Jessamyn Abel

What could go wrong?

_Verge: Studies in Global Asias_ is inviting proposals from potential guest editors. Send us your ideas for a special issue!

Any historians of post-WWII Europe here? What primary sources & scholarship do you use to teach upper-level History majors about legal, intellectual, institutional, cultural (etc) democratization in post-WWII Germany & Italy? #history #democracy

The new issue is out!
#Japan

From Sewage to Clean Water: What Three Global Cities Teach us About Climate Ingenuity - Earth Day Droughts in the Western U.S. are getting worse and worse. Water reclamation, which can turn sewage back into drinkable water, is a step towards a solution.

Climate ingenuity with water: www.earthday.org/from-sewage-...
(Note: the editor added the word "global" to the title; not the author's word choice.)

Leave it to the Finns, man ...

How Cats Control the Climate: Why We Need to Protect Tigers - Earth Day Tigers play an important role for both their ecosystems and the climate. While some conservation has been successful, there is still much more to accomplish.

Happy International Tiger Day! More from Benjamin Abel: www.earthday.org/how-cats-con...

6 Greenwashing Ploys to Watch Out For - Earth Day As consumers become more and more environmentally conscious, greenwashing is running rampant. Here are 6 examples of common methods companies use to trick you.

www.earthday.org/6-greenwashi...

I'm not sure if I'm connected to any South Asianists here, but ... have you ever used Kautilya's Arthashastra in teaching the Maurya Empire? What section did you assign? How'd it go? I'm thinking of using Book IX, "The Work of an Invader." Advice, please!

#CFP Four Verge-sponsored panels at #AAS2026—deadline to apply is July 18.

buff.ly/R8zA6p6

A plea for help from people who teach Southeast Asian Buddhism: What's a good primary source to assign for an intro Asian Civ-type class? Main points of the lesson: show particular aspects of Theravada & adaptation to local circumstances. I've never taught or even studied this before, so ... help!!

Sorry you can't make it, but thanks for the promo!

TODAY: Want to know what a railway has to do with democracy? Come on over to Todai to hear all about it!

Inst. of Social Science, Univ. of Tokyo
May 20, 6PM
Rm. 549, Center Kaigi-shitsu, Akamon Research Bldg, Hongo Campus
"Training for Democracy: Railways and the Cultivation of a New Postwar Japan"

Yesterday's fun archive find: a "conte" from a 1948 radio show.
Kid: How much are those peanuts?
Shop owner: 15 yen for two bags.
Kid: So how much for just that one?
Shop owner: For the one, it’s 8 yen.
Kid: Ok, I’ll take the other one.
(Nothing to do with my research, but a nice midday chuckle.😁)

Events｜International Research Center for Japanese Studies (Nichibunken) The mission of the International Research Center for Japanese Studies (Nichibunken), as an inter-university research institute funded by the government, is to promote and support the study of Japanese...

There's an international symposium on a century of Japanese broadcasting history coming up at Nichibunken (and online), July 11. Info and registration here: www.nichibun.ac.jp/en/events/ot...

Time to start thinking about #AAS2026!

Be sure to get the Japanese release, not the abridged one released in the US (just called "Bullet Train"). You'll recognize some clips they included as backflashes.

Two peanuts were walking down the street...

The message was definitely: the only real thing in this fake world is the JR work ethic, and the government is not all bad. It actually is the perfect capstone to the talk I'm giving next month, so I'm glad I watched it.

I just watched it last night, and there were definitely some good things about it, but 1975 was much better. I wouldn't call it boring but definitely corny. That said, it did a great job of updating the information society angle of the original to the present day.

Off to Tokyo soon, and I'm excited to present some of my new research at Tokyo U. Details below. Hope to see you there!

"Training for Democracy: Railways and the Cultivation of a New Postwar Japan"
Tuesday, May 20, 6pm
Room 549, Akamon Research Bldg, Hongo Campus.
Discussant: Prof. Iokibe Kaoru

I just shared this one with grad students yesterday: How many books have been written about the causes of WWI? There's always something new to say about a topic. Don't abandon a project because "Someone already wrote about that."

Spring Into Action Fundraising Campaign - Association for Asian Studies

www.asianstudies.org/donate/donat...

*Verge* is now accepting submissions for Issue 13.2 "Things That Matter: Materiality and the Making of Global Asias" edited by Neelima Jeychandran, Monica Merlin, and Tina Chen.

Convergence Feature Proposal due September 30, 2025

Essay due May 1, 2026

For details visit: bit.ly/4j21tSD

Thank you, Sharon, they were both pleasant and constructive. Lots of fun and fruitful!

Jessamyn Abel - "Practical Democracy: Cultivating a New Postwar Japan"

At USC tomorrow! It's new stuff, so if you attend, please be nice 😉
calendar.usc.edu/event/jessam...

Translated this poem by Mizuno Hironori, written after military censors pulled his 1932 book from shelves due to its anti-war messaging, three years ago.

It hits different in 2025.

YouTube video by Modern Japan History Association New Books on Japan: "Humanitarian Internationalism Under Empire" with Michiko Suzuki & Jessamyn Abel

My conversation with Michiko Suzuki about her terrific new book, Humanitarian Internationalism Under Empire, is now available on the Modern Japan History Assoc website:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=abU-...
#internationalism #empire #humanitarianism
@columbiaup.bsky.social
@modernjapanhist.bsky.social

YouTube video by Netflix Asia Bullet Train Explosion | Official Teaser | Netflix

Wow, they remade 新幹線大爆破 (which they're calling "Bullet Train Explosion" but I think "Big Blast on the Bullet Train" would be better). Can't wait to compare it to the original, which I wrote about in *Dream Super-Express*
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uxj6...
#shinkansen
@stanfordpress.bsky.social

New book series in media studies on Asia from U Pitt Press: upittpress.org/series/power...