Courses

Courses

Spring 2008 Courses

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Asian Studies

103. Introduction to Asian Art and Architecture
De-nin Lee T 11:30 - 12:55, TH 11:30 - 12:55
A selected survey of art and architecture, primarily in South and East Asia from the Neolithic period to the modern era. Material ranges from ceramics and bronze vessels to temples and icons to narrative painting and public buildings. Considers individual works and sites in stylistic terms and within religious, political, and social contexts. Not open to students who have credit for Art History 140 or Asian Studies 140.

139. Music of South Asia
Vineet Shende T 11:30 - 12:55, TH 11:30 - 12:55
A survey of the musical traditions of the Indian Subcontinent, with particular emphasis on the genres of North Indian (Hindustani) Classical, South Indian (Karnatak) Classical, and “Bollywood” film music. While historical and cultural factors are studied, focus is on musical construction concepts and processes.

203. Religion and Modernity in South Asia and the Middle East
Mitchell Numark M 2:30 - 3:55, W 2:30 - 3:55
Seminar. Examines the concepts of “religion” and the “religions” and their relationship to Christianity, Islam, and modernity. Focuses on the application and translation of the ideas of “religion” and the “religions” in the South Asian subcontinent. The Middle East is also explored. In particular, explores how the “religions” of South Asia (e.g., Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Islam, Christianity, Zoroastrianism, and Judaism) were discovered, understood, contested, transformed, and institutionalized by colonial experience and the demands of modernity.

210. Asian-American Female Gothic
Belinda Kong T 1:00 - 2:25, TH 1:00 - 2:25
A study of Gothic elements in contemporary fiction by Asian-American women writers. Investigates crossovers between realism and supernaturalism, with attention to how Gothic motifs such as the ghost and the doppelgänger are mobilized to negotiate cultural identity, racial politics, and historical traumas. Also explores the relationship between gender and genre in Asian-American literature. Authors may include Maxine Hong Kingston, Lan Samantha Chang, lê thi diem thúy, Lan Cao, Mia Yun, Nora Okja Keller, Cynthia Kadohata, Lois-Ann Yamanaka, and Vyvyane Loh. Note: This course fulfills the literature of the Americas requirement for English majors.

212. Writing China from Afar
Belinda Kong T 10:00 - 11:25, TH 10:00 - 11:25
The telling of a nation’s history is often the concern not only of historical writings, but also of literary ones. Examines some shaping moments of twentieth-century China—the Second World War, the Cultural Revolution, and the Tiananmen Massacre—with specific focus on contemporary literature by authors born and raised in China but since dispersed into a western diaspora. Considers works written in English, as well as those in translation. Critical issues include language use and the role of translation, the distinction between emigration and exile, the relationship between history and literature, the grounds of representational authority, and the task of narrating violence. Authors may include Eileen Chang, J. G. Ballard, Hong Ying, Shan Sa, Dai Sijie, Gao Xingjian, Anchee Min, Annie Wang, Ha Jin, and Bei Dao. Formerly English 283.

221. Religiosities of South Asia
Sunil Goonasekera T 1:00 - 2:25, TH 1:00 - 2:25
Focuses on varieties of indigenous religious expressions in South Asia and covers salvation religions such as Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, Sikkhism, Yoga, and Tantra, as well as minor religions such as astrology, demonology, spirit possession, sorcery, witchcraft, and magic specific to the region. Includes discussions of monastic traditions of Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism. South Asian religious traditions prescribe a variety of monastic practices ranging from rigorous self-mortification culminating in death to the middle path recommended by Buddhism to complete rejection of monasticism in orthodox Hinduism. Explores the connection between these religious ideals and the everyday life of their adherents, as well as their relationships with nationalistic political movements.

228. Chinese Foreign Policy
Lance Guo T 1:00 - 2:25, TH 1:00 - 2:25
An analytic survey of the historical evolution of China’s foreign relations since 1949. Emphasis is on China’s evolving strategic thinking in the context of its rapid economic ascendance and increasing global influence. Topics include cultural and historical factors shaping Chinese foreign policy and strategic thinking; the actors, institutions, and processes of foreign policy making; national interests and the internationalization of China; Sino-U.S. relations; the resurgent nationalism; China’s role in the Asia-Pacific regionalism; the key security and foreign policy issues such as Taiwan and North Korea, etc.

251. India to 1707: History of Traditional India
Mitchell Numark M 11:30 - 12:55, W 11:30 - 12:55
Examines the history of the Indian subcontinent, primarily from cultural and intellectual viewpoints, beginning with its earliest roots and concluding in 1707 with the decline of the Mughal Empire. Emphasis is placed on the development of indigenous ways of looking at the world and the expression of those worldviews in the religions called Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism. Explores the conquest of the area by Muslims and their interaction with Hindu India, with particular stress on the period of the Great Mughals (1526–1707). Readings will be largely primary sources in translation.

252. Cultural Topics in Contemporary China
Shu-chin Tsui M 1:00 - 2:25, W 1:00 - 2:25
Explores cultural trends in contemporary China with post-socialist condition as the contextual setting and cultural studies the theoretical framework. Discussion topics include rural-urban transformations, experimental art, alternative literature, documentary cinema, fashion codes, and gender issues. Examines how cultural trends reflect and react to China’s social-economic transitions, and how the state apparatus and the people participate in cultural production and consumption. Part of the Other Modernities course cluster.

