We are delighted to introduce the latest issue of the Journal of the Society for Asian Humanities (JOSAH), marking the first under the new editor and the second under our current name. As one of the oldest ongoing Humanities journals in Australia, JOSAH takes pride in its independence, which stems from not being affiliated with any major information companies and from being situated outside of Britain and the United States.
Our renewal process has included supporting new scholars in the field, with this year’s Emerging Scholar Award given to Soo Choi for her work on an adaptive translation of Han Kang’s The Vegetarian. In addition, we are pleased to feature Estelle Rust’s article on the connection between fandom and tourism in Japan, which received an honorable mention. Since 1960, JOSAH has published works from distinguished writers on Asia, not limited to those based in Australia. This issue continues the tradition by featuring Devleena Ghosh’s 2020 A.R. Davis Memorial Lecture for the Australian Society for Asian Humanities, as well as articles by Kam Louie, Susette B.T. Cooke, and David S.G. Goodman. The diverse approaches and methodologies found in this volume illustrate the evolution of Humanities research on Asia since 1960.
Alongside main articles and the A.R. Davis Lecture, we are also excited to publish a special feature—an annotated catalogue of the Kwee Collection at the University of Sydney by Tom Hoogervorst. Moreover, we extend a warm welcome to our new review editors, Mei-fen Kuo and Craig Smith, and acknowledge the efforts of our Managing Editor, Josh Stenberg, and Associate Editor, Meaghan Morris, in revitalizing the journal. We are grateful for the hard work and generosity of all our reviewers during these challenging times.
To purchase a copy of JOSAH Vol. 53, please email josaheditor@sydney.edu.au