UH Press

Perspectives on the Japanese Visual Arts, 1868-2000

Posted on October 19, 2011 by stephchun

Research outside Japan on the history and significance of the Japanese visual arts since the beginning of the Meiji period (1868) has been, with the exception of writings on modern and contemporary woodblock prints, a relatively unexplored area of inquiry. In recent years, however, the subject has begun to attract wide interest. As is evident from this volume, this period of roughly a century and a half produced an outpouring of art created in a bewildering number of genres and spanning a wide range of aims and accomplishments. Since Meiji: Perspectives on the Japanese Visual Arts, 1868-2000, edited by J. Thomas Rimer, is the first sustained effort in English to discuss in any depth a time when Japan, eager to join in the larger cultural developments in Europe and the U.S., went through a visual revolution. Indeed, this study of the visual arts of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries suggests a fresh history of modern Japanese culture—one that until now has not been widely visible or thoroughly analyzed outside that country.

October 2011 / ISBN 978-0-8248-3582-8 / $28.00 (PAPER)

Philosophy East and West, vol. 61, no. 4 (2011)

Posted on October 17, 2011 by UH Press

ARTICLES

The Cultivation of Moral Feelings and Mengzi’s Method of Extension
Emily McRae, 587

Offered here is an interpretation of the ancient Confucian philosopher Mengzi’s (372–289 B.C.E.) method of cultivating moral feelings, which he calls “extension.” It is argued that this method is both psychologically plausible and an important, but often overlooked, part of moral life. In this interpretation, extending our moral feelings is not a project in logical consistency, analogical reasoning, or emotional intuition. Rather, Mengzi’s method of extension is a project in realigning the human heart that harnesses our rational, reflective, and emotional capacities in order to extend the feelings we already have to the appropriate objects for these feelings. It is argued that there are three main features of Mengzi’s account that make it an attractive explanation of the cultivation of moral feelings. The first is the way Mengzi sees reasoning and philosophical reflection as an aid to, rather than the foundation for, moral development. The second is Mengzi’s precision regarding the relationship between the basic moral feelings we start with (the “sprouts”) and their corresponding virtues. The method of extension acts as a well-designed bridge between feelings and virtues. Third, Mengzi’s account, unlike that of the Mohist Yi Zhi, whom he criticizes, pays special attention to the complexities and limitations of human psychology. In conclusion it is shown how a Mengzian understanding of the relationship between feelings and morality can answer some traditional challenges, especially Kantian ones, regarding the proper role of emotion in moral life. Continue reading “Philosophy East and West, vol. 61, no. 4 (2011)”

Murder Leaves Its Mark Book Launch Events

Posted on October 13, 2011 by stephchun

The public is invited to Victoria Kneubuhl’s book-signings and appearances to mark the publication of her latest Mina Beckwithand Ned Manusia mystery, Murder Leaves Its Mark:

Sunday, October 23, 3-5 pm
Native Books/Nā Mea Hawai‘i, Ward Warehouse (phone: 596-8885)
This event will include a reading by the author and friends. Robyn Kneubuhl, of Maui’s beloved duo, The Hula Honeys, will perform music to transport the audience to 1930s Hawai‘i. Light refreshments and book-signing to follow.

Saturday, November 5, 2-4 pm
Daughters of Hawai‘i Book Day, Queen Emma Summer Palace, 2913 Pali Highway (phone: 595-6291)
Book Day event hours are 10 am-4 pm.

Saturday, November 12, 2-3 pm
Barnes & Noble-Kahala Mall (phone: 737-3323)

Monday, November 28, 6:30-7:30 pm
“Thinking Out Loud” radio show interview. Live broadcast from the KZOO-1240 AM Radio Studio in Shirokiya, Ala Moana Center (phone: 941-5966)
Please note: Currently, books are not expected to be available at this event.

New Catalog: Hawaii and the Pacific 2012

Posted on October 13, 2011 by stephchun

The UH Press Hawai‘i and the Pacific 2012 catalog is now available. To view the 4.6M PDF (the catalog is available online only), click on the cover image to the left.

