Language courses offered by the department are listed separately under "Chinese" and "Japanese."

Chair, Associate Professor Kimberly Besio

Professors Tamae Prindle (Japanese) and Nikky Singh (Religious Studies); Associate Professors Besio (Chinese) and Suisheng Zhao (Government); Assistant Professors Ankeney Weitz (East Asian Studies and Art), Peter Ditmanson
(East Asian Studies and History), and Hong Zhang (Chinese); Visiting Assistant Professor Shaohua Hu (Government); Visiting Instructor Emiko Yasumoto (Japanese); Teaching Assistants Yoshiko Kawashima (Japanese) and Ruth Beh Hooi Bin (Chinese)

The East Asian studies major contributes a new dimension to the traditional liberal arts curriculum by exposing the student to rich cultures outside the scope of Western civilization. Study abroad during the junior year is strongly encouraged.

Requirements for the Major in East Asian Studies
For the Class of 2001: A minimum of five semesters of training in Chinese or Japanese language and 21 additional credit hours to include East Asian Studies 151 and 152 (or one of 151, 152 or 150 and a designated 200-level course), one course in Chinese or Japanese literature, at least one seminar or independent study devoted to East Asia, and any other course dealing with East Asian studies from the departments of Anthropology, Art, East Asian Studies, Government, History, or Religious Studies.

For the Class of 2002 and beyond: One introductory course (East Asian Studies 150); a language and literature concentration consisting of two language courses beyond the all-college requirement (normally Japanese or Chinese 128 and 321) and one literature course in the country of the language concentration; and an additional six courses chosen from those approved for the East Asian studies major. These six courses must conform to the following distribution: one 200-level art, religion, music, or history course; one 200-level government, anthropology, economics, or sociology course; one 300-level course; one 400-level senior project or seminar; and two additional electives. Of these six courses a minimum of three must focus on the country of the language concentration; a minimum of two must focus on either the East Asia region as a whole or on an East Asian country different from that of the language concentration.

The point scale for retention of the major applies to all courses offered toward the major. No requirement for the major may be taken satisfactory/unsatisfactory. To achieve distinction in the East Asian studies major, the student will have achieved a 3.25 grade point average in the courses listed for the major and will have taken two additional language courses beyond those required for the major. These courses may be a continuation of the language of concentration at the 322 level or above, or they may be introductory courses in a second Asian language.

Honors in East Asian Studies
An honors program is available for senior majors who have earned a 3.25 major average; normally application to the program is required prior to the senior year. Some aspect of the culture of East Asia will be studied as the honors project in East Asian Studies 483 and 484.

Attention is called to the minor in Chinese and the minor in Japanese. Requirements for these minors are listed under "Chinese" and "Japanese."

Requirements for the Minor in East Asian Studies
For the Class of 2001, the East Asian studies minor consists of seven courses: East Asian Studies 151, 152 (or one of 151, 152, or 150 and a designated replacement), Chinese 125, 126 or Japanese 125, 126, and three additional non-language courses, two of which must be elected from the 200 or higher level and at least one of which must be at the 300 or higher level among those courses approved for the major in East Asian studies. None of these non-language courses may be double-counted towards the Chinese or Japanese minor. When electing the three additional non-language courses, students are not required to concentrate their studies solely on China or Japan.

For the Class of 2002 and beyond, East Asian Studies 150, Introduction to East Asian Studies; three language courses in Chinese or three in Japanese; three non-language courses, one at the 200 level, one at or above the 200 level, and the third at the 300 level or above. Courses may be selected from offerings in literature, music, art, government, religion, history, and anthropology listed under East Asian Studies. With the exception of East Asian Studies 150, no non-language course at the 100 level may count toward the minor.

