Please click on the listed course to view details and course description.
Please note: All details (especially locations) are subject to change. For the most up-to-date information, please use InsideND.
Anthropology
ANTH 30305 - Immigration in Global PerspectiveANTH 40860 - Genocide, Witness and Memory (Mahmood)
Asian Studies
ASIA 20105 - Introduction to Korea and Korean Culture (Yang)ASIA 20825 - World Religions and Catholicism in Dialogue (Gorski)
ASAI 20828 - Christianity and World Religions (Malkovsky)
ASIA 30106 - Modern South Asia (Sengupta)
ASIA 30125 - Japan through the Camera Lens (Thomas)
ASIA 30280 - International Relations in East Asia (Moody)
ASIA 30305 - Immigration in Global Perspective
ASIA 30476 - Political Movements in Asia (Hui)
ASIA 30611 - Buddhist Meditation Traditions (Gimello)
ASIA 33101 - Heroism and Eroticism in Chinese Fiction (Ge)
ASIA 33103 - 20th Century Chinese Literature (Ge)
ASIA 33301 - Love and Death in Classical Japanese Drama (Brownstein)
ASIA 33314 - Cruel Stories of Youth: Children and Teens in Japanese Film (Shamoon)
ASIA 33317 - The Samurai: In Classical Japanese Literature (Brownstein)
ASIA 40180 - Gandhi's India (Sengupta)
ASIA 40242 - Contemporary Korean Cinema (Magnan-Park)
ASIA 41242 - Contemporary Korean Cinema LAB (Magnan-Park)
ASIA 40606 - History of Modern China (Jensen)
ASIA 40860 - Genocide, Witness and Memory (Mahmood)
East Asian Languages and Literatures
LLEA 20105 - Introduction to Korea and Korean Culture (Yang)LLEA 30611 - Buddhist Meditation Traditions (Gimello)
LLEA 33101 - Heroism and Eroticism in Chinese Fiction (Ge)
LLEA 33103 - 20th Century Chinese Literature (Ge)
LLEA 33301 - Love and Death in Classical Japanese Drama (Brownstein)
LLEA 33314 - Cruel Stories of Youth: Children and Teens in Japanese Film (Shamoon)
LLEA 33317 - The Samurai: In Classical Japanese Literature (Brownstein)
Film, Television, and Theatre
FTT 40242 - Contemporary Korean Cinema (Magnan-Park)FTT 41242 - Contemporary Korean Cinema LAB (Magnan-Park)
History
HIST 30106 - Modern South Asia (Sengupta)HIST 30125 - Japan through the Camera Lens (Thomas)
HIST 40180 - Gandhi's India (Sengupta)
Political Science
POLS 30280 - International Relations in East Asia (Moody)POLS 30476 - Political Movements in Asia (Hui)
Theology
THEO 20825 - World Religions and Catholicism in Dialogue (Gorski)THEO 20828 - Christianity and World Religions (Malkovsky)
Course Descriptions
Anthropology
Immigration in Global Perspective
ANTH 30305 01–TBA
MWF 9:35-10:25
CRN 17789
Cross listed: ASIA 30305
How do people in immigrant-receiving countries shape their attitudes toward immigrants? What are the differences between refugees and other migrants? How is immigration related to urban "immigrant riots"? And what can anthropological studies of borders and national policies tell us about the transnational world in which we live? We will examine these and related questions, and more generally the causes, lived experiences, and consequences of migration. We will acquire a sound understanding of migration in its social, political, legal, and cultural facets. Fieldwork accounts from countries of origin and from the US, Europe, Australia, and Japan will enable us to appreciate both global and US distinctive trends. Rather than merely learning a collection of facts about immigrants, we will address how migration intersects with gender and class; the mass-media; border enforcement; racism; the economy; territory and identity formation, and religion.
Genocide, Witness and Memory
ANTH 40860 01–Cynthia Mahmood
MW 1:30-2:45
CRN 17801
Cross listed: ASIA 40860, AMST 40612, IIPS 50701, SOC 40060
How are episodes of mass killing experienced, survived, and remembered? In this course we consider political, social and cultural trauma as expressed in memoir, documentary, fiction, and academic text. Witness as an ethical stance is examined; the role of memory in shaping morality is questioned. (Does "Never Again" actually work?) We also look at the perpetrators of genocidal killing: who are they? What prompts their actions? Moreover: are any of us incapable of this kind of violence?
