What's On at UWA

A public lecture by Lili M. Kim, Associate Professor of History and Global Migrations, School of Critical Social Inquiry, Hampshire College, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA and 2017-2018 Fulbright Senior Scholar, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, South Korea.

World War II, often referred to as the “Good War,” was a race war. For Americans, it was a race war against the Japanese, and it had a profound and disturbing impact on the Homefront. Against the backdrop of Japanese American mass incarceration during World War II, this talk asks the seemingly simple yet hitherto unexplored question: how did other Asian Americans cope with this time of heightened hostility and racism toward people who looked like them?

Korean Americans make an especially interesting case study. In addition to being often mistaken for Japanese based on their physical appearance, they were forced to share the same legal classification with the Japanese on the Homefront. Because Korea had been annexed by Japan since 1910 and did not exist as an independent nation at the time of U.S. declaration of war against Japan, Korean immigrants in Hawai‘i and the continental United States were legally classified as Japanese subjects and, therefore, “enemy aliens” along with Japanese immigrants. Thus, Koreans found themselves in the strange predicament of being lumped together with the Japanese, whom they despised for colonising their motherland, and ironically were now accused of having loyalty to Japan.

Framing her study as what Clifford Geertz has called “a social history of moral imagination,” Professor Kim argues that through complex, not always moral or effective, transnational politics, Korean Americans simultaneously resisted U.S. officials’ Orientalization of them as enemy and contributed to the racialization of Japanese Americans on the homefront during World War II.

A public lecture by Dr Elizabeth Reid, Researcher in the ARC Centre of Excellence for the History of Emotions.

The paintings that decorated the Renaissance home were not solely intended for aesthetic appreciation, but for moral instruction. This talk will take a small selection of the early sixteenth-century works from the exhibition as a starting point to consider the ideal role of religious and mythological allegories in domestic experiences of self-reflective looking.

This lecture is part of a UWA Institute of Advanced Studies lecture series.

The IAS is pleased to present this series of lectures held in conjunction with the exhibition, A Window on Italy – The Corsini Collection: Masterpieces from Florence, which is being held at the Art Gallery of Western Australia from 24 February – 18 June 2018.

The exhibition is organised by the Galleria Corsini, Florence, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tãmaki, the Art Gallery of Western Australia and MondoMostre, Rome.

In collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Perth USAsia Centre and the Australian Institute of International Affairs WA, please join us to hear from senior policy, business and industry leaders, for a business breakfast focused on the opportunities for Western Australia to trade and invest in the burgeoning markets of the Indo-Pacific.

UWA Music and the WA Music Teachers' Association (WAMTA) are delighted to welcome London based Australian classical pianist Victor Sangiorgio back to WA.

With his London debut described by The Times as “poetic perfection”, Sangorgio is sure to enchant.

The program will include:

Bach Partita No. 1 in B flat

Clementi Sonata in B flat Op. 47 No.2

Schubert Impromptus D 899

Earl Wild Concert Etudes based on Gershwin Songs: Etude no. 3 "The Man I Love”, Etude No. 4 "Embraceable You” and Etude No. 7 "Fascinatin' Rhythm.

This concert is presented as part of the 2018 WA Piano Pedagogy Conference.

Tickets: $18 Friends of Music, $20 Concessions, $25 Standard

School students attend for Free (RSVP to [email protected])

Are you interested in studying health care or pursuing a career in the fast-growing and in-demand health industry? UWA is holding a Health Campus Open Day on Sunday 8 April for prospective students to find out all about the health related courses on offer in areas like medicine, biomedical engineering, sports science and psychology. You will be able to meet staff, current students and Alumni, listen to information sessions, participate in interactive activities, and discover pathways and career opportunities.

Sri Lanka: Legacies of nationalism, national identity and the future of Sri Lankan Muslims

The Sri Lankan Muslims are the descendants of Arab traders who began visiting Sri Lanka during the 7th-century. Since their early settlements, the Sri Lankan Muslims have lived in harmony among the Sinhalese people in Colombo, Kurunegala, and Kandy districts which are predominantly, the majority Sinhala-Buddhist areas and in the East Coasts of Sri Lanka. They are arguably the most integrated ethnic group in Sri Lanka.

The question then is, why have Sri Lankan Muslims been subjected to violence by the majority Sinhalese Buddhist whose core values are based on peace and non-violence? The seminar will focus on the economic and cultural issues as the root causes of clashes between the majority Sinhalese-Buddhists and Muslims. It will provide insights into the complexities of the Sri Lankan identity issues focusing on the Sri Lankan Muslims in the context of Sri Lankan history, national identity and ethnic conflicts. It will trace the issues from the first major Sinhala-Muslim clash in 1915 and up to the recent clashes in March 2018 in a ‘histro-political’ context. The presentation will conclude with policy questions relating to Sinhala-Muslim ethnic violence‘s impact on the country’s future.

