International ARC Seminar

The 130th International ARC Seminar will be held as a webinar on Wednesday, April 17, from 18:00 JST.

It is co-hosted by the Art Research Center (ARC), SOAS Centre for Translation Studies, the Japan Research Centre (JRC), SOAS University of London, and Ritsumeikan Center for Game Studies (RCGS).

The program is as follows:

1. Speaker: Dr. Ali ALAVI (Lecturer in Middle Eastern and Iranian Studies, School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics & Co-Director of Centre for Iranian Studies, SOAS University of London)

Topic: Beyond Orientalism: The Evolution of Game Studies in Iran's Digital Realm

Abstract

Dr Ali Alavi's talk explores the evolution of Game Studies in Iran within the digital realm from the late 1990s to the present. It investigates the development trajectory of game studies in Iran and its cultural significance in countering Western orientalist discourse within video games. By examining the growth of game studies in Iran, his talk aims to shed light on how Iran has navigated the digital space to establish its unique voice in the global gaming landscape. Moreover, Ali's research emphasises the importance of language, translation solutions, history and culture in professional video game localisation in Iran.

About the speaker

Dr Ali Alavi is Lecturer in Middle Eastern and Iranian Studies at School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics, SOAS, University of London. His ongoing research ventures span a diverse array of subjects, including Iranian Studies, Orientalism and Otherness, and the impact of cultures on global politics within the Middle Eastern milieu. His academic interests are centred on the Global South, with the aim of exploring the intricate cultural and historical ties that bind Asia, Africa, and the Middle East together.

2. Speaker: Juhyung SHIN (Senior Researcher, Kinugasa Research Organization, Ritsumeikan University)

Topic: Exploring Serious Games in South Korea

Abstract

This presentation will focus on the situation related to serious games in South Korea, exploring the diverse applications and impacts of digital games in education, training, health, and politics. The presentation will also explore the social repercussions of serious games, the distance between games and reality, and the possibilities of combining the strengths of both analog and digital form of game experience through case studies. The lecture will also explore the possibilities of how to combine the strengths of analog and digital games by exploring the distance between games and reality.

About the speaker

Dr Shin Juhyung is a Senior Researcher at the Kinugasa Research Organization, Ritsumeikan University. She was born in Seoul, Korea, and graduated from the Doctoral Program of the Graduate School of Core Ethics and Frontier Sciences at Ritsumeikan University in 2020, with a Ph.D. specializing in game studies and area studies. From a sociocultural perspective, she is an expert in serious games in Korea. She received the 10th FOST Newcomer Award from the Foundation for the Promotion of Science and Technology Fusion and the Young Scientist Incentive Award from the Japan Society for Digital Game Studies in 2021.

Date: Wednesday, April 17, 18:00 - 19:30 JST

Participation: online via Zoom, free of charge (affiliated parties only, no reservation required)

*This webinar is open to everyone, and non-ARC members are invited to participate via YouTube.

The 129th International ARC Seminar will be held as a webinar on Wednesday, January 17, from 18:00 JST.

The program is as follows:

Speaker: Tomoyuki NAKAO (Senior specialist for museums support, Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan)

Topic: Issues and Prospects in Digital Transformations in Museums

Date: Wednesday, January 17, 18:00 - 19:30 JST

Participation: online via Zoom, free of charge (no reservation required)

*This webinar is open to everyone, and non-ARC members are also invited to participate via YouTube.

The 128th International ARC Seminar will be held as a webinar on Wednesday, December 20, from 18:00 JST.

The program is as follows:

Speaker: Hiroyuki YAMAUCHI (Associate Research Professor, Kinugasa Research Organization, Ritsumeikan University)

Topic: Applications for geography education using Virtual Reality technologies and three-dimensional geospatial data: focusing on practices teaching terrains and historical sites

Date: Wednesday, December 20, 18:00 - 19:30 JST

Participation: online via Zoom, free of charge (no reservation required)

*This webinar is open to everyone, and non-ARC members are also invited to participate via YouTube.

The 127th International ARC Seminar will be held as a webinar on Wednesday, December 6, from 18:00 JST.

The program is as follows:

Speaker: Masahide KANZAKI (Xenon Limited Partners)

Topic: Identifier Sharing and Data Design for Collaboration and Utilization of Portals

Date: Wednesday, December 6, 18:00 - 19:30 JST

Participation: online via Zoom, free of charge (no reservation required)

The 126th International ARC Seminar will be held as a webinar on Wednesday, November 29, from 18:00 JST.

The program is as follows:

Speaker: Timon Screech (Professor, Research Division, International Research Center for Japanese Studies (Nichibunken))

Topic: New Light on Nikkō: Thoughts on the Dutch Lanterns at the Shrine-Mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu

Date: Wednesday, November 29, 18:00 - 19:30 JST

Participation: online via Zoom, free of charge (no reservation required)

The 125th International ARC Seminar will be held as a webinar on Wednesday, November 8, from 18:00 JST.

The program is as follows:

Speaker: Ellis Tinios (Honorary Lecturer, University of Leeds, United Kingdom and ARC Visiting Researcher)

Topic: Hokusai the Alchemist: an exploration of sources for his book illustrations (held in English)

Date: Wednesday, November 8, 18:00 - 19:30 JST

Participation: online via Zoom, free of charge (no reservation required)

*This webinar is open to everyone, and non-ARC members are also invited to participate via YouTube.

The 124th International ARC Seminar will be held as a webinar on Wednesday, October 18, from 18:00 JST.

The program is as follows:

Speaker: Her Imperial Highness Princess Akiko of Mikasa

Topic: Prince Mikasa and his times

Date: Wednesday, October 18, 18:00 - 19:30 JST

Participation: Those concerned will be informed separately by e-mail.

The 123rd International ARC Seminar will be held as a webinar on Wednesday, October 11, from 18:00 JST.

The program is as follows:

Speaker: Toshiyasu KAMOGI (Curator & Manager of Curatorial Div., Tokyo Fuji Art Museum)

Topic: The Achievements and Future Outlook of a Homemade Database by a Liberal Arts Computer Enthusiast Curator--From the Frontline of Digital Archive Operation for Streamlining and Enhancing Museum Curatorial Services--

Date: Wednesday, October 11, 18:00 - 19:30 JST

Participation: online via Zoom, free of charge (no reservation required)

*This webinar is open to everyone, and non-ARC members are also invited to participate via YouTube.

The 122nd International ARC Seminar will be held as a webinar on Wednesday, July 26, from 18:00 JST.

The program is as follows:

Speaker: Travis SEIFMAN (Associate Professor & Research Manager, Kinugasa Research Organization, Ritsumeikan University)

Topic: Visual, Material, and Performance Culture Aspects of the Ryukyu Kingdom's Embassies to Edo

Date: Wednesday, July 26, 18:00 - 19:30 JST

Participation: online via Zoom, free of charge (no reservation required)

*This webinar is open to everyone, and non-ARC members are also invited to participate via YouTube.

The 121st International ARC Seminar will be held as a webinar on Wednesday, July 12, from 18:00 JST.

The program is as follows:

Speaker: Takeshi ABEKAWA (Specially Appointed Associate Professor, Graduate School of Education, The University of Tokyo)

Topic: Presentation of digital content in 3D space

Date: Wednesday, July 12, 18:00 - 19:30 JST

Participation: online via Zoom, free of charge (no reservation required)

*This Webinar is open to everyone, and non-ARC members are also invited to participate via YouTube.