Catalogue 2020-2021 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Asian Studies Program
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Director: Christopher Bjork;
Steering Committee: Christopher Bjork (Education), Martha Kaplan (Anthropology), Yuko Matsubara (Chinese and Japanese), Seungsook Moon (Sociology), Anne Parries (Chinese and Japanese), Justin Patch (Music), Michael Walsh (Religion), Jin Xu (Art);
Participating Faculty: Christopher Bjork (Education), Andrew Davison (Political Science), Hiromi Tsuchiya Dollase (Chinese and Japanese), Wenwei Du (Chinese and Japanese), Sophia Harveyab (Film), Hua Hsu (English), E.H. Rick Jarowb (Religion), Jungran Claire Kang (Asian Studies), Martha Kaplan (Anthropology), Haoming Liu (Chinese and Japanese), Yuko Matsubara (Chinese and Japanese), Seungsook Moonab (Sociology), Himadeep Muppidi (Political Science), Anne Parries (Chinese and Japanese), Justin Patcha (Music), Peipei Qiu (Chinese and Japanese), Wayne Soonb (History), Fubing Su (Political Science), Vivian Truong (American Studies and Asian Studies), Michael Walsh (Religion), Jin Xu (Art), Yu Zhou (Geography).
a On leave 2020/21, first semester
b On leave 2020/21, second semester
ab On leave 2020/21
The Asian Studies Program offers a multidisciplinary approach to the study of Asia with courses and advising in anthropology, art history, economics, education, film, geography, history, language and literature, philosophy, political science, religion, and sociology. It promotes a global understanding of Asia that recognizes interactions between Asian societies and relationships between Asia and the rest of the world that cross and permeate national boundaries. While majors focus on a particular region of Asia (e.g., East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, or West Asia) including language study, intermediate and advanced coursework, and a senior thesis in this area, they are also expected to be familiar with some other parts of Asia through the introductory courses and some coursework outside their area of specialty. The Program offers a correlate sequence in Asian Studies and a correlate sequence in Asian American Studies.
While majors take courses on Asia offered in a wide range of disciplines, they are also expected to choose one or two disciplines in which they develop a theoretical or methodological sophistication that they apply to their study of Asia, particularly in their thesis and senior seminar work.
A student’s program of study for the major or correlate is designed in close consultation with the director and an advisor. Students should obtain an application form, which includes a statement of interest, from the program office or the Asian Studies website prior to meeting with the program director. This should be done by the end of the first semester of the sophomore year if the student plans to apply for study abroad. The director and members of the program faculty review the application and make suggestions for modifications. Any changes to a plan of study should be discussed with the advisor in advance; significant changes are reviewed by the director.
Study Abroad: Study abroad in Asia greatly enhances a student’s learning experience and understanding of Asia and is highly recommended for program majors. Advice and information on different programs are available through the Office of the Dean of Studies (International Programs), Asian Studies, and the Department of Chinese and Japanese.
Asian Studies Courses: This catalogue has two lists of courses for the Asian Studies major and correlate. First, courses offered by the program and cross-listed courses are listed by level. Second, additional approved courses are listed by name and number (these are courses on Asia offered in other departments; see department listings for course descriptions). Both lists are courses that can fulfill major and correlate requirements. Courses not on the lists, which may be appropriate to an individual student’s plan of study, are considered for approval by the director and steering committee upon request by the student major or correlate, after consultation with the advisor. Each semester the Asian Studies website posts a list of upcoming courses for use during preregistration.
Major
Correlate Sequences in Asian Studies
Approved Courses
Asian Studies: I. Introductory
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ASIA 105 - Elementary Korean Semester Offered: Fall
1.5 unit(s)
This course provides students with basic conversational and grammatical patterns, assuming that the students have no or little previous background knowledge of Korean. The objective of the course is to equip students with communicative skills in speaking, listening, reading, and writing at a basic level in Korean; students learn how to express simple ideas such as attributes, identities, locations, time, daily activities, weekend plan, desires, as well as how to combine simple ideas in various ways. The medium of the class is mainly Korean, and English translation is given when it is necessary. Students learn Korean alphabet system in the first semester. Claire Kang.
Yearlong course 105-ASIA 106 .
Five 50-minute periods.
Course Format: CLS -
ASIA 106 - Elementary Korean Semester Offered: Spring
1.5 unit(s)
This course provides students with basic conversational and grammatical patterns, assuming that the students have no or little previous background kowledge of Korean. The objective of the course is to equip students with communicative skills in speaking, listening, reading, and writing at a basic level in Korean; students learn how to express simple ideas such as attributes, identities, locations, time, daily activities, weekend plan, desires, as well as how to combine simple ideas in various ways. The medium of the class is mainly Korean, and English translation is given when it is necessary. Students learn Korean alphabet system in the first semester. Claire Kang.
Yearlong course ASIA 105 -106
Five 50-minute periods.
Course Format: CLS -
ASIA 107 - Inner Paths: Religion and Contemplative Consciousness
1 unit(s)
(Same as RELI 107 ) The academic study of religion spends a lot of time examining religion as a social and cultural phenomenon. This course takes a different approach. Instead of looking at religion extrinsically (through history, philosophy, sociology, scriptural study, etc.) “Inner Paths” looks at the religious experience itself, as seen through the eyes of saints and mystics from a variety of the world’s religious traditions. By listening to and reflecting upon “mystic” and contemplative narratives from adepts of Jewish, Christian, Islamic, Hindu, Daoist and other traditions we learn to appreciate the commonalities, differences, and nuances of various “inner paths.” Readings include John of the Cross, Theresa of Avila, Rabbi Akiba, Rumi, Thich Nhat Hanh, Ramakrishna, and Mirabai. Rick Jarow.
Two 75-minute periods.
Not offered in 2020/21.
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ASIA 111 - Social Change in South Korea Through Film
1 unit(s)
(Same as SOCI 111 ) This course explores cultural consequences of the dramatic transformation of South Korea, in four decades, from a war-torn agrarian society to a major industrial and post-industrial society with dynamic urban centers. Despite its small territory (equivalent to the size of the state of Indiana) and relatively small population (50 million people), South Korea became one of the major economic powerhouses in the world. Such rapid economic change has been followed by its rise to a major center of the global popular cultural production. Using the medium of film, this course examines multifaceted meanings of social change, generated by the Korean War, industrialization, urbanization, and the recent process of democratization, for lives of ordinary men and women. Seungsook Moon.
Two 75-minute periods.
Not offered in 2020/21.
