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A Complete List of Lakeland Lectures

Feb. 4, 2024

Founded in 2008, Lakeland Lectures invites speakers from Japan and all over the world to give talks at the Lakeland University Japan campus in Ryogoku.

Past guest speakers include a member of a Nobel-Prize winning organization, bestselling authors, business owners, ambassadors, presidents of non-profit organizations, scholars, critics, educators, performers, writers, peace advocates, athletes and more.

Location: 1 Chome-10-5 Yokoami, Sumida City, Tokyo 130-0015 - 6^th Floor LUJ Lecture Hall. 

To inquire about speaking opportunities, or to sponsor an upcoming lecture, contact program coordinator Roger Grabowski at grabowski@japan.lakeland.edu.

Here is a complete list of all 132 Lakeland Lectures. 

2024

LIndsay Nelson

"Ghost Girls, Spooky Cell Phones, and Haunted YouTube: The Evolution of Japanese Horror." Mar. 14, 2024

Thomas Kavanaugh

"From Charisma to Conspiracy: Traits of Modern Secular Gurus." Feb. 22, 2024

Kai Sawyer

"Interbeing: Re-Connecting to Nature, Humanity, and Ourselves." Jan. 25, 2024

2023

Akira Kawasaki

"Abolishing Nuclear Weapons: The Role of Civil Society." Nov. 8, 2023. 

Simon Cosgrove

“Kimigayo and the Meiji Musical Aesthetic.” Oct. 12, 2023.

Junko Sasaki

“Deepening Our Understanding of DE&I Through Waaking.” Sept. 21, 2023.

Philip Arneill and James Catchpole

“Tokyo Jazz Joints: Exploring the Unique World of Jazz Kissa.” July 20, 2023

Dan Sloan

“The $600 Million Dollar Man: Shohei Ohtani and the Rise of Japan’s Sports Superstars.” June 21, 2023.

Ally Hongo

“Travel for Change. Change for Travel. How Can the Travel Industry Serve as a Driving Force for Social Change in Japan?” May 25, 2023.

Paul Fradale

“Resurgent Interest in Traditional Japanese Vernacular Architecture.” Mar. 9, 2023

Andrew Horvat

“Can Language Save a Nation? Should Japan learn from Hungary’s past success…” Feb. 15, 2023

Anella

“How Should We Share Aloha Spirit?” Jan. 26, 2023

2022

Carl Gabrielson

“Okinawans and U.S. Military Bases.” Nov. 10, 2022

Jorge Almazan

“How Tokyo Works: Spontaneous Urbanism on a Human Scale.” Oct. 13, 2022

Kinota Braithwaite

“Battling Bullying and Racism through Books.” Sept. 14, 2022

John Junkerman

“Hayama 1952/2022: Charles Junkerman’s Photographs 1952-53.” July 21, 2022

Makiko Terahara

“Marriage Equality.” June 22, 2022

Edgar Pelaez

“Konnichi wa, Amigo! How Mexican Otaku Evolved from Fans into Entrepreneurs.” May 26, 2022

Robert Williams and Michael Clemons

“Hidden Assets.” Mar. 17, 2022

Caitlin Stronell

“A Japanese NPO’s Work Towards a Nuclear-Free World.” Feb. 24, 2022

Viktoriya Kim

“International Marriage and Divorce in Japan.” Jan. 27, 2022

2021

Joseph Kigunda

“A Vision in the Desert.” Nov. 11, 2021

Tim Wright

“Nuclear Weapons Have Been Prohibited. What Now?” Jan. 28, 2021

Katarzyna J. Cwiertka

“Branding Japanese Food: Washoku and Beyond.” Mar. 10 2021

Elizabeth Oliver

“Flavour of the Month: Pet Ownership in Japan.” May 13, 2021

Kaoru Utada and the TOMODACHI Initiative

“Empowering the Next Generation: Looking Back and Looking Forward.” June 16, 2021

