2017 Media Announcements
Date Title Outlet Notes 12/28/17 John Green’s Anxieties: On “Turtles All the Way Down” Los Angeles Review of Books Jonathan Alexander, English professor at UC Irvine, writes, “[John] Green has justly made a name for himself with poignant tales of adolescents worrying over their place in the world. His prose is clean, and his characters are often compelling.” 12/21/17 Christmas for Xi Dissent David Bandurski and Jeffrey Wasserstrom, Chancellor’s Professor of History at UC Irvine, write, “Christmas came early this year for Xi Jinping, the Chinese leader who, domestically at least, seems to have it all. He already had a compliant press, an adoring population, and a long list of titles—including head of the Chinese Communist Party and President of the PRC—when the Leninist organization he leads gave him a new gift in October by slipping a shiny phrase, “Xi Jinping Thought,” into the latest revision of the country’s constitution.” 12/21/17 The Fascinating History Behind Why Jewish Families Eat Chinese Food on Christmas Mental Floss According to Yong Chen, a history professor at the University of California-Irvine and author of Chop Suey, USA: The Story of Chinese Food in America, "[Diners] were attracted to Chinese food because, in their mind, it represented American cosmopolitanism and middle class status." 12/20/17 Net neutrality vote will require users to 'pay to play' Daily Pilot Peter Krapp, professor and chair of film and media studies at UC Irvine, writes: “Competition will not fix this, since most Americans face local broadband monopolies. The claim that deregulation will spur infrastructure investment rings hollow — it is hardly a proven correlation ... The only incentive is for corporations to raise tolls. The losers in this decision are we, the people.” 12/20/17 Report: Challenges Persist for Latino Students Diverse Education Just 30 miles south of Whittier at the University of California, Irvine, the disparity in graduation rates between White and Latino students is at three percent. That said, according to new admissions data, it is the first choice for Latino students out of all of the University of California campuses. “I think there’s a difference between a Latino-enrolling campus and a Latino-thriving campus,” said Dr. Douglas Haynes, UCI vice provost of academic equity, diversity and inclusion and professor of history. “The difference is intentionality.” 12/11/2017 Other People’s Children, Part 3, or Ghost Touches: Myriam Gurba’s “Mean” and Sexual Violence Los Angeles Review of Books Jonathan Alexander, Chancellor’s Professor of English at UC Irvine writes, “Myriam Gurba’s Mean opens with the brutal rape and murder of a young homeless Mexican woman named Sophia. … Gurba disturbs us with a deadly violent sexual assault on another woman. And yet this opening might be the most appropriate choice Gurba could have made. For while she quickly moves to relating her own tales of sexual abuse and exploration, she never lets us forget that an embodied life is always full of the impress, imprint, and pressure of other bodies.” 12/08/17 The Adult Bodies Playing Teens on TV Slate When a 12-year-old Brooke Shields played a sex-trafficked child in 1978s Pretty Baby, child welfare organizations “threatened to take the child actress out of her mother’s custody,” writes Kristen Hatch, a University of California, Irvine, film and media studies professor, in her essay “Fille Fatale: Regulating Images of Adolescent Girls, 1962-1996.” It would make sense, then, for producers to cast adults in productions that depict young teens engaging in sexual activity, rather than navigate the complex moral and PR dilemmas that arise around child performers. 12/08/2017 Doom Season in Los Angeles The New York Times Hector Tobar, associate professor of Chicano/Latino studies & English, writes: “Before the fires came, our skin turned dry and the winds cleared the smog from the air. November passed with barely any rain, and on Thanksgiving the high was 92 degrees. We Angelenos had been blessed with a beautiful autumn. But all the while, we felt a sense of doom.” 12/08/2017 ‘Freedom Writers’ teacher urges Back Bay High students to ‘never suffer in silence’ Daily Pilot The UC Irvine English alumna, Erin Gruwell shared how she initially envisioned becoming a lawyer before she landed her first job as a teacher at Wilson High School in Long Beach in 1994. She later turned the experience into a book, which was adapted into the movie “Freedom Writers” in 2007. She also founded the Freedom Writers Foundation in 1997 to inspire students to use writing to communicate instead of violence. 12/02/17 The great interpreter Business Standard Ahead of China’s widely scrutinized reshuffle of its senior leadership last month, Jeffrey Wasserstrom was asked by CNN to name the five most powerful people in China ... [w]ith his characteristic directness, Wasserstrom, a professor of history at the University of California, Irvine and the author of eminently readable books on modern China, declined to play along, telling CNN that the five people to watch were “Xi, Xi, Xi, Xi and Xi.” 12/01/17 Joseph White, pioneering black psychologist who mentored students at UC Irvine, dies at 84 Los Angeles Times A pioneer in the field of black psychology and an influential figure to countless students at UC Irvine Joseph L. White was 84 and planning for the future. The article discusses his tenure as director of the UCI Program in African American Studies (now a full-fledged department). 11/30/2017 Knight The Los Angeles Review of Books Catherine Liu, Film and Media Studies professor at UC Irvine, writes, “Knight’s fall from art world grace has shaken me to the core: I am a slightly different person today than I was on October 24, 2017, the day before the first stories about the suit filed against him appeared in the news.” 11/29/2017 UC Irvine student spearheads first student-funded scholarship for refugees and asylum seekers Daily Pilot An encounter with Syrian refugees during a family trip to Turkey in 2014 inspired a UC Irvine senior to create the University of California’s first student-funded scholarship program for refugees and asylum seekers. Iman Siddiqi, 20, raised a little over $93,000 for the program this month during a banquet at UCI. 11/29/2017 Little Saigon’s restaurant scene is revived with second-generation Vietnamese Americans mixing it up Daily Pilot “It’s not just an ethnic enclave for Vietnamese refugees who couldn’t speak English very well,” said Linda Trinh Vo, professor of Asian American Studies at UC Irvine. “It’s becoming a place that’s attracting new clients, new businesses, the younger generation, non-Vietnamese and foodies. It’s becoming known as a place for food innovation.” 