Course Format: CLS -
ASIA 122 - Encounters in Modern East Asia
1 unit(s)
(Same as HIST 122 ) This course introduces the modern history of East Asia (China, Japan, and Korea) through various “encounters,” not only with each other but also with the world beyond. Employing regional and global perspectives, we explore how East Asia entered a historical phase generally known as “modern” by examining topics such as inter-state relations, trade network, the Jesuit missionary, philosophical inquiries, science and technology, colonialism, imperialism and nationalism. The course begins in the seventeenth-century with challenges against the dynastic regime of each country, traces how modern East Asia emerges through war, commerce, cultural exchange, and imperial expansion and considers some global issues facing the region today. Wayne Soon.
Two 75-minute periods.
Not offered in 2020/21.
Course Format: CLS -
ASIA 136 - Introduction to World Music Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
(Same as MUSI 136 ) This course examines the development and practices of musical styles in diverse locales around the world from an ethnomusicological perspective. We study the intersection of musical communities and social identity/values, political movements (especially nationalism), spirituality, economy, and globalization. We explore these general issues through case studies from Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Justin Patch.
Two 75-minute periods.
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ASIA 152 - Religions of Asia Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
(Same as RELI 152 ) This course is an introduction to the religions of Asia (Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Zen, Shinto, etc.) through a study of practices, sites, sensibilities, and doctrines. The focus is comparative as the course explores numerous themes, including creation (cosmology), myth, ritual, action, fate and destiny, human freedom, and ultimate values. Rick Jarow.
Open to all students except seniors.
Two 75-minute periods.
Course Format: CLS -
ASIA 185 - Introduction to Asian American Studies Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
(Same as AMST 185 ) Journalist Jeff Chang wrote of the 1960s, “There was a time… when the term ‘Asian American’ was not merely a demographic category, but a fight you were picking with the world.” This introductory course explores the construction of “Asian American,” from the origins of the term as a political identity during the Asian American movement to its contested usage as a demographic category encompassing a wide range of ethnic, generational, gender, and class experiences. Analyzing foundational scholarship in Asian American studies, primary historical documents, film, and literature, we explore the questions: who is Asian American? What are the stakes of identifying as such? How have Asian Americans defined themselves and been defined by others? This course begins with the historical experiences of Asians in the U.S., examines the formation of “Asian American” as a social movement and racial category, and considers contemporary issues in Asian American communities, including how they have related to other communities of color. Vivian Truong.
Two 75-minute periods.
Course Format: CLS -
ASIA 194 - Asia in the World Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
This team-taught Intensive focuses on change and continuity within various regions of Asia, and this vast regions’ interrelationships with the rest of the world. As they explore topics such as the history, religion, literature, politics, and popular culture of Asia, students are challenged to think in critical and informed ways about Asia and its place in the world. Because the course is taught by three members of the Asian Studies Program on a rotating basis, its exact content varies depending on the instructors’ expertise. Comparative thinking across regions of Asia (East Asia, South Asia, and Southeast Asia) and the perspectives of multiple disciplines are brought to bear on the core topics that anchor each iteration of the course.
During the first section of the course, students are introduced to three compelling topics or issues currently attracting attention among scholars working in the field of Asian Studies. Each of the three co-instructors provide an overview of one of these topics, and facilitate discussion among students. Next, students select one of the topics to explore in greater depth. Under the guidance of one of the course instructors, they carry out independent research projects related to that topic. Finally, students present the findings of their work during a research symposium.
ASIA 194 offers an introduction to the region, and provides a foundation for students interested in taking more specialized courses in Asian Studies. Students from all departments and backgrounds are welcome to take this course. No prior knowledge of Asian language or culture is required. Christopher Bjork, Peipei Qiu, Wayne Soon.
Two 75-minute periods.
Course Format: INT
Asian Studies: II. Intermediate
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ASIA 202 - Business and the State in East Asia
1 unit(s)
(Same as HIST 202 ) This course examines the relationship between business, culture, and society in twentieth-century East Asia, with a focus on the ways in which the state has shaped business practices and ideas. We investigate the varying role of governments in China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Manchuria in enabling and restricting the growth of enterprises in the region, mediated by colonialism, imperialism, Western competition, and globalization. We examine how the development of new business practices changed the interaction between labor and employers in the region. Case studies are drawn from the medical, education, electronics, retail sectors, etc. This class uses historical sources such as memoirs, oral histories, case studies, and newspaper reports to understand the nature of contingencies in doing business in the region. In so doing, students gain the tools to critically examine the notions of the “Developmental State,” and “Confucian Capitalism” in explaining the rise and fall of businesses in East Asia. Wayne Soon.
Two 75-minute periods.
Not offered in 2020/21.
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ASIA 205 - Intermediate Korean Semester Offered: Fall
1.5 unit(s)
The objective of the course is to equip students with communicative skills in speaking, reading, and writing at the intermediate level in Korean, such as expanding simple ideas into imposing various kinds of the speaker’s stance (e.g., judgment, inference, and evaluation or subjective assessment of the ideas entertained, and expressing more complex relations between events, such as cause, reason, purpose, condition, concession, intention, background, etc). Skills for simple narration and written report are enhanced. The medium of the class is mainly Korean, and English translation is given when it is necessary. Claire Kang.
Yearlong course 205-ASIA 206 .
Five 50-minute periods.
Course Format: CLS -
ASIA 206 - Intermediate Korean Semester Offered: Spring
1.5 unit(s)
The objective of the course is to equip students with communicative skills in speaking, reading, and writing at the intermediate level in Korean, such as expanding simple ideas into imposing various kinds of the speaker’s stance (e.g., judgment, inference, and evaluation or subjective assessment of the ideas entertained, and expressing more complex relations between events, such as cause, reason, pupose, condition, concession, intention, background, etc). Skills for simple narration and written report are enhanced. The medium of the class is mainly Korean, and English translation is given when it is necessary. Claire Kang.
Yearlong course ASIA 205 -206.
Five 50-minute periods.
Course Format: CLS -
ASIA 214 - The Tumultuous Century: Twentieth Century Chinese Literature
1 unit(s)
(Same as CHIN 214 ) This is a survey/introduction to the literature of China from the late Qing Dynasty through the present day. Texts are arranged according to trends and schools as well as to their chronological order. Authors include Wu Jianren, Lu Xun, Zhang Ailing, Ding Ling, Mo Yan and Gao Xingjian. All major genres are covered but the focus is on fiction. A few feature films are also included in association with some of the literary works and movements. No knowledge of the Chinese language, Chinese history, or culture is required for taking the course. All readings and class discussions are in English. Haoming Liu.
Prerequisite(s): One course in language, literature, culture or Asian Studies, or permission of the instructor.
Not offered in 2020/21.
