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About Adam Cathcart

Assistant Professor of History at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington, with research interests in Sino-Japanese, Sino-North Korean, and cultural exchange (including classical music) between Western Europe/the U.S. and East Asia. Based in Seattle, Chengdu, and Berlin.

Commenting on the Associated Press Bureau in Pyongyang

Posted on April 12, 2012

In reference to: Joshua Stanton, “AP Exclusive: North Koreans say Kim Jong Il is like Jesus, only bigger!,” One Free Korea [blog], April 9, 2012. Yes, the AP should indeed have consulted a few historians about Kim Il Sung’s claims … Continue reading →

Posted in Cultural Politics, history and memory, Korean War, Manchuria, North Korea, US-North Korea relations, War Crimes, 新闻自由 | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Essays and Events on Musical Diplomacy

Posted on April 3, 2012

I had an essay published by The Atlantic on the subject of a classical music concert in Paris, specifically, the North Korean Unahsu Orchestra at the Salle Pleyel on March 14 and its background and artistic-diplomatic meaning. Oh what the … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

制假: Wuhan’s “iPhone” Manufacturer

Posted on February 25, 2012

Intellectual property tends to become a slightly-more-than-vague concept when one arrives in China, but this post, which I ran across via the LiaoShen Ribao on Weibo (China’s equivalent of Twitter), was especially stunning:

Posted in China | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments

Blockages and Breakthroughts: Cultural Diplomacy and North Korea

Posted on February 23, 2012

[A cross-post of an essay which I posted on SinoNK.com. -- AC] Yesterday, Corée_Actualités launched a short missive which functioned as a kind of bouleversement of the normal: a 90-member delegation of the DPRK’s Unhasu Orchestra (consisting of 70 players) will be performing at … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Cultural Politics, EU-East Asia relations, French, Hip-hop, Music, My Publications, North Korea, Sino-North Korean relations | 3 Comments

Schumann in Hong Kong

Posted on February 20, 2012

Schumannian tremors, transformation is afoot! More analysis of musical diplomacy and the Wagnerian legacy in Northeast Asia to be released shortly at SinoNK.com. I’ll be performing in Berlin in April, analyzing and performing music in South Korea in late May … Continue reading →

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KCNA calls attention to messages of supp

Posted on February 14, 2012

KCNA calls attention to messages of support for Kim Jong Un in Syrian newspapers http://ow.ly/94Rtb #kcna #syria #nk

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

How Revolution in Syria Could Serve as a North Korean Tipping Point: Huanqiu Shibao

Posted on February 8, 2012

Today’s essential reading springs from the keyboard of Stephan Haggard, whose essay on China’s relations with North Korea pulls apart some very important threads in Northeast Asia and over the Sino-North Korean frontier. One of the things that struck me … Continue reading →

Posted in American Foreign Policy, Huanqiu Shibao, Sino-North Korean relations | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

transmediale buzz

Posted on February 7, 2012

The Berlin transmediale is, to my knowledge, one of the very best annual conferences (a “convergence” is more the appropriate word) which exist on Planet Earth.  I was very fortunate to have been able to attend the 2011 sessions, where, … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Chinese Avant-Garde, Cultural Politics, EU-East Asia relations, German, Sino-German Relations | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Solo

Posted on February 1, 2012

Virtually nothing was posted in January because I was parted from my main axe in Seattle; she needed work, and I needed time to teach and lecture and write, here and in London.  Now the sphere turns and all things … Continue reading →

Posted in Beijing, Cello | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Unhasu Orchestra, Pyongyang

Posted on January 7, 2012
Posted in Cultural Politics, history and memory, North Korea | Tagged , | 2 Comments