East Asian Languages & Cultures
Introduction to Korea and Korean Culture
LLEA 20105 01–Seung Gook Yang
MWF 10:40-11:30
Cross listed: ASIA 20105
This introductory course is designed for students without extensive prior knowledge of Korea or Korean culture. Diverse aspects of Korea such as natural environment, history, religion, family relations, thought, literature and arts will be surveyed. Through this course, students will gain a greater appreciation and knowledge of Korean culture and literature, allowing them to engage in more advance, in-depth study in subsequent semesters. The contemporary culture of Korea will be an important focus of the course, enriching students understanding of Korean society and culture today.
Buddhist Meditation Traditions
LLEA 30611 01–Robert Gimello
TR 3:30-4:45
Cross listed: ASIA 30611
Relying chiefly on English translations of primary, mostly east Asian canonical sources, this course will examine varieties of Buddhist meditation practice while also posing theoretical questions about the nature of meditation as a form of religious life; its ethical implications; its relations with other elements of Buddhism like doctrine, ritual, art, institutions; etc. - all considered against the background of theological and philosophical concern with the role of contemplative experience in the religious life.
Heroism and Eroticism in Chinese Fiction
LLEA 33101 01–Liangyan Ge
MW 3:00-4:15
Cross listed: ASIA 33101
In this course we will read works in Chinese fiction from the late imperial periods. We will discuss the aesthetic features of such works and their cultural underpinnings, especially the infusion of Confucian, Taoist, and Buddhist meanings. Particularly, we will focus on heroism and eroticism as two major themes in Chinese fiction and their specific expressions in each work. We will consider the transition from heroism to eroticism as a shift of narrative paradigm, which coincided with a general trend of "domestication" in traditional Chinese fiction. Through the readings and discussions, the students are expected to become familiar with pre-modern Chinese narrative tradition and acquainted with some aspects of Chinese culture. All the readings are in English translation, and no prior knowledge of China or the Chinese language is required.
20th Century Chinese Literature
LLEA 33103 01–Liangyan Ge
MW 11:45-1:00
Cross listed: ASIA 33103
In this course we will read English translations of works in twentieth century Chinese literature, especially short stories and plays written from the May 4th Movement in 1919 to the beginning of the Reform in the early eighties. We will discuss the literary expressions of Chinas weal and woe in modern times and of the Chinese peoples frustrations and aspirations when their country was experiencing unprecedented social changes. No prior knowledge of the Chinese language or Chinese culture is required for taking the course.
Love and Death in Classical Japanese Drama
LLEA 33301 01–Michael Brownstein
MW 3:00-4:15
Cross listed: ASIA 33301
Love, death and revenge were major themes in Noh, Kabuki, and Bunraku, the three main forms of traditional Japanese drama.: During the first weeks of this course, we will read plays from the Noh theater, which evolved out of a variety of performing arts and reached maturity in the fifteenth century under the patronage of the samurai aristocracy. In an effort to create an atmosphere of mystery and beauty, the plays transformed episodes from folk tales, courtly romances, and military epics into highly stylized dance-dramas imbued with the austere aesthetic of Zen Buddhism. In the play Atsumori, for example, we witness a confrontation between the ghost of Taira Atsumori, a young warrior, and Kumagai no Jiro Naozane, the man who killed him in battle. In another play, Dojoji, a young woman turns into a giant serpent to kill the man who deceived her.
Cruel Stories of Youth: Children and Teens in Japanese Film
LLEA 33314–Deborah Shamoon
M 5:00-7:00
Cross listed: ASIA 33314
From the wide-eyed children of anime to the crazy street fashions of Harajuku, images of kids and teens in Japanese popular culture are now distributed and consumed around the world. How then are those young audiences depicted and addressed within Japanese popular culture? What aspects of childhood or teen identity are repeated across generations? In order to answer these questions, we will look at Japanese films, including animation, from across the 20th century, that represent children and teens from a variety of perspectives, from the celebration of innocence to the threat of juvenile delinquency. In addition to analyzing representations of children and teens, students will also gain familiarity with Japanese film history and genres, and develop the critical vocabulary of film analysis. Films will include I Was Born But, Crazed Fruit, A Cruel Story of Youth, Battle Royale, All About Lily Chou Chou, Nobody Knows, Grave of the Fireflies, and Akira. All films will be subtitled. There will also be secondary readings in cultural studies and film studies, relating to the films we watch in class. Assignments will include an oral presentation, several short writing assignments, a film viewing journal, and a longer paper.
