AAS 200 | ASIAN AMERICAN HISTORY | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
This course examines the creation of Asian America by first and second-generation Asian migrants to the Americans from the 1840s to World War II. The course provides a historical, legal, social and cultural framework for understanding the resurgence of Asian migration since the 1960s.
AAS 202 | ASIAN AMERICAN LITERATURE | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
This course will serve as an overview of Asian American literature in a socio-historical context. Special emphasis will be placed on tracing the various paradigms through which these works have been produced, from texts written prior to the movement towards self-determination during the 1960s; to works identified with the "cultural nationalism" promoted during the 1960s and 1970s; to the pluralism of the 1980s which explored how gender, sexual orientation, and class complicate earlier essentialist conceptions of racial identity; and finally to the transnational and diasporic interests of the 1990s. Texts covered will include primarily fiction (novels and short stories), but also critical essays, plays, movies, and poetry.
AAS 203 | ASIAN AMERICAN ARTS AND CULTURE | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
This course will examine Asian American arts and cultural productions in relation to the histories of people and groups with roots in Asia and the Pacific. The course will focus on contemporary visual arts from the emergence of Asian American movements in the 1960's and 1970's, to the multiculturalism of the 1980's and 1990's to our present transnational moment. Formerly AAS 201.
AAS 205 | GLOBAL ASIA | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
From ancient and modern perspectives, Global Asia introduces the artistic, cultural, economic, philosophical, political and religious transformation of Asian societies and peoples across space and time. A visual and multimedia approach complements literature on core ideas and practices. Creative and interactive learning methods are included.
AAS 208 | CHINA'S CULTURAL SOFT POWER AND ITS FUTURE | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
Within three decades, China has transformed from an impoverished and self-secluded nation into a global powerhouse challenging the world's status quo. Through select soft power theoretical perspectives, this course will explore three primary questions: 1) what are China's cultural soft power resources? 2) how do China wield its cultural soft power? 3) how do we view China's future? The class will analyze multiple aspects of Chinese culture and its contemporary society and understand the prospects of China in the next generation. We will focus on the dramatic social cultural changes in China in the past decades that reflect its cultural soft power or lack thereof and explore its long-term impact on the rest of the world. The readings and class discussions will engage topics on China's historical dynamics, cultural traditions, contemporary societal changes, politics, economy, and international relations. Students will be exposed to and analyze comparative views analyzing and predicting China's future.
AAS 209 | CHINESE YOUTH CULTURES | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
As China's economic and political influence grows on the world stage, it has become increasingly important to understand China's youth who as the next generation of leaders and workers will unquestionably shape the country's trajectory, and ultimately the world's geopolitical, economic, and cultural landscape. It is well documented that China's millennials and their younger siblings have witnessed greater and faster socioeconomic and demographic changes than previous generations. This course is designed to help students understand and analyze what it means to be young in such a fast-changing country that is ruled by one Party but continuously exposed to intense globalization.
AAS 210 | ASIAN ART | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
An introduction to major developments of art and architecture across Asian cultures including South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Himalayas, and East Asia and their counterparts in America. This course examines not only painting, sculpture, and architecture, but also gardens, ceramics, and prints. Special emphasis will be placed on religious arts of Buddhism and Hinduism, along with landscape and figural painting. Cross-listed with HAA 115.
AAS 211 | BUDDHIST ART | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
This course explores the traditional visual culture of the Buddhist world, examining art as a reflection of religious belief and practice. The works come from South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia, and America. An emphasis is placed on painting, sculpture, and architecture made for or related to Buddhist practice. Cross-listed with HAA 220.
AAS 214 | JAPANESE ART | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
This is a chronological survey of premodern Japanese art, from the prehistoric era to the Meiji period (1868-1911). Topics covered include painting, sculpture, and architecture, as well as decorative arts, prints, and garden design. Special attention is given to Buddhist and Shinto religious arts, along with screen painting and woodblock prints. Cross-listed with HAA 216.
AAS 215 | INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND REGIONAL INEQUALITY | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
This course charts the political, social and economic transformation of the developing countries (Africa, Asia, Latin America, Caribbean, Pacific Islands) into a global economy dominated by the 'developed' countries (North America, Europe and Japan). This process, termed 'GLOBALIZATION,' results from the operation of the global market mechanism, the activities of Transnational Corporations (TNCs) and the programs of the International Financial Institutions (IFIs). Cross-listed with GEO 215.
AAS 216 | CHINESE ART | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
This is a chronological survey of premodern Chinese art from antiquity to the nineteenth century. Special attention is given to sculpture and painting, but architecture and ceramics are also covered. There is an emphasis on prehistoric bronze vessels, Buddhist sculpture, and landscape painting of the Song through Qing periods. Cross-listed with HAA 215.