11/28/2017 It’s Never Too Early to Learn to Think The Chronicle of Higher Education Today Marcello Fiocco is an associate professor of philosophy at the University of California at Irvine, where he tries to create such revelatory moments in his own classrooms. But he’s not just doing it for college students. He’s going into local elementary schools — and taking graduate students with him. Fiocco’s project is called TH!NK. 11/22/17 Professor Aaron James Lives a Life Dedicated to the Pursuit of Knowledge and Epic Surf The Inertia Being a bit of a philosophy nerd myself, to sit down with James at UC Irvine – where he currently teaches in the philosophy department – to unpack the dense philosophical principles he outlines in his newest book, Surfing with Sartre, was a treat. It’s a text that pits the surfer’s intrinsic philosophical understanding of the world around him or her against the theses of various continental philosophers about existence, work, beauty, etc. 11/21/2017 Are Asian-American churches in Orange County slowly shifting their stance on LGBTQ relationships? Orange County Register Theologically, many Asian-American churches, especially Korean and Chinese American, align with an evangelical understanding of the scripture. Those churches often refrain from discussing LGBTQ identity, said the Rev. James Kyung-Jin Lee, an associate professor of Asian-American studies at UC Irvine and an assisting priest at The Church of the Messiah in Santa Ana, an LGBTQ-welcoming multicultural church. 11/21/2017 The Contradictions of Joseph Conrad The New York Times Ngugi wa Thiong’o, English professor at UC Irvine, writes, “I turned my back on reading Joseph Conrad in 1967. This was also the year that I published “A Grain of Wheat,” my third novel, which I wrote soon after reading Conrad’s “Under Western Eyes.” I could not put words to what repelled me, because, despite the unease, his influence on my work was unmistakable, and long lasting. …The difference in style was a result of my encounter with Conrad.” 11/14/2017 What Happened to Trump's Trade War With China? The Real News Jeffrey Wasserstrom, who has been traveling to and writing about China for thirty years, is Chancellor's Professor of History at UC Irvine. Despite all his posturing, President Donald Trump's maiden trip to China was mostly just symbolic, says author and scholar Jeffrey Wasserstrom. 11/10/2017 UCI computer game explores culture of 18th-century Ghana Daily Pilot Patricia Seed, professor of history, discusses her collaboration with two other UCI colleagues to create "Sankofa," a computer game that explores the culture of 18th-century Ghana 11/10/2017 The Winners and Losers of Trump’s Asia Trip, So Far New York Magazine “China wants good photo ops to show the domestic audience that Xi is equal to Trump, and China is almost guaranteed to get that,” Jeff Wasserstrom, a professor of modern Chinese history at the University of California, Irvine, told The Guardian. 11/10/2017 Travel ban affects UC Irvine conference KPCC Deanna Kashani, Ph.D. student in visual studies, and Touraj Daryaee, director of the UCI Jordan Center for Persian Studies and Culture, speak about how the administration's travel ban affects intellectual dialogue and engagement across borders. 11/10/2017 The Winners and Losers of Trump’s Asia Trip, So Far New York Magazine “China wants good photo ops to show the domestic audience that Xi is equal to Trump, and China is almost guaranteed to get that,” Jeff Wasserstrom, a professor of modern Chinese history at the University of California, Irvine, told The Guardian. 11/08/17 Existential Shred | UC Irvine professor and avid surfer Aaron James questions whether hell is other people in the lineup. Orange Coast Philosopher Aaron James is best known for the book “Assholes: A Theory: … His new book, “Surfing with Sartre: An Aquatic Inquiry into a Life of Meaning,” is a philosophical study of a classic O.C. persona—the laid-back surfer. We asked the UC Irvine professor—a longtime surfer himself—to delve into the go-with-the-flow attitude and other topics. 11/07/17 What will happen on Trump's super-sized state visit to China? The Guardian Jeff Wasserstrom, a professor of modern Chinese history at the University of California, Irvine says, “China wants good photo ops to show the domestic audience that Xi is equal to Trump, and China is almost guaranteed to get that." 11/07/17 Immigration laws reason for the US Chinese restaurant boom China Daily Yong Chen, professor of history at the University of California, Irvine and author of "Chop Suey, U.S.A: The Rise of Chinese Food in America," writes, "It started to become popular among non-Chinese consumers towards to the end of the 19th century because of the growing need for convenient and inexpensive restaurant food." 11/04/17 Censorship: How China is tightening its grip on Hong Kong Foreign Correspondents' Club Jeffrey Wasserstrom, Chancellor’s Professor of History at the University of California at Irvine said, "The disappearance of the Hong Kong booksellers, the silencing of previously vocal critics of China, and the flooding of pro-China posters around the city during the 20th anniversary of the Handover celebrations are all signs of tightening control." 11/04/17 China censorship drive splits leading academic publishers The Financial Times Jeffrey Wasserstrom, professor of Chinese history at the University of California, Irvine, called on publishers to resist Beijing and test its willingness to block access en masse to the world’s greatest producers of scientific and educational content. 11/04/17 Why China won 2017 and how Donald Trump helped them do it CNN Jeffrey Wasserstrom, professor of history at University of California, Irvine, said the chaos inside the Trump administration had accidentally drawn the world's attention from Liu's death. "(He was) the first Nobel Peace Prize winner since Nazi times to die in prison," Wasserstrom told CNN. "That would have been, and should have been, a much bigger story than it was." 11/02/17 After Goudou Goudou: Ordinary Lives in Port-au-Prince The Los Angeles Review of Books Amy Wilentz, English professor at UC Irvine, writes, “But Lavil is not just a recitation of complaint and tragedy, though those are certainly included within it. … Here, we are privy to real voices shouting about human survival in the wasteland the global economy has created, about piecing together a life filled with humanity, charity, and familial love in the midst of grinding hardship, in the care of a state whose gaze is elsewhere.” 11/02/17 'Surfing With Sartre,’ by Aaron James San Francisco Chronicle Aaron James, a UC Irvine philosophy professor writes, “I know I speak for surfers everywhere, in saying that the act of surfing a wave has no equal, in aquatic sports, solo sports, action sports, and maybe any sports whatever. Surfing is the zenith of all human endeavors.' 