Iain Maloney

“Japan in Fact and Fiction.” July 8, 2021

Karen Hill Anton

“Crossing Cultures and Borders, Creating Home.” Sept. 15, 2021

Zoria Petkoska

“Travel Writing in Japan Pre, During, and Post-Pandemic.” Feb. 18, 2021

Sayuki

“Inside the Flower and Willow World.” Oct. 14, 2021

2020

Matt Alt

“Pure Invention: How Japan’s Pop Culture Conquered the World.” Nov. 11, 2020

Dan Sloan

“The Most Important U.S. Election Ever?” Oct. 29, 2020

Mark Schilling

“Japanese films since 1997: Changes and Challenges Since a Miracle Year.” Sept. 23, 2020

Leland Gaskins

“Avoiding Cross-Cultural Conflict and Bias in Today’s International Workplace.” July 9, 2020

Christian Wolfer

“How to Become Part of the Solution.” June 18, 2020

Robin Lewis

“Sustainability and Social Impact in Japan: Doing Good, Better.” Feb. 19, 2020

Patrick Parr

“Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, and the Age of 22.” Jan. 27, 2020

2019

Taylor Mignon

“A Pedagogical Poetic Essay: Tokyo Poetry Journal, Creative Writing and Visions...” Nov. 21, 2019

Kozue Oka

“Empowering Marginalized Youth in Japan.” Oct. 23, 2019

Brad Glosserman

“Understanding Peak Japan.” Sept. 19, 2019

Lajos Brons

“Climate Change and the Humanities.” July 16, 2019

Bjoern Schimkat

“What Can We Do For Refugees?” June 26, 2019

Ryan Holmberg

“No Nukes for Dinner: Katsumata Susumu’s Anti-Nuclear Manga.” May 22, 2019

Carl Gabrielson

“Kingdom, Colony, Ken, or Country? Okinawan History and the Politics of Difference.” Mar. 19, 2019

LaTeeka E. Gray

“The African American Expat Community of Greater Tokyo.” Feb. 21, 2019

Josh Grisdale

“Accessible Travel in Japan: Challenges and Opportunities.” Jan. 23, 2019

2018

Divya Marie Kato

“When in Doubt, Draw It: Why Draw (even if you’re no Da Vinci).” Nov. 15, 2018

Heide Imai

“Tokyo Roji: Alleyways Between Conflict, Change, and Cultural Innovation.” Oct. 24, 2018

Vickie Skorji

“The Cost of Silence: Mental Health Care in Japan.” Sept. 19, 2018

Sandra Shoji

“Around the World in a Wine Glass.” July 19, 2018

Takashi Arai

“Sharing Memories on Micro-Monuments: Photographs as Image-Objects and New…” June 27, 2018

Sean Michael Wilson

“Knowing History via Manga.” May 23, 2018

Alexander Bennett

“The Life-Death Paradox of the Japanese Sword.” Mar. 15, 2018

Greg Story

“How to be Highly Persuasive.” Feb. 15, 2018

Jane Best

“Refugees: Dispelling the Myths.” Jan. 24, 2018

2017

Nick Prior

“How Do You Study a Singer Who Doesn’t ‘Exist’? The Case of Hatsune Miku.” Nov. 2, 2017

Sven Saller

“Politics, Memory and Public Opinion.” Oct. 18, 2017

Jon Walsh

“How Urban Farming Can Save the World: Sowing Seeds of Sustainability.” Sept. 14, 2017

Kumiko Nemoto

“Too Few Women at the Top: Japan’s Progress Toward Gender Equality at Work.” July 12, 2017

Dipesh Kharel

“Capturing the Changing Ethnoscape in Contemporary Japan: A Case Study of Nepali Migration to Japan.” June 22, 2017

Ruth Lionberger

“Unwinding the Way of Tea: An Introduction to Japanese Tea Ceremony.” May 31, 2017

Declan Somers

“An Arrow Shot Through Time: A Global Tale of Charity.” Mar. 15, 2017

Tom Gill

“Doyagai: Japan’s Skid Row.” Feb. 15, 2017

Jon Mitchell

“Junk Heap of the Pacific: U.S. Military Contamination on Okinawa.” Jan. 26, 2017

