He joined the Department of Asian Studies in September 2015 after having taught at the University of Manchester for 18 months and the Freie Universität Berlin for five years. He holds his M.A. and PhD in Japanese Studies, both from Freie Universität Berlin. Since his student days his research has primarily focused on Japanese comedy. During his postgraduate research on Japanese comedy at Kansai University (Osaka) he tried his hand at stand-up comedy even winning an award and hosting a local radio show with his Japanese comedy partner. These experiences in the Japanese entertainment industry had a big impact on his research interests and he remains interested in performance, not only from an academic position but also by organising performances for Japanese artists as well as at times still performing himself in Japanese, German and English. Aside from performance and comedy Dr Weingärtner is interested in a variety of topics related to Japanese culture such as film & media, stardom, literature, gender issues, history, food culture and memory studies. Dr Till Weingärtner has been recipient of several awards, including the Graduate Student Award from the International Society for Humor Studies and a Monbukagakusho Scholarship from the Japanese government. The Freie Universität Berlin awarded his PhD thesis with the Ernst-Reuter-Prize for the best PhD thesis of 2012/13 in Humanities. The thesis has been published by German publisher Iudicium in 2013. Dr. Weingärtner is currently preparing an English book on the same topic as well as focusing on a new research project examining the life, career and public image of Takamine Hideko, one of Japan’s star actresses of the 20th century. Dr Weingärtner joined the extended council of the European Association for Japanese Studies as an elected member in September 2017. He holds a Postgraduate Certificate in "Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (for third level teachers)" (2017) and a Postgraduate Diploma "Teaching and Learning in Higher Education" (2022) from UCC.
Dr Weingärtner is keen to supervise doctoral research in Japanese Studies, with a particular emphasis on the subjects of humour and comedy, as well as performance and film. Postgraduate researchers will benefit from University College Cork's privileged access to the digitised resources of the National Diet Library in Tokyo. For further information on accessing these resources, please visit UCC's library guide on the National Diet Library.
I am currently acting or have previously acted as coordinator for the following modules:
AS1001 - Introduction to Modern Asia
AS1500 - Guided Study Project Japanese
AS2000 - The Transcultural Community: Past, Present and Future (currently coordinated by Prof. Paramore)
AS2005 - Modern Japanese History (currently not running)
AS2003 - Popular Culture in East Asia (currently not running)
AS2010 - History of Japanese Culture
AS3015 - Japanese Cinema and Culture
AS6000 - A Transcultural Community: Asia - Past, Present and Future (currently coordinated by Prof. Paramore)
AS6015 - Translation Project Japanese (MA Translation Studies)
AS6300 - Film and the Study of Japanese Culture
AS6205 - Religion, Society and Politics in Modern Japan (currently not running)
I am also coordinating the Japanese language programme:
AS1501 - Japanese Language Level 1
AS1502 - Japanese Language Level 2
AS1503 - Japanese Language Level 3
AS1504 - Japanese Language Level 4
Coordination for the year abroad Japan (BA International and BA World languages)
I am contributing lectures and seminars to the following co-taught modules:
AS3020 - Issues in Contemporary Korea and Japan
AS6021 - Contemporary Society in Korea and Japan
AS6100 - Translation in Asian Studies
LL2108 - Crossing Borders: Cultures and Societies (School of Languages, Literatures and Cultures)
LL5005 - Negotiating Knowledges in the Networked Society (School of Languages, Literatures and Cultures)
LL6038 - Metropolis, Mobility and Minorities (School of Languages, Literatures and Cultures)
LL6032 - Dissertation in Translation Studies (MA ATranslation Studies)
I have also contributed lectures and/or seminars to the following co-taught modules in the past:
