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.
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alongside secondary literature for context and interpretation, a number of primary materials in translation, such as historical documents, Shinto mythical narratives, Buddhist philosophical treatises, ritual manuals, Nō dramas, folk tales, a novel, political tracts, and several films will be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.
Introduction to the historical development of Chinese civilization. Emphasis will be on broad themes and the connections among cultural values, women and gender, social institutions, political structures, and contacts with outsiders. Visual and literary evidence will be stressed.
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.
[IAI Code: H3908N] 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. No knowledge of Chinese or Japanese language required. Same as CWL 275.
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.
[IAI Code: H3909] Survey of Japanese literature from 1600 to recent times; readings in prose, poetry, and drama in English translation; and lectures and papers. Same as CWL 312.
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.
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.
Reading and analysis of representative selections from Chinese literature since the May 4 Movement (early 20th century), with special attention to the relationship between literature and ideology in twentieth-century China. Same as CWL 412. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. No knowledge of Chinese is required.
A critical introduction to major Chinese poetic genres and an in depth examination of various translation strategies used in the translation of Chinese poetry. The poetry component acquaints students with essential aspects of Chinese language and poetry and thus enables them to evaluate the translated texts from the perspectives of both an insider and outsider. The translation component entails both the evaluation of existing translations and practice by the students. Same as TRST 430. 3 undergraduate hours. 3 graduate hours.
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.
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.