Date: May 2, 2024 (Thursday)
Time: 2:00PM HK standard time (7:00AM GMT, May 1 – 11:00PM PST)
In Science for Governing Japan's Population, Aya Homei examines the evolution of population-related disciplines in Japan from the 1860s to the 1960s, highlighting the symbiotic relationship between the development of population sciences, the emergence of the term ‘population’ (jinkō), and Japan’s modernization. Through this historical lens, Homei uncovers the intricate connections between population, sovereignty, and scientific discourse, offering fresh insights into Japan's demographic governance.
In Wombs of Empire: Population Discourses and Biopolitics in Modern Japan, Sujin Lee navigates the discourse surrounding population during interwar and wartime Japan, highlighting these periods as pivotal arenas where conflicting visions of modernity clashed. Lee challenges entrenched views of motherhood and population by examining the influence of gender norms, contemporary knowledge, and governmental strategies. Lee exposes how demographic concerns fueled ethnonationalism, racism, colonialism, imperialism, and gender disparities throughout Japan's modern era.
Speaker: Dr. Aya Homei
Reader, Japanese Studies, The University of Manchester
Speaker: Prof. Sujin Lee
Pacific and Asian Studies, Assistant Professor, University of Victoria
Discussant: Dr. Mina Marković
PhD Student, Japanese Studies, University of Cambridge
Moderator: Prof. Edwin Michielsen
Japanese Studies, Assistant Professor, The University of Hong Kong
All are welcome. No registration is required.
For enquiries, please contact smlc@hku.hk