RG1001 - Religions in the Contemporary Worlds: An Introduction to the Study of Religions
FX3001 - Contemporary Cinema
DR2014 – 20th Century Theory and Theatre Part 1
Biography
Dr Till Weingärtner Senior Lecturer in Japanese Studies at the Department of Asian Studies. Till is the former director of the Centre for Advanced Studies in Languages and Cultures (CASiLaC) and research officer for the School of Languages, Literatures and Cultures at University College Cork (2019-2022). He has also held the posts of Acting head of the department of Asian Studies and as acting programme director of the BA World Languages. As a recipient of a Japan Foundation Fellowship, he was a visiting scholar based at the University of Tokyo in 2022.He joined the Department of Asian Studies in September 2015 after having taught at the University of Manchester for 18 months and the Freie Universität Berlin for five years. He holds his M.A. and PhD in Japanese Studies, both from Freie Universität Berlin. Since his student days his research has primarily focused on Japanese comedy. During his postgraduate research on Japanese comedy at Kansai University (Osaka) he tried his hand at stand-up comedy even winning an award and hosting a local radio show with his Japanese comedy partner. These experiences in the Japanese entertainment industry had a big impact on his research interests and he remains interested in performance, not only from an academic position but also by organising performances for Japanese artists as well as at times still performing himself in Japanese, German and English. Aside from performance and comedy Dr Weingärtner is interested in a variety of topics related to Japanese culture such as film & media, stardom, literature, gender issues, history, food culture and memory studies. Dr Till Weingärtner has been recipient of several awards, including the Graduate Student Award from the International Society for Humor Studies and a Monbukagakusho Scholarship from the Japanese government. The Freie Universität Berlin awarded his PhD thesis with the Ernst-Reuter-Prize for the best PhD thesis of 2012/13 in Humanities. The thesis has been published by German publisher Iudicium in 2013. Dr. Weingärtner is currently preparing an English book on the same topic as well as focusing on a new research project examining the life, career and public image of Takamine Hideko, one of Japan’s star actresses of the 20th century. Dr Weingärtner joined the extended council of the European Association for Japanese Studies as an elected member in September 2017. He holds a Postgraduate Certificate in "Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (for third level teachers)" (2017) and a Postgraduate Diploma "Teaching and Learning in Higher Education" (2022) from UCC.
Dr Weingärtner is keen to supervise doctoral research in Japanese Studies, with a particular emphasis on the subjects of humour and comedy, as well as performance and film. Postgraduate researchers will benefit from University College Cork's privileged access to the digitised resources of the National Diet Library in Tokyo. For further information on accessing these resources, please visit UCC's library guide on the National Diet Library.
Publications
Books
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2013) | Comedy-Boom in Japan: Performative und mediale Rahmung von Humor in der aktuellen Populärkultur. Weingärtner, Till (2013) Comedy-Boom in Japan: Performative und mediale Rahmung von Humor in der aktuellen Populärkultur. München: Iudicium. [Details] | |
| (2006) | Manzai: Eine japanische Form der Stand-up-Comedy. Weingärtner, Till (2006) Manzai: Eine japanische Form der Stand-up-Comedy. München: Iudicium. [Details] |
Peer Reviewed Journals
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2021) | 'Whose Story Is It Anyway? Shunputei Shota and the Individuality of the Performer in Contemporary Rakugo Storytelling' Till Weingärtner (2021) 'Whose Story Is It Anyway? Shunputei Shota and the Individuality of the Performer in Contemporary Rakugo Storytelling'. Japanese Studies, 0 (0):1-19 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2017) | '(Issue Co-Editor) ASIA: Transcultural Interactions – Past, Present and Future' Sparvoli, Carlotta; Weingärtner, Till (Eds.) (2017) '(Issue Co-Editor) ASIA: Transcultural Interactions – Past, Present and Future'. The Irish Journal of Asian Studies, 3 [Details] | |