AAS 217 | ARTS OF INDIA AND THE HIMALAYAS | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
This is a chronological survey of premodern arts of the subcontinent of South Asia and the Himalayas. We start with the Indus Valley Civilization and move through the nineteenth century, including Mughal arts. Special attention is given to the emergence of figural imagery in Buddhist and Hindu sculptural arts, and the development of religious architectural forms from early stupas and cave temples to later shrines. Cross-listed with HAA 217.
AAS 218 | ARTS OF THE SILK ROAD | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
This course will examine the visual history of the Silk Road, focusing on works of art and architecture created in Central Asia. We not only consider the prehistoric, ancient and medieval arts of this region, but we also investigate the modern development of a romanticized notion of the Silk Road and the imperial interest in acquiring treasures from the Silk Road. Today we frequently hear about the legacy of the Silk Road in promoting multicultural exchange. However, the Silk Road has long been affected by the expansionist agendas of empires. From the time of Alexander the Great (356-323 B.C.E.) through the period of Genghis Khan (1162-1227) and on, there have been military leaders who have led their armies into Silk Road lands seeking territory, riches, and glory. Cross-listed with HAA 218.
AAS 219 | K-POP & ITS GLOBAL CULTURAL INFLUENCE | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
This course examines the increasing visibility and global dissemination of Korean popular culture, representatively K-pop. Looking through various social causes concerned with the dissemination of Korean popular culture (e.g., Korean entertainment industry, online K-pop fandom communities, race and gender systems in K-pop), this course will help students critically consume and understand Korean pop culture. By exploring various global cultural forces that are at work in the production and consumption of Korean pop culture, students will learn controversial topics around global culture and cultivate their global sense beyond Euro-American perspectives. Throughout the semester, students will do so by working both individually and in groups on a series of projects designed to further their understanding of Korean pop culture and its ramification in the global digital era.
AAS 220 | AMERICAN BUDDHISM | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
This course critically analyzes the origins of Buddhism in the United States in order to fully understand how and why Buddhism has flourished in Asian and White American communities, and to understand the conflict and controversy surrounding the racial dynamics of religious choice. Cross-listed with AMS 220.
AAS 221 | RELIGION IN SOCIETY: SOUTH ASIA | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
Focusing on South Asia, this course will explore how religion is both embedded in, and dynamically interacts with, the wider socio-cultural contexts of which it is a part. We will examine how religious ideas constitute and are constituted by social forces such as race, caste, class, gender, and sexuality both in South Asia as well as within the wider diaspora. We will analyze how religious ideas are re-shaped as people negotiate the changing social, economic and political circumstances of everyday life and construct self and identity in our increasingly transnational world.
AAS 222 | RELIGION AND CONFLICT IN SOUTH ASIA | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
Religion has become central to conflict in contemporary South Asia. This course examines the relationship between religion and conflict both within and between nations in South Asia. It will examine how religion fuels conflict as well as how religion is used to find a nonviolent resolution to conflict. It will also analyze how religion is used to challenge and resist victimization, marginalization, silencing, and indeed violence during conflict. Finally, the course will examine how the cultural politics of class, gender, ethnicity, and sexuality constitute and are constituted by religion.
AAS 223 | TALES OF INDIA | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
Before the modern nation-states of India and Pakistan came into being, the term "India" referred to the South Asian region, a region that has been and is the home of many cultures and societies. These cultures have also reached beyond the region to create rich and paradoxical diaspora experiences in Europe and the Americas. Tales of India will explore a variety of literatures, ancient and contemporary, that illuminate the worlds of South Asian peoples in their homelands and in the transnational life of the diaspora. Themes will include love, power, religious meaning/religious identity, and cultural difference.
AAS 224 | HINDU THOUGHT AND CULTURE | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
An exploration of Hinduism as a civilization whose key reference points are religious in the sense understood in the West (ritual and transcendence), yet which finds expression in a "high culture" of literary works, political and social theory, art and architecture, music and dance, and folk and popular stories, songs and plays. Cross-listed with REL 242.
AAS 225 | RELIGION AND SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT: SOCIALLY ENGAGED BUDDHISM | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
An investigation of the ways in which various religious traditions engage the social order. Traditions, persons and movements that form the focus of the course will vary from section to section (in this case the focus is on Buddhism). The course will integrate theory and practice in studying forms of religious engagement. All students will perform some service to a community or within a community organization or agency.
Sophomore standing or above is a prerequisite for this class.