Course Format: CLS -
ASIA 216 - Food, Culture, and Globalization
1 unit(s)
(Same as SOCI 216 ) This course focuses on the political economy and the cultural politics of transnational production, distribution, and consumption of food in the world to understand the complex nature of cultural globalization and its effects on the national, ethnic, and class identities of women and men. Approaching food as material cultural commodities moving across national boundaries, this course examines the following questions. How has food in routine diet been invested with a broad range of meanings and thereby served to define and maintain collective identities of people and social relationships linked to the consumption of food? In what ways and to what extent does eating food satisfy not only basic appetite and epicurean desire, but also social needs for status and belonging? How have powerful corporate interests shaped the health and well being of a large number of people across national boundaries? What roles do symbols and social values play in the public and corporate discourse of health, nutrition, and cultural identities. Seungsook Moon.
Not offered in 2020/21.
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ASIA 223 - The Gothic and the Supernatural in Japanese Literature
1 unit(s)
(Same as JAPA 223 ) This course introduces students to Japanese supernatural stories. We interpret the hidden psyche of the Japanese people and culture that create such bizarre tales. We see not only to what extent the supernatural creatures - demons, vampires, and mountain witches - in these stories represent the “hysteria” of Japanese commoners resulting from social and cultural oppression, but also to what extent these supernatural motifs have been adopted and modified by writers of various literary periods. This course consists of four parts; female ghosts, master authors of ghost stories, Gothic fantasy and dark urban psyche. Hiromi Dollase.
Prerequisite(s): One course in language, literature, culture or Asian Studies, or permission of the instructor.
Two 75-minute periods.
Not offered in 2020/21.
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ASIA 231 - Hindu Traditions
1 unit(s)
(Same as RELI 231 ) An introduction to the history, practices, myths, ideas and core values that inform Hindu traditions. This year’s course focuses on the major systems of Indian philosophy and the spiritual disciplines that accompany them. Among topics examined are yoga, upanishadic monism and dualism, the paths of liberative action (karma), self realization (jnana), divine love (bhakti), and awakened immanence (tantra). Philosophical understandings of the worship of gods and goddesses will be discussed, along with issues of gender, caste, and ethnicity and post modern reinterpretations of the classical tradition. Rick Jarow.
Prerequisite(s): 100-level course in Religion, or permission of the instructor.
Two 75-minute periods.
Not offered in 2020/21.
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ASIA 233 - The Buddha in the World
1 unit(s)
(Same as RELI 233 ) An introduction to Buddhist traditions, beginning with the major themes that emerged in the first centuries after the historical Buddha and tracing the development of Buddhist thought and practice throughout Asia. The course examines how Buddhist sensibilities have expressed themselves through culturally diverse societies, and how specific Buddhist ideas about human attainment have been (and continue to be) expressed through meditation, the arts, political engagement, and social relations. Various schools of Buddhist thought and practice are examined including Theravada, Mahayana, Tantra, Tibetan, East Asian, and Zen. Michael Walsh.
Two 75-minute periods.
Not offered in 2020/21.
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ASIA 235 - Religion in China
1 unit(s)
(Same as RELI 235 ) An exploration of Chinese religiosity within historical context. We study the seen and unseen worlds of Buddhists, Daoists, and literati, and encounter ghosts, ancestors, ancient oracle bones, gods, demons, buddhas, dragons, imperial politics, the social, and more, all entwined in what became the cultures of China. Some of the questions we will try to answer include: how was the universe imagined in traditional and modern China? What did it mean to be human in China? What is the relationship between religion and culture? What do we mean by ‘Chinese religions’? How should Chinese culture be represented? Michael Walsh.
Two 75-minute periods.
Not offered in 2020/21.
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ASIA 236 - The Making of Modern East Asia: Empires and Transnational Interactions
1 unit(s)
(Same as GEOG 236 ) East Asia–the homeland of the oldest continuous civilization of the world–is now the most dynamic center in the world economy and an emerging power in global politics. Central to the global expansion of trade, production, and cultural exchange through the span of several millennia, the East Asian region provides a critical lens for us to understand the origin, transformation and future development of the global system. This course provides a multidisciplinary understanding of the common and contrasting experiences of East Asian countries as each struggled to come to terms with the western dominated expansion of global capitalism and the modernization process. The course incorporates a significant amount of visual imagery such as traditional painting and contemporary film, in addition to literature. Professors from Art History, Film, Chinese and Japanese literature and history will give guest lecture in the course, on special topics such as ancient Chinese and Japanese arts, East Asia intellectual history, Japanese war literature, post war American hegemony, and vampire films in Southeast Asia. Together, they illustrate the diverse and complex struggles of different parts of East Asia to construct their own modernities. Yu Zhou.
Prerequisite(s): At least one 100-level course in Geography or Asian Studies.
Two 75-minute periods.
Not offered in 2020/21.
Course Format: CLS -
ASIA 238 - Environmental China: Nature, Culture, and Development Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
(Same as ENST 238 , GEOG 238 and INTL 238 ) As environmental actions suffer setbacks in the United States, it becomes even more important to understand the dynamics in other nations. China has emerged as a leading player in the environmental field. China is not only the world’s biggest emitter of greenhouse gases; it is also suffering from many acute environmental problems related to its air, water and soil, among others, all of which make China the world’s most important experimental site for environmental actions. How do the Chinese government and Chinese people view their environment problems? What are the geographical and historical conditions underlining the evolution of such problems? As the world oldest continuous civilization and the most populous nation, China has a deep history in dealing with its environment, thus has formulated ancient cultures and practices regarding nature, some of which have reemerged in the country’s headlong march into modernity. What can China teach the world? Employing a political-ecological approach, this course explores the roots of China’s environmental challenges as created by and mediated through historical, cultural, political, economic and social forces, both internal and external to the country, and especially instigated by the movements of global socialism and capitalism in the last one and a half centuries. It also examines some of the solutions that the Chinese government and the people are taking on. Lessons from China have profound implications for the future of our livable world. Yu Zhou.
Two 75-minute periods.
Course Format: CLS -
ASIA 240 - Cultural Localities Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
Detailed study of the cultures of people living in a particular area of the world, including their politics, economy, worldview, religion, expressive practices, and historical transformations. Included is a critical assessment of different approaches to the study of culture. Areas covered vary from year to year and may include Europe, Africa, North America, India and the Pacific.
May be repeated for credit if the topic has changed.
Topic for 2020/21b: The Making of Postcolonial India. (Same as ANTH 240 ) The processes which went into the formation of distinct modernities in the Indian subcontinent continue to inform and instigate present societies in that region. The first half of this course is a historical and anthropological introduction to some of the events and imaginations which were crucial to the formation of modern India (approximately the period of 1818-1947). Central to these were debates about religious reform, nationalism, caste hierarchies and the question of women in modernity. This part of the course uses primary texts (autobiographies, speeches, dialogues) as well as use literary, ethnographic and historical writings and films. The second half of the course brings the understanding of this earlier crucial period to bear on some of the key processes of contemporary India, including the rise of Hindu nationalism, caste and indigenous social movements, environmental challenges and the question of the Indian diaspora. Kaushik Ghosh.