| (2016) | 'The The Gods of Rakugo: Commemoration in Japanese Comedy' Weingärtner, Till (2016) 'The The Gods of Rakugo: Commemoration in Japanese Comedy'. The Irish Journal of Asian Studies, 2 :36-46 [Details] | |
| (2016) | 'How Japanese wallflowers turned into celebrities: self-mockery and self-revelation of the female comedy duo Harisenbon' Weingärtner, Till (2016) 'How Japanese wallflowers turned into celebrities: self-mockery and self-revelation of the female comedy duo Harisenbon'. Social Semiotics, 26 (3):283-297 [Details] | |
| (2014) | 'Performative Aspekte des Rakugo-Theaters [Performative Aspects of Rakugo Theater]' Weingärtner, Till (2014) 'Performative Aspekte des Rakugo-Theaters [Performative Aspects of Rakugo Theater]'. Bunron: Zeitschrift für literaturwissenschaftliche Japanforschung, 1 :131-143 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2010) | 'Warai kara mita nihonjin [The Japanese and Their Laughter and Humor]' Weingärtner, Till (2010) 'Warai kara mita nihonjin [The Japanese and Their Laughter and Humor]'. 国文学解釋と鑑賞 / Kokubungaku kaishaku to kanshō, 75 (5):160-167 [Details] | |
| (2008) | 'Manzai ni okeru yūmoa no 3kō moderu o mezashite [Towards a 3-level-Model of Humor in Manzai Comedy]' Weingärtner, Till (2008) 'Manzai ni okeru yūmoa no 3kō moderu o mezashite [Towards a 3-level-Model of Humor in Manzai Comedy]'. 笑いの科学 / Warai no kagaku, 1 :104-109 [Details] |
Book Chapters
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2023) | 'Return Ticket to Pyongyang: Transnational Aspects in the Work of Film-Maker Yang Yong-hi' Weingärtner, Till (2023) 'Return Ticket to Pyongyang: Transnational Aspects in the Work of Film-Maker Yang Yong-hi' In: Kevin N. Cawley and Julia C. Schneider (eds). Transnational East Asian Studies. Liverpool: Liverpool University Press. [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2023) | 'The Film Star and her Husband: The ‘star text’ of Takamine Hideko and Matsuyama Zenzō' Weingärtner, Till (2023) 'The Film Star and her Husband: The ‘star text’ of Takamine Hideko and Matsuyama Zenzō' In: Chan, Felicia et al (eds). Women in East Asian Cinema: Gender Representations, Creative Labour and Global Histories. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. [Details] | |
| (2022) | 'Celebrating the Rival: Korean Films and the Osaka Asian Film Festival' Weingärtner, Till (2022) 'Celebrating the Rival: Korean Films and the Osaka Asian Film Festival' In: Hyunseon Lee (eds). Korean Film and Festivals. London: Routledge. [Details] | |
| (2016) | 'Black Cat Mansion' Weingärtner, Till (2016) 'Black Cat Mansion' In: Salvador Murguia (eds). The Encyclopedia of Japanese Horror Films. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield. [Details] | |
| (2011) | 'Populärkultur' Weingärtner, Till (2011) 'Populärkultur' In: Japan - Land und Leute. Geographie und Geschichte, Politik und Wirtschaft, Kultur und Gesellschaft. Berlin: Berliner Wissenschafts-Verlag. [Details] | |
| (2010) | 'Samurai Smiles? Unique Guiles? Reflections on Japanese Smiles, Laughter and Humor' Weingaertner, Till (2010) 'Samurai Smiles? Unique Guiles? Reflections on Japanese Smiles, Laughter and Humor' In: Eastwards. Western Views on East Asian Culture. Bern et al: Peter Lang. [Details] | |
| (2008) | 'Owarai bunseki no nimenteki apurōchi e. Itoshi-Koishi manzai no kōsatsu' Weingärtner, Till (2008) 'Owarai bunseki no nimenteki apurōchi e. Itoshi-Koishi manzai no kōsatsu' In: Hibbet, Howard and Bungaku to warai kenkyūkai (eds). Warai to sōzō dai 5 shū. Tokyo: Bensei Shuppan. [Details] |
Articles
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2024) | Hideko Takamine at 100: six of the Japanese actor’s films that captured a nation in flux. Till Weingärtner (2024) Hideko Takamine at 100: six of the Japanese actor’s films that captured a nation in flux. The Conversation: Articles [Details] | |
