Raymond Yamamoto and Jacob Hedegaard from our Japan Studies program attended the International Studies Association 2024 Annual Convention in San Francisco in early April, where they presented the preliminary results of their research in connection with the project “Coercive and Emotional Diplomacy in East Asia: Japanese Responses” together with fellow project participants Giulio Pugliese (Oxford University) and Carmina Yu Untalan (Leiden University).

Presenting our research at one of the world’s biggest conventions for international relations scholars was a fantastic opportunity not only to promote the research being done here at the department, but also to receive invaluable feedback from fellow researchers, including Simon Koschut (Zeppelin University), one of the foremost experts on emotions in international relations, who had graciously agreed to serve as discussant.

We would like to thank Simon as well as Kristin Haugevik (Norwegian Institute of International Affairs), who chaired the discussions.

Learn more about the project in the ‘Ongoing Research’ section of our Homepage at http://globalstudies.dk/emotional-diplomacy-east-asia/

Just before the Easter Break, our second-semester students from the Japan Studies program had a somewhat unorthodox oral exam. In what has become an annual tradition, the students performed roleplays that they had written themselves.

There were four groups in total, with genres ranging from horror to fairy tale and topics such as online dating and the Japanese tradition of Setsubun, where people chase away demons by throwing beans at them. The audience of Japan Studies teachers and students, as well as Japanese exchange students, were thoroughly entertained and impressed with the performances.

Thank you to the students for their hard work and great performances! 

The project “Coercive and Emotional Diplomacy in East Asia: Japanese Responses” held its second workshop online on Friday, the 19th.

The workshop was dedicated to discussing what has been written so far through constructive feedback and comments, as well as further reflecting on how the projects will fit together for our special issue.

Thank you to all of the participants for many great discussions! Take a look at the project on our Homepage at http://globalstudies.dk/emotional-diplomacy-east-asia/.

On November 22nd, the third semester Japanese Studies students hosted a wonderful cooking event for the purpose of social and cultural exchange. The students invited current exchange students from Japan, as well as their professors and assistant teachers. 

The participants formed groups to try their hand at making delicious dishes, both from Japan and Denmark, which they then got to eat. After dinner, everyone participated in exciting party games and activities.  

Thank you to the Japanese Studies students for organizing and hosting such a great event!