About Us

Please feel free to copy, repost, mirror, share, and use any and all material that appears on this blog however you like and as much or as often as you like.  We are always interested in learning about what you might do with what we post here, and while by no means necessary, shout-outs to the dedicated translators are always welcome and appreciated.

So what is this blog and who are we anyway?

Project east306, the name we received from Brian Bergstrom and illcommonz, grew out of two university classes, an advanced seminar in Japanese translation and the experimental radio class (east306) described below. The project no longer has any relationship to or affiliation with a particular school or class, and we have contributors based in many places around the world.  Since a significant number of us (including four of the five people who currently manage this blog and make posts) are based in Montréal, we also sometimes use this blog to announce, plan, and discuss local activities.  Our ad-hoc collective posts material on an “as we go” and “as we are able” basis, and we hope you will share, repost, and find meaningful ways to make use of any and all material posted here.

east306

Taught at McGill University, EAST 306 was an experimental radio course pioneered by Adrienne Hurley and Natalia Evdokimova. The students were required to conduct weekly interviews with various authors, activists, and professors. The students chose the people they interviewed and conducted independent research to prepare for the interviews. Topics included social justice in contemporary Japan, critical ethnic studies, pan-Asian activism, and the like. The result of some of the students’ work is posted here, on this blog. As of June 4, 2011, we still have 4 completed podcasts to edit and upload (exciting and important interviews with Brian Bergstrom, Victor Fan, Sabu Kohso, and Yolanda Muñoz).  Some of the content produced for east306 also aired on Montreal’s CKUT 90.3 fm.  Check out CKUT at ckut.ca to access their archives.

The following is a list of those who contributed to the production of east306 podcast and radio documentary programming (in chronological order).  We will update and add names as we get caught up on making podcasts available.

Adrienne Hurley is a professor at McGill University whose interests include anarchist studies, social movements, youth and violence, and modern literature.

Natalia Evdokimova is an undergraduate student at McGill University and radio programmer with CKUT radio whose interests run the gamut from medieval prison studies to One Piece.

Cameron McKeich is a fourth-year undergraduate student in Cultural Studies and Geography interested in labour, class, performing arts and urban space.

Adam Wheeler is a third-year undergraduate student in Women’s Studies and Religious Studies, interested in transnational and anti-racist feminism(s), technologies of state violence, and feminist epistemologies.

Zoe Brewster is in her fourth year at McGill, finishing a double major in Biomedical Sciences and East Asian Studies. “I’m half Japanese, half British, grew up in Tokyo until I was 14 before moving to Canada by myself.  I love food, sports, and making people happy.”

Lisa Tang is a third-year undergraduate at McGill in Linguistics and East Asian Studies interested in national and transnational identity, modern literature and the influence of Japanese pop culture in East Asia.

Sophie Laurier is an undergraduate student majoring in East Asian Studies with a minor concentration in Italian Studies at McGill University.

Justin Song is a fourth year student studying East Asian Studies and Anthropology. He is interested in minority rights.

Samantha Chrisanthus is a political science and women’s studies major at McGill University in her final year of undergrad with an amateur interest in copyfighting and Critical Race Theory.

Christa Coryea is a third year undergraduate student in Honours East Asian Studies. She is interested in literature, constructions of gender, and LGBT rights.

Bridget Gagné is a 2nd year undergraduate student majoring in Biochemistry and minoring in East Asian Studies.  She dreams to one day become an idol in Japan.

Francis Guérin is a student at McGill University, graduating with a major in East Asian Studies and three minors.  Francis has an in interest in New Media, particularly Video Games, and wants to criticize human thought through the creation and design of Video Games, amongst other things.

Isabelle Dansereau is a third year McGill student majoring in East Asian Studies and minoring in German Language and East Asian Languages. It is through the latter that she got the opportunity to make the acquaintance of Hasegawa-sensei.

Larissa Corriveau is a U3 student and double major in Political Science and East Asian Studies.