11/01/17 Xi Jinping: China's 'Chairman of Everything' The Real News Jeffrey Wasserstrom, Chancellor’s Professor of History at UC Irvine states, “I think that's very important because even though it's become conventional to refer to him as President Xi Jinping, his power really derives first and foremost from being head of the Chinese Communist Party.” 10/27/17 Confronting Uncertain Worlds: Comics with Young Female Protagonists Los Angeles Review of Books Jens Lloyd, a PhD candidate in the English Department at UC Irvine, writes “Once rebuked for seducing innocent young minds, mainstream comic books are now comfortably established as a medium for the middle-aged.” 10/27/17 Make China Great Again KCRW Xi is being called 'the most powerful man in the world,' as China builds a modern military and may already have out-stripped the US economically. But will China be 'great' for free speech, an independent judiciary or human rights? Guests: … Jeffrey Wasserstrom, University of California, Irvine …. 10/24/17 UCI Opens Center in Support of Jewish Studies New University Matthias Lehmann, Teller Family Chair in Jewish History, and Georges Van Den Abbeele, dean of the UCI School of Humanities, are quoted in this article about the launch of the UCI Center for Jewish Studies. 10/24/17 UCI Celebrates Its Work With Scholars at Risk New University Jane O. Newman, professor of comparative literature and UCI’s Scholars at Risk campus liaison looks forward to UCI’s further involvement with Scholars at Risk. Newman is working with the Office of the Provost on a UCI program designed to host a scholar at risk; UCI hopes to host its first scholar in fall 2018. 10/24/17 Chinese President Xi Jinping just managed to secure himself Mao-like power Vox Jeffrey Wasserstrom, a historian of China at the University of California Irvine, says it’s premature to say whether Xi’s level of power should be compared directly to Mao, the founder of modern China, or Deng, the iconic reformer who opened up China’s economy to the world in the 1980s and helped pave the path to its meteoric rise today. “It’s better to focus on the fact that he’s in the same league as those two,” Wasserstrom told me. 10/23/17 A Roadmap to Qur’ans in English The Los Angeles Review of Books Jack Miles, professor emeritus of English and religious studies at the University of California, Irvine, writes, “Bruce B. Lawrence, professor emeritus of the Duke University Islamic Studies Center, is the author of The Qur’an: A Biography (2006), published as part of the Atlantic Monthly Press series “Books That Shook the World.” Now, as a more than welcome guide for the perplexed, comes a companion volume: The Koran in English: A Biography, in the thriving “Lives of Great Religious Books” series at Princeton University Press. Lawrence makes the story of the Qur’an in English as informative as it is fascinating.” 10/19/17 Divorce was long taboo for Vietnamese immigrants. After years in the U.S., they\'re accepting it more Los Angeles Times “Before, people felt this duty to stay married because of finances or because they were sponsored to come to this country together or traditional expectations. They don’t seek help due to shame,” said Linda Vo, professor of Asian American studies at UC Irvine. 10/19/17 Xi Jinping may be the most powerful Chinese leader since Mao. He might get stronger still. CNBC Jeffrey Wasserstrom, a historian of China at the University of California Irvine notes, Xi doesn\'t have to do anything exceptional to increase China\'s standing in a global order led by Trump. 10/19/17 Xi Jinping may be the most powerful Chinese leader since Mao. He might get stronger still. Vox Of course, Xi may not need a boost in the first place. As Jeffrey Wasserstrom, a historian of China at the University of California Irvine notes, Xi doesn’t have to do anything exceptional to increase China’s standing in a global order led by Trump. 10/18/17 \'A huge deal\' for China as the era of Xi Jinping Thought begins The Guardian Jeff Wasserstrom, a professor of modern Chinese history at the University of California, Irvine, said the move to honor China’s leader underlined the “radical shift” that had taken place in Chinese politics since a relatively unknown Xi took power in November 2012. In the five years since, Xi has overseen a severe political chill and built a reputation as one of the country’s most dominant leaders since Mao. 10/18/17 5 Years Ago, China\'s Xi Jinping Was Largely Unknown. Now He\'s Poised To Reshape China NPR Jeffrey Wasserstrom, Chancellor’s professor of history at UC Irvine, writes: “In the autumn of 2012, Xi Jinping — the Chinese Communist Party general secretary, someone the Economist recently dubbed the 'world\'s most powerful man' — was a little-known figure. … That was five long years ago. And the reality of how Xi is ruling China has confounded those early predictions.
Now, Xi\'s face and words are everywhere 10/17/17 Amid rise in anti-Semitism, UC Irvine to open Center for Jewish Studies Orange County Register Now is the ideal time to establish a Center for Jewish Studies at UC Irvine, said the center’s director, history professor Matthias Lehmann. “This is a time when we are seeing a resurgence in anti-Semitism,” he said. “It is important to have a center where we can educate people about the Jewish experience, history and religion.” 10/17/17 The TV shows that have won hearts – and changed minds KPCC A 2006 study found that exposure to the gay characters in “Will & Grace” had the same effect as interpersonal contact in viewers who did not regularly interact with members of the gay community. And now that television is more diverse than ever, shows like “Transparent”, “Black-ish”, “Modern Family” and “The Middle” regularly introduce audiences to characters from different cultural, social, economic and racial/ethnic backgrounds. … Guest: Victoria Johnson, associate professor of film and media studies and of African American studies at UC Irvine. 10/16/17 UCI Bolsters Jewish Studies Orange County Business Journal University of California, Irvine said today it will create a Center for Jewish Studies that will bring together faculty, students, visiting scholars and members of the public interested in exploring Judaism. Matthias Lehmann, UCI’s Teller Family Chair in Jewish History, will lead the center along with various faculty and an advisory board of community members. 10/12/17 China\'s Communist party congress – all you need to know The Guardian As the curtain falls on Xi’s first term his political supremacy is beyond doubt. Asked to name China’s five most powerful people this week, Jeff Wasserstrom, a University of California China expert, told CNN: “Xi, Xi, Xi, Xi, and Xi.” 10/10/17 In China, Scholars Are Being Punished Amid Growing Squeeze On Public Expression NPR Jeffrey Wasserstrom, historian at the University of California, Irvine, says Cambridge University Press\' decision to pull the material 'was bad not just because it meant that academics in China were deprived of access to state-of-the art scholarship from another part of the world.' Worse, he says, it misled people in China 'into imagining that a journal was not publishing what it in fact was. So it violated the integrity of the journal.' 