Michael K. Bourdaghs
@mbourdaghs.bsky.social
Scholar and translator, modern Japanese literature and culture; I also write fiction, music criticism, and sundry other things. Plus the occasional sumo and baseball post. Faculty at University of Chicago. www.bourdaghs.com
Reposted by Michael K. Bourdaghs
If you want some clarity on how & why community organizing is working here: "Again and again, I heard people say they were not protesters but protectors—of their communities, of their values, of the Constitution. . . . At times what I saw in Minneapolis reminded of what I saw in the Arab Spring..."
January 26, 2026 at 12:32 PM
If you want some clarity on how & why community organizing is working here: "Again and again, I heard people say they were not protesters but protectors—of their communities, of their values, of the Constitution. . . . At times what I saw in Minneapolis reminded of what I saw in the Arab Spring..."
Reposted by Michael K. Bourdaghs
Mood in minneapolis right now
January 24, 2026 at 11:31 PM
Mood in minneapolis right now
New book (free open access): "Oceanic Japan: The Archipelago in Pacific and Global History," edited by Stefan Huebner, Nadin Heé, Ian J. Miller, and William M. Tsutsui (University of Hawai'i Press).
manifold.uhpress.hawaii.edu/projects/oce...
manifold.uhpress.hawaii.edu/projects/oce...
Oceanic Japan | University of Hawai‘i Press - Manifold
Japan’s oceans demand our attention. Violent, prolific, and changeful, they define life and death on the archipelago: pushing the shore under the rush of tsunami, charging typhoon circulation, feeding...
manifold.uhpress.hawaii.edu
January 22, 2026 at 1:40 PM
New book (free open access): "Oceanic Japan: The Archipelago in Pacific and Global History," edited by Stefan Huebner, Nadin Heé, Ian J. Miller, and William M. Tsutsui (University of Hawai'i Press).
manifold.uhpress.hawaii.edu/projects/oce...
manifold.uhpress.hawaii.edu/projects/oce...
Reposted by Michael K. Bourdaghs
Talked to a Somali man today who said his mosque last night was surrounded by neighbors ready to protect them against ICE if needed. Made me feel proud to live in this city.
January 17, 2026 at 10:05 PM
Talked to a Somali man today who said his mosque last night was surrounded by neighbors ready to protect them against ICE if needed. Made me feel proud to live in this city.
Reposted by Michael K. Bourdaghs
Cartoon by Mike Luckovich
January 11, 2026 at 1:01 AM
Cartoon by Mike Luckovich
The Buddhist Temple of Chicago Asoka Society invites you to a conversation with acclaimed novelist/playwright Yu Miri. Yu is currently in residence at the University of Chicago as a Visiting Research Associate in East Asian Languages and Civilizations. (Thread)
January 9, 2026 at 10:38 PM
The Buddhist Temple of Chicago Asoka Society invites you to a conversation with acclaimed novelist/playwright Yu Miri. Yu is currently in residence at the University of Chicago as a Visiting Research Associate in East Asian Languages and Civilizations. (Thread)
Coming up 1/23/2026 at I-House, UChicago: "Japan Twang!," an hour-long performance of the modern Japanese musical style “Tsugaru-jamisen” by Satō Michiyoshi, including traditional and modern pieces, with commentary by Joshua Lee Solomon.
More info and registration: www.eventbrite.com/e/japan-twan...
More info and registration: www.eventbrite.com/e/japan-twan...
January 9, 2026 at 2:34 PM
Coming up 1/23/2026 at I-House, UChicago: "Japan Twang!," an hour-long performance of the modern Japanese musical style “Tsugaru-jamisen” by Satō Michiyoshi, including traditional and modern pieces, with commentary by Joshua Lee Solomon.
More info and registration: www.eventbrite.com/e/japan-twan...
More info and registration: www.eventbrite.com/e/japan-twan...