| (2020) | Troubled double dreams The secret of Japanese comedy. Till Weingärtner (2020) Troubled double dreams The secret of Japanese comedy. Times Literary Supplement: Articles [Details] |
Book Reviews
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2023) | [Book review of]: M. W. Shores: The Comic Storytelling of Western Japan. Satire and Social Mobility in Kamigata Rakugo. Weingärtner, Till (2023) [Book review of]: M. W. Shores: The Comic Storytelling of Western Japan. Satire and Social Mobility in Kamigata Rakugo. Book Reviews [Details] | |
| (2019) | [Book Review of:] Inuhiko Yomota: What is Japanese Cinema? A History. Weingärtner, Till (2019) [Book Review of:] Inuhiko Yomota: What is Japanese Cinema? A History. Book Reviews [Details] | |
| (2017) | [Book Review of:] Nick Deocampo (Ed.): Early Cinema in Asia. Till Weingartner (2017) [Book Review of:] Nick Deocampo (Ed.): Early Cinema in Asia. Book Reviews [Details] |
Translations
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2021) | The Secret of the Cosmic Dust. Unno Juza (2021) The Secret of the Cosmic Dust. Translations [Details] | |
| (2018) | Das Lamm Dolly. Nakajima, Ramo (2018) Das Lamm Dolly. Berlin: Translations [Details] | |
| (2017) | The Historical Position of dumb type in Japanese Theatre: The Birth and the End of the Politics of New Media Dramaturgy. Hidenaga, Ōtori (2017) The Historical Position of dumb type in Japanese Theatre: The Birth and the End of the Politics of New Media Dramaturgy. Copenhagen: Translations [Details] | |
| (2010) | Der Schatten der Blauen Katze. Ii, Naoyuki (2010) Der Schatten der Blauen Katze. Frankfurt am Main: Translations [Details] |
Invited Lectures
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2022) | Introduction to International Japanese Studies: Japanese Humor and Comedy. Till Weingärtner (2022) Introduction to International Japanese Studies: Japanese Humor and Comedy. Meijo University, Nagoya (Japan): Invited Lectures [Details] | |
| (2022) | Film Stardom and Representation: Takamine Hideko and Women in Post-War Japan. Till Weingärtner (2022) Film Stardom and Representation: Takamine Hideko and Women in Post-War Japan. German Institute for Japanese Studies, Tokyo: Invited Lectures [Details] | |
| (2022) | Die vielen Gesichter der Takamine Hideko (1924-2010). Facetten eines Filmstars. Till Weingärtner (2022) Die vielen Gesichter der Takamine Hideko (1924-2010). Facetten eines Filmstars. Deutsche Gesellschaft für Natur- und Vökerkunde Ostasiens, Tokyo: Invited Lectures [Details] | |
| (2022) | Yappari Manzai ga omoshiroi. Till Weingärtner (2022) Yappari Manzai ga omoshiroi. Japan Society for Laughter and Humor Studies, Nagoya, Japan: Invited Lectures [Details] | |
| (2021) | Japanese Comedy and the Media Mix. Weingärtner (2021) Japanese Comedy and the Media Mix. Invited Lectures [Details] | |
| (2020) | No Laughing Matter: The Role of the Comedian in Japan. Weingärtner, Till (2020) No Laughing Matter: The Role of the Comedian in Japan. London: Invited Lectures [Details] | |
| (2019) | The Many Faces of Takamine Hideko: National and transnational themes in the work of a Japanese film star. Weingärtner, Till (2019) The Many Faces of Takamine Hideko: National and transnational themes in the work of a Japanese film star. Invited Lectures [Details] |
Professional Activities
Honours and Awards
| Year | Title | Awarding Body | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | ERC Support Grant | Enterprise Ireland | |
| 2022 | Japan Foundation Fellowship | Japan Foundation | |
| 2016 | JaDe Prize | JaDe Foundation, Germany | |
| 2013 | Ernst Reuter Prize | Freie Universität Berlin | |
| 2010 | ISHS Graduate Student Award | International Society for Humour Studies (ISHS) |
Conference Contributions
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2023) | 17th International Conference of the European Association for Japanese Studies (EAJS), Weingärtner, Till (2023) Japanese Comedy Going Online: New Spaces for Performers and Audiences. [Oral Presentation], 17th International Conference of the European Association for Japanese Studies (EAJS), Ghent . [Details] | |