2016

Yusuke Matsuda

“Teach for Japan: A Classroom You Want to Work in More than Google or Disney.” Nov. 16, 2016

David H. Slater and Haruka Danzuka

“Voices from Tohoku: Video Archive of Disaster and Recovery.” Oct. 26, 2016

Shuji Yoshida

“Floods: How to Avoid Getting Wet, Cold and Miserable.” Sept. 28, 2016

Ian Lynam

“The Tokyo Olympics’ Visual Identity and Japanese Graphic Design History.” July 14, 2016

Angie Bell

“Lesvos: The Island of Hope and Humanity-The Syrian Refugee Crisis.” June 15, 2016

Tom Blackwood

“Bukatsu: An Essential Part of Japanese School Education.” May 25, 2016

Adam Tompkins

“The Forgotten Struggle: The Sunagawa Toso, Showa Kinen Park, and Acts of Erasure.” Mar. 16, 2016

Brian MacDuckston

“Ramen in Recent Years: How Ease of Travel, the Internet, and Mass Media Helped Shape…” Feb. 17, 2016

Shuji Yoshida

“Eruption and Beyond.” Jan. 21, 2016

2015

Charles Laurier

“Falling Leaves of Shitamachi: The Disappearing Doban Buildings of Early Showa Tokyo.” Nov. 18, 2015

Debra J. Occhi

“More Than Cute: Japanese Mascot Kyara ‘Characters’ in Local and Global Contexts.” Oct. 8, 2015

Toby Slade

“The Politics of Cute: The Meaning of Kawaii Fashion.” Sept. 24, 2015

Christopher Hobson

“Coming to Terms with the Islamic State: The View from Japan.” July 8, 2015

Edward Levinson

“Whisper of the Land: Visions of Japan.” June 17, 2015

S.P.F. Dale

“To Be ‘X’: Gender and Identity in Contemporary Japan.” May 27, 2015

Vicki L. Beyer

“Labor Practices in Japan: Looking at Law and Social Change.” Mar. 18, 2015

Daniel Dolan

“Amplified Sound, Free Speech and Privacy in Japan: What is the Best Balance.” Feb. 18, 2015

Kwi Boon Kim

“The History of Hansen’s Disease in Japan.” Jan. 28, 2015

2014

David McNeill

“Fukushima: Three Years On.” Nov. 12, 2014

Shigeki Komori

“We are Living in Extraordinary Times: The Importance of Nature Conservation.” Oct. 22, 2014

Maria Guajardo

“Leadership: Loss, Love and Lightening.” Sept. 11, 2014

Kenneth J. McClain III

“The Invisible Hand that Builds the Future: From the Printing Press to the iPhone…” July 16, 2014

Magali Reyes Henkel

“Greenpeace’s Journey For a Green and Peaceful Earth.” June 11, 2014

Asger Rojle Christensen

“Abducted by the Abduction Issue.” May 21, 2014

Barry Lancet – Novelist

“On Suspense, Novels, Publishing, and more…” March 19, 2014

Keiko Tazawa

“The Impact of Ancient Egypt on our Modern Life.” Feb. 26, 2014

Sean Michael Wilson

“Making the 47 Ronin Manga.” Jan. 29, 2014

2013

Satoshi Ota

“Prolonging Youth: The Bimajyo Phenomenon in Japan.” Nov. 20, 2013

Yuko Kawanishi

“Mental Health Care in Japan.” Oct. 23, 2013

Martin Dale-Hench

“Deaf Culture in the US: Misunderstood Signs.” Sept. 18, 2013

Michael Molasky

“A Cultural Analysis of the Japanese Pub.” July 11, 2013

Faith Amano

“Be the Change: Youth Can Change the World Today.” June 26, 2013

Ken O’Keefe

“Volunteers of Freedom: The Legacy of the International Brigades in the Spanish Civil War.” May 29, 2013.

