Asian Studies

Full List of Asian Studies Courses

Fall 2018

AS 156 Art of Tea Culture (2 sections)

Jan Waldmann
Th 5:00-7:00pm 
Th 7:00-9:00pm
The traditional art of tea, practiced in Japan for over 400 years, and its interrelationship with Japanese culture. Study of tea masters of
the past, famous as performers of the art, arbiters of taste, and confidants of rulers. Aesthetics, philosophy, cultural and political relationships, ceramic arts, architecture, landscape design. Practice of the ritualized forms for making and drinking tea, and forms of social interaction expressed in the practice.

ART 151 Early East Asian Art
Dawn Odell 
MWF 9:10-10:10am
This course provides an introduction to the arts of China, Korea, and Japan from the Neolithic period to the 14th century. We study objects in a range of media, including calligraphy, ink painting, secular and religious architecture,
ceramics, and woodblock prints. Among other topics, the class explores how gender, ethnicity, and political authority affect and are affected by the visual culture of the region. 
Prerequisites: None.

CHIN 230 The Classic Novels
Meiru Liu
MW 3:00-4:30pm
Introduction to themes in the Chinese literary tradition. English translations of poetry, prose, fiction, drama from the 11th century B.C.E. to the 20th century, with emphasis on premodern Chinese literature. Lectures, discussions, student essays, and supplementary background readings on literary, cultural, historical, philosophical, religious, and social background of Chinese literary works studied. The CHIN 230 and CHIN 231 options may not be taken simultaneously. Taught in English; no background in Chinese language or literature required. With consent of instructor, may be taken
twice for credit.

CHIN 231 Introduction to Chinese Literature in Translation 
Meiru Liu
MW 3:00-4:30pm
Intended for East Asian studies majors with a concentration in fine arts, literature, and languages. Successful completion of the course satisfies the methodology requirement. Students enrolled in CHIN 231 will complete all work assigned for CHIN 230 and, in addition, will complete extra readings and assignments on the theories and methodologies for literary and
cultural analysis. Must be taken prior to enrolling in EAS 400. CHIN 230 and CHIN 231 cannot be taken simultaneously. CHIN 231 cannot be repeated for credit. Taught in English.

CHIN 251 Chinese Conversation 
Staff
MWF 10:20-11:20am
Vocabulary and idioms in spoken Chinese. Improving pronunciation and correcting grammar to increase students’ mastery of spoken Chinese, encourage self-confidence in using the language, and enable students to function in a Chinese environment. CHIN 251 and CHIN 252 may each be taken twice for credit or taken in sequence for a maximum of 4 credits. Credit-no credit.
Prerequisites: CHIN 201.

CHIN 310 Readings and Composition in Chinese
Meiru Liu 
MWF 1:50-2:50pm
Oral expression, listening comprehension, reading, and writing. Expository and creative writing, syntax, idiomatic usage emphasized to promote
fluency. Review and consolidation of grammar and Chinese characters from previous years, expansion of structural and idiomatic command. Increased use of Chinese dictionaries. Reading and writing in both regular and simplified characters. Short oral presentations, compositions, other exercises to build toward mastery of speaking, reading, writing. Short prose works, fiction, drama, poetry, print and video media. With consent of instructor, may be taken twice for credit.

CHIN 410 Advanced Readings in Chinese
Keith Dede
MWF 1:50-2:50pm
A continuation of advanced language study focusing on unedited Chinese texts and the tools necessary for understanding them. Readings from a variety of genres, including belles lettres, academic essays, newspapers. Includes an introduction to library and online resources commonly used for the study of Chinese texts. Students write critical essays on their readings. Content varies from year to year. With consent of instructor, may be taken
twice for credit.

HIST 110 Early East Asian History
Susan Glosser
MWF 12:40-1:40pm
Early histories of China and Japan from earliest origins to the 13th century. Prehistory; early cultural foundations; development of social, political, and economic institutions; art and literature. Readings from Asian texts in
translation. The two cultures, covered as independent entities, compared to each other and to European patterns of development.

HIST 300 Historical Materials
Reiko Hillyer
TTH 9:40-11:10am
Materials and craft of historical research. Bibliographic method; documentary editing; use of specialized libraries, manuscripts, maps, government documents, photographs, objects of material culture. Career options in history. Students work with primary sources to develop a major editing project. Topical content varies depending on instructor’s teaching field. Enrollment preference given to history majors and minors.

JAPN  251 Japanese Conversation
Staff
TTH 9:40-11:10am
 Expansion of vocabulary and idioms, polishing pronunciation and correcting faulty grammar through oral drills and exercises. Students improve their listening comprehension through audio and video materials and develop confidence in using the language through guided discussions based on brief readings, tapes, films, or assigned current topics. JAPN 251 and JAPN 252 may each be taken twice for credit or taken in sequence for a maximum of 4 credits. Credit-no credit.
Prerequisites: JAPN 201.

