Jōki kikai sho (A Manual of the Steam Engine, 1869) was one of the first comprehensive textbooks for a first generation of Japanese marine engineers, and in it many new technical terms appear in print for the first time. In this talk, I examine the logic behind the creation of this new technical lexicon, asking how language was mobilized as a technology for shaping a new professional identity.

From the beginning of the Allied Occupation of Japan (1945-1952), the General Headquarters of the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers (SCAP GHQ) identified the cinema as a means to reshape popular attitudes, re-educating Japanese citizens away from the nationalist ideologies that had characterized wartime.

Drawing on recent research on affect and emotion, the book focuses on entanglements of various kinds, exploring ways in which we are embedded in intersubjective networks of relational forces beyond our control. After introducing the overall theoretical framework, I will discuss the last chapter on Ishimure Michiko’s The Sea of Sorrow trilogy to tie together different strands of ethical concerns informing the book, from queer ethics, ecocriticism to Buddhist compassion.

Nicole Vivien Watson has over fifteen years of experience working in the arts and holds the position of Executive Director and Founder of Surface Area Dance Theatre – which she established as a Community Interest Company in 2007; under Nicole’s Direction, Surface Area Dance Theatre has joined Arts Council England’s 2023-26 National Portfolio.

Japan's notorious crime syndicates, the yakuza, have been historically entrenched as extra-legal governors with significant control over areas and markets, but now confront a challenging era. Stringent anti-yakuza regulations, evolving market landscapes, and changing public attitudes have collectively precipitated a decline in their membership base and influence. Amidst these shifts, emergent actors like the 'hangure' and new practices such as 'yamibaito' are allegedly gaining prominence, as highlighted by media and law enforcement narratives.

The world is in crisis. The Russian invasion of Ukraine in early 2022 has signified a military challenge of a resurgent Russia to the existing international order in the 21st century. The conflict between Israel and Hamas, which began in October 2023, has further jeopardized international peace and stability in the international order. However, in the eyes of US policymakers, China was still seen as 'America’s most consequential geopolitical challenge' in the 21st century. Strategic competition between the United States and China has intensified since the COVID-19 pandemic.