| (2023) | 17th International Conference of the European Association for Japanese Studies (EAJS), Weingärtner, Till (2023) Member of the Organising Committee. [Conference Organising Committee Member], 17th International Conference of the European Association for Japanese Studies (EAJS), Ghent , 17-AUG-23 - 20-AUG-23. [Details] | |
| (2022) | Japanese Comedy Symposium, Weingärtner, Till (2022) How to make Japanese audiences laugh: Popular comedy in Japan. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], Japanese Comedy Symposium, University of Salford . [Details] | |
| (2021) | 16th International Conference of the European Association of Japanese Studies, Weingärtner, Till (2021) The Film Star and Her Husband: The Collaboration between Takamine Hideko and Matsuyama Zenzō. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], 16th International Conference of the European Association of Japanese Studies, University of Ghent . [Details] | |
| (2018) | Blending and Construction: The Religious History and Culture of East Asia, Till Weingartner (2018) Popular Culture and Comedy in Contemporary Japan. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], Blending and Construction: The Religious History and Culture of East Asia, Shanghai University , 30-MAR-18. [Details] | |
| (2017) | 15th European Association for Japanese Studies Conference, Till Weingärtner (2017) Shunpūtei Shōta: A Rakugo Star and his Audiences. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], 15th European Association for Japanese Studies Conference, Universidade NOVA, Lisbon , 30-AUG-17 - 02-SEP-17. [Details] | |
| (2017) | Warai no tozai [Humour: East and West], Till Weingartner (2017) Rakugo no kokusaika [The Internationalisation of Rakugo]. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], Warai no tozai [Humour: East and West], Kansai University, , 27-JUL-17. [Details] | |
| (2017) | The 2nd Annual Conference Irish Association for Asian Studies: ASIA: Transcultural Interactions – Past, Present and Future, Till Weingartner (2017) Our Country, his Pyongyang – The Cinema of Zainichi Korean director Yang Yonghi. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], The 2nd Annual Conference Irish Association for Asian Studies: ASIA: Transcultural Interactions – Past, Present and Future, University College Cork , 09-JUN-17 - 10-JUN-17. [Details] | |
| (2017) | Japanese Language Teachers of Ireland (JLTI) Workshop, Till Weingärtner (2017) Seriously? Humour in the Classroom. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], Japanese Language Teachers of Ireland (JLTI) Workshop, University College Cork , 27-MAY-17 - 27-MAY-17. [Details] | |
| (2016) | The Inaugral Conference of the Irish Institute of Japanese Studies, Till Weingartner (2016) Co-Organiser. [Conference Organising Committee Member], The Inaugral Conference of the Irish Institute of Japanese Studies, UCC , 22-APR-16 - 23-APR-16. [Details] | |
| (2016) | The Inaugral Conference of the Irish Institute of Japanese Studies, Till Weingartner (2016) Translations and Transformations of Rakugo on the Global Stage. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], The Inaugral Conference of the Irish Institute of Japanese Studies, UCC , 22-APR-16 - 23-APR-16. [Details] | |
| (2016) | Word as Performance: Oral Narratives, Poetry and Storytelling in Japan, Weingärtner, Till (2016) Of Dry Flowers and Bananas: Rakugo on the Global Stage. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], Word as Performance: Oral Narratives, Poetry and Storytelling in Japan, Istituto Italiano di Studi Orientali, Sapienza Università di Roma , 23-MAR-16 - 24-MAR-16. [Details] | |
| (2016) | The 1st Annual Conference Irish Association for Asian Studies, Till Weingartner (2016) The Gods of Rakugo: Commemoration in Japanese Performing Arts. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], The 1st Annual Conference Irish Association for Asian Studies, Dublin City University , 17-JUN-16 - 18-NOV-16. [Details] | |
| (2016) | Text and Film in Interaction, Weingärtner, Till (2016) Acting Writer? Writing Actor? Takamine Hideko and Her Autobiographical Essays. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], Text and Film in Interaction, Freie Universität Berlin , 25-FEB-16 - 26-MAR-16. [Details] | |
