Helsinki Chinese Studies' website, Youtube, and her personal Twitter. The Nordic Asia Podcast is a collaboration sharing expertise on Asia across the Nordic region, brought to you by the Nordic Institute of Asian Studies (NIAS) based at the University of Copenhagen, along with our academic partners: the Centre for East Asian Studies at the University of Turku, and Asianettverket at the University of Oslo. We aim to produce timely, topical and well-edited discussions of new research and developments about Asia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/japanese-studies

In this episode we listen to a discussion on Asian-Nordic collaboration in the Arctic.The speakers are:Aileen Aseron Espiritu, Researcher & Network leader, The Arctic University of NorwayJacob Isbosethsen, Head of Representation in Beijing, Government of GreenlandKristín Ingvarsdóttir, Assistant Professor, University of IcelandMarc Lanteigne, Associate Professor, UiT The Arctic University of NorwayWrenn Yennie Lindgren, Senior Research Fellow, NUPI, The Norwegian Institute of International Affairs; Associate Research Fellow, UI, The Swedish Institute of International AffairsThe discussions are moderated by Juha Saunavaara, Associate Professor, Arctic Research Center, Hokkaido University, Japan.This event originally took place at the 2023 Arctic Circle Japan Forum and was organized by: the University of Iceland 

In this episode we listen to leading academics discuss a Japanese research project for bridging science to society, called Project of Arctic Challenge for Sustainability II. The speakers are:Hiroyuki Enomoto, Professor, ArCS II Directions, National Institute of Polar ResearchYuka Oishi, Lecturer, Kobe UniversityNaomi Harada, Professor, Tokyo UniversityFujio Ohnishi, Associate Professor, Arctic Research Center/Hokkaido UniversityComments on the discussions are provided by:Hajo Eicken, International Arctic Research Center/UAFPaul Arthur Berkman, President, Science Diplomacy Center™; Senior Fellow, United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)This event originally took place at the 2023 Arctic Circle Japan Forum and was organized by: the Arctic Challenge for Sustainability II project; NIPR; JAMESTEC; and Hokkaido University.

In this episode we listen to a panel on economic opportunities in the Arctic, with emphasis on the Asian perspective.The Panelists are:Mead Treadwell, Chair, US Arctic Research Commission, in 2006-2010; Lt. Governor of Alaska, 2010-2014; Chairman/CEO, Qilak LNG; Board Member, Pt Capital.Natsuhiko OTSUKA, Professor, Arctic Research Center, Hokkaido University, JapanShoko NIREKI, Chairman, Icelandic Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ICCJ)The Panel is followed by a Q&A with the audience and is chaired by Mads Frederiksen, Executive Director of the Arctic Economic Council.This event originally took place at the 2023 Arctic Circle Japan Forum.

Sapporo, Japón, estoy frente al equipo del Instituto para el Avance de la Sostenibilidad (Institute for the Advancement of Sustainability - en inglés) de Hokkaido University. El objetivo, compartir nuestras estrategias para fomentar la educación ambiental en las universidades (Foto 1). El idioma, inglés como lengua franca. La pregunta, ¿qué significa administrar la naturaleza y cuál es su relación con la sostenibilidad? Me alegro de compartir mis reflexiones para responder a tal pregunta. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/unclickporelplaneta/support

Hamza is a driven individual with a passion for behavioural neurobiology. Currently pursuing a Master's degree at Hokkaido University in Japan, he is dedicated to the study of how the brain and behaviour intersect.In addition to his academic pursuits, Humza is also an accomplished musician, having played the electric guitar for 8 years and singing for the past 3 years. Though his voice wasn't initially impressive, his dedication to improvement paid off, and he now enjoys singing and karaoke in his free time.Outside of music and academia, Humza is also the founder of Biography Bits, a website dedicated to providing quick and easy access to life-changing biographical information. As an extreme workaholic, Humza spends long hours creating new content for his website and collaborating with study partners online.Despite his busy schedule, Humza also enjoys sharing his love of music on social media. His Instagram account, @hamzara2a, features over 400 posts showcasing his guitar and singing skills in a variety of genres, from rock and metal to classical and gipsy jazz. Overall, Humza is a driven and passionate individual with a deep commitment to learning and personal growth. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The second half of the nineteenth century is correctly known to have culminated in the emergence of the gold standard as the first truly international monetary regime. The processes leading up to this remarkable feat are, however, far less documented or understood. Economic historians have only recently started digging into the causes behind the 'fall of silver' that preceded the scramble for gold. It is nowadays clear that its effects were felt worldwide. Not in the least, silver depreciation severely affected East-West trade. It was, among other factors, behind the bankruptcy of several powerful institutions as the Oriental Bank Corporation. Yet at the same time, it cemented the position of other banks, some of which exist until this very day (HSBC, Standard Chartered). What did these banks know that others did not? In Accounting for the Fall of Silver: Hedging Currency Risk in Long-Distance Trade with Asia, 1870-1913 (Oxford UP, 2020), Michael Schiltz explains that the 1870s and 1880s witnessed furious experiments with new financial products and, equally important, strategies for hedging exchange rate risk. Drawing on archives that have never been used before, the book throws new light on an important episode of nineteenth century world history. At the same time, it illuminates lesser known aspects of the first gold standard period. It draws attention to the existence of 'carry trades' between European money markets and the lesser liquid Asian periphery; and describes the creation of financial contracts with the sole aim of enabling commodity finance among Asian mercantile centers. Michael Schiltz is associate professor at Hokkaido University. His has published widely on the financial history of modern Japan, including his first book The Money Doctors from Japan – Finance, Imperialism, and the Building of the ‘Yen Bloc' (Harvard University Press, 2012). Ghassan Moazzin is an Assistant Professor at the Hong Kong Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences and the Department of History at the University of Hong Kong. He works on the economic and business history of 19th and 20th century China, with a particular focus on the history of foreign banking, international finance and electricity in modern China. His first book, Foreign Banks and Global Finance in Modern China: Banking on the Chinese Frontier, 1870–1919, was published by Cambridge University Press in 2022. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

