ASIA 113-01 31156 |
Introduction to Buddhism |
Days: M W F
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Time: 10:50 am-11:50 am
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Room: CARN 05
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Instructor: Erik Davis
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*First day attendance required; cross-listed with RELI 111-01*
Details
Buddhism is increasingly well-known in the USA, but what is it, and how does Buddhism encourage people to organize and think about their lives? Organized on the basis of the Eightfold Noble Path, with a focus of 'morals, the Buddhist psychology of mind, and meditation,' this course offers an introduction to the personalities, teachings, and institutions of Buddhism. Beginning in India at the time of the Buddha, this course focuses on Theravada Buddhism, asking students to think historically, philosophically, and anthropologically. Many Friday sessions will be dedicated to an exploration of the variety of Buddhist meditative techniques.
General Education Requirements:
Writing WP
Internationalism
Distribution Requirements:
Humanities
Course Materials
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ASIA 241-01 30004 |
Reclaiming Zen, Yoga and Church: Asian American Religions |
Days: T R
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Time: 01:20 pm-02:50 pm
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Room: THEATR 204
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Instructor: Jake Nagasawa
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*Cross-listed with AMST 241-01 and RELI 241-01*
Details
Asian Americans are often overlooked in the study of religion in the U.S., and yet the impact of Asian religious practices can be seen at every turn: yoga studios, mindfulness meditation, "zen" aesthetics of minimalism, and so on. What do we make of the gap between how Asian religions are practiced in Asian American communities and how these traditions have been reinterpreted by predominantly white, educated, middle class adherents? How do Asian American Christians negotiate their identities in the context of non-Asian Christian churches or the intergenerational tensions within their own ethnic churches? The approach of this course is interdisciplinary (and sometimes counterdisciplinary); it draws on theoretical and methodological insights from ethnic studies, religious studies, history, and sociology. Topics include: race and the racialization of Asian Americans; the politics of cultural and religious exchange; the commodification of Asian religious practices; and issues of assimilation and hybridity within Asian American Christian traditions.
General Education Requirements:
U.S. Identities and Differences
Distribution Requirements:
Humanities
Course Materials
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ASIA 260-01 30473 |
Narratives of Alienation: 20th Century Japanese Fiction and Film |
Days: T R
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Time: 03:00 pm-04:30 pm
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Room: HUM 110
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Instructor: Arthur Mitchell
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*Cross-listed with JAPA 260-01*
Details
The sense of being out of place in one's society or one's nation, estranged from one's self or the world - this is the feeling that has motivated many of the narratives of modern Japanese fiction. Through stories of precocious adolescents, outcast minorities, vagabond women, disillusioned soldiers, and rebellious youth, this course examines the social implications of narrative fiction (including film, anime, and manga) within the context of modern Japanese history. While introducing methods of literary analysis and developing a familiarity with major works of Japanese fiction, the course aims to cultivate an understanding of how stories can be used to engage and think abou the quandaries of modern society. We will explore the way these narratives express marginal experiences, rethink the foundations of human and societal bonds, and articulate new ways of being in the world. Works covered include stories by Tanizaki Jun'ichiro, Kawabata Yasunari, Oe Kenzaburo, Mishima Yukio, and Murakami Haruki, as well as films by Akira Kurosawa, Koreeda Hirokazu, and Otomo Katsuhiro. No knowledge of Japanese required.
General Education Requirements:
Internationalism
Distribution Requirements:
Humanities
Course Materials
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ASIA 270-01 30826 |
Making Sacred: Religious Images and Spaces in Asia |
Days: M W F
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Time: 03:30 pm-04:30 pm
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Room: ARTCOM 102
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Instructor: Kari Shepherdson-Scott
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*Cross-listed with ART 270-01*
Details
This course contemplates the definition of Sacred Art and Sacred Space by focusing on religious visual culture in Asia and examining how intangible concepts of the divine have become tangible in art and architecture. To better understand the multilayered functioning of devotional objects and spaces associated with religious doctrines such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism, and Shintoism, the class will explore foundations in iconography and then compare different religious objects and spaces through concepts such as gender, state power, the body, nature, ritual, the grotesque, and death. To account for the shifting meaning of religious icons over time, the class also reflects on how the significance of religious objects changes in the space of a museum. Ultimately, this course allows us to contemplate the multifaceted ways religious beliefs have been visualized and how these manifestations exemplify systems of cultural exchange in Asia.
General Education Requirements:
Writing WA
Internationalism
Distribution Requirements:
Fine arts
Course Materials
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ASIA 273-01 30031 |
Art of Japan |
Days: M W F
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Time: 01:10 pm-02:10 pm
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Room: ARTCOM 102
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Instructor: Kari Shepherdson-Scott
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*Cross-listed with ART 273-01*
Details
This course examines the art, architecture, and visual culture of Japan, spanning a broad temporal frame from the ancient Neolithic era to our own contemporary moment. We will discuss a diverse array of art and architecture from ancient Jomon pottery, Shinto shrines, and print media to Buddhist sculpture, painting practices during World War II, anime (cartoons) and manga (comics). In addition to learning methods of formal visual analysis, students will gain insight into how these works articulated complex artistic, social, economic, political, and religious trends. Through this course, students will develop skills to reflect critically on the production of narratives of Japanese culture, while considering concepts such as tradition, hybridity, value, authority, authenticity, sexuality, commodity flows, nationalism, and militarism.
