Tim Reiffenstein
Biography
I grew up in Oakville, Ontario and spent a year working at the Ford factory there. International educational opportunities at Dulwich College, Kyoto University and, most recently, Kwansei Gakuin University have profoundly shaped my perception of the world and deepened my love for geography in its myriad forms.
I play hockey, keyboards, and guitar. I love exploring Canadian waters by canoe, kayak, in the wooden rowboat my late father and I built, by sailboat, windsurfer, and on a paddleboard. In the last ten years or so, I have been cultivating my birding skills. Kingfishers are my favorite bird. I occasionally travel to see Phish.
Publications
Reiffenstein, T. (2018). Ramen noodle supply geographies in the Kansai region of Japan: Transaction costs and semiotics in the 'make or buy' decision. Geoforum, 95, 46-58.
Reiffenstein, T. (2017). Ramen restaurant clusters in Japan: Geographical variety, locational lore, and evolutionary characteristics. The Canadian Geographer, 61(3), 440-456.
Reiffenstein, T. & Selig, N. (2013). Shifting monument production chains and the implications for gravestone design on Prince Edward Island, 18202005. Journal of Cultural Geography, 30(2), 160-186.
Reiffenstein, T. and Nguyen, H. T. (2011). The international developmental state: The Japanese intellectual property system in Vietnam. Geoforum, 42(4), 462-472.
Reiffenstein, T. (2009). Specialization, centralization, and the distribution of patent intermediaries in the USA and Japan. Regional Studies, 43(4), 571-588.
Reiffenstein, T. and Hayter, R. (2006) Domestic timber auctions and flexibly specialized forestry in Japan. The Canadian Geographer 50(4): 503-525.
Reiffenstein, T. (2006) Codification, patents and the geography of knowledge transfer in the electronic musical instrument industry. The Canadian Geographer 50(3): 198-318.
Reiffenstein, T., Hayter, R. and Edgington, D. (2002) Crossing Cultures, Learning to Export: Making Houses in British Columbia for Consumption in Japan. Economic Geography 78(2): 195-220.
Education
- BA: McGill University 1995
- MA: Simon Fraser University 1999
- PhD: Simon Fraser University 2004
- Monbusho Research Student: Kyoto University 2001-2003
Teaching
- 1201: The Human Environment
- 1301: Japanese Foodways
- 2221: The Developing World
- 2201: The Geography of Economic Activity
- 3321: Geography of Japan
- 3701: Research Methods in Geography and Environmental Studies
- 4211: Resource Communities and the Multinational Corporation
Research
I am an economic geographer interested in Japan. Thematically the common thread throughout my career has been understanding how Japanese industries connect with the rest of the world. This interest in Japan was sparked during my Masters research that investigated the BC-Japan timber trade, was further kindled during Doctoral research that examined how Japanese electronic musical instrument companies based in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, like Yamaha and Roland transferred and leveraged radical innovations such as digital sound sythesis that were originally developed yet not exploited in California. Since starting at MTA, my interests have evolved to include service sector geographies of intellectual property law and the ramen restaurant industry. My most recent project investigates the community based industries that produce the umami-rich fundamental flavors of Japanese cuisine: kombu, katsuobushi, shoyu, and miso.
Grants, awards & honours
- Visiting Professor of Canadian Studies, Kwansei Gakuin University, Nishinomiya, Hyogo, Japan: 2010, 2024.
- SSHRC Doctoral Fellowship 2001-2003
- Monbusho Graduate Research Fellowship 2001-2003