Please note: This lecture will be held in person (location TBA) and virtually on Zoom. This event is free and open to the public, but you must register to attend via Zoom. Register for the Zoom webinar at https://myumi.ch/jV76b.

The Ryukyu Islands consist of four major island groups located across Okinawa and Kagoshima Prefectures in Japan. Throughout the modern era, it has been standard practice to subsume the histories of this diverse region under the narrative created by the imperial center at Shuri (in Okinawa). This talk highlights some of the histories of Ryukyu Islands other than Okinawa, providing alternatives to the hitherto dominant narrative.

Gregory Smits conducts research on the history of Japan and the East China Sea region. He is the author of four books on the history of the Ryukyu Islands and two books on the history of earthquakes in Japan.

If there is anything we can do to make this event accessible to you, please contact us at [email protected]. Please be aware that advance notice is necessary as some accommodations may require more time for the university to arrange.