Great new interview with the Kinks' Ray Davies by Richard Purden on Ray's lifelong obsession with Arsenal football:
www.fourfourtwo.com/person/i-onc...
www.fourfourtwo.com/person/i-onc...
'I once saw an Arsenal player stub out his cigarette as he ran onto the field' Ray Davies on his lifelong obsession with Arsenal, from the era of "boring, boring" era to the liquid football of Wenger
The Kinks frontman on watching the Gunners with brother and bandmate Dave, and nearly missing a gig to see England’s World Cup win
www.fourfourtwo.com
December 28, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Great new interview with the Kinks' Ray Davies by Richard Purden on Ray's lifelong obsession with Arsenal football:
www.fourfourtwo.com/person/i-onc...
www.fourfourtwo.com/person/i-onc...
Chris Jones for the Chicago Tribune: "Best of 2025: Top 10 performances on Chicago stages this year." I am in strong agreement with his #1 and #3, both of which were highlights of our year at local theaters.
www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/26/b...
www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/26/b...
Best of 2025: Top 10 performances on Chicago stages this year
Beginning with Sondra Radvanovsky at the Lyric and including Steppenwolf’s Caroline Neff as well as Ryan Hake as the lead of “Angels in America.”
www.chicagotribune.com
December 27, 2025 at 2:16 PM
Chris Jones for the Chicago Tribune: "Best of 2025: Top 10 performances on Chicago stages this year." I am in strong agreement with his #1 and #3, both of which were highlights of our year at local theaters.
www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/26/b...
www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/26/b...
From the "Read Japanese Literature" site: "10 Favorites From 2025 and Year in Review."
readjapaneseliterature.com/posts/10+Fav...
readjapaneseliterature.com/posts/10+Fav...
10 Favorites From 2025 and Year in Review - Read Japanese Literature
Picking my favorite new translations from the year and noting trends in what publishers are putting out.
readjapaneseliterature.com
December 27, 2025 at 1:04 PM
From the "Read Japanese Literature" site: "10 Favorites From 2025 and Year in Review."
readjapaneseliterature.com/posts/10+Fav...
readjapaneseliterature.com/posts/10+Fav...
Reposted by Michael K. Bourdaghs
It really is about the notes you don’t play
Kennedy Center Christmas Eve jazz concert canceled after Trump's name added reut.rs/3NfgBky
Kennedy Center Christmas Eve jazz concert canceled after Trump's name added
A planned Christmas Eve jazz concert at the Kennedy Center was canceled, with the host of the longtime annual performance attributing the decision to the addition of Republican U.S. President Donald Trump's name to the institution in Washington.
reut.rs
December 25, 2025 at 1:30 PM
It really is about the notes you don’t play
"Robert Nakamura, ‘Godfather’ of Asian American Film, Dies at 88." NY Times obituary by Jeré Longman.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/23/m...
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/23/m...
Robert Nakamura, ‘Godfather’ of Asian American Film, Dies at 88
www.nytimes.com
December 25, 2025 at 2:35 PM
"Robert Nakamura, ‘Godfather’ of Asian American Film, Dies at 88." NY Times obituary by Jeré Longman.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/23/m...
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/23/m...
Reposted by Michael K. Bourdaghs
I published a thing! This chapter, on the reasons behind the relatively slow transition to music streaming in Japan, is included in a book on streaming around the world, edited by David Hesmondhalgh and team. luminosoa.org/chapters/e/1...
The Japanese Transition to Streaming Music: Corporate Hesitancy and Individual Innovation | University of California Press
luminosoa.org
December 24, 2025 at 4:01 PM
I published a thing! This chapter, on the reasons behind the relatively slow transition to music streaming in Japan, is included in a book on streaming around the world, edited by David Hesmondhalgh and team. luminosoa.org/chapters/e/1...