General Education Requirements:
Internationalism
Distribution Requirements:
Fine arts
Course Materials
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ASIA 275-01 30784 |
The Rise of Modern China |
Days: T R
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Time: 09:40 am-11:10 am
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Room: MAIN 111
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Instructor: James Coplin
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*Cross-listed with HIST 275-01*
Details
A study of leading institutions and movements of nineteenth- and twentieth-century China. Major emphases include the impact of Western imperialism, the transformation of peasant society through revolution, the rise of Mao Tse-Tung, and the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution. Special attention will be given to U.S.-China relations.
General Education Requirements:
Internationalism
Distribution Requirements:
Humanities
Course Materials
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ASIA 283-01 30790 |
Bruce Lee, His Life and Legacy |
Days: M
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Time: 07:00 pm-10:00 pm
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Room: THEATR 205
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Instructor: Karin Aguilar-San Juan
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*Cross-listed with AMST 281-01 and MCST 281-01*
Details
This discussion-based course is entirely focused on Bruce Lee, the actor and leading martial arts icon of the 20th century. Using American Studies and Critical Race Studies frames to examine the construction of racialized and gendered bodies, we will discuss Bruce Lee in terms of his biography, identities, politics, philosophy, and filmography. We will take time to appreciate the entertainment value and athleticism that Bruce Lee brought to his work, but we will also learn to distinguish the commercialized, commodified Bruce Lee (from t-shirts to posters to action figures) from the serious historical figure who symbolized the spirit of cultural independence and political sovereignty around the world. Among the required books and movies: The Tao of Jeet Kune Do, and "Way of the Dragon" (1972).
General Education Requirements:
U.S. Identities and Differences
Distribution Requirements:
Social science
Course Materials
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ASIA 294-01 30794 |
Literature and the Arts of Empire: Early Modern China and England |
Days: T R
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Time: 01:20 pm-02:50 pm
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Room: HUM 112
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Instructor: Geng, Handler-Spitz
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*Cross-listed with CHIN 294-01 and ENGL 294-06*
Details
This collaboratively taught course examines the literature and arts of two empires in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries: Ming China, an ancient empire sitting at the apogee of its influence yet soon to be crushed by rebellion and invasion, and Tudor-Stuart England, a nascent empire clamoring to assert its dominance as a global superpower through mercantile capitalism, racialized enslavement, and cultural supremacy. Using a literary and comparativist approach, we analyze the function of literature in the winning and losing of empire. We focus, in particular, on the literary writer’s role in shaping the public understanding of law and justice, race and ethnicity, barbarity and civility. We will read courtly literature written for the Chinese and English literati as well as popular texts (plays, songs, poems) aimed at popular audiences. We will visit the Minneapolis Institute of Art and the Bell Museum to study Chinese and English material objects (including houseware, furniture, and maps), and practice holding conversation with scholars specializing in early modern China and England. No knowledge of Chinese (let alone classical Chinese) is needed. This course counts for the English Major period requirement (Renaissance).
General Education Requirements:
Internationalism
Distribution Requirements:
Humanities
Course Materials
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ASIA 294-02 30917 |
The Art of Writing in China |
Days: T R
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Time: 03:00 pm-04:30 pm
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Room: HUM 102
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Instructor: Rivi Handler-Spitz
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*Cross-listed with CHIN 294-02*
Details
In Chinese, writing is synonymous with culture: word for writing is synonymous with civilization itself. This course explores the central role of writing – especially the cultural history of Chinese characters – both in and beyond China from ancient times to the present. How did this unique writing system develop? How have the graphs changed over time? What binds Chinese characters to other art forms – like painting, poetry, calligraphy, sculpture, and dance – or to ethical or spiritual self-cultivation? How do characters, incised in stone or brushed onto paper, transmit meaning? And how did they become the predominant writing system used throughout East and Southeast Asia in premodern times? What myths have been told about their origins, how have they been misconstrued, and what accounts for their extraordinary longevity? No knowledge of Chinese is required.
