U of I’s Habib Institute for Asian Studies celebrates five years

MOSCOW, Idaho — University of Idaho’s Habib Institute for Asian Studies will celebrate its fifth anniversary Monday and Tuesday, Nov. 9-10, with events including a keynote lecture by a Godzilla expert, a panel discussion on the importance of Asian studies and an open house. All events are free, open to the public and on the Moscow campus.

For the past five years, the institute has brought Asia to Idaho through a variety of programming, from student-focused pop culture events like AsiaPOP! to academic symposia like the 2024 East Asian Ecocinema conference. It has also supported expanded partnerships with universities across Asia.

“We believe students who engage with the peoples and cultures of Asia will be better equipped to advance in their careers, benefiting not only themselves but also the state of Idaho,” said Jeff Kyong-McClain, director of the Habib Institute for Asian Studies and associate professor of history. “We look forward to building on this work over the next five years.”

William M. Tsutsui, chancellor and professor of history at Ottawa University, will present “Is Your War Over Now? Nationalism and Japan's Long Postwar in ‘Godzilla Minus One’” at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10, in the Bruce M. Pitman Center Vandal Ballroom. The lecture will explore how the Academy Award-winning 2023 film “Godzilla Minus One” reflects Japan’s fractured postwar period and the nation’s ongoing struggle to find closure following a history of war, defeat and occupation.  

A graduate of Harvard, Oxford and Princeton, Tsutsui has written and edited several books, including “Godzilla on My Mind: Fifty Years of the King of Monsters,” “In Godzilla's Footsteps: Japanese Pop Icons on the Global Stage” and “Japanese Popular Culture and Globalization.” His research examines Japanese history, popular culture and the global influence of Japanese media.  

The schedule is as follows:  

Monday, Nov. 9

• “Why Asia Matters” panel discussion, 10:30 a.m., TLC 029. Panelists representing business, national security and the academy include David Dolezilek, fellow engineer at Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories; Joseph Anderson, a former Idaho Wheat commissioner; Lt. William Burdge, assistant professor of naval science; and Chen Wang, Slayton Endowed Assistant Professor of East Asian Politics.

Tuesday, Nov. 10

• Habib Institute fifth anniversary open house, 1-2:30 p.m., Administration Building 204.
• Keynote address: “Is Your War Over Now? Nationalism and Japan’s Long Postwar in ‘Godzilla Minus One,’” 4 p.m., Bruce M Pitman Center Vandal Ballroom.

A photo exhibit featuring the shapes, colors and people of China is on display outside Room 204 of the Administration Building through Friday, Nov. 20. Asian studies student Will Pressley took the photos during a year studying at Sichuan Normal University in Chengdu. The exhibit is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Visitors can meet Pressley during the anniversary open house from 1-2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10.

For more information, visit go.uidaho.edu/hias.

Media notes: Professor Jeff Kyong-McClain, director of the Habib Institute, is available to speak to reporters. All sessions are open to reporters. Speakers may be available for interviews upon request. Email jeffkm@uidaho.edu to inquire.  

Media contact

Jeff Kyong-McClain  
Director of the Habib Institute for Asian Studies  
University of Idaho  
jeffkm@uidaho.edu