Highlights include:

* An illustrated history of the ‘ukulele (The ‘Ukulele: A History)

* A handy guide to “power foods”: fruits, vegetables, and nuts that could save your life (Eat Smart, Stay Well)

* The story behind the conservation of the Big Island’s King Kamehameha statue and its meaning for the residents of Kapa‘au (The Painted King: Art, Activism, and Authenticity in Hawai‘i)

* Two histories of Kaluapapa/Makanalua: (Kalaupapa: A Collective Memory) and (Ma‘i Lepera: A History of Leprosy in Nineteenth-Century Hawai‘i)

* An illustrated compilation of traditional Hawaiian design (Links to the Past: The Work of Early Hawaiian Artisans)

* Two works offering invaluable insights into Hawaiian culture: (No Na Mamo: Traditional Contemporary Hawaiian Beliefs and Practices) and (I Ulu I Ke Kumu: The Hawai‘inuiakea Monograph)

* The autobiography of legendary Hawai‘i jazzman Gabe Baltazar Jr. (If It Swings, It’s Music: The Autobiography of Hawai‘i’s Gabe Baltazar Jr.)

* A trek into the past with Hawai‘i hiking expert Stuart Ball (Native Paths to Volunteer Trails: Hiking and Trail Building on O‘ahu)

* The most comprehensive and thoroughly illustrated treatment of loulu, the Hawaiian palm (Loulu: The Hawaiian Palm)

* A look at the complex interaction between lived sexualities and socio-legal mores at the turn of the 20th century (Queer Compulsions: Race, Nation, and Sexuality in the Affairs of Yone Noguchi)

* A posthumous work detailing the spiritual journey of a young Japanese scholar who immersed himself in Australian Indigenous culture (Gurindji Journey: A Japanese Historian in the Outback)

Spirits of the Place Now Available in Paperback

Posted on October 12, 2011 by stephchun

Spirits of the Place: Buddhism and Lao Religious Culture, by John Clifford Holt, is now available in paperback.

“This work fills a very real need in Buddhist studies (introduction of Lao Buddhism in general), religious studies (investigation and theorization of the disciplinary problem of ‘syncretism’), and regional studies of Southeast Asia. . . . [The book] represents a genuine and thus far unique contribution to all of these fields, engages with issues of enough centrality and importance to be of great interest to experts, and is written and organized in a manner accessible enough to be used for many classes.” —Journal of Religion

October 2011 / ISBN 978-0-8248-3657-3 / $27.00 (PAPER)

The Living World of Ainu Shinyoshu

Posted on October 12, 2011 by stephchun

Indigenous peoples throughout the globe are custodians of a unique, priceless, and increasingly imperiled legacy of oral lore. Among them the Ainu, a people native to northeastern Asia, stand out for the exceptional scope and richness of their oral performance traditions. Yet despite this cultural wealth, nothing has appeared in English on the subject in over thirty years. Sarah Strong’s Ainu Spirits Singing: The Living World of Chiri Yukie’s Ainu Shin’yoshu breaks this decades-long silence with a nuanced study and English translation of the Ainu Shin’yoshu, the first written transcription of Ainu oral narratives by an ethnic Ainu.

“Ainu Spirits Singing is a unique fusion of geography and literature that offers a contextual grounding and engaging translation of Ainu oral stories passed down from ancient times. The author devotes several chapters to a detailed description and evocation of the physical and spiritual geography and cultural landscape that form the horizon of the tales themselves. The book, particularly helpful for readers unfamiliar with Ainu lore, offers a rich and nuanced reading of the tales.” —J. Scott Miller, Brigham Young University

October 2011 / ISBN 978-0-8248-3512-5 / $58.00 (CLOTH)

New in Hawaiian Studies and Culture

Posted on October 11, 2011 by stephchun

No Na Mamo: Traditional and Contemporary Hawaiian Beliefs and Practices, by Malcolm Naea Chun, is an updated and enlarged compilation of books in the acclaimed Ka Wana series, published in 2005–2010. The books, revised and presented here as individual chapters, offer invaluable insights into the philosophy and way of life of Native Hawaiian culture.
September 2011 / ISBN 978-0-8248-3624-5 / $40.00 (CLOTH)
Published in association with the Curriculum Research and Development Group (CRDG), University of Hawai‘i

I Ulu I Ke Kumu: The Hawaiinuiakea Monograph, edited by Puakea Nogelmeier, is the first volume of a series to be published annually by the Hawaiʻinuiakea School of Hawaiian Knowledge and is intended to be a venue for scholars as well as practitioners and leaders in the Hawaiian community to come together over issues, queries, and strategies. Each volume will feature articles on a thematic topic—from diverse fields such as economics, education, family resources, government, health, history, land and natural resource management, psychology, religion, sociology, and so forth—selected by an editorial team. It will also include a “current viewpoint” by a postgraduate student and a reflection piece contributed by a kupuna.
October 2011 / ISBN 978-0-9845666-0-0 / $16.00 (PAPER)
Published in association with the Hawai‘inuiakea School of Hawaiian Knowledge, University of Hawai‘i

Archives of Asian Art, vol. 61 (2011)

Posted on October 10, 2011June 14, 2017 by UH Press

Archives of Asian Art vol. 61 cover

The table of contents below contains links to the MUSE edition of each article and shows either an abstract or a sample image from each of the main entries.