About the Speaker:

Sunil Govinnage is a Sri Lankan-born Australian. He has worked as career public servant in Perth for over 20 years. Prior to his arrival in Perth, he worked as a foundation member of the Bangkok-based Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre. He has presented on Sri Lanka’s development, ethnic conflicts and national identity issues in Australia, Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom. He taught sociology, politics & social justice at the University of Notre Dame, Fremantle from 2005- 2008. He is also a bi-lingual poet and his work has been anthologised in Australia, India, Sri Lanka, Singapore, United Kingdom and the USA. At present, Sunil is a final year PhD candidate at the Curtin University Sustainability Policy Institute.

ENTRY: Free, but please RSVP via [email protected]

A public lecture by Bob White, Professor of English and Cultural Studies, UWA.

The subject of war in Elizabethan literature, and Shakespeare’s plays in particular, has attracted sustained attention from a variety of perspectives. However, it is usually treated in the light of military manuals as a technical subject, which is ‘men’s work’, and the question is rarely raised--what happens to love relationships in times of war? In discussions of the comedies the existence of war is either ignored altogether or diminished to the level of ‘background noise’ even though there is a war in almost every comedy, if only a trade war in The Comedy of Errors and a diplomatic war in Love’s Labour’ Lost. In tragedies the loss of love is generally seen as part of the male protagonist’s lonely fate rather than a set of emotional tragedies in which conflict is internalised destructively within relationships, and there are female casualties not often considered in terms of their own loss—Desdemona, Cordelia, Ophelia, Lavinia, Lady Macduff, and others. In history plays, war is kept firmly in the foreground, and love is analysed only in terms of providing moments of apparently insignificant contrast. However, with the renewed critical interest in emotions, the nexus drawn in Shakespeare’s plays between war and love, and the consequences of war on love relationships emerges as a subject inviting closer attention. It is the subject of this talk.

This talk is part of a lecture series 'Peace and War: Representations in European Art and Literature'.

The three lectures in this series, offered by UWA academics associated with the UWA Centre for Medieval and Early Modern Studies, focus on representations of war and peace in European art and literature. Collectively, they will examine the contexts and reception of cultural and political practices of war and peace in the medieval and early modern era from the perspectives of emotions history, medievalism, and gender studies. In this way, the series stands to challenge conventional interpretations of European life in wartime from the sixteenth- to the nineteenth century.

Adolph Hitler and Hermann Goering were one of the most evil combinations of the20th century but they very nearly didn’t make it as a pair. Goering, who created the dreaded Gestapo in Nazi Germany at the time of World War ll and was a key figure in the “final solution” of exterminating the Jewish people, survived a ding dong dog fight with a West Australian airman in World War l.

The story of how this happened will be told in a talk to the Friends of the University of WA Library at their monthly meeting at Reid Library at 7.30pm on April 10.

The late Bunbury solicitor Frank Slee was the pilot who came close to victory in the air battle against the then little-known German, but was finally shot down himself.

Goering claimed and was awarded the victory after Slee made a forced landing near the Belgian town of Moorslede on June 8, 1917.

The story will be told in a talk by former POST reporter John Slee, who is the son of the late Australian pilot. Mr Slee will also tell the story of a notorious route March of 70km through the Egyptian desert by thousands of Australian soldiers, some of whom died through exposure to the heat. Frank Slee was one of these soldiers. This was in July 1915 and was ordered by their leaders as an exercise to toughen them up.

RSVP: Kathryn Maingard – [email protected] or 08 6488 2356

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/friends-of-uwa-library-hermann-georing-the-bunbury-solicitor-a-ding-dong-dogfight-by-john-slee-tickets-44357018035

Members: Free, Guests: $5 donation

The Australian Centre for Geomechanics initiated the series of international seminars on Paste and Thickened Tailings (P&TT) in 1999. Since then the seminars have become an influential and respected annual event which provides an excellent forum to bring together tailings and mine waste practitioners from around the world.

The ACG is proud to host the 21st International Seminar on Paste and Thickened Tailings in Perth, 11-13 April 2018. This seminar represents a valuable opportunity for academics, designers, practitioners, consultants and suppliers to discuss best practice, improved methods and technology, all with an emphasis on safety, efficiency and environmental impact.