General Education Requirements:
Writing WP
Internationalism
Distribution Requirements:
Humanities
Course Materials
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ASIA 294-03 30940 |
Global History of Caste (1800-present) |
Days: T R
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Time: 03:00 pm-04:30 pm
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Room: MAIN 111
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Instructor: Niharika Yadav
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*Cross-listed with HIST 294-05*
Details
Is caste a long-standing social structure or a recent construct? Does it belong to the past or continue to shape lives today? Is it unique to Hindus in South Asia, or does it have a global impact? In this course, we will delve into the intricacies of caste as a social practice. We'll analyze the historical development of caste and its interactions with other hierarchies, such as race, gender, and sexuality, not only in South Asia but around the world. Throughout the course, we will scrutinize how caste transcends geographical boundaries, examining its portrayal in diverse sources such as literature, ethnographies, censuses, and legal documents. We will also closely examine the histories and lasting effects of anti-caste movements. Our exploration begins in the 19th century when colonialism reshaped caste dynamics while also providing opportunities for marginalized communities to challenge established power structures. Additionally, we will investigate the emergence of caste practices within Afro-Caribbean diaspora communities. Lastly, we will explore the contemporary dimensions of caste, considering how it influences social mobility and marginalization within the context of global migration and social movements. In essence, this course will equip you with fresh perspectives on caste, with an emphasis on primary sources.
General Education Requirements:
Internationalism
Distribution Requirements:
Humanities
Course Materials
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ASIA 294-04 30984 |
Not Your Model Minority: Japanese Americans from Incarceration to Redress and Beyond |
Days: T R
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Time: 03:00 pm-04:30 pm
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Room: THEATR 204
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Instructor: Jake Nagasawa
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*Registration limit has been adjusted to save 5 seats for FYs; cross-listed with AMST 294-01*
Details
In 1966, sociologist William Peterson published an article in the New York Times titled, “Success Story, Japanese-American Style,” which praised Japanese Americans, their family structure, and their culture for achieving education and financial success despite having been incarcerated en masse during World War II. This marks the first articulation of model minority myth, which stereotypes Asian American as being successful, hardworking, law-abiding, and dutiful, relative to other minoritized groups. So, how did Japanese Americans go from being perceived as enemy spies to the original “model minority”? This course will examine the history and experience of Japanese Americans from the mid-nineteenth century to the present, with an eye toward Japanese American activism and resistance. Topics will include: U.S. imperialism in Asia; the effects of incarceration during World War II; Japanese Americans in Hawai’i; Japanese American organizing against Islamophobia and the mass incarceration of migrants at the border; and Japanese American solidarity with the civil rights movement and reparations for African Americans.
General Education Requirements:
U.S. Identities and Differences
Distribution Requirements:
Humanities
Course Materials
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ASIA 320-01 30363 |
Asian Cities |
Days: M W F
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Time: 01:10 pm-02:10 pm
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Room: CARN 105
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Instructor: I-Chun Catherine Chang
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*First day attendance required; cross-listed with GEOG 320-01*
Details
Since the last century, Asia has experienced rapid urbanization. It is now home to over half of the world's most populated cities. By 2010, the urban population in the Asia-Pacific region has surpassed the population of the United States and the European Union combined. In this course, we will focus on cities in East, Southeast and South Asia. We will first contextualize the rapid urbanization in the region's changing political economy, and identify urban issues that are unique to this region. We will further explore different theoretical approaches to understand Asian cities; several of them challenge mainstream urban theories rooted in the experiences of West European and North American cities. Upon the completion of this course, students will acquire substantive knowledge on contemporary trends of urban development in Asia, and develop familiarity with related ongoing theoretical debates. In addition, students will conduct individual research projects to develop deeper and more concrete understanding of the contemporary urbanization processes in Asia.
General Education Requirements:
Writing WA
Internationalism
Distribution Requirements:
Social science
Course Materials
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ASIA 350-01 30044 |
Embodiment and Subjectivity in Later Chinese Art |
Days: M W F
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Time: 09:40 am-10:40 am
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Room: ARTCOM 102
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Instructor: Kari Shepherdson-Scott
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*Cross-listed with ART 350-01; No Prerequisites; First Years are welcome*
Details
The development of art and identities in China over the last 400 years has been, literally, revolutionary. From the Manchu rule of the Qing dynasty (1644-1911) and the emergence of the Chinese Republic (1912-1949) to the radical changes at work during the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) under Mao Zedong and the appearance of complex reactionary artistic voices since the late 1970s, we have seen the dynamic development of modern subjectivities, evolving cultural connoisseurship, ethnic tensions, new definitions of citizenry, and counter-movements led by cynical agitators. Art and design have played a critical role in these developments, functioning as a formal and symbolic language through which communities and notions of personhood could form. This class draws on themes such as gender, sexuality, militarism, ethnicity, and commodity culture to delve into the rich resonance between the representation of the human figure and the expression of diverse identities. Students will not only learn to look closely at and write critically about a variety of media including paintings, calligraphy, prints, films, posters, performance art, and installations, but will also relate this historical cultural production to contemporaneous artistic, social, and political discourses. In the process, we will complicate notions of "Chinese" art and "Chinese" identity in Asia and on the global stage.
General Education Requirements:
Writing WA
Internationalism
Distribution Requirements:
Fine arts
Course Materials
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