The second half of the nineteenth century is correctly known to have culminated in the emergence of the gold standard as the first truly international monetary regime. The processes leading up to this remarkable feat are, however, far less documented or understood. Economic historians have only recently started digging into the causes behind the 'fall of silver' that preceded the scramble for gold. It is nowadays clear that its effects were felt worldwide. Not in the least, silver depreciation severely affected East-West trade. It was, among other factors, behind the bankruptcy of several powerful institutions as the Oriental Bank Corporation. Yet at the same time, it cemented the position of other banks, some of which exist until this very day (HSBC, Standard Chartered). What did these banks know that others did not? In Accounting for the Fall of Silver: Hedging Currency Risk in Long-Distance Trade with Asia, 1870-1913 (Oxford UP, 2020), Michael Schiltz explains that the 1870s and 1880s witnessed furious experiments with new financial products and, equally important, strategies for hedging exchange rate risk. Drawing on archives that have never been used before, the book throws new light on an important episode of nineteenth century world history. At the same time, it illuminates lesser known aspects of the first gold standard period. It draws attention to the existence of 'carry trades' between European money markets and the lesser liquid Asian periphery; and describes the creation of financial contracts with the sole aim of enabling commodity finance among Asian mercantile centers. Michael Schiltz is associate professor at Hokkaido University. His has published widely on the financial history of modern Japan, including his first book The Money Doctors from Japan – Finance, Imperialism, and the Building of the ‘Yen Bloc' (Harvard University Press, 2012). Ghassan Moazzin is an Assistant Professor at the Hong Kong Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences and the Department of History at the University of Hong Kong. He works on the economic and business history of 19th and 20th century China, with a particular focus on the history of foreign banking, international finance and electricity in modern China. His first book, Foreign Banks and Global Finance in Modern China: Banking on the Chinese Frontier, 1870–1919, was published by Cambridge University Press in 2022. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

The second half of the nineteenth century is correctly known to have culminated in the emergence of the gold standard as the first truly international monetary regime. The processes leading up to this remarkable feat are, however, far less documented or understood. Economic historians have only recently started digging into the causes behind the 'fall of silver' that preceded the scramble for gold. It is nowadays clear that its effects were felt worldwide. Not in the least, silver depreciation severely affected East-West trade. It was, among other factors, behind the bankruptcy of several powerful institutions as the Oriental Bank Corporation. Yet at the same time, it cemented the position of other banks, some of which exist until this very day (HSBC, Standard Chartered). What did these banks know that others did not? In Accounting for the Fall of Silver: Hedging Currency Risk in Long-Distance Trade with Asia, 1870-1913 (Oxford UP, 2020), Michael Schiltz explains that the 1870s and 1880s witnessed furious experiments with new financial products and, equally important, strategies for hedging exchange rate risk. Drawing on archives that have never been used before, the book throws new light on an important episode of nineteenth century world history. At the same time, it illuminates lesser known aspects of the first gold standard period. It draws attention to the existence of 'carry trades' between European money markets and the lesser liquid Asian periphery; and describes the creation of financial contracts with the sole aim of enabling commodity finance among Asian mercantile centers. Michael Schiltz is associate professor at Hokkaido University. His has published widely on the financial history of modern Japan, including his first book The Money Doctors from Japan – Finance, Imperialism, and the Building of the ‘Yen Bloc' (Harvard University Press, 2012). Ghassan Moazzin is an Assistant Professor at the Hong Kong Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences and the Department of History at the University of Hong Kong. He works on the economic and business history of 19th and 20th century China, with a particular focus on the history of foreign banking, international finance and electricity in modern China. His first book, Foreign Banks and Global Finance in Modern China: Banking on the Chinese Frontier, 1870–1919, was published by Cambridge University Press in 2022. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/east-asian-studies

The second half of the nineteenth century is correctly known to have culminated in the emergence of the gold standard as the first truly international monetary regime. The processes leading up to this remarkable feat are, however, far less documented or understood. Economic historians have only recently started digging into the causes behind the 'fall of silver' that preceded the scramble for gold. It is nowadays clear that its effects were felt worldwide. Not in the least, silver depreciation severely affected East-West trade. It was, among other factors, behind the bankruptcy of several powerful institutions as the Oriental Bank Corporation. Yet at the same time, it cemented the position of other banks, some of which exist until this very day (HSBC, Standard Chartered). What did these banks know that others did not? In Accounting for the Fall of Silver: Hedging Currency Risk in Long-Distance Trade with Asia, 1870-1913 (Oxford UP, 2020), Michael Schiltz explains that the 1870s and 1880s witnessed furious experiments with new financial products and, equally important, strategies for hedging exchange rate risk. Drawing on archives that have never been used before, the book throws new light on an important episode of nineteenth century world history. At the same time, it illuminates lesser known aspects of the first gold standard period. It draws attention to the existence of 'carry trades' between European money markets and the lesser liquid Asian periphery; and describes the creation of financial contracts with the sole aim of enabling commodity finance among Asian mercantile centers. Michael Schiltz is associate professor at Hokkaido University. His has published widely on the financial history of modern Japan, including his first book The Money Doctors from Japan – Finance, Imperialism, and the Building of the ‘Yen Bloc' (Harvard University Press, 2012). Ghassan Moazzin is an Assistant Professor at the Hong Kong Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences and the Department of History at the University of Hong Kong. He works on the economic and business history of 19th and 20th century China, with a particular focus on the history of foreign banking, international finance and electricity in modern China. His first book, Foreign Banks and Global Finance in Modern China: Banking on the Chinese Frontier, 1870–1919, was published by Cambridge University Press in 2022. Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/southeast-asian-studies