Kehinde Wiley’s recent official portrait of the former US president, Barack Obama, has caused debate over dinner tables and in conference rooms. Looking unlike the conventional figure of conservative, patriarchal power, Obama is pictured seated, amidst a forest of flora. While it has been discussed as a shift in the portrayal of American presidents, the painting has also been seen as a sign of African-American empowerment.

Using Wiley’s portrait as a springboard for a personal reflection on portraiture, or more specifically the figure in a floral setting, Dr Ann Schilo will spin a tale that encompasses some favourite pictures from the annals of art history, a few ideas about representation and the presentation of the self, as well as a notation on the all-pervasive symbolism of flowers. In so doing, she will consider how images are embedded in their social cultural milieu and embroiled in the circulation of meanings.

Dr Ann Schilo has published widely in the visual arts, creative practice research, and cultural studies. In addition Ann works as an independent curator. Her edited volume, 'Visual Arts Practice and Affect: place, memory and embodied knowing' was published by Rowman and Littlefield in 2016.

‘Talking Allowed’ is a new series of presentations offered by the UWA Institute of Advanced Studies and the Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery.

On the second Wednesday of every month, a researcher/practitioner will give a short presentation on a topic of current relevance to the arts and culture before inviting the audience to participate in discussion and debate.

‘Talking Allowed’ is designed to be thought-provoking, challenging, stimulating and engaging. Come along and join the dialogue on matters that are of great importance to our society.

A public lecture by Mark McKenna, Research Fellow, History, University of Sydney.

The UWA Institute of Advanced Studies, City of Perth Library and Boffins Books are pleased to present Mark McKenna, author of 'Moment of Truth: History and Australia’s Future' in 'Quarterly Essay 69'.

In this inspiring essay, Mark McKenna pushes the debate about Australian history beyond the familiar polarities. Australia is on the brink of momentous change, but only if its citizens and politicians can come to new terms with the past. Indigenous recognition and a new push for a republic await action.

Judging by the Captain Cook statue controversy, though, our debates about the past have never been more fruitless. Is there a way beyond the history wars that began under John Howard? And in an age of free-floating fears about the global, digital future, is history any longer relevant, let alone equal to the task of grounding the nation?

In this inspiring essay, Mark McKenna considers the frontier, the Anzac legacy and deep time. He drags some fascinating new scholarship into the light, and pushes the debate about history beyond the familiar polarities.

Centre for Muslim States and Societies and AIIA WA is co-organising a special event with Her Excellency the High Commissioner to Pakistan, Ms Margaret Adamson.

Pakistan turned 70 in August last year. It is situated in a region of historically overlapping and competing power projections, a region which remains a major theatre of instability and strategic interest in today’s rapidly evolving geopolitical landscape. Although Pakistan continues to be confronted by domestic security challenges, its young population, natural resources and share of the region's exceptional cultural heritage are assets for a brighter future for this sixth most populous nation. Pakistan's economic and social indicators still compare poorly on global measures, but there are some positive developments. Australia-Pakistan relations date to Pakistan's creation, but people-to-people links are much older, reaching back to the 19th century. Thousands of Pakistani students are studying in Australia. Australian aid is investing in Pakistan's sustainable inclusive development and our humanitarian assistance is supporting Afghan refugees and their host communities. Commercial ties are on the rise and have potential to grow to more substantial levels.

This event will accord with the Chatham House Rule.

Tea and coffee will be provided.

About Margaret Adamson

Ms Adamson is a senior career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, having served previously as Ambassador to Poland and Ambassador to Cambodia. Most recently, she was Deputy High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea. In Canberra, Ms Adamson’s appointments have included head of Public Diplomacy Branch, European Union and Western Europe Branch, and Pacific Islands Branch.

Buy tickets: https://aiiawa.tidyhq.com/public/schedule/events/18866-special-event-with-australia-s-high-commissioner-to-pakistan/carts/new

The social structure of the Philippines at the turn of the sixteenth century comprised three distinct groups. These were the rulers and their families who obtained their position through skill or force, and held it by dint of power and wealth; the slaves who came about their status after defaults on loans, abduction in wars or by inheritance, being the children of existing slaves; and the freemen who formed the intermediate class and were neither rulers nor slaves. Aspects of this class system form the first part of this presentation.

The second part examines various ways in which conflict developed in the society, where divergent opinions led to arguments and debates, provocations led to challenges and threats, and differences in status and trust led to reprimands and blame. These periods of anger, annoyance or offence often came to a satisfactory end with reconciliation reached between the aggrieved parties themselves, or with third party assistance.

The primary focus of this presentation is on the Bikol region which occupies the southern part of Luzon. Included as well are references to the other major central Philippine languages (Kapampangan, Tagalog, Hiligaynon, Cebuano and Waray) as well as Malay.

