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Dear webmaster:<br>
I am Chair of the CKS-AAS and I'd like to post the following message for
CKS members and Koreanists in general.<br>
Can you kindly post it as soon as possible?<br><br>
Thank you,<br>
SSM<br>
__________________________________________________________<br><br>
<b><u>Notes from the Chair of the Committee on Korean Studies</b> <br>
</u>Seungsook Moon<br>
Associate Professor of Sociology & Director of Asian Studies Program,
<br>
Vassar College<br><br>
As a new chair of the CKS-AAS (April 2008 - March 2010), I would like to
convey a concise report about the status of the CKS and its renewed
activities. First, the CKS is currently in a better position to
strengthen its function as an independent organization that promotes
various interests of its diverse members. For the past decade, one of
major activities of the CKS Executive Board was the administration of
graduate students fellowships funded by the Korea Foundation but this
function moved to a new organization that the foundation created last
academic year (2007-2008). This change created an impetus for the CKS
board to focus on direct communication with its members to learn more
about your professional needs and interests and provide you with useful
resources. Therefore, I would urge you, individual members, to convey
your ideas to the CKS Executive Board members. Our names (terms of
service) and e-mail addresses are: Seungsook Moon (2007-2010;
<a href="mailto:semoon@vassar.edu">semoon@vassar.edu</a>), Theodore
Hughes (2006-2009;
<a href="mailto:th2150@columbia.edu">th2150@columbia.edu</a>), Sun Joo
Kim (2006-2009;
<a href="mailto:sjkim@fas.harvard.edu">sjkim@fas.harvard.edu</a>), <br>
Janet Poole (2007-2010;
<a href="mailto:janet.poole@utoronto.ca">janet.poole@utoronto.ca</a>),
and Jun Yoo (2006-2009;
<a href="mailto:yoojun@hawaii.edu">yoojun@hawaii.edu</a>). The two new
members elected last fall are Donald N. Clark (2008-2011;
<a href="mailto:dclark@trinity.edu">dclark@trinity.edu</a>) and Michael
Pettid (2008-2011;
<a href="mailto:mpettid@binghamton.edu">mpettid@binghamton.edu</a>
). <br><br>
Second, there are several projects that the CKS has been involved: 1)
Co-sponsoring the creation of James Palais Book Prize, of which fund
raising is currently on the way. As of December 31, 2008, $12,325 was
raised and an additional $ 7,000 was pledged. The Palais Prize Committee
is actively pursuing the goal of $ 20,000 prior to the 2009 AAS meeting
to secure the matching grant from the Korea Foundation. We thank you for
your generous contributions. 2) Efforts to reestablish the Korean
Studies Distinguished Lecturer Series and reorganize its administration
for the effective use of resources. I was informed that when the
Northeast Asia Council (NEAC) submitted the Korea Foundation 13 Grant
(which covers three years from October 1, 2008 to September 30, 2011) in
the fall of 2007, this category was temporarily eliminated because of its
underuse during the preceding years. During the General Meeting of the
CKS (open to all members) held in 2008 AAS meeting in Atlanta, a majority
of members who came to the meeting appeared to support the revival of the
series. The Executive Board agreed to reinstitute the lecture program and
has been discussing the best ways to use it to promote Korean Studies in
the United States. Robert Snow, Development Officer of the AAS, and I
have been working to persuade the Korea Foundation for funding. I will
follow up on this in the next round of communication with you. 3)
Organizing a professional workshop or a roundtable session to mentor
junior faculty and graduate students during the annual AAS meeting (see
the list of 2009 AAS panels). 4) Initiating the establishment of the
Korean Studies Dissertation Workshop administered by the Social Science
Research Council with the support from the Korea Foundation. 5)
Facilitating the <i>Hanmun</i> Workshop to be held in the Academy of
Korean Studies (AKS) in S ngnam City, South Korea, in June-July of 2009.
This workshop is designed to support advanced graduate students and
junior scholars in Korean Studies. The preparation for the workshop has
been well underway and we would like to thank the AKS for its
enthusiastic support.<br><br>
Third, I as the CKS chair continue to collaborate closely with the NEAC
and have been involved in administering four categories of Korean Studies
grants: 1) Research Travel Grants to Korea and North America, 2) Grants
for organizing workshops and conferences, 3) Grants for enhancing Korean
Studies teaching, and 4) Travel Grants to support graduate students’
participation in the AAS. I urge you, CKS members, to submit strong
proposals especially for the Research Travel Grants. There have been far
more applications for spring than fall. So please plan ahead and submit
your proposals in the fall cycle.<br><br>
Fourth, in the fall 2008 election of the NEAC officers, two Koreanists
were elected (Namhee Lee, UCLA and Clark Sorensen, University of
Washington, Seattle). Along with the current members (Hyaeweol Choi,
Arizona State University and Edward Shultz, University of Hawaii), they
will make four Koreanists represented in the NEAC. This is good news
because Koreanists have reached parity with Japanologists in terms of
representation in the NEAC. I hope that this continues to be the case.
This election result would not have been possible without active
participation from you, CKS members. So I urge you to continue your
active participation in AAS elections in the future. <br><br>
I hope to meet you at the General Meeting of the CKS in Chicago during
2009 AAS conference. This meeting will be held from <b>9:00 pm to 11:00
pm</b> in Mississippi Room in Sheraton Hotel on <b>Friday, March
27<sup>th</sup></b>. Please mark your calendar if you attend the annual
meeting. <br><br>
Thank you and best wishes.<br><br>
<br>
<x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep>
Seungsook Moon<br>
Director of Asian Studies;<br>
Associate Professor<br>
Department of Sociology<br>
Vassar College, Box # 507<br>
124 Raymond Ave.<br>
Poughkeepsie, NY 12604<br>
Tel: 845-437-7167(AS); X-7662(Soc)<br>
Fax:845-437-7204(AS); X-7677(Soc)<br>
<a href="http://faculty.vassar.edu/semoon/professional/vitae.html" eudora="autourl">
http://faculty.vassar.edu/semoon/professional/vitae.html<br>
</a>
<a href="http://www.dukeupress.edu/books.php3?isbn=3616-2" eudora="autourl">
http://www.dukeupress.edu/books.php3?isbn=3616-2<br>
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