One 2-hour period plus one 50-minute period.
Not offered in 2020/21.
Course Format: CLS -
ASIA 245 - Medicine, Health and Diseases in East Asia Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
(Same as HIST 245 and STS 245 ) From the globalization of acupuncture to the proliferation of biobanks to the fight against the deadly SARS virus, the history of East Asian medicine and society has been marked by promises and perils. Through examining the ways in which East Asians conceptualized medicine and the body in their fight against diseases from a myriad of sources, this course critically examines the persistence, transformation, and globalization of both “traditional medicine” and biomedicine in East Asia. Topics covered include the knowledge of nature as embedded in the changing categorization of pharmaceuticals, the contestation over vaccination and the definition of diseases, the construction of gender and sexuality in medicine, the importance of religion in healing, the legacies of colonialism in biopolitics and biotechnology, the development of healthcare systems, and the imaginations of Asian medicine in the West. Wayne Soon.
Two 75-minute periods.
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ASIA 246 - World War II in East Asia
1 unit(s)
(Same as HIST 246 ) The Second World War was transformative for Japan and China. At the height of its conquest, the Japanese Empire ruled over more than 130 million people, even as it struggled to deal with controversies and scarcity. China became one of the Big Four Allied Powers as state building and resistance persisted in unoccupied areas. This class examines how the Second World War shaped the everyday lives of East Asians and foreigners through speeches, memoirs, fiction, oral histories, documents, and films. In addition, this course explores the contexts, contingencies, and legacies of wartime events and issues. This includes the Nanjing massacre, the Chinese, Koreans, and Taiwanese resistance to and collaboration with the Japanese, Japan’s wartime mobilization, the internment of Japanese-Americans in the United States, the role of wartime science and technology, the gendered and racial underpinnings of wartime labor, the rise of the Chinese Communist Party, and the U.S. government’s decision to release atomic bombs in Japan. Wayne Soon.
Two 75-minute periods.
Not offered in 2020/21.
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ASIA 254 - Chinese Politics and Economy Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
(Same as POLI 254 ) This course offers a historical and thematic survey of Chinese politics, with an emphasis on the patterns and dynamics of political development and reforms since the Communist takeover in 1949. In the historical segment, we examine major political events leading up to the reform era, including China’s imperial political system, the collapse of dynasties, the civil war, the Communist Party’s rise to power, the land reform, the Great Leap Forward, the Cultural Revolution, and the initiation of the reform. The thematic part deals with some general issues of governance, economic reform, democratization, globalization and China’s relations with Hong Kong, Taiwan and the United States. This course is designed to help students understand China’s contemporary issues from a historical perspective. For students who are interested in other regions of the world, China offers a rich comparative case on some important topics such as modernization, democratization, social movement, economic development, reform and rule of law. Fubing Su.
Two 75-minute periods.
Course Format: CLS -
ASIA 255 - Subaltern Politics
1 unit(s)
(Same as POLI 255 ) What does it mean to understand issues of governance and politics from the perspective of non-elite, or subaltern, groups? How do subalterns respond to, participate in, and/or resist the historically powerful forces of modernity, nationalism, religious mobilization, and politico-economic development in postcolonial spaces? What are the theoretical frameworks most appropriate for analyzing politics from the perspective of the subaltern? This course engages such questions by drawing on the flourishing field of subaltern studies in South Asia. While its primary focus is on materials from South Asia, particularly India, it also seeks to relate the findings from this area to broadly comparable issues in Latin America and Africa. Himadeep Muppidi.
Two 75-minute periods.
Not offered in 2020/21.
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ASIA 256 - The Arts of China Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
(Same as ART 256 ) This course offers a survey of art in China from prehistory to the present. The remarkable range of works to be studied includes archeological discoveries, imperial tombs, palace and temple architecture, Buddhist and Taoist sculpture, ceramics, calligraphy, painting, and experimental art in recent decades. We examine the visual and material features of objects for insight into how these works were crafted, and ask what made these works meaningful to artists and audiences. Readings in primary sources and secondary scholarship allow for deeper investigation of the diverse contexts in which the arts of China have evolved. Among the issues we confront are art’s relationship to politics, ethics, gender, religion, cultural interaction, and to social, technological, and environmental change. Jin Xu.
Prerequisite(s): ART 105 or ART 106 , one Asian Studies course, or permission of the instructor.
Two 75-minute periods.
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ASIA 259 - Art, Politics and Cultural Identity in East Asia
1 unit(s)
(Same as ART 259 ) This course surveys East Asian art in a broad range of media, including ceramics, sculpture, calligraphy, painting, architecture, and woodblock prints. Particular attention is paid to the ways in which China, Korea, and Japan have negotiated a shared “East Asian” cultural experience. The works to be examined invite discussions about appropriation, reception, and inflection of images and concepts as they traversed East Asia. Jin Xu.
Prerequisite(s): ART 105 or ART 106 or one 100-level Asian Studies course, or permission of the instructor.
Two 75-minute periods.
Not offered in 2020/21.
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ASIA 260 - The Silk Roads: Visual and Material Culture Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
(Same as ART 260 ) Stretching some 8,000 kilometers from east to west, the Silk Road is a network of trade routes that provided a bridge between the east and the west. Although the eastern part of the routes had been in use for millennia, the opening of the Silk Road occurred during the first century BCE, when China secured control over the eastern section and began trading with the Roman Empire through intermediary states in Central Asia. From this time until the end of the Mongol Yuan period in the fourteenth century, with periods of disruptions, the Silk Road flourished as a commercial and at times military highway. But more than that, the Silk Road was a channel for the transmission of ideas, technologies, and artistic forms and styles, with far-reaching impact beyond China and the Mediterranean world, extending to Southwest Asia, Africa, the Atlantic shores of Europe, and Japan to the east. This course examines the art forms that flourished along the Silk Road between the first and fourteenth centuries CE, ranging from ceramics, glass, gold and silverware, textiles, to religious art. Special attention is paid to important sites such as Dunhuang (a Buddhist cave-temple site), Chang’an (capital of Han and Tang China), and Shosoin (the imperial art treasure house of Nara Japan). Jin Xu.
Two 75-minute periods.
Course Format: CLS -
ASIA 262 - India, China, and the State of Post-coloniality Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
(Same as POLI 262 ) As India and China integrate themselves deeply into the global economy, they raise issues of crucial importance to international politics. As nation-states that were shaped by an historical struggle against colonialism, how do they see their re-insertion into an international system still dominated by the West? What understandings of the nation and economy, of power and purpose, of politics and sovereignty, shape their efforts to join the global order? How should we re-think the nature of the state in the context? Are there radical and significant differences between colonial states, capitalist states and postcolonial ones? What are some of the implications for international politics of these differences? Drawing on contemporary debates in the fields of international relations and postcolonial theory, this course explores some of the changes underway in India and China and the implications of these changes for our current understandings of the international system. Himadeep Muppidi.