David Tuller is a Senior Fellow in Public Health and Journalism at the Center of Global Public Health, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, California. Previous to this he was academic coordinator of the University of California, Berkeley's joint masters program in public health and journalism. He has worked as a reporter and editor for ten years at the San Francisco Chronicle, served as health editor at Salon.com and frequently writes about health for The New York Times. David will be discussing his work as a journalist in public health and especially in covering the PACE trial on myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) for The New York Times as health editor. This trial advocating cognitive behavioural therapy and graded exercise dominates clinical policy for this condition in many countries. However David’s concerns over the results of the trial have led him to further investigate the study and to become an outspoken advocate for patients with ME/CFS.

BYO Lunch

The UWA Symphony Orchestra once again joins forces with maestro Mark Coughlan to present a program of exciting and popular masterworks from the romantic tradition. From the excitement of grand opera to Grieg's evergreen piano concerto and Dvorak's energetic and exciting New World Symphony, this promises to be a thrilling program.

The program will include: Rossini 'Overture to the Barber of Seville', Grieg 'Piano Concerto', and Dvorak 'Symphony No 9 From the New World'

Tickets: $35

A public lecture by Professor Evelyn Welch, Provost (Arts & Sciences), King’s College London.

The portraits of Renaissance men and women show unblemished skin, smooth, well-groomed hair and strong, handsome physiques. Women were all shown with pale white complexions while the men all have full heads of hair and ruddy cheeks. But their skeletons tell a different story, one of disease, pox-marks and deformities.

In this talk, Evelyn Welch will discuss the many recipes, potions and procedures that were used to both improve physical appearance but also to protect beauty in Renaissance Florence between 1500 and 1700. Drawing on images in the Corsini and other Italian collections, she will help today’s viewers imagine a very different sense of health and beauty in the past.

A public lecture by Professor Sarah Pink, Professor of Design (Media Ethnography), RMIT and UWA Institute of Advanced Studies Visiting Fellow.

Self-driving cars, screenless technologies, digital assets, self tracking, automation and data - such emerging technologies are often represented through utopian or dystopian narratives that portray them as part of a future in which human society will be strongly impacted by technological change.

In this lecture Professor Pink will discuss the role of the social sciences both as critical voice in the debates around our futures with emerging technologies, and in an interventional mode of engagement and inquiry in technology futures as they play out. Having conducted ethnographic research into each of the technologies listed above, she will discuss the significant role the social sciences can play in determining how the possible futures implied by emerging technologies are imagined, envisioned and enabled, all of which opens up and deepens contributions towards responsible and ethical technological futures.

Gender discrimination is primarily against women and has many forms, some obvious and some hidden. This is a panel discussion on the various forms this discrimination takes and how we may address this. One aspect that will be discussed is Gender Discrimination in Islam and Muslim societies. Muslims claim that Islam protects women's rights. Is this really the case? Come and participate in what promises to be a lively discussion.

Join us each week for a delightful musical surprise! From young artist-led concerts to informal musical drinks on the famous grassy knoll, behind-the scenes workshops, lectures and masterclasses, these free weekly musical experiences will delight all music lovers.

This week, we celebrate the winners of the Friends of UWA Music Alex Cohen Travelling Scholarship in a special presentation.

The evening will include performances by the winners Jackson Vickery (percussion) and Jonty Coy (Baroque Flute).

Free entry - All welcome!

The rapid evolution of computers and mobile devices has had a significant impact on how we engage online and with each other. Yet for people with disabilities, including visual impairment, such technologies represent far more than just the sum of their parts - it is ultimately a gateway for independence. Yet with emerging technologies such as virtual reality, augmented reality and the Internet of Things, how can we ensure that people with disability continue to be a part of our digital culture? Dr Scott Hollier will demonstrate how people with disability are currently able to engage with consumer devices along with the benefits and issues associated with our new and emerging consumer digital needs.

Dr Scott Hollier specialises in the field of digital accessibility and is the author of the book Outrunning the Night: a life journey of disability, determination and joy. With a PhD in Internet Studies and project management experience across the not-for-profit, corporate and government sectors, Scott is an internationally-recognised researcher and speaker.

Consultancy areas include consumer-based support for service organisations, developer-based support for ICT professionals for web and app-related work and support across different organisational roles to achieve compliance with digital accessibility standards such as WCAG 2.0.

Scott currently lectures at Edith Cowan University and the University of South Australia in the areas of information management and web accessibility. He is also an active participant in the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) Research Questions Task Force (RQTF). In addition, Scott is legally blind and as such has both a professional and personal understanding of the importance of accessibility.