The second half of the nineteenth century is correctly known to have culminated in the emergence of the gold standard as the first truly international monetary regime. The processes leading up to this remarkable feat are, however, far less documented or understood. Economic historians have only recently started digging into the causes behind the 'fall of silver' that preceded the scramble for gold. It is nowadays clear that its effects were felt worldwide. Not in the least, silver depreciation severely affected East-West trade. It was, among other factors, behind the bankruptcy of several powerful institutions as the Oriental Bank Corporation. Yet at the same time, it cemented the position of other banks, some of which exist until this very day (HSBC, Standard Chartered). What did these banks know that others did not? In Accounting for the Fall of Silver: Hedging Currency Risk in Long-Distance Trade with Asia, 1870-1913 (Oxford UP, 2020), Michael Schiltz explains that the 1870s and 1880s witnessed furious experiments with new financial products and, equally important, strategies for hedging exchange rate risk. Drawing on archives that have never been used before, the book throws new light on an important episode of nineteenth century world history. At the same time, it illuminates lesser known aspects of the first gold standard period. It draws attention to the existence of 'carry trades' between European money markets and the lesser liquid Asian periphery; and describes the creation of financial contracts with the sole aim of enabling commodity finance among Asian mercantile centers. Michael Schiltz is associate professor at Hokkaido University. His has published widely on the financial history of modern Japan, including his first book The Money Doctors from Japan – Finance, Imperialism, and the Building of the ‘Yen Bloc' (Harvard University Press, 2012). Ghassan Moazzin is an Assistant Professor at the Hong Kong Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences and the Department of History at the University of Hong Kong. He works on the economic and business history of 19th and 20th century China, with a particular focus on the history of foreign banking, international finance and electricity in modern China. His first book, Foreign Banks and Global Finance in Modern China: Banking on the Chinese Frontier, 1870–1919, was published by Cambridge University Press in 2022. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/world-affairs

The second half of the nineteenth century is correctly known to have culminated in the emergence of the gold standard as the first truly international monetary regime. The processes leading up to this remarkable feat are, however, far less documented or understood. Economic historians have only recently started digging into the causes behind the 'fall of silver' that preceded the scramble for gold. It is nowadays clear that its effects were felt worldwide. Not in the least, silver depreciation severely affected East-West trade. It was, among other factors, behind the bankruptcy of several powerful institutions as the Oriental Bank Corporation. Yet at the same time, it cemented the position of other banks, some of which exist until this very day (HSBC, Standard Chartered). What did these banks know that others did not? In Accounting for the Fall of Silver: Hedging Currency Risk in Long-Distance Trade with Asia, 1870-1913 (Oxford UP, 2020), Michael Schiltz explains that the 1870s and 1880s witnessed furious experiments with new financial products and, equally important, strategies for hedging exchange rate risk. Drawing on archives that have never been used before, the book throws new light on an important episode of nineteenth century world history. At the same time, it illuminates lesser known aspects of the first gold standard period. It draws attention to the existence of 'carry trades' between European money markets and the lesser liquid Asian periphery; and describes the creation of financial contracts with the sole aim of enabling commodity finance among Asian mercantile centers. Michael Schiltz is associate professor at Hokkaido University. His has published widely on the financial history of modern Japan, including his first book The Money Doctors from Japan – Finance, Imperialism, and the Building of the ‘Yen Bloc' (Harvard University Press, 2012). Ghassan Moazzin is an Assistant Professor at the Hong Kong Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences and the Department of History at the University of Hong Kong. He works on the economic and business history of 19th and 20th century China, with a particular focus on the history of foreign banking, international finance and electricity in modern China. His first book, Foreign Banks and Global Finance in Modern China: Banking on the Chinese Frontier, 1870–1919, was published by Cambridge University Press in 2022. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/south-asian-studies