10/9/17 Shakespeare in Swahililand Folger Shakespeare Library Two literary scholars discuss Shakespeare’s influence on the politics, history, and literary culture of East Africa. … NgÅ©gÄ© Wa Thiong’o, the renowned Kenyan playwright, novelist, dissident, and social activist, grew up in Kenya when it was still a British colony and is now a Distinguished Professor of Comparative Literature at the University of California, Irvine. 10/8/17 Cancelled cock fights, censored Internet and scrapped holidays: China prepares for its biggest political meeting The Globe and Mail Jeff Wasserstrom, a specialist in modern Chinese history at University of California, Irvine [said], 'Each time special steps are taken to rein in civil society activity, sweep the Internet clean of material the government doesn\'t like and so on, things get more controlled than they were the last time around, and we are seeing this with the 19th Party Congress.' 9/26/17 7 Things People Get Wrong About American History Time Vicki L. Ruiz, Distinguished Professor of History at the University of California, Irvine, writes, “From carving out frontier communities in the 1700s to writing about citizenship and liberty during the 19th century to fighting for civil rights in the 20th, Latino Americans have made history within and beyond national borders.” 9/24/17 Hong Kong students clash over right to back independence Financial Times Jeffrey Wasserstrom, a professor of Chinese history at the University of California, Irvine, says that because of the Chinese government’s “enduring paranoid streak” it is likely to respond to the growing talk of independence by cracking down harder. However, that will only make the problem worse, he warns. “If Hong Kong’s autonomy keeps eroding, that will increase the attractiveness for some people in thinking about and using the terminology of independence,” he says. 9/21/17 The Globe and the Kettle The Wall Street Journal Jeffrey Wasserstrom, chancellor’s professor of history at UCI, writes: “On the whole, though, Ms. Rappaport’s book is one of relevance to us all. Her section on the Opium War highlights the complex ways that a country’s dependence on a commodity, as well as individual addictions to that commodity, can lead to trouble on an international stage” ... “ “A Thirst for Empire” is an excellent resource for those seeking to understand it.” 9/16/17 On Anna Maria Maiolino’s “Entrevidas” Los Angeles Review of Books Martin Harries, English professor at UC Irvine, [writes], “ANNA MARIA MAIOLINO will perform a piece from 1981, Entrevidas.... The performance will occur during the opening of a retrospective of her work at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, the first in the United States to feature the Brazilian artist, whose work combines the minimal with the surreal, everyday life and the uncanny, in a range of materials.” 9/15/17 The Surfer As Philosopher King Surfer Magazine Enter Aaron James, UC Irvine philosophy professor, Nias barrel rider, and author of the book Surfing with Sartre: An Aquatic Inquiry into a Life of Meaning. In his book, James explores how we might find true purpose in life through surfing and why the requirements of finely 'attuned' surfing just might improve social, economic, and ecological conditions on our planet. 9/14/17 Serena Williams Welcomes a Daughter, Rebel Wilson Wins Big, Life Advice from Judith Light Fortune UC Irvine professor and writer Erica Hayasaki caught my attention. In an editorial for The Atlantic about motherhood and creativity, she uses research about rats (yes, rats) to contradict the idea that creative work and being a parent are diametrically opposed .... 9/13/17 How Motherhood Affects Creativity The Atlantic Erika Hayasaki, associate professor in the Literary Journalism Program at UC Irvine, writes: “Whether rodent or human, a mother’s brain requires cognitive, emotional, and behavioral flexibility. “This helps us adapt to new environments.” After all, she added, “flexibility and thinking outside of the box—isn’t that what creativity is?” 9/11/17 Media Advocacy and Struggles Over U.S. Television New Books Network [Allison] Perlman, an associate professor of film and media students and history at the University of California, Irvine, thus, shows that media law and regulation was an important site of debate and activism. 9/10/17 Catch A Philosophical Wave In 'Surfing With Sartre' NPR "In [UCI Professor of Philosophy] Aaron James' new book, Surfing with Sartre, he uses the surfboard as a vehicle of enlightenment. It seems, at first glance, like a simple task. 'Go with the flow,' after all, might as well be the mantra of both the surfer and the sophist. But there's much more to Surfing with Sartre than that. Erudite yet engaging, the book strikes a winning balance between waxing wise and catching waves." 9/7/17 Asia’s Reckoning by Richard McGregor — power and the Pacific The Financial Times Jeffery Wasserstrom, professor of history at the University of California, writes: “McGregor helps us appreciate the areas where leaders of the US, Japan and China find it easiest and hardest to find common ground. He also sensitises us to the complex ways in which the ratcheting up or loosening of tensions between Washington and Tokyo or Beijing inevitably affects the strategies of leaders based in the other east Asian capital.” 8/31/17 Sanctuaries Newsday Elizabeth Allen, [UCI] associate professor of English, discusses the history of sanctuaries in England and Europe and how that history plays out in contemporary discussions of sanctuary cities 8/28/17 Strange Bedfellows: Queers, Conservatives, Catholics Los Angeles Review of Books Jonathan Alexander, Chancellor’s Professor of English at the University of California, Irvine, writes, “Within one week, for instance, I heard on public radio neoconservative Douglas Murray, author of the just released book The Strange Death of Europe: Immigration, Identity, Islam, cite homophobia as a reason to halt immigration of Muslim refugees from the Middle East, then marveled at an interview with a Jesuit priest, James Martin, who just published his own book with the rather startling title Building a Bridge: How the Catholic Church and the LGBT Community Can Enter into a Relationship of Respect, Compassion, and Sensitivity.” 