Areas of interest

Literary and cultural studies and translations, East Asian languages and cultures, East-West intercultural communication, and the theory and practice of cross-cultural translation.

Education

  • PhD, Chinese and Japanese Languages and Literatures
  • MA, Chinese and Japanese Languages and Literatures
  • BA, Chinese and Japanese Languages and Literatures

Biography

Jan Walls is Professor Emeritus at Simon Fraser University, where he was founding Director of the David Lam Centre for International Communication and founding Director of the Asia-Canada Program in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. He has taught Chinese language and culture courses and contributed to Asia focused program development at the University of British Columbia (1970–78), University of Victoria (1978–85), and Simon Fraser University (1987–2006). From 1981 to 83, he served as First Secretary for Cultural and Scientific Affairs in the Canadian Embassy in Beijing, and from 1985 to 87 he was Senior Vice President of the newly established Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, where he developed their first programs in cultural and educational affairs.