An introduction to the scientific study of the Chinese language. We will explore where the Chinese language came from, its similarities to and differences from Japanese and Korean, and how the Chinese character writing system was invented, plus what is it like now. We will explore differences among Chinese dialects (e.g., Cantonese, Mandarin, Taiwanese and Shanghai) and learn where in China these are spoken, and also explore how the Chinese language operates in the brain. Finally, we will investigate how children in China learn to speak, read, and write, how adults learn to speak Chinese as a foreign language, and how Chinese can be used by different social groups in different settings in order to influence social power and distance. Approved for Letter and S/U grading. This course does not fulfill the campus foreign language requirement.
Surveys Chinese literary works from the classical tradition (history, philosophy, poetry, literary criticism) with attention to intellectual and artistic values. Same as CWL 217. No knowledge of Chinese is required.
Explores the cinematic conventions and experiments employed by Chinese filmmakers over the past one hundred years. Unique Chinese film genres such as left-wing melodrama and martial arts, as well as three "new waves" in China’s recent avant-garde cinema, will be examined.
Introduces the history and development of the varieties of Japanese religious thought, practice and cultural expression. Focus is primarily on the major traditions of Japan: Shinto and Buddhism, with some attention to Confucianism, Christianity and New Religions. Read alongside secondary literature for context and interpretation, a number of primary materials in translation, such as historical documents, Shinto mythical narratives, Buddhist philosophical treatises, ritual manuals, Nō dramas, folk tales, a novel, political tracts, and several films will be examined. Same as REL 225.
An introduction to the popular cultures and subcultures of China, Korea, and Japan through exposure to popular films, music, anime, games, and everyday practices. Already hugely popular in its home countries, East Asian popular culture has become familiar to American audiences through films, video games, food, toys, and comic books. The course explores the historical, social, cultural, and economic roots of this global appeal, while gauging popular culture's impact on national identity, gender, and lifestyle. No knowledge of East Asian languages is required. Same as CWL 230.
Topical introduction to Japanese cultural and aesthetic life with attention to cultural and aesthetic patterns as they are reflected in literature, language, and the arts.
A wide-ranging introduction to the literatures of traditional China, Korea, and Japan. Selections from novels, plays, and poems are studied to gain insight into the cultures that produced them and to hone skills in textual analyses. Explores how influential texts have been repackaged and reinterpreted for modern audiences in media such as film and manga. Same as CWL 275. No knowledge of Chinese or Japanese language required.
Cultural anthropology can be used to make sense of martial arts. We will consider versions of martial arts presented in books and movies, forms of sport and athletic performance, and a range of practices oriented by ideals of self-defense or spiritual cultivation. We will examine case studies from the US and around the world, paying particular attention to the association of martial arts with East Asian traditions. Same as ANTH 280.
Course uses film, literary, and ethnographic works to explore the impact of Post-Colonial (1945-present) socioeconomic and cultural transformation on the personal and collective South Korean experience. Same as ANTH 285.
Survey of Korean history, philosophy, religion, economy, art, literature, and culture across per-modern, modern and contemporary periods. May be repeated in the same or separate terms to a maximum of 12 hours if topics vary. Prerequisite: Restricted to junior or senior standing.
Explores contemporary Korean society through popular culture, including but not limited to advertisements, sports, tourism, film, television, music, internet & new media, fashion, and food.
Historical examination of the Korean experience, with introduction from the earliest times to the present day with a focus on modern Korea: basic political, social, economic patterns; examination of the cultural and intellectual tradition; Korea's historical role in Asia; the Korean colonial experience; Korea in the modern world. Same as HIST 325.
Directed readings in the languages and literatures of East Asia. The area selected depends on the student's interest. May be repeated to a maximum of 8 hours. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
See online schedule for current topics. May be repeated in the same or separate terms to a maximum of 12 hours if topics vary. Prerequisite: Junior standing.
Advanced introduction to society and culture in modern China, reading canonical and contemporary anthropology on a range of topics, including: kinship, political economy, education, gender, and governance. Students completing the course will gain a deeper understanding of modern China and anthropological methods. Same as ANTH 470. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: Restricted to junior, senior or graduate standing.
The relation between Buddhism, Language and the Literary Arts of Japan will be explored. After introducing the ideas, motifs, paradigms and images of the Buddhist tradition and reading Buddhist scriptural texts from a literary perspective, we will then analyze how Buddhism was re-expressed and reshaped in Japanese literature with additional focus on Buddhist theories of language and literature. Same as REL 485. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: Previous coursework in either Buddhism or East Asian Literature is preferred but not required.
Supervised individualized study of a topic not covered by regular course offerings. The topic must be approved by the instructor. 3 to 12 undergraduate hours. 2 to 12 graduate hours. May be repeated to a maximum of 16 hours. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
Interdisciplinary introduction for first-term East Asian Languages and Cultures graduate students to western-language writings on East Asia that have been important to modern scholarship on the region. The proseminar will cover the three cultures of the region in an interdisciplinary fashion, focusing on the methods of various disciplines in their treatment of East Asia. Method refers both to the kinds of materials studies, and the theory and tools used in research.
Same as CWL 511, GER 511, SLAV 501, and TRST 501. See TRST 501.
Seminar on selected topics. Topic varies with instructor. May be repeated to a maximum of 12 hours. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
Course is for teachers of Japan, Chinese, or Korean language who wish to improve their teaching skills and learn more about second and foreign language acquisition specific to the East Asian Language context. Besides reviewing research on language teaching methodology and curriculum development, students will observe each other conduct practice classes and analyze videotapes of class sessions. Undergraduates may enroll with consent of instructor and the Graduate College. Prerequisite: Native or near-native fluency in Japan, Chinese, or Korean.
Same as FR 588, GER 588, ITAL 588, LING 588, PORT 588, and SPAN 588. See SPAN 588.
Supervised individual investigation or study of a topic not covered by regular course offerings. The topic selected by the student and the proposed plan of study must be approved by the adviser and the instructor. May be repeated. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
Research and guidance in writing theses for advanced degrees. Approved for S/U grading only. May be repeated to a maximum of 16 hours. Prerequisite: Satisfactory completion of the preliminary examinations.