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<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Thanks for bringing this up on the KS list Aidan.
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>As a student at SOAS perhaps I have slightly more freedom
to talk about this than staff, although I can't offer too much more in the way
of up-to-date information. I can say though, without reservation that everyone
at SOAS apart from the management of the School and the library are appalled by
this on many different levels. Both the treatment of the staff in question and
the way this has been carried out have been very bad, not to mention the
consequences for the future of Korean, Japanese and Chinese studies at SOAS and
in the UK in general.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Protests so far have included the resignations of some 20
staff from their non-teaching positions, and a petition, which I believe
included all or almost all research students in East Asia. From outside the
School there have been numerous letters from academics and even diplomats I
believe, but it seems that the School administration is refusing to listen to
anyone and does not intend to back down.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>There are, as I understand it, other possible forms of
pressure in the offing. </FONT><FONT face=Arial>And a campaign website
doesn't sound like a bad idea - I might suggest that to people
concerned.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Anyway, all is not lost just yet and the management
certainly seem to be worried by the reaction. As you said...</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>T'ujaengUn kyesok twenda.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Owen Miller</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>SOAS PhD candidate, Korean History</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A href="mailto:Afostercarter@aol.com"
title=Afostercarter@aol.com>Afostercarter@aol.com</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A
href="mailto:Koreanstudies@koreaweb.ws"
title=Koreanstudies@koreaweb.ws>Koreanstudies@koreaweb.ws</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Monday, October 03, 2005 3:38
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [KS] Alert! SOAS is sacking its
specialist Korean/Japanese/Chineselibrarians</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV><FONT face=arial,helvetica><FONT face="Times New Roman" lang=0
size=3 style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" BACK="#ffffff" PTSIZE="12"
FAMILY="SERIF">Dear colleagues,<BR><BR>A sad and sordid thing is happening at
the School of Oriental and African Studies<BR>(SOAS), which prides itself as
the UK's premier institution in this field.<BR><BR>In a nutshell, SOAS has
summarily sacked its specialist librarians for Korean, <BR>Japanese and
Chinese. It intends to replace them with less qualified staff.<BR>All this
appears to have been done in a most underhand fashion.<BR><BR>I'm surprised
that this scandal has not been more widely publicized.<BR>As far as I know, no
one has previously posted to this List about it.<BR><BR>Nor do I know of a
single full up-to-date narrative, which would be useful<BR>- a campaign
website, perhaps? Despite the ongoing protests, I detect<BR>some reticence.
(It is even suggested that SOAS emails may be monitored!)<BR><BR>The short
items from the <I>Times Higher Education Supplement</I> etc, below,<BR>give
some idea of the issues. Frank Shulman kindly forwarded much
<BR>correspondence to the BAKS list, which those who have access to
that<BR>can read. I append some of it herewith<BR><BR>Anyone who wishes to
comment might care to contact either or both of:<BR>* the Director of SOAS,
Professor Colin Bundy (cb3@soas.ac.uk)<BR>* the Librarian, Anne Poulson
(ap45@soas.ac.uk).<BR><BR>The latest position as of today (Monday October 3)
follows immediately.<BR>As we used to say, <I>a luta
continua</I>.<BR><BR>Aidan FC<BR><BR></FONT><FONT color=#000000
face="Times New Roman" lang=0 size=2 style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff"
BACK="#ffffff" PTSIZE="10" FAMILY="SERIF">AIDAN FOSTER-CARTER<BR>Honorary
Senior Research Fellow in Sociology & Modern Korea, Leeds University
<BR>Home address: 17 Birklands Road, Shipley, West Yorkshire, BD18 3BY, UK
<BR>tel: +44(0) 1274
588586 (alt) +44(0) 1264
737634 mobile:
+44(0) 7970 741307 <BR>fax: +44(0) 1274
773663 ISDN:
+44(0) 1274 589280<BR>Email:
afostercarter@aol.com (alt)
afostercarter@yahoo.com website:
www.aidanfc.net<BR>[Please use @aol; but if any problems, please try @yahoo
too - and let me know, so I can chide
AOL]</FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></BODY></HTML>