JAPN 310 Readings and Composition in Japanese 
Satomi Newsom
MWF 10:20-11:20
Continued language study based on readings that address topics of cultural interest such as education, work, family, moral and intellectual values, history, popular culture, and current social issues. Emphasis on improving students’ ability to read and write Japanese. Content varies from year to year. With consent of instructor, may be taken twice for credit.
Prerequisites: JAPN 202. JAPN 310 recommended.

JAPN 410 Advanced Readings in Japanese: Non-Fiction
Atsuko Kurogi
MWF 9:10-10:10am
Advanced readings in Japanese fiction and nonfiction to familiarize students with a range of literary styles. Excerpts from contemporary writers, which may include essays and short fiction from Kawabata, Murakami, Tanizaki, others. Emphasis on close reading, analytical writing, detailed discussion of the texts. Topics vary from year to year. With consent of instructor, may be taken twice for credit.
Prerequisites: JAPN 320 or equivalent.

MUP 121 Gamelan Ensemble
Mindy Johnston
Thursday 4:30-6:00pm
The performance of Central Javanese music. Concert, dance, theatrical styles. New music written for gamelan from around the world. Regional stylistic variants. Cultural matters relating to music. Public performance in
orchestral and chamber styles. May be repeated for credit.

PHIL 207 Indian Philosophy
J.M. Fritzman
MWF 9:10-10:10am
Survey of India’s classical philosophies as well as introductions to the Vedas, the Upanishads, Carvaka, Jainism, Buddhism, and recent Indian philosophers.
Prerequisites: None.

RELS 243 Buddhism: Theory, Culture and Practice
Jessica Starling
MWF 11:30-12:30pm
Introduction to Buddhist thought and practice. Indian origins, contemporary Theravada Buddhism, emergence of the Mahayana, Buddhism and society in Tibet, Zen and Pure Land traditions of East Asia, and the Western reception of Buddhism. Problems in the study of Buddhism.
Prerequisites: None.

RELS 357 Family, Gender and Religion
Jessica Starling
TTH 11:30-1:00pm
Theories and ethnographic case studies of family, gender, and religion. Topics may include the function of religious symbols in relation to gender and family roles, religious meanings of food, religious interpretations of marriage and childrearing, and domestic religion as a bridge between the sacred and profane. Emphasis will be on anthropological approaches to religion, and students will employ ethnographic methods in their research projects. Case studies will address Christian feasting and fasting in contemporary and medieval contexts, female shamans in contemporary Korea, Confucianism and the construction of gender roles in East Asia,
and Buddhist temple families in Japan. 
Prerequisites: Prior course in RELS of SOAN

RHMS 260 Empirical Research Methods
Daena Goldsmith
MWF 10:20-11:20am
Methods of communication research grounded in data collection for the purposes of prediction and explanation (quantitative methods) or description and interpretation (qualitative methods). Course spans philosophy of inquiry; relationship of theory to data in developing questions and hypotheses; logic of sampling, measurement, and statistical inference; uses of interviews, fieldwork, and textual analysis; criteria for evaluating quantitative and qualitative work; research ethics.
Prerequisites: RHMS 100

SOAN 200 Ethnographic Research Methods
Kabir Heimsath
MWF 1:50-2:50pm
Exploration of the conceptual foundations of ethnographic research methods at the intersection of sociology and anthropology. Engagement with ethnographic practices including participant observation, field notes, interviewing, language analysis, and writing. Attention to ethical
dimensions of research. Consideration of the productivity and limitations of ethnographic methods in addressing diverse research topics.

SOAN 202 Topics:  Research, Theory and Design
Oren Kosansky
MW 3:00-4:30pm
Introduction to select methods in sociological and anthropological research. Application of methods in student-directed research projects.
Methodological focus varies according to instructor’s areas of research and teaching. Possible topics include: participatory action research, comparative/historical methods, network analysis, spatial analysis.
Prerequisites: SOAN 100 or 110

SOAN 298 Digital Media in East Asia
Layoung Shin 
MWF 9:10-10:10am
East Asian countries show the biggest number of internet and social media users and reveal the fastest adoptions of new technological trends; this course will examine digital media from cultural and sociological perspectives to understand newly emerging experiences in digitally mediated societies. Methodological, theoretical, and ethical issues covering topics such as identity, social relationship, political participation,
violence/discrimination, and information and knowledge production; the technologies of governance within continuous interactions of on- and offline worlds, as well as in relation to race, class, gender, and sexuality. Studying how the new media affect the everyday lives of people in East Asia will help
students better understand fast-changing East Asian societies, and gain a critical, analytical, and reflexive understanding of digital media that dominate increasingly larger parts of people’s daily live
Prerequisite: Sophomore standing

SOAN 347 Borderlands
Kabir Heimsath
W 6:00-9:00pm
Investigation of the “borderland” nature of anthropology dealing with Tibet and the broader Himalayan region. Without clear state definition, scholastic inquiry is dispersed among distinct themes rather than a cohesive historical or cultural approach. Focus on ethnographies of non-state peoples, cross-border travel, marginalized lives, and international development and representation. Reading-intensive course with a series of literature review assignments leading toward a final project.