The second half of the nineteenth century is correctly known to have culminated in the emergence of the gold standard as the first truly international monetary regime. The processes leading up to this remarkable feat are, however, far less documented or understood. Economic historians have only recently started digging into the causes behind the 'fall of silver' that preceded the scramble for gold. It is nowadays clear that its effects were felt worldwide. Not in the least, silver depreciation severely affected East-West trade. It was, among other factors, behind the bankruptcy of several powerful institutions as the Oriental Bank Corporation. Yet at the same time, it cemented the position of other banks, some of which exist until this very day (HSBC, Standard Chartered). What did these banks know that others did not? In Accounting for the Fall of Silver: Hedging Currency Risk in Long-Distance Trade with Asia, 1870-1913 (Oxford UP, 2020), Michael Schiltz explains that the 1870s and 1880s witnessed furious experiments with new financial products and, equally important, strategies for hedging exchange rate risk. Drawing on archives that have never been used before, the book throws new light on an important episode of nineteenth century world history. At the same time, it illuminates lesser known aspects of the first gold standard period. It draws attention to the existence of 'carry trades' between European money markets and the lesser liquid Asian periphery; and describes the creation of financial contracts with the sole aim of enabling commodity finance among Asian mercantile centers. Michael Schiltz is associate professor at Hokkaido University. His has published widely on the financial history of modern Japan, including his first book The Money Doctors from Japan – Finance, Imperialism, and the Building of the ‘Yen Bloc' (Harvard University Press, 2012). Ghassan Moazzin is an Assistant Professor at the Hong Kong Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences and the Department of History at the University of Hong Kong. He works on the economic and business history of 19th and 20th century China, with a particular focus on the history of foreign banking, international finance and electricity in modern China. His first book, Foreign Banks and Global Finance in Modern China: Banking on the Chinese Frontier, 1870–1919, was published by Cambridge University Press in 2022. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/economics

Chris Kavanagh is a post-doctoral researcher in cognitive anthropology at the Institute of Cognitive & Evolutionary Anthropology at the University of Oxford. Currently he is based in in Japan where he conducts research in collaboration with Masaki Yuki's Culture, Social Ecology, and Psychology Lab at Hokkaido University. His research interests include East Asian religions, ritual behavior, and the bonding effects of shared dysphoria. He is also co-host the podcast Decoding the Gurus.Support the show

In this episode of the National Security Podcast, eminent Russian foreign policy scholar Professor Akihiro Iwashita joins Professor Rory Medcalf in conversation.How does the history of conflict between Japan and Russia affect relations today? How has the Russian invasion of Ukraine impacted their relationship? And what strategic challenges does the China-Russia relationship present for Japan and the Indo-Pacific? In this episode of the National Security Podcast, Professor Akihiro Iwashita – an expert in Russian foreign policy towards China and Japan – joins Professor Rory Medcalf in conversation. They discuss Japan's relationship with China and Russia and broader strategic challenges in the Indo-Pacific. Akihiro Iwashita is a Professor at the Slavic-Eurasian Research Center at Hokkaido University.Professor Rory Medcalf AM is Head of ANU National Security College. His professional experience spans more than three decades across diplomacy, intelligence analysis, think tanks, journalism and academia.We'd love to hear from you! Send in your questions, comments, and suggestions to NatSecPod@anu.edu.au. You can tweet us @NSC_ANU and be sure to subscribe so you don't miss out on future episodes. The National Security Podcast is available on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr. Joe Watkins has been studying archeology for over 50 years. He's a Senior Consultant at Archaeological and Cultural Education Consultants, in Tucson, Arizona & visiting Professor at the Global Institution for Collaborative Research and Education at Hokkaido University in Japan. He is also a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. He was the 2nd native person to be president of the society for American archaeology & serves as a mediator between anthropological disciplines and Indigenous groups. In this episode, he discusses why Native Americans & Archaeologists butt heads, what drew him to archaeology despite social pressure to avoid it & his take on why Native history isn't taught in high schools.If you liked this episode, you'll also like episode 114: HOW DO I KNOW IF I'M INDIGENOUS? MAN DISCOVERS HE'S NATIVE ROYALTYGuest:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/1598745697/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_5YHXT56W8R4YTC3GKJDFHost:  https://www.meredithforreal.com/  | https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/  | meredith@meredithforreal.com | https://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal  | https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovertSponsors: https://uwf.edu/university-advancement/departments/historic-trust/ | https://www.ensec.net/

''My mother was always saying "I am raising you not for myself, but for the world.'"I chat to Simone Mattar Altoe - ESG Corporate Benchmarking Manager, sustainability lecturer, mother of two and a black belt in Shorinji Kempo to boot.Simone Mattar Altoe is an old and very dear friend of mine that I met almost 20 years ago when I first moved to Amsterdam. Simone has a marketing and business studies background from Brazil; she then went home to do her PhD on sustainable agriculture at Hokkaido University in Japan.After moving to Amsterdam, Simone worked as a marketing consultant for brands, such as Unilever and BP. She had consultant roles on sustainability in various firms, and later set up her own ESG consultancy company. She also worked as a lecturer in the University of Amsterdam, where she taught the business and sustainability course for exchange students.Most recently, Simone has been working as a corporate solutions manager, providing analytical environmental, social, and governance (ESG) research ratings and data to corporations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What's in store for twitter, now that Elon Musk's offer has been accepted by the Twitter board? Bill and Gareth discuss. Is video chat tech still listening when you're muted? Video conferencing technology might still be listening to your voice even when you are on mute. A new study shows that a number of video meeting apps were recording audio even when the user had switched off their microphone. The researchers analysed the code behind the apps and found that all of the apps in the test were gathering raw audio when they were on mute – and that one of them was sending that information over the internet at the same rate, whether the user was muted or not. They even identified what someone was doing 82% of the time e.g cooking, typing. Professor Kassem Fawaz, one of the authors of the study, explains more. World first – swarming molecular robots working together Scientists from Hokkaido University in Japan have for the first time shown that molecular robots are five times more effective at transporting cargo when working as a swarm compared to working alone. Inspired by insects, like ants, honey bees and even fish and birds, they have created microscopic molecular robots that use microtubules propelled by proteins and DNA. Dr Mousumi Akter explains how they work together so successfully and the possible applications which include intensive drug delivery to a specific location or collection of micro-contaminants in the environment. How to encourage more women into game design Many women enjoy playing video games – but why are so few of them involved in designing them? Our gaming correspondent Leigh Milner has been meeting those at the top of the business, who are doing something to widen access to its creative side. The programme is presented by Gareth Mitchell with expert commentary from Bill Thompson. Studio Manager: Giles Aspen Producer: Ania Lichtarowicz (Photo: Woman having a video meeting on her laptop. Credit: Witthaya Prasongsin/Getty Images)

