1. Football Coach Marcus Freeman Speaks for Asian American Distinguished Speaker Series
In a heartfelt conversation, Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame’s Dick Corbett Head Football Coach, spoke about his Korean heritage and biracial identity for the second Asian American Distinguished Speaker Series event on April 27.
Held at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center’s Decio Theater, the event was moderated by Tarryn Chun, an assistant professor in the Department of Film, Television, and Theatre, and a Liu Institute faculty fellow.
“I’ve always embraced who I am, being a person of mixed races, and I have the utmost pride in my African American and Korean background.”—Marcus Freeman
2. Liu Institute Launches Book Series on Chinese Christianity
In partnership with the University of Notre Dame Press, the Liu Institute launched the Liu Institute Series in Chinese Christianities in 2021. Alexander Chow, University of Edinburgh, serves as the series editor.
“Any consideration of the future of world Christianity must now take into account the role of Chinese Christians and their distinctly Chinese interpretation of the Christian faith”—Alexander Chow, Series Editor
3. London Global Gateway Offers First Asia-Focused Course
ND students studying abroad in London in spring 2022 had the opportunity to enroll in the first Asia-focused course offered at the London Global Gateway. East Asian Ways of Life: Philosophy and Practice was taught by adjunct instructor Lana Ko.
“It’s no longer a statement to say that we are all global citizens. Coming here to London, a huge metropolitan city, is the perfect opportunity to feel that we all have global citizenship.”—Lana Ko, Instructor
4. Historian Romila Thapar Delivers Justice & Asia Distinguished Lecture
Pre-eminent historian Romila Thapar delivered the Liu Institute’s second annual Justice and Asia Distinguished Lecture on April 21. The virtual event was moderated by Neeta Verma, the Robert P. Sedlack Jr. Associate Professor of Visual Communication Design and a Liu Institute faculty fellow.
“It becomes very necessary that where academic freedom has to be protected, those of us who are in an academic profession should know the current situation.”—Romila Thapar, Historian
5. Five Students Earn Asian Studies Degrees
Five students graduated in 2022 with either a supplementary major or a minor in Asian Studies.
María Jesús Bobenrieth Agurto and Wendy Ruan earned the Asian Studies supplementary major. Emee Dy, Nayun Hong, and Bradley Noble earned the Asian Studies minor.
“My Notre Dame experience and education has been so much richer thanks to the Asian Studies minor and its flexibility in encouraging exploration of my interests.”—Nayun Hong, Graduate
6. Beijing Graduation Service Honors Undergraduates
The Beijing Global Gateway hosted a special graduation ceremony on July 18, 2021, to honor five students who were unable to attend Notre Dame’s 2021 commencement ceremony because of the global pandemic.
The Liu Institute supported the livestreamed event for graduates (l-r) Tianze Zheng, Yixuan Mao, Yiman Wang, Jingjing Yu, and Yuanmeng He.
“The special graduation ceremony was an incredible opportunity. I will carry on the love, knowledge, and thanks after graduation as well.”—Yiman Wang, Graduate
7. New Course Examines Climate Change through Business and Economics
Liu Institute faculty fellows Jessica McManus Warnell and Eva Dziadula offered the multidisciplinary course Climate, Economics, & Business Ethics during spring semester. The course focused the course on environmental and social justice implications of climate change, public policy, and impacts on global economies and communities,.
“Asia is the largest market suffering from the negative externalities associated with development and has the greatest potential for positive policy and practice impact.”—Jessica McManus Warnell, Teaching Professor, Management & Organization
8. Six Speak for Asian (Re)Visions Lecture Series
The Asian (Re)Visions of Nation, State, and Citizenship lecture series invited multidisciplinary scholars to examine how diverse populations in Asia are remaking discourses and practices of nation, state, and citizenship.
Speakers (top from left): Nadia Kim, Professor of Sociology and Asian/Asian American Studies, Loyola Marymount University; Jeremy Wallace, Associate Professor of Government, Cornell University; Ravinder Kaur, Associate Professor of Modern South Asian Studies, University of Copenhagen.
Speakers (bottom from left): Radhika Govindrajan, Associate Professor of Anthropology and International Studies, University of Washington, Seattle; Eleana Kim, Associate Professor, Department of Anthropology, University of California, Irvine; and Diana Fu, Associate Professor, Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, University of Toronto.
9. Alexander Hsu Assumes Expanded Role with Liu Institute
Alexander Hsu has been appointed as assistant teaching professor of global affairs at the Keough School of Global Affairs, a position that dedicates more of his time to the Liu Institute in addition to duties with the Ansari Institute for Global Engagement with Religion.
Hsu will continue to serve as the Liu Institute’s director of undergraduate studies, a role he assumed in August 2019.
He will also devote more time to Institute programming, including overseeing speaker series, student outreach, and special projects.
A historian of early Buddhist scripture in China, Hsu earned a doctorate in religious studies from the University of Chicago.
10. Korea Foundation President Meets with Father Jenkins
The Liu Institute hosted Geun Lee, president of the Korea Foundation, in June. Lee met with campus leaders, including Notre Dame president John I. Jenkins, C.S.C.
The Korea foundation was established in 1991 to promote understanding of Korea and to strengthen international friendships.
In 2019, the Liu Institute successfully applied for Korea Foundation funding to allow for the hiring of sociologist Sharon Yoon, an assistant professor of Korean Studies.
From left: Liu Institute director, Michel Hockx, President Jenkins, President Lee, and Professor Yoon.