Minami’s interest for Asia stemmed in her everlasting journey to find peace with her identity. Whilst taking her time to adapt to the Swedish weather, she is developing her academic interests in the construction of memory and identity formation of contemporary Japan. In her spare time she enjoys cooking, watching movies and listening to music.
Philippe’s dream of going to Japan and his thirst for knowledge led him to take a greater interest in Asia. Starting with a desire to understand the world, its histories and the challenges that people have faced and continue to face, the Masters in Asian Studies enabled him to continue to develop his critical analysis and to envisage interdisciplinary responses. Always motivated, he likes to make people smile and create a good atmosphere. As a person loving coffee very much, Swedish Fika is for him one of the best inventions ever! In his spare time, he enjoys watching series and anime, playing sports, and spending time with his friends.
Because of Barry's past study and work experience, he has a broad interest in East Asian topics, especially cultural studies as well as Chinese studies. With constant self-motivation, he is striving to get himself on the path of academia. In his spare time, he enjoys shopping in supermarkets and playing relaxing video games.
Originally destined for scientific studies, Jules unexpectedly started learning Chinese after marveling at sinograms and ended up in area studies. Eclectic in tastes, academically he mainly focuses on the relationships between China, Europe and the United States, especially in politics, strategy and science. An avid science fiction reader and general knowledge quizzes enjoyer, he may corner you indefinitely in a conversation on space exploration.
Hendrik's interest in Asia started when he randomly picked out a youth novel set in feudal Japan over a decade ago. Fast forward, he ended up in Lund to study Asian Studies with a bachelor's degree in International Relations and an exchange semester in Japan under his belt. His focus area is East Asian international relations, and he enjoys writing almost as much as he loves reviewing and editing texts. Aside from enthusiasm for the written word, he is an avid player of Badminton and Volleyball and loves walking anywhere, getting lost at least half of the time.
Anneke's passion for Asia started with a geography book on China's climate zones when she was 13. Her passion carried her through a Kpop phase all the way to a deep interest in Asian politics, economics and culture. She hopes to one day work between East Asia and Scandinavia and bridge the gap between different countries towards more joint problem-solving, thinking together and innovation endeavours. She loves sports and to engage with written pieces that deal with east and Southeast Asia!
Being half Dutch and half Taiwanese, Louise finds pride in navigating and embracing both cultures. She can often be found creating dark art that merges Chinese ink wash with gothic and monstrous themes. When not painting, she enjoys scouring antique shops for oddities and headbanging at progressive metal concerts. She's deeply invested in women's rights and critical discussions on identity and power. Her academic focus is on digital subcultures and feminism in China, a subject she often writes about, usually with a cup of hot rooibos tea in hand.
From her numerous Pinterest boards to her sketchbook, Ludovica has kept a passion for visually pleasing and creative ideas for as long as she can remember. However, her passion for travel and cultures has led her down to a path she did not expect but enjoys very much. With an interest in South Korea and human rights, she aspires to work in this field one day. In her free time she likes to read, take photos with her digital camera and hop between nice cafes around Lund!
Unable to stay too long in one place, Yasmine is now studying a master’s degree in Asian Studies in Sweden, after having lived in Italy, Greece, and Belgium. Hopefully she will be able to experience living in other countries after graduating, like Japan, Thailand, China or South Korea, but for now she will happily help out at the Lunar Times, providing technical support and written contributions drawing from her interest in cultures, languages, urban spaces and food.