Two 75-minute periods.
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ASIA 263 - Critical International Relations Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
(Same as POLI 263 ) The study of world politics is marked by a rich debate between rationalist and critical approaches. While rationalist approaches typically encompass realist/neo-realist and liberal/neo-liberal theories, critical approaches include social constructivist, historical materialist, post-structural and post-colonial theories of world politics. This course is a focused examination of some of the more prominent critical theories of international relations. It aims to a) familiarize students with the core concepts and conceptual relations implicit in these theories and b) acquaint them with the ways in which these theories can be applied to generate fresh insights into the traditional concerns, such as war, anarchy, nationalism, sovereignty, global order, economic integration, and security dilemmas of world politics. Himadeep Muppidi.
Two 75-minute periods.
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ASIA 266 - Genre: Asian Horror
1 unit(s)
(Same as FILM 266 ) This course examines contemporary Asian horror. Using a variety of critical perspectives, we deconstruct the pantheon of vampires, monsters, ghosts, and vampire ghosts inhabiting such diverse regions as Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, and the Philippines to explore constructions of national/cultural identity, gender, race, class, and sexuality. We ground these observations within a discussion of the nature of horror and the implications of horror as a trans/national genre. Sophia Harvey.
Prerequisite(s): FILM 175 or FILM 209 , and permission of the instructor.
Two 75-minute periods plus outside screenings.
Not offered in 2020/21.
Course Format: CLS -
ASIA 274 - Political Ideology
1 unit(s)
(Same as POLI 274 ) This course examines the insights and limits of an ideological orientation to political life. Various understandings of ideology are discussed, selected contemporary ideologies are studied (e.g., liberalism, conservatism, Marxism, fascism, Nazism, corporatism, Islamism), and the limits of ideology are explored in relation to other forms of political expression and understanding. Selected ideologies and contexts for consideration are drawn from sites of contemporary global political significance. Andrew Davison.
Two 75-minute periods.
Not offered in 2020/21.
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ASIA 275 - International and Comparative Education Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
(Same as EDUC 275 and INTL 275 ) This course provides an overview of comparative education theory, practice, and research methodology. We examine educational issues and systems in a variety of cultural contexts. Particular attention is paid to educational practices in Asia and Europe, as compared to the United States. The course focuses on educational concerns that transcend national boundaries. Among the topics explored are international development, democratization, social stratification, the cultural transmission of knowledge, and the place of education in the global economy. These issues are examined from multiple disciplinary vantage points. Christopher Bjork.
Prerequisite(s): EDUC 235 or permission of the instructor.
Two 75-minute periods.
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ASIA 276 - Experiencing the Other: Representation of China and the West
1 unit(s)
(Same as CHIN 276 ) This course examines representation of China in Western Literature and the West in Chinese Literature from the end of the 17th Century. Through such an examination, issues such as identity, perceptions of the other, self-consciousness, exoticism, and aesthetic diversity are discussed. Readings include Defoe, Goldsmith, Voltaire, Twain, Kafka, Malraux, Sax Rohmer, Pearl Buck, Brecht, and Duras on the Western side as well as Cao Xueqin, Shen Fu, Lao She, and Wang Shuo on the Chinese side. Some feature films are also included. Haoming Liu.
Prerequisite(s): One course on Asia or One literature course.
All readings are in English or English translation, foreign films are subtitled.
Two 75-minute periods.
Not offered in 2020/21.
Course Format: CLS -
ASIA 284 - Chinatowns: Then and Now Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
(Same as AMST 284 and URBS 284 ) Since their formation in the late-nineteenth century era of immigrant exclusion, Chinatowns have been a fixture of urban life in cities across the United States. They served as a haven for workers fleeing anti-Asian violence, a home for immigrant families, and a hub for tourism. This course examines the histories and contemporary conditions of Chinatowns. We primarily focus on Chinatowns in major U.S. cities, including New York, Philadelphia, Boston, and San Francisco, though we also discuss the development of suburban Chinatowns and Chinatowns around the world. We explore questions including: what spurred the formation of Chinatowns? What purpose do they continue to serve, and for whom? How have residents and outsiders made meaning from these urban spaces? What has been their role in Asian American and American history? Vivian Truong.
Two 75-minute periods.
Course Format: CLS -
ASIA 290 - Community-Engaged Learning Semester Offered: Fall or Spring
0.5 to 1 unit(s)
Topic for 2020/21a: Life in a Buddhist Monastery. (Same as RELI 290 ) Buddhist monasteries are complex, hierarchical spaces within which the monk or nun must learn to discipline their body, generate transferable merit, and come to a deeper understanding of life and death as realized through the daily routine of the monastery. Monastics are ordinary people living an extraordinarily alternative lifestyle. In this Intensive we explore the tensions between textual ideals and material lived lives within monastic space. Our readings include primary and secondary texts. In addition to the Community Engaged Learning weekend spent at Tsechen Kunchab Ling, you also visit, as part of a research project, other Buddhist monasteries in the region and discover the continuities and discontinuities between monastic institutions. Michael Walsh.
Prerequisite(s): Two units of Asian Studies Program or approved coursework and permission of the program director.
Course Format: INT -
ASIA 293 - Asian Art in 100 Objects Semester Offered: Spring
0.5 unit(s)
(Same as ART 293 ) This intensive offers students an opportunity to study Asian art with real objects. Together, we critically analyze potteries, bronzes, ceramics, stone carvings, and other art forms from China, Japan, and Korea. This shared experience provides an in-depth examination of objects that are often studied for their visual qualities alone. Jin Xu.
Second six-week course.
Two 75-minute periods.
Course Format: INT -
ASIA 298 - Independent Study Semester Offered: Fall or Spring
0.5 to 1 unit(s)
Prerequisite(s): Two units of Asian Studies Program or approved coursework and permission of the program director.
Course Format: OTH
Asian Studies: III. Advanced
Asian Studies Senior Seminar
The Senior Seminar addresses topics and questions that engage several areas of Asia and Asian Studies as a discipline. Topic may change yearly. The senior seminar is a required course for Asian Studies senior majors; ordinarily it may be taken by other students as well. -
ASIA 300 - Senior Thesis Semester Offered: Fall
0.5 to 1 unit(s)
A 1-unit thesis written over two semesters.
Full year course 300-ASIA 301 .
Course Format: INT -
ASIA 301 - Senior Thesis Semester Offered: Spring
0.5 to 1 unit(s)
A 1-unit thesis written over two semesters.
Full year course ASIA 300 -301.