John Oglevee

“Noh Time, Like the Present: An Introduction to the Art of Noh.” Mar. 27, 2013

Alexandra Hambleton

“Deviance and Desire: Media, Sexuality and Feminism in Contemporary Japan.” Feb. 13, 2013

David Satterwhite

“Breaking the Deadlock: Moving Towards Reconciliation.” Jan. 23, 2013

2012

Charles Laurier

“What is Japanese about Modern Architecture in Japan?” Nov. 14, 2012

Olivia M. Espin

“Making Love in English: The Psychological Impact of Living in the Languages.” Oct. 3, 2012

Sander Weinreb

“An Introduction to Radio Astronomy.” Sept. 27, 2012

Yukie Tatta

“Muslims in Western Europe: Rights, Freedoms, Identities.” July 25, 2012

Charles McJilton

“Why Did this Nonprofit Turn Away Money in 2011?” June 21, 2012

Ahmed El Kholy and Nagwa Khalil

“A Year After the Revolution, Egypt is Still in a Dark Tunnel.” Mar. 28, 2012

Marcia Yumi Lise

“Ha-fu: Half Japanese.” Mar. 7, 2012

Aileen Inoue

“Marcia Stewart and Her Influence on the American Floral Industry.” Feb. 2, 2012

2011

Jeri Foley

“Art, Architecture, Film and Fashion: Jeri Foley.” Nov. 16, 2010

Carl Gabrielson

“Hanryu: The Korean Wave in Japan.” Oct. 20, 2010

Mikhail Kotykhov

“Cross Cultural Business Negotiations: Techniques for Being Successful.” Sept. 29, 2010

Nick Hasumi

“Japanese Wines: From Grape Juice to Exquisite Vintages.” July 13, 2010

David Satterwhite

“Sixty-Six Years Divided: Imagining Korea’s Future.” June 15, 2010

Shuji Yoshida

“Expect the Unexpected: Massive Earthquakes, Devastating Tsunamis, and Volcanic Eruptions.” May 25, 2010

Steve Christie

“Parental Abduction in Japan: The Current Status and Future Prospects.” Mar. 2, 2010

Sean Wilson

“Mature Manga: An Under-Appreciated Form of Comic.” Feb. 16, 2010

2010

Justin Tilman

“A Success Story for U.S. – Japan Cooperation.” Nov. 17, 2010

Rabbi Abraham Cooper

“Challenges and Consequences for Leaders Worldwide.” Oct. 20, 2010

Rossella Ceccarini

“Artisanal Pizza in Japan: A Case of Culinary Globalization.” Sept. 22, 2010

Shuji Yoshida

“Volcanoes: Studying the Past to Confront the Future.” July 14, 2010

Erez Golani Solomon and Dr. Julian Worrall

“Struts and Frets: The Architecture of Contemporary Tokyo.” June 16, 2010

Ken O’Keefe

“Memories Lost or Erased.”

Barry Lancet

“Inside Publishing.” Feb. 24, 2010

Patrick W. Galbraith

“Akihabara: Conditioning a Public Otaku Image.” Jan. 20, 2010

2009

Yoji Natori

“Climate Change: Averting a Looming Disaster.” Nov. 18, 2009

Chris Pitts

“Why We Should Oppose the Death Penalty.” Oct. 28, 2009

Maho Takahashi

“Workshop: Reality of Modern English.” Oct. 14, 2009

David Satterwhite

“Lower House Landslide.” Sept. 30, 2009

Ann Kambara

“President Barack Obama and Public Policy.” July 22, 2009

Michiko Nakahara

“Comfort Women.” June 17, 2009

Susan Nishimura

“Avoiding Corporate Culture Clashes.” Mar. 28, 2009

Bradley Martin

“Penetrating the Hermit Kingdom.” Feb. 18, 2009

Daniel Garrett

“Looking Beneath the Surface of Human Trafficking.” Jan. 21, 2009

2008

Setsuo Miyazawa

“Trial by Jury.” Nov. 26, 2008

Tadamasa Iwai

“Tokko: Suicide Soldier.” July 23, 2008

Daniel P. Aldrich

“Site Fights.” May 28, 2008