New Books in East Asian Studies

This podcast explores the growing interest in saunas in Japan, influenced by Finland's sauna culture. It discusses the popularity of moveable saunas, integrating saunas into hot spring facilities, and social distinctions among sauna enthusiasts. It also addresses concerns about allowing children in saunas and explores COVID-19 measures in Japanese saunas.

Kimberley Ens Manning, author of 'The Party Family: Revolutionary Attachments and the Gendered Origins of State Power in China', explores the crucial role of family ties and women in the formation and consolidation of the state in revolutionary China. She uncovers how family and ideology intertwined to create an important building block of state capacity and governance. The podcast delves into various topics such as women's leadership, activism in education and public health, land reform, gender dynamics during the Great Leap Forward, and the implications of China's Marriage Law. Kimberley Ens Manning also discusses her ongoing projects on the one-child policy and advocacy for transgender children.

The podcast explores the complex reality of journalism in China, challenging the assumption that it is all propaganda. It delves into the diversity within the industry, highlighting the existence of investigative journalists and internal critics. The concept of 'post-truth' and its impact on the Chinese news sector is examined, as journalists struggle with changing business models. The chapter also discusses the tightening conditions faced by news makers in China and the shift towards new communication platforms.

Kai Jun Chen, author of Porcelain for the Emperor, discusses court-sponsored porcelain production in Qing China, exploring topics such as technological specialization, managerial expertise, and the imposition of imperial order. The podcast also delves into the role of technocrats, the significance of porcelain objects, and the intersection of technocrats and cultural literacy in Qing China.

Kin Cheung, a scholar of contemporary Buddhism at Moravian University, discusses his research on a Chinese-American community healer who reveals the limitations of current academic approaches to Buddhism. They explore code-switching as a feature of life for Asian Americans and Kin's father conducts a blessing ritual. They also highlight the need for representation of Asian American Buddhists and discuss the unexpected animal presence during a ritual.

Lucia Liu, expert on the effects of economic reforms and changes in the management of death in China, discusses the impact of funeral industry reforms on reshaping citizens. The podcast explores the resilience of traditional social conventions in end-of-life commemoration and challenges the assumption of a shift towards individualism. Other topics include the rise of personalized funerals, the role of religion, and the nationalization of funeral institutions.

Jieh-min Wu, author of Rival Partners, discusses the extensive Taiwanese investment in China despite political differences. He explores the impact of Taiwan's contribution to China's rise and the cooperative efforts between Taiwanese entrepreneurs and Guangdong officials. The podcast covers topics ranging from the Guangdong model to the challenges faced by Taiwanese businesspeople in China during the global financial crisis. Wu also delves into China's rent-seeking development model and its goals in chip-making, as well as the efforts of Western countries to contain China's high-tech development.

Chinese was the earliest truly global cuisine. When the first Chinese labourers began to sojourn and settle abroad, restaurants appeared in their wake. Yet Chinese food has the curious distinction of being both one of the world's best-loved culinary traditions and one of the least understood. For more than a century, the overwhelming dominance of a simplified form of Cantonese cooking ensured that few foreigners experienced anything of its richness and sophistication - but today that is beginning to change.In Invitation to a Banquet: The Story of Chinese Food (Norton, 2023), the James Beard Award-winning cook and writer Fuchsia Dunlop explores the history, philosophy and techniques of China's rich and ancient culinary culture. Each chapter examines a classic dish, from mapo tofu to Dongpo pork, knife-scraped noodles to braised pomelo pith, to reveal a singular aspect of Chinese gastronomy, whether it's the importance of the soybean, the lure of exotic ingredients or the history of Buddhist vegetarian cuisine. Meeting local food producers, chefs, gourmets and home cooks as she tastes her way across the country, Fuchsia invites readers to join her on an unforgettable journey into Chinese food as it is made, cooked, eaten and considered in its homeland.Weaving together historical scholarship, mouth-watering descriptions of food and on-the-ground research conducted over the course of three decades, Invitation to a Banquet is a lively, landmark tribute to the pleasures and mysteries of Chinese cuisine.This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose forthcoming book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/east-asian-studies

David Veevers explores the reality of British misadventures in the early days of the Empire, highlighting the power and resistance of Indigenous and non-European people. It discusses challenges in the Mediterranean and Asia, the decline of the Mughal Empire, and the impact of the American Empire in Hawaii.

Hansen and Gygi discuss 'The Work of Gender: Service, Performance and Fantasy in Contemporary Japan', examining affective labor and gender performance. They explore creating the book's framework, intimacy and authenticity in Japan, gender dynamics in street music performances, and the challenges of ethnographic research in the performance scene.