Course Format: INT -
ASIA 302 - Senior Thesis Semester Offered: Fall or Spring
1 unit(s)
A 1-unit thesis written in the fall or spring semester. Students may elect this option only in exceptional circumstances and by special permission of the program director.
Course Format: INT -
ASIA 305 - Advanced Korean
1 unit(s)
The goal of this course is to equip students with proficiency in all four language skills, speaking, listening, reading, and writing, beyond the intermediate level. Students are expected to be able to and command a lengthy narrative discourse on personal experience. The medium of the class is mainly Korean, and English translation is given when it is necessary. Claire Kang.
Yearlong course 305-ASIA 306 .
Two 75-minute periods.
Not offered in 2020/21.
Course Format: CLS -
ASIA 306 - Advanced Korean
1 unit(s)
The goal of this course is to equip students with proficiency in all four language skills, speaking, listening, reading and writing, beyond the intermediate level. Students are expected to be able to and command a lengthy narrative discourse on personal experience. The medium of the class is mainly Korean, and English translation is given when it is necessary. Claire Kang.
Yearlong course ASIA 305 -306
Two 75-minute periods.
Not offered in 2020/21.
Course Format: CLS -
ASIA 310 - Mao’s China in the World: War, Science and Legitimacy
1 unit(s)
(Same as HIST 310 ) This class examines the history of China’s recent past from 1949 to the present, with an emphasis on the relationship between China and the world. We explore the strategies of Mao Zedong and his comrades in winning and consolidating power, the efforts of the Chinese Communist Party in gaining global legitimacy for the People’s Republic of China vis-à-vis the Republic of China in Taiwan, the critical role of science, medicine, and technology in the Chinese economy and society, and the ways in which gender, class, and race underpinned the revolutionary experiences of the Chinese. This class also pays particular attention to Mao’s legacies on China and the world. Upon completion of the course, students gain the tools to critically examine the growth of contemporary China in the context of its dynamic past. Wayne Soon.
One 2-hour period.
Not offered in 2020/21.
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ASIA 312 - Taiwan, Hong Kong, and the Chinese Diaspora Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
(Same as HIST 312 ) This seminar explores how members of Taiwan, Hong Kong, and the Chinese diaspora maneuvered challenges of empire, colonialism, war, and revolution to thrive economically in the 19th and 20th centuries. This class also contextualizes the recent protests around the world against China’s interventions into Taiwan and Hong Kong’s autonomy within the longer histories of Taiwan and Hong Kong’s interaction with the Dutch, Japanese, and British empires, Chinese nationalism, and America’s Cold War interests. It will also examine how the Chinese diaspora have negotiated issues of identities, healthcare, and migration in their quest for autonomy. Wayne Soon.
One 2-hour period.
Course Format: CLS -
ASIA 320 - Studies in Sacred Texts
1 unit(s)
(Same as RELI 320 ) Examination of selected themes and texts in sacred literature.
May be taken more than once when content changes.
Open to Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors only.
One 2-hour period.
Not offered in 2020/21.
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ASIA 337 - Indian National Cinema
1 unit(s)
(Same as FILM 337 ) This course is designed to introduce students to the dynamic and diverse film traditions of India. It examines how these texts imagine and image the Indian nation and problematizes the “national” through an engagement with regional cinemas within India as well as those produced within the Indian diaspora. Readings are drawn from contemporary film theory, post-colonial theory, and Indian cultural studies. Screenings may include Meghe Dhaka Tara / The Cloud-Capped Star (Ritwik Ghatak, 1960), Mother India (Mehboob Khan, 1957), Shatranj Ke Khilari / The Chess Players (Satyajit Ray, 1977), Sholay (Ramesh Sippy, 1975), Bombay (Mani Ratnam, 1995), Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham/ Happiness and Tears (Karan Johar, 2001), Bride and Prejudice (Gurinder Chadha, 2004), and Mission Kashmir (Vidhu Vinod Chopra, 2000). Sophia Harvey.
Prerequisite(s): FILM 175 or FILM 209 and permission of the instructor.
Two 75-minute periods plus outside screenings.
Not offered in 2020/21.
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ASIA 339 - Contemporary Southeast Asian Cinemas
1 unit(s)
(Same as FILM 339 ) This survey course is designed to introduce students to the dynamic and diverse film texts emerging from and about Southeast Asia. It examines how these texts imagine and image Southeast Asia and/or particular nations within the region. More specifically, the course focuses on the themes of urban spaces and memory/trauma as they operate within texts about Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Timor-Leste. The course reading material is designed to provide (1) theoretical insights, (2) general socio-cultural and/or political overviews, and (3) more specific analyses of film texts and/or filmmakers. Sophia Harvey.
Prerequisite(s): FILM 175 or FILM 209 and permission of the instructor.
Two 75-minute periods plus outside screenings.
Not offered in 2020/21.
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ASIA 345 - Violent Frontiers: Colonialism and Religion in the Nineteenth Century Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
(Same as RELI 345 ) What is the relationship between religion and colonialism and how has this relationship shaped the contemporary world? During the nineteenth century the category of religion was imagined and applied in different ways around the globe. When colonialists undertook to ‘civilize’ a people, specific understandings of religion were at the core of their undertakings. By the mid-nineteenth century, Europe’s territorial energy was focused on Asia and Africa. Themes for discussion include various nineteenth-century interpretations of religion, the relationship between empire and culture, the notion of frontier religion, and the imagination and production of society. Michael Walsh.
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ASIA 351 - Special Topics in Chinese and Japanese Literature and Culture
1 unit(s)
(Same as CHJA 351 ) Topics vary each year. Can be repeated for credit when a new topic is offered.
Prerequisite(s): Two courses in a combination of language, linguistics, literature, culture, or Asian Studies, or permission of the instructor.
Two 75-minute periods.
Not offered in 2020/21.
Course Format: CLS -
ASIA 358 - Seminar in Asian Art Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
(Same as ART 358 ) Topic for 2020/21b: Art of Immigrants in Ancient China. This course looks at ancient Chinese art from the perspective of immigrants, who arrived through the so-called “Silk Road,” a network of land and sea routes connecting China and the rest of the Eurasian continent (India, Persia, Central Asia, etc.). It focuses on how immigrants (e.g., Sogdians, Turks, Mongols) adopted and adapted Chinese art on the one hand, and contributed to and transformed indigenous traditions on the other. The seminar covers a series of topics ranging from painting, sculpture, to textiles and ceramics. Students will be given the opportunity to investigate ancient objects in person either in museum storage or in the classroom. Jin Xu.
Prerequisite(s): Permission of the instructor.
One 2-hour period.