Reposted by Michael K. Bourdaghs
you ever read a book so bad you wanna go back to mesopotamia and uninvent writing
December 20, 2025 at 8:29 PM
you ever read a book so bad you wanna go back to mesopotamia and uninvent writing
Some fan video from the Sachiko Kanenobu and Big Sky Band's concert here at UChicago earlier this month: "Climb into the Future." 12/4/2025.
youtu.be/ZIf_GaPe6Rw
youtu.be/ZIf_GaPe6Rw
“CLIMB INTO THE FUTURE” Sachiko Kanenobu and Big Sky Band @ UC Chicago Dec 4 2025
YouTube video by Henriette Studio
youtu.be
December 21, 2025 at 1:10 AM
Some fan video from the Sachiko Kanenobu and Big Sky Band's concert here at UChicago earlier this month: "Climb into the Future." 12/4/2025.
youtu.be/ZIf_GaPe6Rw
youtu.be/ZIf_GaPe6Rw
Dan Mihalopoulos and Lauren FitzPatrick for the "Chicago Sun-Times": "Greg Bovino’s the star of Trump’s deportation show. We trace his roots."
chicago.suntimes.com/the-watchdog...
chicago.suntimes.com/the-watchdog...
Greg Bovino’s the star of Trump’s deportation show. We trace his roots.
As a boy, the Hollywood movie “The Border" set the course for his life. He couldn’t believe the Border Patrol agents in the movie were the bad guys. Now that he’s in charge of deportation efforts caus...
chicago.suntimes.com
December 13, 2025 at 5:34 PM
Dan Mihalopoulos and Lauren FitzPatrick for the "Chicago Sun-Times": "Greg Bovino’s the star of Trump’s deportation show. We trace his roots."
chicago.suntimes.com/the-watchdog...
chicago.suntimes.com/the-watchdog...
Liz Pelly for "The Guardian": "This Spotify Wrapped Season, Don’t Outsource Your Love of Music to AI."
www.theguardian.com/music/2025/d...
www.theguardian.com/music/2025/d...
Spotify Wrapped is taking over our feeds, but you don’t have outsource your relationship with music to AI | Liz Pelly
The streamer’s annual charts are just another version of the tech that’s alienating us from our inner lives. Hold on to your musical memories and reclaim ownership of your taste
www.theguardian.com
December 9, 2025 at 12:29 PM
Liz Pelly for "The Guardian": "This Spotify Wrapped Season, Don’t Outsource Your Love of Music to AI."
www.theguardian.com/music/2025/d...
www.theguardian.com/music/2025/d...
Ronald Purser in "Current Affairs": "AI is Destroying the University and Learning Itself."
www.currentaffairs.org/news/ai-is-d...
www.currentaffairs.org/news/ai-is-d...
AI is Destroying the University and Learning Itself
Students use AI to write papers, professors use AI to grade them, degrees become meaningless, and tech companies make fortunes. Welcome to the death of higher education.
www.currentaffairs.org
December 5, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Ronald Purser in "Current Affairs": "AI is Destroying the University and Learning Itself."
www.currentaffairs.org/news/ai-is-d...
www.currentaffairs.org/news/ai-is-d...
Excellent interview with Matsutoya Yumi by Patrick St. Michel in the "Japan Times": "Yumi Matsutoya’s Human Touch in an AI Age" (behind paywall but worth tracking down).
www-japantimes-co-jp.proxy.uchicago.edu/culture/2025...
www-japantimes-co-jp.proxy.uchicago.edu/culture/2025...
Shibboleth Authentication Request
www-japantimes-co-jp.proxy.uchicago.edu
December 3, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Excellent interview with Matsutoya Yumi by Patrick St. Michel in the "Japan Times": "Yumi Matsutoya’s Human Touch in an AI Age" (behind paywall but worth tracking down).
www-japantimes-co-jp.proxy.uchicago.edu/culture/2025...
www-japantimes-co-jp.proxy.uchicago.edu/culture/2025...
This Thursday! Legendary singer-songwriter Sachiko Kanenobu and her Big Sky Band are coming to UChicago for a free concert!