8/18/17 ‘Surfing With Sartre’: Does Riding a Wave Help Solve Existential Mysteries? The New York Times Meet Aaron James. He is a professor of philosophy at the University of California, Irvine, and an accomplished surfer. His new book, “Surfing With Sartre,” aims to articulate the distinctive philosophical value of the surfer way of being. His conclusion is bold: “What the surfer knows, in knowing how to ride a wave, bears on questions for the ages — about freedom, control, happiness, society, our relation to nature, the value of work and the very meaning of life.” 8/18/17 Christopher Nolan in Command: The Dunkirk Spirit Fleshed The Los Angeles Review of Books Jerome Christensen is a professor of English at the University of California Irvine, writes: “Dunkirk is a film of shocking suddenness, visceral impact, and constant fear, all of which the audience is made to feel, as if participants in the miraculous evacuation from the shores of France in May 1940.” 8/17/17 Trump suggested Robert E. Lee and George Washington were on the same level — scholars say they aren\'t Business Insider “It’s a ridiculous conflation,” said Professor Alice Fahs of the University of California, Irvine. “He’s not a founding father, and it’s as though Trump thinks he is. It’s really astonishing. It’s amazing.” 8/16/17 Scholars say Trump went afoul in lumping Lee with founders The Washington Post Is it really so far-fetched to put Robert E. Lee in the same category as George Washington, as President Donald Trump suggested Tuesday? Many historians say yes. 'It\'s a ridiculous conflation,' said Professor Alice Fahs of the University of California, Irvine. 'He\'s not a founding father, and it\'s as though Trump thinks he is. It\'s really astonishing. It\'s amazing.' 8/9/17 Hell Is Other People: Jean-Paul Sartre vs. Surfing, Illustrated Signature In his new book, Surfing with Sartre, Aaron James ... makes the case that one does have to choose to get out of bed every morning. Throughout Surfing with Sartre, the [UCI] philosophy professor and dedicated surfer James pits the deductions of philosophers against the lessons he’s learned surfing. 8/8/17 How Did Surfing Come to Feel Like an Elite Sport, Anyway? Signature Aaron James, Professor of Philosophy at UCI, writes: 'Why surf? For the fun of it, of course. But mainly for the reasons why it is joyful – because it’s a sublime and beautiful thing to do in one’s limited time in life.' 8/8/17 Stop Calling Millennials the Facebook Generation. They’re The Student Loan Generation Forward Annie McClanahan, professor of English at UCI, writes: “If you’re looking for what really distinguishes this generation of college students from past ones, it’s not Facebook and fidget spinners, and or even trigger warnings and “safe spaces. It’s student debt. … Why has student loan debt climbed so high, so fast?” 8/7/17 What is behind Israel\'s attempt to ban Al Jazeera? Al Jazeera Mark LeVine, professor of Middle Eastern History at University of California, writes: “The present attempt by the government of Israel to close down Al Jazeera\'s offices in Jerusalem reflects a potentially far-reaching shift in the perceived power and role of critical media, not just in the Israeli occupation of Palestine, but across the Arab world and larger Middle East and North Africa.” 8/7/17 Avoiding the Trap of Immigration Porn The New York Times Hector Tobar, associate professor of Chicano/Latino studies at UC Irvine, writes: “See if you can ride along with some agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement rounding up Latino immigrants, the photo editor tells the photographer. Go capture a group of brown-skinned innocents being led away in cuffs. And if one of the ICE agents is also Latino, the editor adds, so much the better.”
Date Title Outlet Notes 8/1/17 UCI professor publishes surfing philosophy book Daily Pilot A UC Irvine philosophy professor has written a book about surfing. Aaron James’ book from publisher Doubleday is titled “Surfing with Sartre: An Aquatic Inquiry into a Life of Meaning.” “Written as a conversation with a variety of well-known philosophers, James, a surfer-philosopher himself, finds his main opponent is Jean-Paul Sartre … the French philosopher whose dark existential world views are rebuffed by the surfer’s intrinsic harmony with the state of things.” 7/30/17 Dialectic of Dark Enlightenments: The Alt-Right’s Place in the Culture Industry The Los Angeles Review of Books Catherine Liu, professor of Film and Media Studies at UC Irvine, writes, “Kill All Normies: Online Culture Wars from 4chan and Tumblr to Trump and the Alt-Right .... [Angela] Nagle’s book, is a highly readable polemical intellectual history of culturalism and the internet; it makes the case that there would be no Trump without the prankster sadism of meme culture. It’s a credit to the book’s critical sophistication that both ends of the identity politics spectrum will feel aggrieved by Nagle’s assessment of their tactics and their politics.” 7/28/17 2 Sinologists say Liu Xiaobo’s Death speaks to a dark vision for China History News Network Jeffrey Wasserstrom, Chancellor’s Professor of History at UC Irvine, writes: “Taiwan’s courts have moved to legalize same-sex marriage, while mainland censors try to erase the presence of LGBTQ citizens from the Internet.” 7/25/17 What Liu Xiaobo’s Death Says About China’s Two Futures The Nation Jeffrey Wasserstrom, Chancellor’s Professor of history at UC Irvine, writes: “In mid-January, when Xi Jinping made his debut at Davos, the head of the Chinese Communist Party and president of the PRC took pains to appear as a self-confident leader determined to guide his country into a high-tech, globally interconnected future.” 7/24/17 Welcome to Xi\'s Net: Where Politics, Porn and Pooh Are Forbidden Bloomberg For anyone still wondering about China’s ability, or willingness, to control its people’s access to the internet, the past few weeks have provided some clarity. … “It’s a decidedly Orwellian moment for China,’’ says Jeff Wasserstrom, a Chancellor’s Professor of Chinese History at the University of California at Irvine. 7/19/17 Buddhist faculty position coming to UCI Daily Pilot The School of Humanities at UC Irvine has received a Robert H.N. Ho Family Foundation new professorship in Buddhist studies from the American Council of Learned Societies, according to a news release. The award grants $300,000 to support a Buddhist studies faculty position that will be housed in the UCI Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures and will work with the university’s religious studies program. 7/17/17 CSUF instructor teaches international students to read between the lines Orange County Register [Teresa X.] Nguyen herself is a keen learner, studying abroad three times. She spent summers in South Korea and Spain while working on her bachelor’s degree in English from UC Irvine. After graduating from UCI in 2007, Nguyen traveled to Qingdao, China in 2008 to observe and teach English classes. 7/11/17 Culture of debt The Times Literary Supplement [UCI Assistant Professor] Annie McClanahan’s intriguing first book expends considerable effort in search of an appropriate word for this pervasively potent phenomenon. At the most basic and literal level, Dead Pledges is about money-lending. That term is inadequate, however, for the force McClanahan describes is not merely economic but also cultural, subjective and aesthetic. 