AAS 226 | ETHICAL WORLDS: MORAL ISSUES ACROSS CULTURES: ATOM BOMB DISCOURSE | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
An exploration of religion and ethics from a comparative and international perspective. Ethical dimensions of diverse world traditions (in this case the development and use of atomic weaponry) will be investigated within their own particular historical and cultural contexts, and students will be asked to consider and evaluate their own ethical orientations in the light of these studies.
AAS 227 | BEYOND PARASITE: SOUTH KOREAN CULTURE THROUGH FILM | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
In 2012 the explosion of "Gangnam Style" on YouTube helped to usher in a new generation of American K-Pop addicts and interest in Korea culture. In 2019 Parasite became the first non-English film to win the Academy Award for best picture and driving a new wave of interest in yet another underappreciated genre of Korean cultural creation. It also brought new global attention to the domestic social issues that it depicted in South Korea concerning class, gender, race, and economic development. Changes and challenges in Korean society are reflected in its cultural products such as film. This course examines Korean society, culture, and history through the lens of cinema while critically engaging contemporary local and global social issues. This course will critically examine films from various periods of Korean history such as postwar cinema, the renaissance of the 1990s-2000s, and the modern era which will include blockbusters, independent films, and Academy Award winning masterpieces. Through an examination of recurring themes such as tradition, national division, gender, colonialism, and identity, students will learn to analyze, evaluate, and engage with Korean film media while improving their intercultural communication skills. No prior knowledge of Korea or the Korean language is necessary and all films will have English subtitles.
AAS 228 | ROMANCE IN ASIA: LOVE AND GLOBALIZATION | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
How is globalization shaping who and how we love? Globalization is transforming the social and economic reality that young people in Asia must navigate in order to find love. They seek to create intimate relationships that satisfy their emotional, material and erotic desires, as previous modes of relationship formation increasingly fail to fit the new realities of contemporary Asia. This course examines diverse social landscapes in South Korea, Japan, China, India, and South East Asia where traditional forms of dating, marriage, and social reproduction are in upheaval. Globalization has brought about rapid but dissimilar social changes to this region such as increased inequality, growing elderly populations, and steep male to female ratio imbalances. Advances in rapid forms of communication and transportation also bring these disparate places together through cross-border marriage and online dating. This course surveys experiences in Asia of how intimacy and love are shaped, contested, and negotiated in daily life, in dialogue with changing gender expectations, social hierarchies, and increasing inter-dependence.
AAS 230 | INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
The purpose of this course is to explore the relationship between our physical environment and society by focusing on natural resources. While the course introduces key concepts in environmental thought (conservation, preservation, sustainable development, etc.), another aim is to introduce students to some of the practical aspects of working in resource and environmental management. Lectures and readings examine contemporary environmental issues internationally with half the case studies featuring developing and emerging economies, many in Asia. The textbook focuses on mainstream models of nature-society relations such as rational planning in resource management and sustainable development, while the additional readings and videos will introduce students to critiques of the mainstream approaches and suggest alternatives to them. The issues covered in this course include climate change, atmospheric pollution, fresh water resources and water quality, forestry and biodiversity loss, food production and distribution and sustainable cities.
AAS 233 | THE RISE OF MODERN CHINA | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
Examines the history of Chinese civilization from the 18th century to the present. We will survey the height of the authority of the Qing Imperial government, its dissolution in the 19th century, and the creation of a revolutionary China in the 20th century. Topics include the Opium War and China's foreign relations, the introduction of Westernized technology and education, and the rise of Communism under the leadership of Mao Zedong. Also considers the ways in which our contemporary understanding of China is formed by recent developments in the media - Chinese news and film. Cross-listed with HST 233.
AAS 235 | CHINESE SCIENCE FICTION | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
This course centers on Liu Cixin's award-winning science fiction trilogy Remembrance of Earth's Past (2007-10) and short stories by Chen Qiufan, Regina Kanyu Wang, and others. Liu's popular trilogy features globally-influential and highly philosophical hard SF that begins during China's Cultural Revolution and end millions of years in the future. The trilogy examines, among many other topics, the adaptability of humans and machines, the promises and perils of new technologies, multiple dimensions, the effects of climate change, and ethical dilemmas on scales ranging from the personal to the intergalactic. Unlike so much popular science fiction produced in the West to date, in Liu's works Chinese people and Chinese technologies play central roles in the future of humanity on and beyond Earth. China's historically unprecedented rate of growth since the 1970s, as well as recent successes in space exploration, has created a great deal of optimism among Chinese people, including accelerated forecasts for new technology implementation when compared to surveyed North Americans, as a recent study shows. Importantly, one of science fiction's signature narrative devices is to portray the present as the past of a far future, thus de-familiarizing and historicizing current circumstances. Seen from the near or far future, present "givens" can be cast as contingent and this can indirectly imply various kinds of social and political critique. Time displacement, in SF and in other genres, has a long history as a useful device for writers in regimes of censorship, and we will discuss allegorical content in the assigned science fiction and other works. This course is cross-listed with ENG235.