With the unconscionable Russian invasion of Ukraine ordered by Russian president Vladimir Putin, we will be focusing the next several episodes on Ukraine. These episodes will aim to provide our global listeners, who are seeking to inform themselves truthfully about the war, with background, context, analyses, and historical appreciation of this country and why the world absolutely must care and must combat Putin's revisionist and disinformationist campaigns. On this episode, the first of our Ukraine-focused series, returning guest Dr. David Marples, professor of history at the University of Alberta, graciously joins us to help unpack, if not understand, Putin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine by providing a basic yet thorough overview of the conflict's history. Visit slavxradio.com/ukraine for a list of trusted organizations addressing this humanitarian crisis. ABOUT THE GUEST https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSKREOSquxhEyxP99KQnxCve9JXmnnFMOeYzQ&usqp=CAU Dr. David R. Marples is a former President of The North American Association for Belarusian Studies (2010–15) and was formerly Director of the Stasiuk Program on Contemporary Ukraine at the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies (2004–14), University of Alberta. In 2014 he was a Visiting Professor at the Slavic and Eurasian Research Center, Hokkaido University, Japan. At the University of Alberta he is a recipient of the J. Gordin Kaplan Award for Excellence in Research (2003) and the University Cup (2008), the university's highest award. He is regarded as one of the leading Western authorities on the Chernobyl nuclear catastrophe (social and political aspects), Lukashenko's regime in Belarus, and contemporary Ukraine. Follow him on Twitter @drmarples for more insights. PRODUCER'S NOTE: This episode was recorded on March 3rd, 2022 via Zoom. If you have questions, comments, or would like to be a guest on the program, please email slavxradio@utexas.edu and we will be in touch! https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/slavic/_files/images/banners/ukraine-statement.png The Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies condemns the Russian Federation's military invasion of Ukraine. We stand in support of the people of Ukraine who are fighting for their lives and sovereignty in the face of the unjustified invasion by Russian military forces. CREDITS Associate Producer/Host: Lera Toropin (@earlportion) Associate Producer: Cullan Bendig (@cullanwithana) Assistant Producer: Zach Johnson Assistant Producer: Misha Simanovskyy (@MSimanovskyy) Assistant Producer: Sergio Glajar Assistant Producer: Taylor Ham Recording, Editing, and Sound Design: Michelle Daniel & Charlie Harper Music Producer: Charlie Harper (Connect: facebook.com/charlie.harper.1485 Instagram: @charlieharpermusic) www.charlieharpermusic.com (Special Episode Theme by Charlie Harper and additional background music by Charlie Harper, Ketsa, Polkavant) Executive Producer & Creator: Michelle Daniel (Connect: facebook.com/mdanielgeraci) DISCLAIMER: Texas Podcast Network is brought to you by The University of Texas at Austin. Podcasts are produced by faculty members and staffers at UT Austin who work with University Communications to craft content that adheres to journalistic best practices. The University of Texas at Austin offers these podcasts at no charge. Podcasts appearing on the network and this webpage represent the views of the hosts, not of The University of Texas at Austin. https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/9/9a59b135-7876-4254-b600-3839b3aa3ab1/P1EKcswq.png Special Guest: David R. Marples.

We are in the Ainu Mosir -- a quiet ground of the Ainu, that is, human beings. The Ainu had lived in the northern part of the Japanese archipelago long before the Japanese moved there. What if main livelihoods are suddenly forbidden? What if using the mother tongue isn't allowed? What if one day you found out that these things or even worse had happened to your family ancestors? Currently in Japan, there are people of Ainu descent. Some of them see themselves as an Ainu person. Some of them are trying to search for their identity. Some others are not comfortable talking about it. You may have heard of such stories. But beyond that, what do you know about the Ainu? Perhaps you've seen their embroidery and wood carving crafts? Or maybe you can recognise their music and traditional dancing? How about their cultural values and beliefs? Do you know anything about these? Being aware of these would enable you to see Japan from another angle, which should be a great help if you are visiting Hokkaido or even travelling in Japan. So today, we are joined by Professor of Hokkaido University Jeffry Gayman to discuss all the things about the Ainu. Currently based in Hokkaido, he has been studying and researching the Ainu for almost two decades, especially in the field of indigenous and intercultural education as well as promotion of indigenous rights. Beyond academic research, he has supervised a Japanese-English bilingual book The Spirit of Huci: Four Seasons of an Ainu Woman. More information about Jeffry Gayman and his work can be found in the following site: https://researchmap.jp/483 ----------------- A SPECIAL offer for you! You will be getting a 50 percent or more discount from a monthly membership fee in 2022 if you sign up for the dojo community today! The Japan Experts dojo community is a place for you to get access to bonus podcast, behind the scene videos, and other additional content, for less than the money you pay for a single cup of coffee! So, save the money today and invest it into your learning! I can promise you that you will gain so much knowledge on how to explore, appreciate and understand Japan and so I look forward to meeting you inside the dojo community! More details are available here: patreon.com/japanexperts ------------------ Love listening to Japan Experts? Follow us on social media!! Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/japanexperts Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/jpexperts Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/japan.experts/ YouTube: bit.ly/JpExperts

