Kenneth W. Holloway, PH.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of History
Levenson Professor of Asian Studies
Contact:
Department of History
Florida Atlantic University
777 Glades Road,
Boca Raton, FL 33431
Office: (561)297-1328
Email: [email protected]
Education:
Ph.D. “The Recently Discovered Confucian Classic the ‘Five Aspects of
Conduct,’ ” University of Pennsylvania, Department of Asian and Middle Eastern
Studies, August 9, 2002
BA with High Honors in Chinese, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, May 16,
1993.
Academic Appointments:
Director Asian Studies Certificate Program, fall 2007 to present
Associate Director, Center for Body, Mind and Culture, fall 2006 to present
Levenson Professor of Asian Studies, fall 2005 to present
Assistant Professor of History, Florida Atlantic University, 2004 to present
Refereed Publications:
Blind Peer Reviewed Book:
Guodian: The Newly Discovered Seeds of Chinese Religious and Political Philosophy
Oxford University Press 2009, 254 pages in length
Blind Peer Reviewed Articles:
“ ‘The Five Aspects of Conduct’ Introduction and Translation” Journal of the Royal
Asiatic Society 15:2 (2005), 179-198.
“《五行篇》的宗教觀 Religion in ‘The Five aspects of Conduct’”
《儒家文化研究》(Confucian Culture Studies), June, 2007. Length: 6 pages in Chinese,
appearing in the inaugural edition of the journal edited by Guo, Qiyong 郭齊勇, Dean of
the School of the Humanities, at Wuhan University and President of the International
Society for Chinese Philosophy.
“郭店楚簡的大同思想 Unity in the Guodian” Jianbo yanjiu 简帛研究 (Bamboo and Silk
Research), 2005. Length: 8 pages in Chinese. The journal is edited by Li, Xueqin 李學
勤, Director, Institute of History, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and President of
the National Association of Pre-Qin History.
Book Review:
Roger T. Ames and David L. Hall, Focusing the Familiar: A Translation and
Philosophical Interpretation of the Zhongyong (University of Hawai‘i Press, 2001).
Review published in the Journal of Chinese Philosophy 31.1 (March 2004), pages 129131. Editorial review
Work in Progress:
Article: “The Rectification of Names for Laozi and Confucius”
I am still in the process of finishing this article and will submit it for publication in the
fall of 2009.
Professional Conferences and Lectures:
“Looking at the Early Development of Self-Cultivation in China from the Perspective of
Newly Excavated Manuscripts” 從新出土文獻看中國早期修行 (invitation)
Nanhua University 南華大學 December 29, 2008.
“An inquiry into the ‘Xing zi mingchu’ from the perspective of the ‘Five Aspects of
Conduct’” 從《五行篇》的角度探討《性自命出》 Institute for Advanced
Studies in Humanities and Social Science, National Taiwan University 國立臺灣
大學，人文社會高等研究院 (invitation) December 24, 2008
Respondent, panel on the End of Tokugawa History at the Southern Japan Seminar,
Florida International University Institute for Asian Studies, March 1, 2008
“How the Manuscripts Discovered at Guodian Challenge Traditional Views of China”
(invitation) The University of Arizona, February 18, 2008
“Early Confucian Syncretism” (refereed on basis of abstract) will appear on a panel I
organized at the upcoming American Academy of Religion Meeting November
19, 2007. The panel, “Confucianism, What is at Stake in a Religion,” will explore
four aspects of the intellectual, archaeological, and political environment that
produced Confucianism.
“Guodian Religion” (invitation) Columbia University Early China Seminar, November 3,
2007
“Moral Transformation in the Analects and Dao De jing” (invitation) New York
University, May 21, 2007
“The Rectification of Names in the Analects and Daodejing?” (refereed on basis of
abstract) American Academy of Religion, November 20, 2006
This presentation resulted in a 32 page article that I will submit for publication in
the spring of 2008.
《五行篇》的宗教觀 “Religion in ‘The Five aspects of Conduct’” (refereed on basis of
abstract) Wuhan University, International Conference on New Discoveries of Chu
Bamboo Slips June 27, 2006. This presentation resulted in the following
publication: “《五行篇》的宗教觀 Religion in “The Five aspects of Conduct”
《儒家文化研究》(Confucian Culture Studies), June, 2007.
“Confucian Government: A Nation of Families” (refereed on basis of abstract)
Vanderbilt University, the 47th American Association for Chinese Studies
Conference, October 22nd 2005
“The Political Philosophy of Unity in Early China” (invitation) National Taiwan
University, May 20th 2005
This presentation resulted in the following publication: “郭店楚簡的大同思想
Unity in the Guodian,” Jianbo yanjiu 简帛研究 (Bamboo and Silk Research),
forthcoming.