7/9/17 Cottage Industry: On “Dead Pledges: Debt, Crisis, and Twenty-First-Century Culture” LA Review of Books In Dead Pledges: Debt, Crisis and Twenty-First-Century American Culture, [UCI Assistant Professor] Annie McClanahan uncovers how cultural production after 2008 registers a new “crisis subjectivity” in the wake of the mortgage meltdown’s shattering revelations. The novels, poems, films, and photography she explores express what few politicians, reporters, or economists have the courage to say: that we are in a “‘terminal crisis’ in which no renewal of capital profitability is possible.” 7/5/17 Touraj Daryaee: Uncovering the Splendor of Ancient Iran The Huffington Post We examine lives and journeys that have led to significant achievements in the worlds of science, technology, finance, medicine, law, the arts and numerous other endeavors. Our latest interviewee is Touraj Daryaee. Touraj Daryaee is the Maseeh Chair in Persian Studies and the Director of the Dr. Samuel M. Jordan Center for Persian Studies and Culture at the University of California, Irvine. 7/1/17 As Hong Kong Marks Handover Anniversary, A Push And Pull With China Over Identity NPR Ilaria Maria Sala [and] Jeffrey Wasserstrom, professor of Chinese history at the University of California Irvine, write: “At the same time, the continued presence in Hong Kong of what doesn\'t – and can\'t – appear on the mainland shows there\'s still a gap (if no longer a chasm) between this and other Chinese cities.” 7/1/17 Xi Jinping Warns Hong Kong on Separatism as Marchers Call for Greater Autonomy Time Jeffrey Wasserstrom, Chancellor\'s Professor of History at the University of California, Irvine, told TIME that such frank statements painted a 'worrisome' picture for Hong Kong. 'When taken together, the more direct statements, the greater pomp, and the tighter security combined signal a significant ramping up of the intensity and boldness of Beijing\'s efforts to rein in [Hong Kong\'s] ability to function as a city that is much freer — not just slightly freer — than any mainland metropolis,' he said. 6/28/17 Higher Education with John B. King, Jr., Michele Siqueiros and Douglas Haynes PBS So Cal - Tavis Smiley Tavis talks with John B. King, Jr., Michele Siqueiros, and Douglas Haynes about higher education as a path to economic opportunity and social mobility …. Douglas Haynes is Vice Provost for Academic Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at UC Irvine, which the New York Times named the nation\'s 'Top College Doing the Most for the American Dream.' Haynes directed the UC Irvine ADVANCE program, which builds the campus commitment to equity and diversity among faculty and graduate students. 6/27/17 How ‘Harry Potter’ Saved Young Adult Fiction The Huffington Post Jonathan Alexander, Chancellor’s Professor of English at the University of California, Irvine, said
despite the challenges posed by Harry’s, and the “Harry Potter” books’, coming of age, he sees it as one of the series’ most powerful draws. “You don’t get a lot of those series such that the readers are growing up with the characters,” he pointed out. 6/24/17 NgÅ©gÄ© wa Thiong’o: The Language Warrior Los Angeles Review of Books A Distinguished Professor of English and Comparative Literature at UC Irvine, Ngugi as he’s known, won the 2013 UCI Medal and has been a top contender for the Nobel Prize in Literature. He’s also Kenya’s best-known writer. His devotion to his homeland is one reason he’s so pleased with the multiple translations of “The Upright Revolution.” 6/23/17 20 years after J.K. Rowling\'s first Harry Potter book, students reflect on how it shaped their lives Daily Pilot Jonathan Alexander, chancellor’s professor of English at UC Irvine who lectures on young adult fiction, said...Though Rowling does tackle issues of intergenerational conflict and being an outsider, Harry Potter “struck a needed tone” with readers on the importance of using “real life magic with the power of imagination to lead a better life.” 6/22/17 Essay: The Trump And Xi Jinping Era: Finding Support In Music And Words The National Book Review Jeffrey Wasserstrom, Chancellor’s Professor of History at UCI, writes: “Late in January, with memories of the trauma of Donald Trump’s rise to power and the exhilaration of joining a massive crowd at L.A.’s Women’s March fresh in my mind, I found myself continually listening to two songs. They were both ones I had enjoyed listening to before, but each had suddenly taken on new meanings.” 6/14/17 1963 | Sukiyaki by Kyu Sakamo PBS Elaine Kathryn Andres, a musician, record collector, and third-year doctoral student in the program in Culture & Theory, writes: “\'Sukiyaki\' has been born again (and again) as a song about lost love. And while these renditions typically hint (in inevitably reductive ways) at the tune’s Japanese origins, they obscure the song’s much deeper geopolitical history.” 6/5/17 Accepting the apartheid label will normalize Israel Aljazeera Mark LeVine, professor of history, writes: “In this context, far from singling out Israel, the apartheid label would normalize it, allowing the same broad range of strategies that have worked elsewhere to be deployed here, giving Israelis and Palestinians alike new tools to fight for a peaceful, just and democratic future for all the country\'s inhabitants.” 5/31/17 The Top Five TV Showrunners in the Business TV Over Mind In this article, David Benioff, alumni of the MFA in Creative Writing program, is mentioned for his co-creative work on Game of Thrones. 5/30/17 O.C. Supervisors\' decision to expand detention program overlooks jail conditions (Opinion) Daily Pilot Tina Shull, lecturer in the Department of History, writes, “It is time to pass California’s Senate Bill 29, ‘the Dignity Not Detention Act,’ which would make the standards enforceable statewide, including four immigration detention centers run by private prison corporations.” 5/29/17 Shelf Awareness: New, notable and buzz-worth books for June Orange County Register Charmaine Craig, alumna from the MFA Program in Writing, paints an intimate portrait of one family’s struggle during World War II and the Burmese civil war in her second novel, Miss Burma. 5/24/17 Damaging Words: On “Thirteen Reasons Why” Los Angeles Review of Books Jonathan Alexander, Chancellor\'s Professor of English and director of UCI Center for Excellence in Writing & Communication, explores the Netflix adaptation, '13 Reasons Why.' 5/15/17 Journalist to Join UCI Faculty Orange County Business Journal Hector Tobar, an author and New York Times contributing op-ed columnist, will be an associate professor in Chicano/Latino studies and English-literary journalism. 