Want to learn how to support Indigenous communities? How about the proper pronunciation of "Long Island" at Dartmouth? Join us as we talk with D98's own Dr. Elizabeth Sumida Huaman. This renowned Quechua scholar focuses her efforts on respectful, creative and beautiful educational design as critical intervention. She's been published in more journals and books than we could count, and she's presented at conferences from Albuquerque, New Mexico to Hokkaido University in Sapporo, Japan. Currently, Dr. Huaman is an Associate Professor in the Department of Organizational Leadership, Policy and Development at the University of Minnesota, College of Education and Human Development. If you'd like to learn more about Dr. Huaman's work or just say hi, you can find her here: https://www.sumidahuaman.com/ or here: https://www.cehd.umn.edu/olpd/people/eshuaman/. And a reminder that we're always on the lookout for new guests, so please give a shout if you're interested in appearing on the podcast or if you want to nominate another '98. Reunion is coming in 20 months; these podcasts will give you fodder for discussion on the Green!

The ills of social media are becoming more apparent by the day. Mark Miller, assistant professor at the Center for Human Nature, Artificial Intelligence and Neuroscience at Hokkaido University, looks inside to find another. Mark Miller is a philosopher of cognition. His research explores what recent advances in neuroscience can tell us about human happiness […]

In 2012 my lawyer extraordinaire guest became the youngest female mayor ever in Japan. This is no small feat and even more so in Japan where at the time only 3% of mayors were women. Naomi Koshi shares her tenacity to accomplish goals that improve people's lives. Whether they are the citizens of the city she served as mayor or in the work she now does on Smart Cities as a partner at Miura & Partners. In this episode, we also discuss the timely topic of diversity on corporate boards and how Naomi is now turning her skills to increase female managers in businesses and promote more women to be elected to these boards. A value packed episode as well as a chance to get to know the woman who is a catalyst for making real changes in Japan. If you enjoyed this episode, head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we'd love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you'll hear: What happened when Naomi didn't pass the Japanese Bar exam Her “mic drop” moment that inspired her to run for mayor of Otsu City How she instigated a change that helped women in Otsu City and is an inspiration to other cities in Japan The words that have guided her to her new challenge of supporting more women to be board members of Japanese corporations and become female managers Her favourite author and other fun facts About Naomi Naomi Koshi is a lawyer, an entrepreneur and former two-term mayor of Otsu City, the capital of Japan's Shiga Prefecture. From 2002 to 2011, Naomi practiced corporate law at Nishimura & Asahi in Tokyo and Debevoise & Plimpton in New York. From 2010 to 2011, Naomi was a Visiting Fellow at the Center on Japanese Economy and Business at Columbia Business School in New York, researching comparative corporate governance matters. In 2012, Naomi was elected mayor of Otsu City, a prefectural capital with over 340,000 residents. Naomi won reelection in 2016, serving a total of eight years until her second term ended in 2020. Naomi was the youngest female mayor elected in Japan's history at that time, winning office at a time when only 3% of mayors in Japan were women (another fabulous woman has recently become the youngest female mayor in Japan) . As mayor, Naomi fought to expand opportunities for Japanese women. In light of the homemaker role traditionally thrust upon Japanese mothers, and observed first hand by Naomi in her own family unit, Naomi successfully expanded Otsu's childcare system, thus making it easier for many Japanese women to return to the workforce. Naomi is admitted to practice law in Japan, New York and California and is now a partner at the Tokyo based firm of Miura & Partners. Naomi focuses her legal practice on cross-border M&A and start-ups, including Smart City projects. In 2021, Naomi Co-Founded OnBoard K.K., a company specializing in diversifying Japanese corporate boards. Naomi serves as CEO of the company. Naomi also serves as an outside director of V-Cube, Inc. Naomi was selected as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2015 and was named an OECD Champion Mayor for Inclusive Growth. She holds multiple degrees from Hokkaido University, and an LL.M. from Harvard Law School. Connect with Naomi Miura & Partners https://www.miura-partners.com/en/lawyers/00049/ OnBoard K.K. https://onboardkk.com/en/