“Rhetorical Analysis of the Guodian Texts” (invitation) University of Pennsylvania,
Conference on Chinese Rhetoric, May 23-4 2004
“Harmony in the Guodian” (refereed on basis of abstract) Mount Holyoke College, Third
International Conference on Excavated Chinese Manuscripts: Confucianism
Resurrected, April 23–25 2004
“The Guodian Aristocracy–Meritocracy Hybrid” (refereed on basis of abstract) Annual
Meeting Association for Asian Studies. This paper appeared on the panel I
organized entitled “Principled Succession: Changing Perceptions of the Sage
King in Early China,” March 5, 2004.
“Attaining Unity: a Prevalent Trend in Guodian Texts” (invitation) University of
Massachusetts, Warring States Working Group, December 7, 2003
“State–Family Relations in the Guodian Texts” (invitation) New York University, Early
China Roundtable, April 26, 2003
“The Guodian ‘Five Aspects of Conduct’ a Structural Methodology” (invitation)
Columbia University, University Seminar on Neo-Confucian Studies, February 7,
2003
“The recently discovered Confucian Wuxing text” (refereed on basis of abstract) Annual
Meeting Association for Asian Studies, March 11, 2000
“Structural Analysis of ‘The Five Aspects of Conduct’ ” (refereed on basis workshop
application, 10 graduate students from North America were selected) University
of Chicago, Creel Workshop on Early Chinese Paleography, July 3-12, 2000
“The Wu-sying Document” (invitation) Lehigh University, Warring States Working
Group, October 9, 1999
“Diversity in China” (invitation) University of Pennsylvania, October 28, 1998
“Argument Structure in Chapters 14:5 and 21:5 of the Springs and Autumns of Mr. Lyu”
(invitation) University of Massachusetts, Warring States Working Group, April
25, 1998
“Li Hua: Rediscovering a Founder of Neo-Confucianism” (refereed on basis of abstract)
Ohio State University, Midwest Conference on Asian History and Culture, March
18, 1998
“Benevolence in the Analects and Lu-shi ch’un ch’iu” (refereed on basis of abstract) Mid
Atlantic Regional Association for Asian Studies, October 26, 1997
Conferences/panels organized:
Minding the Body: Transcultural and Interdisciplinary Perspectives
This inaugural conference of the Center for Body, Mind, and Culture took place
March 29 and 30, 2007. Arthur C. Danto, Johnsonian Professor Emeritus of
Philosophy at Columbia University and Art Critic for The Nation, delivered a
keynote presentation on "The Body in Philosophy and Art."
Friday's presentations included the following: Mark Johnson (U of Oregon) on
"The Meaning of the Body: Aesthetic Dimensions of Human Understanding";
Mark Csikszentmihalyi (U of Wisconsin at Madison) on "Material Virtue: Ethics
and the Body in Early China"; Shaun Gallagher (U of Central Florida) on
"Pathologies of the Lived Body"; Jane Caputi (Florida Atlantic U) on "The
Pornography of Everyday Life"; and Marlaine Smith (Florida Atlantic U) on
"Touch as Therapy"; as well as commentary and full-panel discussion with
additional faculty.
Confucianism, What is at Stake in a Religion
This panel was part of the Annual American Academy of Religion Meeting in San
Diego, November 19, 2007. It explored four aspects of the intellectual,
archaeological and political environment that produced Confucianism. By
working in an interdisciplinary manner we provided a robust answer to the
question of what is at stake in Confucianism as a religion. Naturally, these papers
related to the foundation of religion even beyond Confucianism, since later
traditions such as Buddhism were transformed by making contact with perpetual
elements of this early tradition.
The panel was presided over by Keith Knapp (The Citadel) and featured lectures
by Yu Jiang (Florida Atlantic U) on “Tomb Space and Burial Goods in the
Western-Zhou Date Yu Cemetery,” Soon-ja Yang (U of Pennsylvania) on “Li and
Fa in the Hands of Non-Confucian Political Philosophers,” Brian Bruya (Eastern
Michigan University) on “Spontaneity in Confucian Self-cultivation,” and
Kenneth Holloway on “Early Confucian Syncretism.” The respondent was Mark
Csikszentmihalyi (U Wisconsin, Madison).
Topics and Themes in Asian Philosophy and Thought
This was the first conference I organized was on March 31, 2006, and I was
assisted by Clevis Headley of the Department of Philosophy at Florida Atlantic
University. The conference featured the following papers: Paul Goldin (U of
Pennsylvania) on “The Myth That China Has No Creation Myth;” Yu Jiang
(Florida Atlantic U) on “Subordination and Filial Piety in Western Zhou Bronze
Inscriptions;” and Moss Roberts (NYU) on “Why Confucius eschewed religion.”
Additional papers were presented by faculty at Florida Atlantic University.