5/3/17 2017 Annual Symposium: Reconstruction The U.S. Capitol Historical Society The U.S. Capitol Historical Society will present its annual symposium May 11 and 12 on Capitol Hill. Brook Thomas, Chancellor\'s Professor of English, will join other scholars from around the country in exploring the post-Civil War period in “Congress Begins to Reconstruct the Nation.” 4/28/17 What General Motors Did To Flint Jalopnik Following World War II, the automaker pursued a corporate strategy that centered on shifting the means of production to the suburbs and away from urban cores, according to Andrew Highsmith, assistant professor of history. 4/23/17 An Interview with Ngugi wa Thiong’o Los Angeles Review of Books Ngugi Wa Thiong\'o, Distinguished Professor of comparative literature, is interviewed by Nanda Dyssou, Congolese-Hungarian journalist and fiction writer in Los Angeles. 4/18/17 How a single gene could become a volume knob for human suffering Wired Erika Hayasaki, associate professor of literary journalism, introduces us to individuals on the opposite sides of the pain spectrum: one who is in constant, agonizing pain; another who has never felt any. Their genetic mutations share a commonality that could potentially end America\'s opioid epidemic. 4/13/17 The next big thing in tourism could be Little Saigon Orange County Register Linda Vo, professor of Asian American studies, said even though she sees a change in the community toward more openness she doubts Little Saigon will turn into another Little Tokyo. 4/9/27 Decolonising Faith: Here\'s How Some Africans Are Rediscovering Their Ancestors And Spirituality The Huffington Post Ngugi wa Thiong\'o, Distinguished Professor of comparative literature, is described in the article as the 'mascot for the project of decolonisation.' 3/31/17 \'A Literary Field Guide\' blends poems and stories into \'a kaleidoscopic picture\' of O.C. Los Angeles Times Now anyone can get a glimpse into this history with 'Orange County: A Literary Field Guide,' edited by Alvarez and Andrew Tonkovich, lecturer in the Department of English. 3/24/17 \'Amazing stories of survival\': UCI oral history project preserves Vietnamese refugees\' hopes, fears and challenges Los Angeles Times 'Even today, there\'s very little history on Vietnamese Americans from their perspective and their voices,' said Linda Trinh Vo, professor of Asian American studies. 'In Vietnam, they have basically written us out of the history books — those who left the country — and in America, they write about the war from the American side, particularly the veteran side, but very little about Vietnamese Americans.' 3/20/17 What would MLK do if he were alive today: Six essential reads The Conversation As doctoral candidate in Visual Studies, Mary Schmitt explains, Selma was “a moment in civil rights history that played a crucial role in the passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.” 3/19/17 Travel Ban Dampens Persian New Year Celebration New York Times Touraj Daryaee, a professor of history and director of the Center for Persian Studies, highlights the caution that many students are taking in returning home for Nowruz. 3/19/17 Gorsuch, a Conservative Firebrand in College, Evolved Into a Conciliator MSN Originally run in the Wall Street Journal, Irene Tucker, professor of English, explains, 'He was committed to showing the way he was a freethinker and everyone else was conforming to the lockstep liberalism of the campus.” 3/19/17 What did the UN apartheid report expose in reality? Aljazeera Mark Le Vine, professor of history, reveals, “As Israel moves towards confronting apartheid, the questions raised by the report will become impossible to avoid.” 3/19/17 Gorsuch, a Conservative Firebrand in College, Evolved Into a Conciliator The Wall Street Journal Irene Tucker, professor of English, explains, 'He was committed to showing the way he was a freethinker and everyone else was conforming to the lockstep liberalism of the campus.” 3/17/17 Trump’s budget cripples the EPA’s ability to keep drinking water safe Vox Andrew Highsmith, assistant professor of history, says, “If you look at the history of the Flint water crisis, the problems didn’t stem from too much enforcement at the federal level, but the opposite — too little.” 3/15/17 UC Irvine Professor Vicki Ruiz Pioneered the Study of Mexican-American Women—and Isn\'t Done OC Weekly 'Ruiz is a giant in American history for doing something academia never bothered with until she came along: show that Mexican-American women in the past had lives outside of making babies and cooking,' says OC Weekly writer Gustavo Arellano about Vicki Ruiz, Distinguished Professor of history and Chicano/Latino studies. 3/4/17 What would Mark Twain think of Donald Trump? Time Originally run in The Conversation, Jeffrey Wasserstrom, Chancellor\'s Professor of history, asks, “Thanks to the criticisms they’ve leveled in articles, interviews, tweets and letters to the editor, we know that many contemporary authors, from Philip Roth to J.K. Rowling, have a dim view of Donald J. Trump. But what would leading writers of the past have made of him?” 3/3/17 9 of the most powerful quotes from Ngugi wa Thiong\'o\'s public lecture The Huffington Post Ngugi wa Thiong\'o, Distinguished Professor of comparative literature, delivered a lecture titled 'Secure the Base, Decolonise the Mind' at Wits University on Thursday evening. 3/2/17 What would Mark Twain think of Donald Trump? The Conversation Jeffrey Wasserstrom, Chancellor\'s Professor of history, asks, “Thanks to the criticisms they’ve leveled in articles, interviews, tweets and letters to the editor, we know that many contemporary authors, from Philip Roth to J.K. Rowling, have a dim view of Donald J. Trump. But what would leading writers of the past have made of him?” 3/1/17 The WWII plan to mess with the Japanese by dyeing Mt. Fuji Atlas Obscura David Fedman, assistant professor of history, explains the late-WWII bombing campaigns against Japan: 'Mt. Fuji was cast by the Japaneseas an alpine feature that bound the swelling imperial sphere together.' 3/1/17 China’s battle to breathe NewStatesman Jeffrey Wasserstrom, Chancellor\'s Professor of history, explains, 'In China, what really can motivate people are much more tangible things that affect their daily life.” 3/3/17 Pre-fascism & the Muslim question Frontline Aijaz Ahmad, Chancellor’s professor of comparative literature, writes, 'Islamophobia and a broad hatred of the non-white immigrant seem to be the two key themes in the early days of the presidency, as they were during the campaign. But the storm of opposition will also be great.' 2/19/17 Trump widens a generation gap in Vietnamese community: Older hard-liners vs. liberal youths Los Angeles Times 'The elders may be openly supporting Trump and the Republicans because they still feel an affinity for the party they view as fighting against the government that took over their homeland,” says Linda Vo, professor of Asian American studies. 