COURSE OFFERINGS

150fs    Introduction to East Asia    A survey of the historical, social, and cultural features of the major civilizations of East Asia from ancient times to the 20th century. Four credit hours.  H, D.    DITMANSON, WEITZ

231f    The Chinese Novel: Vignettes of Life in Imperial China    A critical examination of the development of classical Chinese literature of various genres such as poetry, popular songs, philosophical discourse, historical narrative, prose, fiction, tales of the supernatural and the fantastic, romance, and drama. All readings are in English translation. Four credit hours.  L, D.    BESIO

[232]    Male Friendship in Chinese Literature    A survey of pre-modern Chinese literature through the prism of male friendship. Friendship, particularly among men, was a theme that resonated powerfully in traditional Chinese literature, perhaps because it was the only one of the five Confucian relationships that was not innately hierarchical. The course examines a variety of literary works, including historical and philosophical prose, poetry, drama, and fiction, on friendship and famous friends. Among issues explored are the search for a "soulmate," the primacy of male friendships over romantic and domestic ties, and changing constructions of masculinity. All works are in English translation; knowledge of Chinese not required. Four credit hours.  L, D.    

[252]    Hell on Earth? Chinese Writers on Modern Chinese Society    An examination of 20th-century Chinese society through a critical reading of the writings of major Chinese writers in translation. Attention to the development of fiction writing in modern Chinese literature and the plight of the Chinese women in this century. Three credit hours.  L, D.    

254s    China in Transition: An Anthropological Account    An exploration of cultural, historical, and social elements that were China in the past and their transformation in the present, with a focus on the impact of China's socialist revolution upon both rural and urban family and social life and the new directions China has taken since the economic reforms of the 1980s. Anthropology 112 or East Asian 150 are highly recommended but not required. Four credit hours.  S, D.    ZHANG

[271]    Women in Japanese Cinema and Literature    The course approaches Japanese culture multidimensionally, examining Japanese women's identity politics in literature and films through both Western and Japanese feminist theories. Films and literature cover the historical periods from the 12th through 20th centuries. No prior knowledge of Japanese language, culture, or feminist ideology required. Four credit hours.  L, D.    

332s    Masterpieces: Modern Japanese Novels    An appreciation and examination of masterpiece novels by 10 luminous Japanese writers, including two Nobel Prize laureates. The course will examine the ideas, feelings, and values expressed in and through these novels. No knowledge of Japanese required. Three or four credit hours.  L, D.    PRINDLE

371f    Culture in Tokugawa Japan    Investigation of the kaleidoscopic cultural world of Tokugawa Period Japan: from peasant households to the imperial palace, Floating World to Confucian court, Kabuki to Noh, comic books to philosophical tracts, and woodblock prints to gilded screens. Consideration of governmental strategies used to regulate social order, public morality, and artistic expression. Four credit hours.  A, D.    WEITZ

[431]    Collecting the Past in China and Japan    East Asian concepts of the past are intimately related to the practice of collecting things--from landscape paintings to miraculous tales, from ancient bronzes to rare books. A seminar exploring the cultural and social phenomenon of collecting by asking questions such as: Why is the past so important in East Asia? What role does the collector play in forming ideas about the past? Does authenticity really matter? Can the past be commodified? Why is collecting configured as an anxiety-ridden and obsessive occupation? Prerequisite: Art 173, 273, or 274. Four credit hours.  D.    

[457]    Seminar on Japanese Culture: Literature and Society    Examination of some major Japanese cultural and historical aspects through literature. The concept of Zen Buddhism (monism), the fall of feudalism, and post-World War II social problems examined and discussed through poetry, fiction, and drama. Some comparisons with literatures from other cultures such as those of India, China, and Germany. Four credit hours.  L, D.    

483f, 484s    Honors Project    An interdisciplinary analysis of an aspect of East Asian culture employing diverse sources and methods. Independent study, extensive readings, consultations, and a thesis. Successful completion of the honors project and of the major will result in the degree being awarded "With Honors in East Asian Studies." Prerequisite: Senior standing, a 3.25 major average, and permission of a faculty mentor. Three or four credit hours.    FACULTY

491f, 492s    Independent Study    Individual study of special problems in East Asian civilization, offered in the departments that participate in the program. Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor. One to four credit hours.    FACULTY