The Samurai: In Classical Japanese Literature
LLEA 33317 01–Michael Brownstein
MW 1:30-2:45
Cross listed: ASIA 33317
The sword - wielding Samurai warrior is perhaps the most familiar icon of pre-modern Japan, one that continues to influence how Japanese think of themselves (and how others think of them) even in modern times. Who were the Samurai? How did they see themselves? How did other members of Japanese society see them? How did the role (and the image) of the Samurai change over time? To answer these questions, we will explore at the way Samurai were depicted in historical chronicles, fiction and drama, primarily from the 13th century through the 18th centuries. All readings will be English translation and no previous knowledge of Japan is required.
History of Modern China
LLEA 40606 01–Lionel Jensen
TR 11:00-12:15
Cross listed: ASIA 40606
The course will provide a general survey of Chinese history from 1644 (the establishment of Qing dynasty) to the present. It will highlight China's evolution from a period of strength and unity during the last dynasty to a period of disunity and weakness during the revolutionary period 1911 - 49, back to a period of strength under the Communist government from 1949 to the present. Special attention will be given to the problems of economic modernization, the role that foreigners have played in this process, and the relationship of both to cultural development.
Film, Television, and Theatre
Contemporary Korean Cinema
FTT 40242 01–Aaron Magnan-Park
TR 11:00-12:15
Cross-listed: ASIA 40242
This course provides a historical, cultural, and aesthetic appraisal of South Korean cinema as it evolved from a Korean-centric film industry to a globally engaged film industry as evidenced by the current hallyu (Korea fever) phenomenon. Aspects of cultural continuity as well as cultural transformations and the forces that are involved in this dynamic cultural arena will be addressed. Some of tilm under analysis will include Obaltan: Aimless Bullet, Sopyonje, Peppermint Candy, Shiri, Bungee Jumping of Their Own, My Sassy Girl, and JSA. No knowledge of Korean is required.
Contemporary Korean Cinema - LAB (in conjunction with FTT 40242)
FTT 41242 01–Aaron Magnan-Park
W 7:00-9:00
Cross-listed: ASIA 41242
History
Modern South Asia
HIST 30106 01–Jayanta Sengupta
TR 9:30 -10:45
CRN 15903
Cross-listed: ASIA 30106, HIST 10106, IIPS 30537
More than one-fifth of the world's population lives in South Asia, a region comprised of the modern nations of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan and the Maldives. This introductory course will provide a survey of issues and events in South Asian history from the establishment of British East India Company rule in 1757 to the decolonization of South Asia in 1947. The course will explore the following themes: the rise of a trading company, the East India Company, and its transition into a colonial power; the emergence of a colonial economy; colonial production of knowledge; nineteenth and twentieth-century cultural, religious and political movements and formations of new identities; the emergence of elite and popular nationalisms; independence; and the partition of the subcontinent.
Japan Through the Camera Lens
HIST 30125 01–Julia Thomas
MW 11:45-1:00
Cross-listed: ASIA 30125
Japanese culture embraced the camera almost as soon as it was invented in Europe. Even while the Japanese government rigorously controlled contact with outside nations, this new device for recording and exploring the world entered a Japanese port and was put to use by Japanese and, eventually, by foreigners to document Japan's opening to the West, its military adventures, its transformation into an industrial and consumer society, and its erotic longing. This course uses photography and film and writing about art and politics as a way of exploring key issues in Japanese society.
Gandhi's India
HIST 40180 01–Jayanta Sengupta
TR 2:00- 3:15
Cross-listed: ASIA 40180
The dominant figure in India's nationalist movement for nearly thirty years, M. K. "Mahatma" Gandhi has also been the twentieth century's most famous pacifist, and a figure of inspiration for peace and civil rights movements throughout the world. This course offers an examination of Gandhi and the nature of his unconventional and often controversial politics. It charts Gandhi's career against the background of events in London, South Africa and India, and examines the evolution and practical application of his ideas and techniques of non-violent resistance, and his attitudes toward the economy, society and state. Gandhi's influence on Indian politics and society is critically assessed and his reputation as the 'apostle of non-violent revolution' examined in the light of developments since his death in 1948. Some of the questions that will be discussed are: how far did the distinctive character of Gandhian politics derive from his absolute commitment to India's nationalist struggle? Was his success due to the force and originality of his political ideas and his advocacy of nonviolent action? Can his achievements be explained by political wiliness and pragmatism, or by willingness to embark on new experiments with the truth? Though helpful, a prior knowledge of Indian history is not required for this course.
