East Asian Studies

Stage 1: Personal Perspectives begins the development of the basic concepts of Mandarin Chinese language and culture, thus providing the necessary knowledge and skills for students to interact in Mandarin Chinese about familiar topics. No P/F.
(Normally offered each spring semester.)

A continuation of Stage 1: Personal Perspectives, Stage 2: Personal Connections expands on the basic concepts of Mandarin Chinese language and culture, thus providing the necessary knowledge and skills for students to interact in Mandarin Chinese about familiar topics. No P/F.
Prerequisite(s): MCHIN 1010 Chinese Stage 1: Personal Perspectives.

(Normally offered each fall semester.)

Stage 1: Personal Perspectives begins the development of the basic concepts of Japanese language and culture, thus providing the necessary knowledge and skills for students to interact in Japanese about familiar topics. No P/F.
(Normally offered each fall semester.)

A continuation of Stage 1: Personal Perspectives, Stage 2: Personal Connections expands on the basic concepts of Japanese language and culture, thus providing the necessary knowledge and skills for students to interact in Japanese about familiar topics. No P/F.
Prerequisite(s): MJPAN 1010 Japanese Stage 1: Personal Perspectives.

(Normally offered each spring semester.)

This course introduces students to major topics in the history of East Asia. Rather than a century-by-century narrative covering prehistory to the present, the course emphasizes the theme of inter-regional relations. Students learn about traditions such as Confucianism and Buddhism that provided a foundation for the development of centralized, Sinicized states in East Asia, as well as the cultural, economic, and political aspects of the tribute system that structured inter-regional relations throughout the pre-modern period. The second half of the semester picks up the theme of inter-regional relations in the modern period by examining the continuing impact of twentieth-century warfare on the Chinese, the Koreans, and the Japanese. Our sources include a combination of secondary scholarship by leading experts on East Asian history as well as primary historical and literary sources. This also counts as an elective for the Modern Language Studies major.

An overview of key themes in early modern and modern Japanese history with an emphasis on the period between the seventeenth and twenty-first centuries. The course concentrates on themes of change and continuity in Japan's political systems, social and economic institutions, and cultural forms. Specific themes include changing notions of samurai identity, the rise of the modern nation-state, imperialism and inter-regional relations, postwar prosperity and Japan's "Lost Decade." Our sources include a combination of secondary scholarship by leading experts on Japanese history as well as primary historical and literary sources. This also counts as an elective for the Modern Language Studies major.

In this course we will survey the historical factors that have shaped China's emergence as one of the dominant players on the global stage in the twenty-first century. We begin by exploring the history of the last imperial dynasty. Emphasis is placed on the historical diversity of Chinese society. After learning about the combination of domestic and external challenges that undermined the last dynasty and led to the overthrow of the imperial system, we look at the impact of the world wars, the civil war between the Nationalists and the Communists, and the establishment of the People's Republic. The course concludes with a section on the transition to "market socialism" and the legacy of the 1989 Tiananmen demonstrations. Our sources include a combination of secondary scholarship by leading experts on Chinese history as well as primary historical and literary sources. This also counts as an elective for the Modern Language Studies major.

See HIST 4840 Meiji - The Making of Modern Japan.

The Meiji period in Japan lasted from 1868 to 1912. Over that period of roughly four decades, Japan embarked on an ambitious program of Western-style modernization that left no aspect of the nation untouched. It was a period of rapid economic growth and industrialization that allowed Japan to challenge the Western powers and create its own empire in East Asia by the early twentieth century, but the accompanying social, political, and economic transformations were as dislocating for many Japanese as they were empowering. In this seminar, we will read widely in the political, social, and cultural history of the Meiji period to develop an understanding of the period's powerful shaping influence on the course Japan took in the twentieth century. In addition to secondary scholarship by leading authorities on the Meiji period, we will read works of literature and view several films that illuminate the complexities and tensions within Meiji society. HIST-4840 meets with HIST 3840. The requirements of the courses are the same EXCEPT that a research paper is required for students in 4840.

See HIST 4850 Twilight of the Samurai: Early Modern Japan.

In this course, we will explore the multiple meanings attached to the Tokugawa period (1600-1868) in Japanese history by reading and discussing works written by Tokugawa-era Japanese, as well as accounts by non-Japanese observers and modern scholars of Japanese history and culture. We learn about the political and social arrangements that differentiated early modern Japan from Western countries (then and now), as well as elements of Tokugawa society and culture that make it seem familiar. Examining the vibrant, diverse culture of early modern Japan allows us to reflect on our own assumptions about the rules that govern human relations, the principles that form the foundation of a just government, the meaning of honor and loyalty, and the relationship between the past and the present. This also counts as an elective for the Modern Language Studies major.
HIST 4850 meets with HIST 3850. The requirements of the courses are the same EXCEPT that a research paper is required for students in 4850.

See HIST 4860 Japanese Popular Culture, Past and Present.

In this course we will be investigating the cultural history of history of Japan in the early modern and modern periods, with an emphasis on the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Specifically, we will focus on “popular culture,” a term whose multiple (and conflicting) connotations we will consider throughout the semester. Our exploration of “popular culture” will extend to aspects of everyday life (or “lifestyles”) as well as works of art, literature, music, and film. Together we will examine a variety of texts, musical genres, comics, and films (both live action and animation), always attempting to interpret them in the context of historical change. This will be a rigorous and intellectually challenging course, but it is also meant to provide an enjoyable overview of Japan’s rich cultural heritage.
HIST 4860 meets with HIST 3860. The content of the courses are the same EXCEPT students enrolled in 3860 write analytical essays and give presentations, while students enrolled in 4860 concentrate on writing a research paper in lieu of the essays and presentations.

The course surveys African, Asian, Native American, Oceanic, and Pre-Columbian arts from pre-history to the present day. This course is defined by what it will not cover - art of the European tradition. The term "non-western" does not imply a lesser quality or an opposition to art in western tradition. It is a term used to reflect a growing awareness of the richness and diversity of world culture. Since this is a survey course, the art we will examine will be the most representative of each culture. Students gain familiarity with movements, time periods, and individual artists. Students learn to identify works of art, are introduced to art terminology, practice the fundamentals of visual analysis, and develop the ability to analyze the content and contexts of works of art.

This course examines selected Asian cultures from an anthropological perspective, including the effects of stratification and culture change. It provides a general survey of prehistoric cultures as well as some of the issues related to Western expansion in Asia.
(Normally offered alternate years.)