Chair’s Note—Note of Farewell
Marsha Haufler, 1

In Appreciation of Marsha Haufler
Rick Asher, Naomi Noble Richards, Vishakha Desai, Melissa Chiu, 2

Continue reading “Archives of Asian Art, vol. 61 (2011)”

Pacific Science, vol. 65, no. 4 (2011)

Posted on October 5, 2011 by UH Press

Spatial and Temporal Comparisons of Benthic Composition at Necker Island, Northwestern Hawaiian Islands
Stephanie A. Schopmeyer, Peter S. Vroom, and Jean C. Kenyon, 405-417

Necker Island, a remote island located in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, provides a unique opportunity to investigate species-level algal and benthic invertebrate assemblages and assess temporal variation of coral reef ecosystems exposed to minimal anthropogenic impacts. Continue reading “Pacific Science, vol. 65, no. 4 (2011)”

The Material Spirit of the Chinese Lifeworld

Posted on September 30, 2011 by stephchun

For a thousand years across the length and breadth of China and beyond, people have burned paper replicas of valuable things—most often money—for the spirits of deceased family members, ancestors, and myriads of demons and divinities. Although frequently denigrated as wasteful and vulgar and at times prohibited by governing elites, today this venerable custom is as popular as ever. Burning Money: The Material Spirit of the Chinese Lifeworld, by C. Fred Blake, explores the cultural logic of this common practice while addressing larger anthropological questions concerning the nature of value. The heart of the work integrates Chinese and Western thought and analytics to develop a theoretical framework that the author calls a “materialist aesthetics.” This includes consideration of how the burning of paper money meshes with other customs in China and around the world.

“Although focused on the topic of paper money, this study is in fact a much more ambitious consideration of Chinese life and civilization. Employing a distinctive mix of philosophical meditation, ethnographic vignette, historical narrative, folk tales, and more conventional anthropological analysis, Blake has constructed an impressively literate picture of what he clearly and persuasively views as the elusive ‘spirit’ of Chinese culture. This is a unique, highly original, and wide-ranging book.” —P. Steven Sangren, Cornell University

September 2011 / ISBN 978-0-8248-3532-3 / $52.00 (CLOTH)

Murder Leaves Its Mark / Murder Casts a Shadow – Special Sale

Posted on September 25, 2011 by stephchun

Now through October 10, 2011, purchase Victoria Kneubuhl’s new Hawai‘i mystery Murder Leaves Its Mark online and receive the first book in the series, Murder Casts a Shadow, FREE.

Go to http://https://www.uhpress.hawaii.edu/p-8728-9780824899999.aspx to place your order. This special sale is online only; books ship as a set.

Advance praise for Murder Leaves Its Mark:

“[Mina Beckwith and Ned Manusia] return with another adventure in 1930s Hawaii. Journalist Mina and playwright Ned find themselves involved in the labor disputes resulting from attempts to organize the plantation workers on the islands. When Mina and Ned join family members at the Haleiwa Hotel for a luxurious weekend of horseback riding and beachcombing, they find themselves in the middle of a murder case. Mina’s brother-in-law, a police detective, asks her, her twin sister, Nyla, and Ned to help with the investigation. Suspects include a wealthy Chinese merchant who loves French cooking, a hot-headed labor organizer, a couple of wealthy businessmen, and the two enterprising Japanese daughters of the hotel owner. Mina and Nyla’s Hawaiian grandmother and her friend, a traditional native healer, make connections between the past and the present. The evolving relationship of Mina and Ned, the escapades of Ollie, a Portuguese water dog, keep the pages turning, while the island setting provides an atmospheric backdrop.” —Booklist

Gerald Horne Events in San Francisco & Oakland

Posted on September 23, 2011 by stephchun

Gerald Horne, the author of the recent Fighting in Paradise: Labor Unions, Racism, and Communists in the Making of Modern Hawai‘i, will be in San Francisco and Oakland next month for two events:

Saturday, October 1, 11 am
ILWU Local 10 Union Hall, 200 North Point
Professor Horne will also talk about his earlier book The White Pacific: U.S. Imperialism and Black Slavery in the South Seas after the Civil War, published by UH Press in 2007.

Sunday, October 2, 2pm
Niebyl-Proctor Marxist Library, 6501 Telegraph Ave.
The presentation is entitled “Communists in Paradise? Racism and Radicalism in the Making of Modern Hawaii (and a US President).”