Kazuto Suzuki is Vice Dean and Professor of International Politics at Public Policy School of Hokkaido University, Japan. His full profile is available here - https://www.journals.elsevier.com/space-policy/editorial-board/kazuto-suzukiWhite paper on Indian supplier landscape: “Driving innovation in the Indian space sector using digital technologies”Discover how Dassault Systèmes can help New Space companies achieve fast, sustainable innovation: The New Frontier of Satellite Technology 3D Perspective on New Space, new horizonsSupport the NewSpace India podcast by becoming a Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/newspaceindiaWant to keep in touch with the NewSpace India community? Do join us on Discordhttps://discord.gg/WRJ8Yagb8TFor comments/suggestions, write to curator@newspaceindia.com ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Bits - Tuesday, 16 March 2021The Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee in Federal Parliament has recommended Australia's controversial new Online Safety Bill be passed. The committee held a single public hearing and handed down its recommendation after two weeks. 370 public submissions were made regarding the draft legislation, only 135 of which have been made public to date. Opponents, including Google, Twitter and Electronic Frontiers Australia, feel the legislation gives broad discretionary powers to the eSafety Commissioner to demand material be removed from access within Australia.Google has announced an update to the end of its unlimited photo storage offering for Pixel phone owners. An impending change after June 1st this year will see all Google Photos users need to pay for storage beyond a base 15GB limit, with past photos stored within the previous unlimited deals not counting within that limit. An update from the Google Photos team has announced that users still on Pixel 2 through 5 model handsets will continue to be granted unlimited storage. And a reminder to think about your photo and video storage plans if you're not on one of those phones and you use Google Photos.Global chip shortages caused by pandemic delays in global supply chains have reached the auto industry, with General Motors announcing the company will release some of its pick-up trucks without fuel management modules. The decision means less fuel efficiency and more carbon emissions from these 5.3-litre V8 powered vehicles. The company had earlier reduced production of some large vehicle models due to chip availability restraints but is now opting for the unenvironmental approach.As the world ramps up vaccine rollouts, an internal study at Facebook has revealed the company has seen that anti-vaccination posts on the social network that do not break any existing roles may be causing "substantial" harm. The Washington Post reports that a small number of groups is responsible for spreading misinformation that could be increasing vaccine hesitancy. The Post also says that the research found connections to the deeply debunked QAnon conspiracy. Facebook is now linking all posts related to COVID-19 to authoritative information sources.Audio social platform Clubhouse has said it will no longer require access to a user's phone contacts in order to join the network. To date, if a user has wants to invite friends to the service they must share their entire contact list with the service. The change will allow people to directly invite specific friends by inputting their phone number. Clubhouse will also soon add a feature to let a user delete their contacts from Clubhouse's records.In space news, Reuters reports the Japanese space agency JAXA is currently holding a set of micro-satellites built in cooperation with Myanmar on board the International Space Station. The $15M 50-kilogram camera-satellites were jointly designed by Japan's Hokkaido University and Myanmar Aerospace Engineering University to monitor agriculture and fisheries, but Japan is now delaying deployment while it considers concerns over potential appropriation by military forces since the coup in Myanmar at the beginning of February. Should the launch go ahead, an official from Hokkaido University told Reuters the university would control all data collected with no independent access for Myanmar authorities.A team from the University of Arizona has proposed a Lunar Ark to protect the genetic material of all 6.7 million known plants, animals and fungi. The plan would send cryogenically preserved materials to be stored in a special gene bank on the moon and stored in the lava-formed tunnel structures that already exist there. The proposal includes plans for how the gene bank would be built and the requirement of over 250 rocket launches to transport everything... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Land borders in East Asia have played just as big a role in the region's social transformations as their more recently debated maritime counterparts, and the boundary between China and Korea offers particularly telling insight into how society, identity and geopolitics have shifted over time. Nianshen Song's Making Borders in Modern East Asia: The Tumen River Demarcation, 1881-1919 (Cambridge University Press, 2018) examines a tumultuous period in the history of this vital northeast Asian border, showing how it took shape before and during the era of Japanese empire. Drawing on a vast trove of multilingual archives in China, Japan, Korea and elsewhere, the book both transports us into the local worlds which overlapped along the Tumen a century ago, and reveals how interactions among them were central to wider questions of sovereignty, borders, memory and ‘modern' senses of Chinese, Korean and Japanese nationhood which endure to the present day. Ed Pulford is a postdoctoral researcher at the Slavic-Eurasian Research Center, Hokkaido University. His research focuses on friendships and histories between the Chinese, Korean and Russian worlds, and northeast Asian indigenous groups. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Land borders in East Asia have played just as big a role in the region's social transformations as their more recently debated maritime counterparts, and the boundary between China and Korea offers particularly telling insight into how society, identity and geopolitics have shifted over time. Nianshen Song's Making Borders in Modern East Asia: The Tumen River Demarcation, 1881-1919 (Cambridge University Press, 2018) examines a tumultuous period in the history of this vital northeast Asian border, showing how it took shape before and during the era of Japanese empire. Drawing on a vast trove of multilingual archives in China, Japan, Korea and elsewhere, the book both transports us into the local worlds which overlapped along the Tumen a century ago, and reveals how interactions among them were central to wider questions of sovereignty, borders, memory and ‘modern' senses of Chinese, Korean and Japanese nationhood which endure to the present day. Ed Pulford is a postdoctoral researcher at the Slavic-Eurasian Research Center, Hokkaido University. His research focuses on friendships and histories between the Chinese, Korean and Russian worlds, and northeast Asian indigenous groups.