2/15/17 Chinese students in the US are using “inclusion” and “diversity” to oppose a Dalai Lama graduation speech Quartz “If there were an objection to the Dalai Lama speaking on campus 10 years ago, you would not have seen the objection from Chinese students being framed within the rhetoric of diversity and inclusion,” says Jeffrey Wasserstrom, Chancellor\'s professor of history. 2/13/17 Despite harsh rhetoric, Trump re-affirms \'one-China\' policy with President Xi Southern California Public Radio Jeffrey Wasserstrom, Chancellor\'s professor of history, speaks about President Donald Trump\'s reverse course on longstanding policy recognizing Beijing\'s authority in the region. 2/8/17 Despite Trump’s isolationism, China isn’t ready to become the world’s moral leader The Huffington Post Jeffrey Wasserstrom, Chancellor’s professor of history, writes, 'President Donald’s Trump’s rise is proving to be a boon for China. His first presidential actions and undiplomatic style have opened a void in global leadership.' 2/5/17 Chinese cuisine starting to whet more American appetites Yibada Chinese restaurateurs have been trying to offer Chinese food as fine dining; but their efforts have remained largely unsuccessful until recently,” says Yong Chen, professor of history. 2/2/17 South Korea moves to curb presidential powers after Park scandal San Francisco Examiner “South Korea is no stranger to crises, which usually have the effect of re-concentrating power at the center,” writes David Fedman, assistant professor of history. 2/2/17 Hills Happenings: History professor to tell story behind \'Fahrenheit 451\' Orange County Register Kai Evers, professor of German, will discuss the historical event that was the basis for Bradbury’s book, Fahrenheit 451. 2/1/17 Chinese cuisine evolves in U.S. as a matter of taste ECNS Yong Chen, professor of history, explains, 'Chinese restaurateurs have been trying to offer Chinese food as fine dining; but their efforts have remained largely unsuccessful until recently.' 1/31/17 South Korea moves to curb president’s power after park scandal Bloomberg 'The same is true with suggestions to give more power to regions even though South Korea’s “highly centralized” decision-making process has “enhanced perceptions of a seemingly monarchical ‘court politics’ in the Blue House,” writes David Fedman, assistant professor of history. 1/31/17 There are echoes of China in today\'s America Time Jeffrey Wasserstrom, chancellor\'s professor of history, writes, 'We are troubled by how often lately we experience a strange sort of China-related déjà vu when following events in the U.S.' 1/27/17 Go behind the scenes as fortune cookie history gets made Time In this article, Yong Chen, professor of history, explains the curious history of fortune cookies. 'American Protestant missionaries stationed in the south of China spread word of what was happening on the other side of the Pacific, and adventurous Chinese men were lured to America by the prospect of gold.' 1/27/17 Even Trump’s most loyal fans say he can be abrasive and rude. Is it part of his success? (Audio) PRI Aaron James, professor of philosophy, poses viewing Donald Trump’s behavior not as liability but as appeal, perhaps even a key reason he was elected. 1/24/17 UC Irvine student experiences life as sports journalist Orange County Register This article features UC Irvine journalism student Caitlin Antonios. OC Register writer Eric Morgan describes her, saying, 'There was never any doubt that being a journalist is what she wanted to do for a living.' 1/18/17 9 questions about China you were too embarrassed to ask Vox Jeffrey Wasserstrom, Chancellor\'s professor of history, writes, “You have propaganda videos coming out that are talking about America as an evil country trying to use conspiratorial plans to bring about the downfall of the Chinese Communist Party – but it’s still is a place that Communist Party leaders are sending their children to go to school.' 1/18/17 In China, pollution fears are both literal and metaphorical (Commentary) NPR Jeffrey Wasserstrom, Chancellor\'s professor of history, discusses artists in Chengdu and their actions against China\'s pollution. 1/16/2017 Is Al sexist? Foreign Policy Erika Hayasaki, associate professor in the UCI Literary Journalism Program, writes, 'In the not-so-distant future, artificial intelligence will be smarter than humans. But as the technology develops, absorbing cultural norms from its creators and the internet, it will also be more racist, sexist, and unfriendly to women.' 1/13/17 What can Ivanka Trump possibly do for women who work? The Nation Amy Wilentz, professor of English, writes, 'For all the talk of how Ivanka has her father’s ear, on women’s issues or any other... he doesn’t listen to her. In interview after interview, she’s been clear about how little interest Trump has in her opinion.' 1/12/2017 Trump through Chinese eyes (Opinion) The Japan Times Jeffrey N. Wasserstrom, Chancellor\'s professor of history, writes, 'China no longer needs U.S. protection. Instead, it wants a U.S. president who is occupied largely with domestic issues, and is not much concerned with constraining China’s rise, as Barack Obama was.' 1/12/17 Interview | Jeffrey Wasserstrom (Audio) National Committee on U.S. China Relations In this podcast interview, Jeffrey Wasserstrom, Chancellor\'s Professor of history, discusses relations between China and America in the dawning era of Xi and Trump. 1/10/17 Trump through Chinese eyes Project-Syndicate Jeffrey Wasserstrom, Chancellor\'s professor of history, discusses China\'s response to our recent election and the attitude of China toward a president who isn\'t as concerned with constraining China\'s rise. 1/9/17 Culture-defining iPhone turns 10 today USA Today 'The engineering is in the background, so the front end is really easy to use, with just a swipe or a poke of the finger,' says Peter Krapp, professor of film & media studies. 1/9/17 Historians in the age of Trump Inside Higher Ed Vicki Ruiz, Distinguished Professor of history and Chicano studies, traced Trump’s rise to two familiar phenomena: nativism and gender discrimination. 1/4/17 Doubt trumping Chinese support for president-elect Orange County Register “There’s a fundamental confidence among Chinese Americans that the U.S. is stable, politically and socially,” said Yong Chen, professor of history. 1/4/17 The Oxford Illustrated History of Modern China (Video) China File Jeffrey Wasserstrom, Chancellor’s Professor of history is the editor of The Oxford Illustrated History of Modern China. He describes the book in a video interview. 1/1/17 The counterintuitive critics (PDF) The Chronicle of Higher Education Michael Szalay, professor of English, is described as taking one of the 'central roles in the field.'
4000 Humanities Gateway
Irvine, CA 92697