LEARN MORE and REGISTER:
sachiko_kanenobu_performance.eventbrite.com
LEARN MORE and REGISTER:
sachiko_kanenobu_performance.eventbrite.com
December 2, 2025 at 12:46 PM
This Thursday! Legendary singer-songwriter Sachiko Kanenobu and her Big Sky Band are coming to UChicago for a free concert!
LEARN MORE and REGISTER:
sachiko_kanenobu_performance.eventbrite.com
LEARN MORE and REGISTER:
sachiko_kanenobu_performance.eventbrite.com
Steve Krakow in the Chicago Reader: "Bluesman Andrew Tibbs Called Out White Bigotry in 1947" chicagoreader.com/music/the-se...
Bluesman Andrew Tibbs called out white bigotry in 1947 - Chicago Reader
Andrew Tibbs's debut was his only single to provoke racist backlash, but he had a string of regionally successful records through Aristocrat.
chicagoreader.com
December 1, 2025 at 12:34 PM
Steve Krakow in the Chicago Reader: "Bluesman Andrew Tibbs Called Out White Bigotry in 1947" chicagoreader.com/music/the-se...
New book: Jon Pitt, "Botanical Imagination: Rethinking Plants in Modern Japan" (Cornell University Press).
cornellpress.manifoldapp.org/projects/bot...
cornellpress.manifoldapp.org/projects/bot...
Botanical Imagination | Cornell University Press
<b><i>Botanical Imagination</i> explores the complicated legacy and enduring lure of plant life in modern Japanese literature and media. </b>Using critical plant studies, Jon L. Pitt examines an unlik...
cornellpress.manifoldapp.org
November 29, 2025 at 5:45 PM
New book: Jon Pitt, "Botanical Imagination: Rethinking Plants in Modern Japan" (Cornell University Press).
cornellpress.manifoldapp.org/projects/bot...
cornellpress.manifoldapp.org/projects/bot...
New book: Zhanna Grigorievna Son, "The Russian Koreans in the 1920s and 1930s: An Ethnic Community in the Face of Soviet Power" (Brill).
brill.com/display/titl...
brill.com/display/titl...
brill.com
November 29, 2025 at 1:08 PM
New book: Zhanna Grigorievna Son, "The Russian Koreans in the 1920s and 1930s: An Ethnic Community in the Face of Soviet Power" (Brill).
brill.com/display/titl...
brill.com/display/titl...
Reposted by Michael K. Bourdaghs
It’s pretty simple.
When you do a huge armed midnight raid on an apartment building rounding up and terrorizing children and later find out there were no criminals there everyone involved resigns in shame and we have loud showy Congressional hearings.
When you do a huge armed midnight raid on an apartment building rounding up and terrorizing children and later find out there were no criminals there everyone involved resigns in shame and we have loud showy Congressional hearings.
November 16, 2025 at 6:31 PM
It’s pretty simple.
When you do a huge armed midnight raid on an apartment building rounding up and terrorizing children and later find out there were no criminals there everyone involved resigns in shame and we have loud showy Congressional hearings.
When you do a huge armed midnight raid on an apartment building rounding up and terrorizing children and later find out there were no criminals there everyone involved resigns in shame and we have loud showy Congressional hearings.
Reposted by Michael K. Bourdaghs
RIP legendary Japanese actor Tatsuya Nakadai. Star of Kurosawa's Kagemusha, Ran, many other classics. He was 92. news.yahoo.co.jp/pickup/6558551
俳優・仲代達矢さん死去 92歳 - Yahoo!ニュース
映画「人間の条件」や黒沢明監督の「影武者」などに主演し、主宰する「無名塾」で後進を育てた俳優で文化勲章受章者の仲代達矢（なかだい・たつや、本名元久＝もとひさ）さんが死去したことが11日、分かった。9
news.yahoo.co.jp
November 11, 2025 at 2:30 AM
RIP legendary Japanese actor Tatsuya Nakadai. Star of Kurosawa's Kagemusha, Ran, many other classics. He was 92. news.yahoo.co.jp/pickup/6558551