The Department of East Asian Studies’s latest graduate student symposium, Time, Turn and Terminology, kicks off celebrations for Asian Heritage Month, observed in May.
Taking place on Saturday, April 26, the symposium will explore shifting temporalities in East Asian cultural and intellectual contexts, from queer time and mythological timescapes to colonial modernities and postwar memory.
Speakers’ topics include ancient Buddhist temples and East Asian science fiction.
“The majority of topics centre around Asia,” said lead organizer Emma Jiarong Wang, a doctoral student who is President of the McGill Graduate Students’ Society for East Asian Studies. “But Asia is not just a political or geographical entity. It’s also a way to see things differently.”
Building community among scholars is also a key objective.
“This symposium seeks to initiate a new era of interdisciplinary collaboration by providing graduate students in the humanities with a platform for dialogue, innovation and scholarly exchange,” Wang said. “Without a shared academic community, it is difficult for graduate students to engage with current academic trends and broaden their research perspectives.”
Honouring diverse experiences
Organized entirely by the executive committee of the McGill Graduate Students’ Society for East Asian Studies, the event is supported by the Department of East Asian Studies, the Dean of Arts Development Fund and the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice-President, notably the Equity Team.
“The celebration of Asian Heritage Month is an important opportunity for us to honour and recognize the diverse experiences, achievements and contributions of Asian communities at and beyond McGill,” said Tynan Jarrett, Director, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.
“In addition to celebrating, our commitments to advancing equity, diversity and inclusion must include addressing anti-Asian racism and ensuring that our University is one where all community members feel a sense of belonging.”
That emphasis on belonging is echoed by the symposium’s organizers, who welcome students from all faculties to attend.
“This event is entirely organized by graduate students, for graduate students,” said Wang. “It’s a place we can communicate freely.”