Course Format: CLS -
ASIA 361 - Youth in Japanese Literature Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
(Same as JAPA 361 ) This course explores the topic of youth and adolescence in Japan. It examines how Japanese modern history, society and culture are presented differently in literary works when the perspective of youth is employed. Key topics of family, sexuality, modernization and civilization emerge to the surface. Issues that young people face are different in each period of time. However, the young commonly try to deal with the idea of “development” into mature adulthood or socially expected manhood and womanhood. Young people’s ideals, disillusionment, frustrations, and struggles are examined through selected literary and cinematic works. Readings include works by Natsume Soseki, Higuchi Ichiyo, Kawabata Yasunari, Mishima Yukio, Yasuoka Shotaro, and Murakami Haruki. We also expand our horizon to film, music and anime, as well. Hiromi Dollase.
Prerequisite(s): One 200-level course in language, literature, culture or Asian Studies, or permission of the instructor.
One 2-hour period.
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ASIA 362 - Women in Japanese and Chinese Literature
1 unit(s)
(Same as CHJA 362 and WMST 362 ) An intercultural examination of the images of women presented in Japanese and Chinese narrative, drama, and poetry from their early emergence to the modern period. While giving critical attention to aesthetic issues and the gendered voices in representative works, the course also provides a comparative view of the dynamic changes in women’s roles in Japan and China. Peipei Qiu.
Prerequisite(s): One 200-level course in language, literature, culture or Asian Studies, or permission of the instructor.
All selections are in English translation.
One 2-hour period.
Not offered in 2020/21.
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ASIA 363 - Decolonizing International Relations
1 unit(s)
(Same as POLI 363 ) Colonial frameworks are deeply constitutive of mainstream international relations. Issues of global security, economy, and politics continue to be analyzed through perspectives that either silence or are impervious to the voices and agencies of global majorities. This seminar challenges students to enter into, reconstruct, and critically evaluate the differently imagined worlds of ordinary, subaltern peoples and political groups. We draw upon postcolonial theories to explore alternatives to the historically dominant explanations of international relations. Himadeep Muppidi.
Prerequisite(s): Permission of the instructor.
One 2-hour period.
Not offered in 2020/21.
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ASIA 365 - Imagining Asia and the Island Pacific
1 unit(s)
(Same as ANTH 365 ) Does “the Orient” exist? Is the Pacific really a Paradise? On the other hand, does the “West” exist? If it does, is it the opposite of Paradise? Asia is often imagined as an ancient, complex challenger and the Pacific is often imagined as a simple, idyllic paradise. This course explores Western scholarly images of Asia (East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia) and of the island Pacific. It also traces the impact of Asian and Pacific ideas and institutions on the West. Each time offered, the seminar has at least three foci, on topics such as: Asia, the Pacific and capitalism; Asia, the Pacific and the concept of culture; Asia, the Pacific and the nation-state; Asia, the Pacific and feminism; Asia, the Pacific and knowledge. Martha Kaplan.
Prerequisite(s): Previous coursework in Asian Studies/Anthropology or permission of the instructor.
One 2-hour period.
Not offered in 2020/21.
Course Format: CLS -
ASIA 366 - Seminar in Transcending the Limit: Literary Theory in the East-West Context
1 unit(s)
(Same as CHJA 366 ) This course examines various traditional and contemporary literary theories with a distinct Asianist—particularly East Asianist—perspective. At least since the eighteenth century, Western theoretical discourse often took into serious consideration East Asian literature, language and civilization in their construction of “universal” theoretical discourses. The comparative approach to literary theory becomes imperative in contemporary theoretical discourse as we move toward ever greater global integration. Selected theoretical texts from the I Ching, Hegel, Genette, Barthes, Derrida, Todorov, and Heidegger as well as some primary literary texts are among the required readings. Haoming Liu.
Prerequisite(s): One literature course or permission of the instructor.
All readings are in English.
Not offered in 2020/21.
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ASIA 367 - Chinese Linguistics Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
(Same as CHIN 367 ) This course offers a systematic and comprehensive introduction to the history and nature of the Chinese language in terms of its phonology, morphology and syntax in comparison with English. It also highlights the construction and evolution of Chinese characters and explores social dimensions of the language such as language planning and standardization, relations of Mandarin with the dialects, and interactions between Chinese and other languages. Topics also include unique linguistic devices in the Chinese rhetoric and figure of speech. Classes are conducted and readings are done in English or bilingually. Students with background in Chinese can choose to do projects in Chinese at their appropriate levels. Wenwei Du.
Prerequisite(s): Two courses in a combination of language, linguistics, literature, culture, or Asian Studies, or permission of the instructor.
Two 75-minute periods.
Course Format: CLS -
ASIA 369 - Masculinities: Global Perspectives
1 unit(s)
(Same as SOCI 369 and WMST 369 ) From a sociological perspective, gender is not only an individual identity, but also a social structure of inequality (or stratification) that shapes the workings of major institutions in society as well as personal experiences. This seminar examines meanings, rituals, and quotidian experiences of masculinities in various societies in order to illuminate their normative making and remaking as a binary and hierarchical category of gender and explore alternatives to this construction of gender. Drawing upon cross-cultural and comparative case studies, this course focuses on the following institutional sites critical to the politics of masculinities: marriage and the family, the military, business corporations, popular culture and sexuality, medicine and the body, and religion. Seungsook Moon.
Prerequisite(s): Previous coursework in Sociology or permission of the instructor.
One 3-hour period.
Not offered in 2020/21.
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ASIA 370 - Early Chinese Literature: Spring and Autumn: Tradition According To Zuo and the Book of Odes
1 unit(s)
(Same as CHIN 370 ) This intensive course reads selections from early Chinese literature including the Book of Odes, and Spring and Autumn: The Tradition According to Zuo, two of the five Confucian classics whose composition dates between 11th and 6th centuries BCE. Poems of later ages which bear clear traces of influence and borrowings may also be added to complement the reading and discussions of the archaic works. Crucial secondary literature and reference works are introduced. Requirements: texts to be read in the original; students should have near native proficiency in modern Chinese, elementary knowledge of literary Chinese a plus. Students are required to do research on assigned texts by using reference books and secondary sources. Memorization, identification and parsing of assigned passages or odes are also required. Haoming Liu.
Prerequisite(s): Near native proficiency in modern Chinese. Basic knowledge of literary Chinese preferable.
One 3-hour period.
Not offered in 2020/21.
Course Format: INT -
ASIA 375 - The I-Ching: China’s Great Text of Divinatory Wisdom
1 unit(s)
(Same as RELI 375 ) One of the great texts of Classical China, The I-Ching (Fu Xi 伏羲, c. 2800 BCE), has emerged as a global phenomenon; connecting to fields of science, architecture, psychology, and to a “situational spirituality” based on the Daoist notion that all things incorporate the wisdom of the Way.