260. 20th Century Japanese Film and Fiction
Lili Selden M 2:30 - 3:55, W 2:30 - 3:55
For Japan, an island nation whose feudal state followed a policy of isolation for over 150 years (1600-1868), the transition to modernity has been an abrupt and complicated process. This course focuses on how some of Japan’s most creative authors and film directors have responded to debates relating to the strategies and sacrifices involved in enacting sweeping social changes, and to developing a modern, educated citizenry that would include not only elite males, but women, the poor, and ethnic or other minorities. Through critical essays that are assigned in conjunction with the primary sources, students will be introduced to the concepts of narrative voice and perspective; to questions concerning the tension between presentational and representational modes of Japanese filmic expression; and to the ways in which gender, nationality, and other affiliations have been constructed in the Japanese cultural imaginary. Novels and films to be analyzed include Silence (Endo, 1966), Hana-Bi (Kitano, 1997), Ghost in the Shell (Oshii, 1995), Some Prefer Nettles (Tanizaki, 1929), and Out (Kirino, 1997).

269. Applied Research Practicum: Chinese Rural to Urban Migration
Rachel Connelly T 11:30 - 12:55, TH 11:30 - 12:55
Highlights applied research methods in microeconomics. Students work throughout the semester in research teams to analyze data from Chinese rural women on their migration and/or the migration of their husbands. While topics of Chinese economic life and economic models of migration are studied, the course primarily focuses on methods: how applied researchers work with data to analyze a set of questions. Elementary statistics is a prerequisite. Statistical techniques beyond the elementary level are taught.

276. A History of Tibet
Kidder Smith T 10:00 - 11:25, TH 10:00 - 11:25
Examines three questions: What was old Tibet? Is Tibet part of China? What are conditions there now? Analyzes the complex interactions of politics and society with Buddhist doctrine and practice.

323. Topics in Chinese Painting
De-nin Lee M 2:30 - 3:55, W 2:30 - 3:55
A collaborative seminar with students at Colby College that culminates in an exhibition of traditional Chinese painting at the museums of the respective colleges. Examines the great traditions of Chinese ink painting, with a focus on the late imperial period (fourteenth to nineteenth centuries), and drawing heavily upon the collection of Bowdoin College. Includes several joint sessions in the museums of Bowdoin and Colby colleges, and requires both individual and team projects.

333. Advanced Seminar in Chinese Politics
Lance Guo T 6:30 - 9:25
Seeks to understand political change caused by China’s rapid economic ascendance and growing global influence by exploring the various underlying driving forces—marketization, globalization, etc., and how these are reshaping the socioeconomic foundation of the party-state, forcing changes in the governance structure and the ways power is contested and redistributed. The main theme varies each year to reflect important recent developments, e.g., elite politics, the transformation of the communist party, role of the military, political economy of development, the re-emerging class structure, etc.

Chinese

102. Elementary Chinese II
Songren Cui M 8:30 - 9:25, T 8:30 - 9:55, W 8:30 - 9:25, TH 8:30 - 9:55
A continuation of Chinese 101. Five hours of class per week and individual tutorials. Covers most of the essential grammatical structures and vocabulary for basic survival needs and simple daily routine conversations. Introduction to the next 350 characters, use of Chinese-English dictionary, principles of character simplification, and Chinese word processing. Followed by Chinese 203.

204. Intermediate Chinese II
Songren Cui M 11:30 - 12:25, T 11:30 - 12:55, W 11:30 - 12:25, TH 11:30 - 12:55
A continuation of Chinese 203. Five hours of class per week and individual conversation sessions. Further develops students’ communicative competence and strives to achieve a balance between the receptive and productive skills. Students learn another 400 characters; read longer, more complex texts; and write short compositions with increasing discourse cohesion. Followed by Chinese 205.

206. Advanced-Intermediate Chinese II
Songren Cui M 1:00 - 2:25, W 1:00 - 2:25
A continuation of Chinese 205. Three hours of class per week. Focuses on the development of functional skills in reading and writing, particularly dealing with edited and/or media materials such as newspapers, TV broadcasting, and the Internet. Followed by Chinese 307.

308. Advanced Chinese II
Shu-chin Tsui M 6:30 - 7:55, W 6:30 - 7:55
Continuation of Chinese 307.

Japanese

102. Elementary Japanese II
Natsu Sato M 10:30 - 11:25, T 10:00 - 11:25, W 10:30 - 11:25, TH 10:00 - 11:25
A continuation of the fundamentals of Japanese grammar structures and further acquisition of spoken communication skills, listening comprehension, and proficiency in reading and writing. Introduces an additional 90 kanji.

204. Intermediate Japanese II
Natsu Sato M 8:30 - 9:25, T 8:30 - 9:55, W 8:30 - 9:25, TH 8:30 - 9:55
A continuation of Japanese 203 with the introduction of more advanced grammatical structures, vocabulary, and characters.

206. Advanced-Intermediate Japanese II
Natsu Sato M 1:00 - 2:25, W 1:00 - 2:25
A continuation and progression of materials used in Japanese 205.

308. Advanced Japanese II
Lili Selden T 11:30 - 12:55, TH 11:30 - 12:55
A continuation of Japanese 307. Continued efforts to develop oral and written fluency in informal and formal situations. Reading of contemporary texts of literature, business, and social topics.