About

About Us

Graduate work in Japanese studies at Duke is thriving, and UNC is making great steps forward. The Duke and UNC campuses have by far the strongest combined library holdings in Japanese studies in the Southeastern US. Duke has more than 60,000 Japanese-language volumes, a comprehensive English-language collection, almost 400 serial subscriptions, 10,000 microfilm materials, a number of full-text databases including the Yomiuri and Asahi newspaper collections, and a substantial collection of primary source and archival materials, while UNC has more than 6,000 volumes. Historically, Duke has focused on its Japanese language collection while UNC has focused on Chinese materials.

Graduate students, in particular, are encouraged to participate in the Center’s initiatives and take advantage of the opportunity to conduct research alongside their peers and professors. The Center also actively promotes continued faculty and student achievement by providing grants that fund individual research efforts and ensuring that library resources meet current needs and interests. Reaching beyond the university campus, the Center engages the wider Triangle area through speakers, film series, and other events that are open to all.

The Triangle Community

The Triangle region of North Carolina has been recognized as a distinct metropolitan region with a unique academic community for more than half a century. Raleigh, the state capital, is home to NCSU. Durham, 30 minutes to the northwest, is home to Duke. Chapel Hill, located 20 minutes southwest of Durham, is home to UNC. Also found in the area are the Research Triangle Park, the National Humanities Center, and numerous other research and education institutions.

Staff

Director: Christopher Nelson, Associate Professor of Anthropology, University of North Carolina

Executive Committee

Library: Matthew Hayes, Japanese Studies Librarian, Duke
Director: Simon Partner, Professor of History, Duke, Asian/Pacific Studies Institute
Director: Morgan Pitelka, Professor of Asian Studies, UNC, Carolina Asia Center
Duke Representative: Leo Ching, Professor of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, Duke
NCSU Representative: David Ambaras, Professor of History, NCSU
UNC Representative: Jennifer Smith, Associate Professor of Linguistics, UNC