| (2015) | Naruse Mikio - Films of Women and Misery, Weingärtner, Till (2015) The Director and his Star: Naruse and Takamine Hideko. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], Naruse Mikio - Films of Women and Misery, Leiden University , 24-SEP-15 - 25-SEP-15. [Details] |
Committees
| Committee | Function | From / To | |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLLC Graduate Studies Committee | Chair | 2024 / | |
| Graduate Studies Committee (College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences) | School Representative | 2024 / | |
| SLLC Graduate Studies Committee | Departmental Representative | 2023 / 2023 | |
| Research Ethics Committee (College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences) | Member | 2022 / | |
| School Executive Management Committee (School of Languages, Literatures and Cultures) | Member / Research Officer | 2019 / | |
| Research & Innovation Committee (College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences) | Member, School Representative | 2019 / | |
| SLLC Research Committee | Chair | 2019 / | |
| Self Evaluation Report Committee (School of Languages, Literatures and Cultures) | Member | 2019 / 2020 | |
| Student Affairs Committee (College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences) | Member | 2015 / 2017 |
Education
| Year | Institution | Qualification | Subject | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | UCC | Postgraduate Certificate | Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (for third level teachers) | |
| 2022 | UCC | Postgraduate Diploma | Teaching and Learning in Higher Education | |
| 2012 | Freie Universität Berlin | PhD | Japanese Studies |
Outreach Activities
| Description | |
|---|---|
Rakugo Performances (traditional Japanese comedy) for general audiences
|
Teaching Activities
Teaching Interests
As the lecturer responsible for Japanese Studies in the Department of Asian Studies, I teach a wide range of topics including Japanese culture, history, politics and society.I am currently acting or have previously acted as coordinator for the following modules:
AS1001 - Introduction to Modern Asia
AS1500 - Guided Study Project Japanese
AS2000 - The Transcultural Community: Past, Present and Future (currently coordinated by Prof. Paramore)
AS2005 - Modern Japanese History (currently not running)
AS2003 - Popular Culture in East Asia (currently not running)
AS2010 - History of Japanese Culture
AS3015 - Japanese Cinema and Culture
AS6000 - A Transcultural Community: Asia - Past, Present and Future (currently coordinated by Prof. Paramore)
AS6015 - Translation Project Japanese (MA Translation Studies)
AS6300 - Film and the Study of Japanese Culture
AS6205 - Religion, Society and Politics in Modern Japan (currently not running)
I am also coordinating the Japanese language programme:
AS1501 - Japanese Language Level 1
AS1502 - Japanese Language Level 2
AS1503 - Japanese Language Level 3
AS1504 - Japanese Language Level 4
Coordination for the year abroad Japan (BA International and BA World languages)
I am contributing lectures and seminars to the following co-taught modules:
AS3020 - Issues in Contemporary Korea and Japan
AS6021 - Contemporary Society in Korea and Japan
AS6100 - Translation in Asian Studies
LL2108 - Crossing Borders: Cultures and Societies (School of Languages, Literatures and Cultures)
LL5005 - Negotiating Knowledges in the Networked Society (School of Languages, Literatures and Cultures)
LL6038 - Metropolis, Mobility and Minorities (School of Languages, Literatures and Cultures)
LL6032 - Dissertation in Translation Studies (MA ATranslation Studies)
I have also contributed lectures and/or seminars to the following co-taught modules in the past:
RG1001 - Religions in the Contemporary Worlds: An Introduction to the Study of Religions
FX3001 - Contemporary Cinema
DR2014 – 20th Century Theory and Theatre Part 1
Research Information
External Collaborators
| Name | Organisation / Institute | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ryota Nomura | Waseda University | JAPAN |