Political Science
International Relations in East Asia
POLS 30280 01–Peter Moody
MWF 10:40-11:30
CRN: 14180
Cross-listed: ASIA 30280, IIPS 30517
This course explores the interactions of the states and societies in the east Asian region, focusing mainly on the relationships of China and Japan, their interactions with each other and with the outside "Asian" powers, the United States and Russia (Soviet Union). Topics include: the China-centered system in east Asia prior to the intrusion of the new world system carried by western imperialism; The western impact, including colonialism, the Chinese revolution, and Japan's "defensive modernization"; the clash between Japanese and Chinese nationalism;the diplomacy of the Second World War and postwar developments; the cold war; decolonization and the emergence of new states and nationalism; the Sino-Soviet rift; the failure of the American policy of deterrence in Vietnam;the diplomatic reconciliation of the United States and China; the liberal reforms in China and their partial disappointment; the end of the cold war; China's growth as a potential world power; Japan's perhaps increasing restiveness in serving as an American surrogate; Asian assertiveness against perceived American hegemonic aspirations; potential tensions and rivalries within the region itself; the collapse of the Asian economic boom and the onset of a period of chronic economic troubles. Specific readings have yet to be decided. Course requirements include assigned readings and class participation; a midterm and final examination; completion of two brief research papers dealing with the foreign policy of one of the "smaller" Asian countries (that is, one of the countries other than China and Japan).
Political Movements in Asia
POLS 30476 01–Tin-Bor Victoria Hui
TR 9:30-10:45
Cross-listed: ASIA 30476
This course analyzes a wide range of political movements including nationalist and revolutionary movements, guerrilla insurgencies, terrorist organizations, democracy movements, and peace movements. The regional scope covers East Asia, Southeast Asia, and South Asia. To understand various movements, we will study global trends, human rights values, cultural differences, religious doctrines, historical legacies, state-society relations, leadership skills, mobilization strategies, and violent vs. nonviolent trajectories. In addition to analytical readings, we will also watch a series of documentaries and read a number of prominent (auto) biographies.
Theology
World Religions and Catholicism in Dialogue
THEO 20825 017–Eugene Gorski
U 3:45-6:15
CRN 15794
Cross-listed: ASIA 20825, ANTH 20025, IIPS 20715
A theological exploration of Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Judaism, Islam and the relationship of Christianity to those religions. The goal of this exploration is specifically: 1. to set forth the essential characteristics of the world's great religions; 2. to disengage the essential differences between Christianity and the other world religions; 3. to identify the distinctiveness of Catholicism within the family of Christian traditions; 4. to examine historically and systematically the Christian theological appraisal of other world religions. The ultimate goal of this course is to enable the students to gain a deeper understanding of Christianity by "passing over" into and experiencing as well as appraising the different major religious traditions of the world. To enhance the learning experience, the course will make abundant use of films. The students are required to attend class regularly and punctually. Indeed, strong emphasis is placed on the requirement to attend class faithfully. Students are allowed but one single absence during the semester.
Christianity and World Religions
THEO 20828 01–Bradley Malkovsky
MWF 8:30-9:20
CRN 15795
Cross-listed: ASIA 20828, IIPS 20704
The purpose of this course is to introduce the student to the basic teachings and spiritualities of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam. We will approach these religions both historically and theologically, seeking to determine where they converge and differ from Christianity on such perennial issues as death, meaning, the nature of the ultimate Mystery, the overcoming of suffering, etc. We will also examine some traditional and contemporary Catholic and Protestant approaches to religious pluralism. Our own search to know how the truth and experience of other faiths is related to Christian faith will be guided by the insights of important Catholic contemplatives who have entered deeply in the spirituality of other traditions. By course end we ought to have a greater understanding of what is essential to Christian faith and practice as well as a greater appreciation of the spiritual paths of others. Requirements: Short papers, midterm exam, and final exam.