This course offers an intensive study of the text (in translation) along with its corollary subjects of Daoist cosmology, divination, ethics, and “finding the right path” through any situation. The eight archetypal trigrams, sixty-four divinatory modalities, understanding of the nature of change through the permutations of yin and yang are examined, as are the I-Ching’s prominent values of modesty and wu-wei or “effortless effort.” Every student learns how to work with the text, so that its study becomes more than a theoretical exercise. In this spirit of the I-Ching we “Approach with small steps/quantities (小過)”, and “be flexible to constant change in order to be sustainable (易窮則變,變則通,通則久). Rick Jarow.
Prerequisite(s): Any 100-level Asian Studies, Chinese/Japanese, or Religion course, or permission of the instructor.
One 2-hour period.
Not offered in 2020/21.
Course Format: CLS -
ASIA 376 - Asian Diasporas: from empires to pluralism
1 unit(s)
(Same as ANTH 376 and GEOG 376 ) Focusing on Asian Diasporas, this course engages discourses in diaspora studies and pluralism from the Vassar campus to the wider world. Our goal is both to introduce theories of migration, diaspora, cultural transformation, world system, transnationalism, and globalization, and examine some of the complex history of movements of people from Asia to other parts of the world and their integration in diverse communities. Organized chronologically, the course begins by considering the deep history of movement and interconnection in Asia and beyond with particular focus on the Asia-centered world system of the 13th and 14th centuries. We then study the movements and experiences of indentured laborers and of merchants during the era of European colonial domination. Here we engage a range of topics including the role of religion in plantation life, the role of diasporic communities and racial politics in creating post-colonial nations, the emergence, conflicts and coalitions of ethnic identities in the United States and elsewhere, and key political and cultural moments in the history of Asian-America. We then examine recent forms of nationalism and transnationalism of Asian diasporas in the context of post WWII decolonization, late capitalism, disjunctive modernity, and identity politics in the contemporary era. The principal cases are drawn from East Asian and South Asian communities in Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands and the United States.
As a seminar, the course material is multi-disciplinary, ranging from political-economic to cultural studies and engages material at a high level of sophistication. We have also tried to include diverse geographical regions. Asia and Diaspora are vast topics and not every topic can be covered in the course. You have further opportunity in your research paper to discuss topics and areas of your interest. Martha Kaplan and Yu Zhou.
Prerequisite(s): 200-level work in Asian Studies, Anthropology or Geography, or permission of the instructor.
One 3-hour period.
Not offered in 2020/21.
Course Format: CLS -
ASIA 382 - Decolonizing Rituals Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
(Same as ANTH 382 ) Focusing on political rituals of the decolonization era, this course examines the power of symbols in shaping world history. While referring to classic works on ritual, the course draws its theoretical questions from scholarship on ritual and agency (with special attention to the anthropology of new rituals) and from scholarship on decolonization and the nation-state. Following a section on colonial rituals, the course considers six kinds of decolonizing rituals: anti-colonial rituals, independence and national rituals, end of empire rituals, rituals of global governance, rituals of rights struggles (for example activist rituals and NGO rituals) and rituals of emerging world powers ( for example corporate and anti-corporate rituals and state rituals). The course thus also includes study of specific histories of colonialism and postcoloniality, particularly in East, South and Southeast Asia, the Americas, and the island Pacific. It comparatively considers transformations in the former British empire generally, and also considers new and emerging rituals of global scope. Students may address areas and decolonizing ritual histories of special interest to them through research papers and group class presentations. Martha Kaplan.
Prerequisite(s): Previous coursework in Asian Studies, Anthropology, or permission of the instructor. Interested juniors and seniors from many majors are welcome.
One 3-hour period.
Course Format: CLS -
ASIA 384 - Special Topics in Korean Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
In this course, students read articles or watch video clips on various topics mainly related to Korea to expand their vocabulary and expressions, fine-tune their grammar awareness, and broaden the background knowledge on Korean society, which enables them to better communicate with Korean people in more complicated discussions. The language enhancement is practiced by paraphrasing, summarizing, translating, theme discussions and etc. The topics include the cultural uniqueness of Korea, brief history, education fever, K-pop, K-drama, food, recent developments of inter-Korean relations, and other current affairs in Korean society. Discussions are mainly held in Korean; therefore, advanced level of language proficiency is required. Claire Kang.
Prerequisite(s): ASIA 205 -ASIA 206 or permission of the instructor.
Two 75-minute periods.
Course Format: CLS -
ASIA 385 - Asian Healing Traditions Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
(Same as RELI 385 ) This seminar offers a comprehensive view of the traditional medical systems and healing modalities of India and China and examines the cultural values they participate in and propound. It also includes a “laboratory” in which hands-on disciplines (such as yoga and qi-gong) are practiced and understood within their traditional contexts. From a study of classical Ayur Vedic texts, Daoist alchemical manuals, shamanic processes and their diverse structural systems, the seminar explores the relationship between healing systems, religious teachings, and social realities. It looks at ways in which the value and practices of traditional medical and healing systems continue in Asia and the West. Rick Jarow.
Course Format: CLS -
ASIA 387 - Modern China: Wealth, Power and Revolution
1 unit(s)
(Same as HIST 387 ) The search for wealth and power in China has been profoundly shaped by the country’s twentieth-century revolutionary experiences. In contextualizing China’s ambitions from its history from the eighteenth century to the present, this seminar critically explores the rise and fall of an expansive Qing Empire, debates the vibrancy of Republican-era Chinese society, and investigates the contingencies and legacies of the communist revolution. In addition, we explore the multifaceted experiences of intellectuals, cadres, diplomats,politicians, businessmen, scientists, artists, students, workers, and peasants living in the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of China on Taiwan through the lens of gender, ethnicity, work, diaspora, and ideology. Students understand the rise of China today within the context of its dynamic recent past. Wayne Soon.
One 2-hour period.
Not offered in 2020/21.
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ASIA 388 - Archiving Asian America Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
(Same as AMST 388 and HIST 388 ) Archives, as the foundation for historical scholarship, have the power to influence which stories are told and whose past is worth documenting. In recent years, communities at the margins of dominant narratives of U.S. history have initiated a growing number of efforts to preserve and pass on their own records. This course explores how Asian Americans have addressed their invisibility in the U.S. past and present through documentation. We examine case studies of community-based archives, including those that focus on South and Southeast Asian American communities and LGBTQ Asian Americans. Students also have the opportunity to engage in archival practice by contributing to Asian American digital projects documenting histories of grassroots community organizing and contemporary experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Vivian Truong.
One 2-hour period.
Course Format: CLS -
ASIA 399 - Senior Independent Study Semester Offered: Fall or Spring
0.5 to 1 unit(s)
Prerequisite(s): Two units of Asian Studies Program or approved coursework and permission of the program director.
Course Format: OTH
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