Goodman, David (1946-2011) | University of Illinois Archives

David G. Goodman (1946-2011) was a professor of Japanese and Comparative Literature in the department of East Asian Languages and Cultures and the director of the Illinois-Japan Performing Arts Network (IJPAN) at the University of Illinois.  He was internationally recognized for his research on modern Japanese theater, literature, and poetry, as well as his work on antisemitism in modern Japan.  Professor Goodman published numerous books, articles, and translations, including Jews in the Japanese Mind: The History and Uses of a Cultural Stereotype (1995) and Angura: Posters of the Japanese Avant-Garde (1999).

David Goodman was born on February 12, 1946, in Racine, Wisconsin, to Rita and Arnold Goodman.  He earned his undergraduate degree from Yale University in 1969.  During his sophomore year, Goodman was one of eleven students who participated in Yale's 5 Year BA, a study abroad program that sent him to Japan for one year.  Upon his return, Goodman served as a founding editor of the journal-magazine Concerned Theatre Japan, which ran from 1969-1973.  He completed his master's (1980) and Ph.D. (1982) degrees at Cornell University.

Professor Goodman taught at the University of Kansas as a visiting assistant professor from 1981-1982.  In 1982, he became assistant professor a the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and was promoted to full professor in 1990.  Professor Goodman was a prolific author who wrote numerous books, articles, book chapters on antisemitism in Japan, modern Japanese theatre, Japanese poetry, and Japanese cultural arts.  Goodman also served as the director of IJPAN, which organized exchanges of international performing arts on campus.

David Goodman was married to Kazuko F. Goodman.  They had two children, Yael and Kai.  Professor Goodman died on July 25, 2011, at the age of 65.