Discussions of China's 21st-century ‘rise' often focus on the country's dazzling megacities and the dizzying pace of urbanization which has propelled their development over the past 30 years. But how and why all these cities have grown in the ways and the places that they have is not always an easy question to answer in a place as large and diverse as China. This is why Kyle Jaros' China's Urban Champions: The Politics of Spatial Development (Princeton University Press, 2019), a book which examines the urban developmental trajectories of several lesser- and better-known parts of China, is so valuable. Focusing on the how competing local claims, national priorities and economic conditions shape urbanization processes across the country, Jaros argues that provincial-level planning offers the key to understanding how preferred sites for development – ‘winners in space' as he calls them – emerge. From provinces which focus all their energy in a single provincial capital to those whose efforts appear more evenly spread, we get a rich sense here of how megacities and urban clusters take shape and of the often-opaque operations of the Communist Party on multiple levels. Ed Pulford is a postdoctoral researcher at the Slavic-Eurasian Research Center, Hokkaido University. His research focuses on friendships and histories between the Chinese, Korean and Russian worlds, and northeast Asian indigenous groups. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With China's northwestern and southern edges justifiably being sources of global attention at present, Martin Fromm's Borderland Memories: Searching for Historical Identity in Post-Mao China (Cambridge University Press, 2019) has much light to shed on how the country's ruling Communist Party refashioned its relationship with its frontiers at an earlier point in history. Examining a trove of documents produced mostly in the 1980s in the country's far northeastern Heilongjiang province, Fromm reveals the processes, policies and personal stories undergirding the new understandings of China which emerged after the death of Mao Zedong. As the nation emerged from the catastrophic policy failures and ideological excesses of the Mao years, the Party deftly encouraged ordinary people to narrate their experiences of the tumultuous recent history of the region in new ways and according to new historical frames. Their stories, collected in documents known as wenshi ziliao, reappraised the Russian and Japanese roles in the northeast's past, its indigenous residents and the history of Han migration in ways which, in Fromm's telling, are highly revealing of the narratives by which the Party sought to maintain its role as a governing power. If Hong Kong and Xinjiang today show that the Reform era, whose dawn this book expertly documents, is now transitioning to something else, then the understanding we gain from this book of how the Chinese Communist Party acted an earlier time of crisis could not be more pertinent. Ed Pulford is a postdoctoral researcher at the Slavic-Eurasian Research Center, Hokkaido University. His research focuses on friendships and histories between the Chinese, Korean and Russian worlds, and northeast Asian indigenous groups.

If today's geopolitical fragmentation and the complexities of a ‘multipolar' world order have led some to reminisce about the apparent stability of the Cold War era's two ‘camps', it should be remembered that things were of course never so straightforward. As Jeremy Friedman shows in Shadow Cold War: The Sino-Soviet Competition for the Third World, the 1960s-1980s Sino-Soviet Split(UNC Press, 2018) generated a much more fractious and divided global situation than today's nostalgia would imply. Taking ideology seriously as a component of socialist foreign policy, Friedman's new and compelling analysis shows how deep Moscow and Beijing's disagreements ran, and argues that the division was based at heart on two quite different revolutionary agendas. Drawing on archives all over the world in multiple languages, Shadow Cold War traces the origins of these agendas in revolutionary experience in each of Russia and China, and reveals how these continued to manifest themselves as Soviet and Chinese interests competed in the developing world in the latter half of the twentieth century. With China in particular now a major player in many of the locations discussed here, this book should be indispensable reading for anyone seeking clarity about how we got to where we are today. Ed Pulford is a postdoctoral researcher at the Slavic-Eurasian Research Center, Hokkaido University. His research focuses on friendships and histories between the Chinese, Korean and Russian worlds, and northeast Asian indigenous groups. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If today's geopolitical fragmentation and the complexities of a ‘multipolar' world order have led some to reminisce about the apparent stability of the Cold War era's two ‘camps', it should be remembered that things were of course never so straightforward. As Jeremy Friedman shows in Shadow Cold War: The Sino-Soviet Competition for the Third World, the 1960s-1980s Sino-Soviet Split(UNC Press, 2018) generated a much more fractious and divided global situation than today's nostalgia would imply. Taking ideology seriously as a component of socialist foreign policy, Friedman's new and compelling analysis shows how deep Moscow and Beijing's disagreements ran, and argues that the division was based at heart on two quite different revolutionary agendas. Drawing on archives all over the world in multiple languages, Shadow Cold War traces the origins of these agendas in revolutionary experience in each of Russia and China, and reveals how these continued to manifest themselves as Soviet and Chinese interests competed in the developing world in the latter half of the twentieth century. With China in particular now a major player in many of the locations discussed here, this book should be indispensable reading for anyone seeking clarity about how we got to where we are today. Ed Pulford is a postdoctoral researcher at the Slavic-Eurasian Research Center, Hokkaido University. His research focuses on friendships and histories between the Chinese, Korean and Russian worlds, and northeast Asian indigenous groups.

The fact that Korea's experience of Japanese imperialism plays a role in present-day Japan-Korea relations is no secret to anyone. Questions of guilt, responsibility and atonement continue to bubble below, and occasionally break through, the surface of ties between two countries which otherwise have much in common culturally and in terms of interests. Addressing many of these complexities, Christina Yi's Colonizing Language: Cultural Production and Language Politics in Modern Japan and Korea (Columbia University Press, 2018) adds greatly to our understanding of imperial experience and its personal, linguistic and political legacies. In this ‘discursive history of modern Japanese-language literature from Korea and Japan' (xvi), Yi forges a narrative which is itself expressive of colonialism's tangled and irresolvable traces. Led nimbly back and forth between the Japanese metropole and the colonies and postcolonies, we enter deep into the worlds of writers considered both 'Korean' and 'Japanese' based in both past and present incarnations of 'Korea' and 'Japan.' If it is difficult to pin any single identity - other than shared use of Japanese language - on these figures and their works, then this very fact is an invitation to broaden our understanding of Japanophone literature beyond today's troublesome nation states. As Yi makes poignantly clear, issues of identity and voice are still shaped by imperial experience even long after the formal end of empire in 1945. Ed Pulford is a postdoctoral researcher at the Slavic-Eurasian Research Center, Hokkaido University. His research focuses on friendships and histories between the Chinese, Korean and Russian worlds, and northeast Asian indigenous groups.