Respondents were Richard Shusterman, Commentator, Eminent Scholar &
Professor of philosophy, Florida Atlantic University, Steven Heine, (Florida
International U), Richard Shusterman, (Florida Atlantic U), and Kenneth
Holloway.
This Worldly Immortality in Ancient China by Paul Goldin (U of Pennsylvania) was the
first lecture I organized at Florida Atlantic University, on February 17th 2005.
Principled Succession: Changing Perceptions of the Sage King in Early China
This is a panel I organized at the Annual Meeting Association for Asian Studies,
in San Diego on March 5, 2004. Government debates in early China often cited
sage kings when discussing important ideals. From the early Zhou through the
Han, the lessons drawn from these ancient figures underwent a continuous
evolution. Recently discovered bronze and bamboo texts have added to our
understanding of this phenomenon. Examining this requires an interdisciplinary
approach that includes religion, material culture, political history, philosophy, and
hermeneutics. Our panel began with the religious and political contexts of the
traditional Zhou rites of succession, and the evolving role of Yu in cultic practices.
Next, in the Guodian texts, the Yao-Shun myth was used to argue for the
harmonization of meritocratic and aristocratic methods of government. This was
followed by a discussion in the Mencius of family-anti-family aspects of the
legend of Yao’s abdication to Shun. Finally, in the Han, the Yao-Shun myth
becomes an active part of succession debates, ultimately resulting in Wang Mang
claiming descent from Shun to support his claim of legitimacy over the Han royal
house, which had come to be associated with Yao.
The panel was presided over by John S. Major (independent), and featured papers
by the following: Constance A. Cook, (Lehigh U) “Sage King Yu, a Sacred
Vessel, and the Way of the Former Kings: Zhou Period Sacrilege or Just Another
Ancestor?” Kenneth W. Holloway “The Guodian Aristocracy-Meritocracy
Hybrid,” Moss Roberts (NYU) “Mencius’ Treatment of the Yao Shun Legend,”
Gopal Sukhu (CUNY, Queens) “The Myth of Yao and Shun in the Evolution of
Han Political Ideology.” The discussant was Sarah Allan (Dartmouth).
Courses Taught at Florida Atlantic University:
Please note that every class I teach contains a significant writing component. This
includes my World Civilization survey, where half the grade is based on the writing and
revising of a term paper.
Seminar in World History (WOH 6937)
Confucianism and Human Rights (ASH 4930)
Introduction to Historical Study (HIS 3159), spring 2009
History of East Asia (ASH 3300), fall 2009
History of Civilization 1 (WOH 2012), fall 2009
History of Modern Japan (ASH 4442), spring 2008
Introduction to Historical Study (HIS 3159), spring 2008
History of Eastern Ideas (ASH 4600), spring 2008
Readings: Non-Western History (WOH 5935), fall 2007
Women in Chinese History (ASH 4930), spring 2007
Early History of Japan (ASH 4930), spring 2007
History of Civilization 1 (WOH 2012), spring 2007
Senior Seminar (HIS 4935), fall 2006
Modern China (ASH 4404), fall 2006
History of Eastern Ideas (ASH 4600), spring 2006
Introduction to Japanese History (ASH 4442), spring 2006
History of Civilization 1 (WOH 2012), spring 2006
Introduction to Asian History (ASH 4930), fall 2005
Readings: Non-Western History (WOH 5935), fall 2005
Women in Chinese History (ASH 4930), spring 2005
History of Modern Japan (ASH 4442), spring 2005
History of Civilization 1 (WOH 2012), spring 2005
History of East Asia (ASH 3300), fall 2004
History of Modern China (ASH 4404), fall 2004
Awards:
2005 and 2006 Summer Scholarship Award
2006-2007 Frances Edelman Fellowship
Service:
Faculty advisor for Phi Alpha Theta History Honors Society 2006-present
Founding Director of Florida Atlantic University Asian Studies Certificate program
Worked with chair of department of languages and linguistics to preserve and increase
Asian language offerings.
2006-2007 Member of the Board of Directors, Florida Chapter of the Chinese Language
Teacher’s Association
Graduate and undergraduate curriculum committee, Department of History, Florida
Atlantic University
Associate Director, Center for Body, Mind and Culture, Florida Atlantic University
Second reader for Peter Chai’s Honors Thesis in Art History “Emperors, Conquers and
Peacemakers: The Concept and Art of the Other in Han China” Brown University, 20052006
I have given four lectures to high school students and three community lectures since
arriving at Florida Atlantic University.
Memberships in Academic Organizations:
American Academy of Religion
American Historical Association
Association for Asian Studies
Phi Beta Kappa
The Society for the Study of Early China
University Seminar on Early China, Columbia University
Foreign Languages:
My reading knowledge of classical Chinese and Japanese is a cornerstone of my research.
In addition, I speak read and write modern Chinese with native fluency.