AAS 238 | JAPANESE FILM ARTS | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
This course examines the development of cinema as an artistic form in Japan, from its inception in the early twentieth century to its explosion as an international phenomenon in recent decades. The Japanese cinematic experience is considered as visual expression that parallels key Japanese arts of handscroll painting and woodblock prints. We discuss such genres as samurai films, fantasy tales, monster movies, yakuza thrillers, and science fiction anime. Among the masterpieces studied are Ozu's Tokyo Story, Kurosawa's Rashomon, Itami's Funeral, and Miyazaki's Spirited Away. Issues addressed in relation to these films include artistic expression, technological progress, national identity, social unrest, and religious concern.
AAS 239 | RELIGION AND ETHICS IN JAPANESE FOODSCAPES | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
What would be your last meal?" We may all have to reflect on this question once or twice in our lives. The potential diversity of our responses to this question suggests that our relation to food can be quite personal and intimate, as well as cultural and social. In this regard, investigating food is a powerful analytical tool for understanding ourselves and our relations with our surroundings. In particular, in Japan, many TV programs on food, including quiz shows, dramas, and documentaries, have been produced and have garnered attention. Thus, the course equips students with a grasp of the Japanese culture from the vantage point of food, and the benefit of a personal self-reflection and understanding. Studying food in Japan, with particular attention to the underpinnings of religious doctrines, spiritual sensibilities, and ethical implications will inform students not only of the cultural ethos of Japan, but also of its social and political orders. Students will explore the relations between religion and food by examining the ways in which food is used in religious rituals, in which religious beliefs dictate dietary habits and thereby fortify the adherents' identity and reinforce their membership. But the function of food is not to bring people together, but also to divide them. The course also investigates how religious proscriptions on foods render them either sacred or taboo, thereby fostering a corresponding social hierarchy in which status is closely linked to what one consumes and produces; certain foods (e.g. salt, rice, sake) are consecrated and used for rituals, while other foods (e.g. meat) are forbidden.
AAS 240 | MODERN JAPANESE LITERATURE | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
This course is an introduction to the major authors and works of Japan's modern period, from the 18th century through the 21st century. We will examine writers, works, and literary institutions in historical context to explore how Japanese writers engaged the modern era. This was the period when modern literature, more specifically the novel (shosetsu), was emerging internationally as a new technology of state-building. Modern Japan was highly literate with a flourishing popular culture that included diverse literary forms (high and low) that would be refashioned, contested and sometimes abandoned as the institution of literature was established by the turn of the 20th century, although not without ongoing contestation. Themes may include: the West, Orientalism and Counter-Orientalism; protest literature by women, workers and ethnic minorities; and modernism and modernity. Authors may include: Higuchi Ichiyo, Natsume Soseki, Yosano Akiko, Akutagawa Ryunosuke, Kobayashi Takiji, Murakami Haruki, and others. Cross-listed with MOL 240.
AAS 241 | RELIGION IN CHINESE HISTORY, SOCIETY, AND CULTURE | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
An exploration of the Chinese religious landscape, focusing on social and practical dimensions of Chinese religion, such as state rituals and private cults, liturgies and individual practices of Taoist priests and adepts, politico-religious ideas that inspired popular messianic movements throughout Chinese history, and interrelations of Buddhist and Taoist clergies and institutions in the state. Cross-listed with REL 241.
AAS 242 | LITERATURE AND RELIGION IN CHINA | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
This course focuses on the interpretation of renowned Chinese literary works, with attention paid to the intersections between literature and religion. Students are expected to acquire skills of literary appreciation and basic religious literacy by engaging with both texts and their contexts. This course explores major literary genres, such as revealed texts, rhapsody, lyrics, regulated verse, popular tales, plays, and novels, and discusses related thematic topics, such as the religious themes, mythological contexts, literariness, aesthetics, and individual experiences.
AAS 243 | BUDDHIST THOUGHT IN CULTURAL CONTEXT | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
An exploration of the Buddhist tradition, using original sources, from its beginnings in ancient India to a world religion with strong roots in the US. Students will discover how Buddhism interacts with cultures from Sri Lanka and Thailand to China, Japan and Tibet. Although this course is online, students in the region will have the opportunity to practice meditation at a Chicago zendo and tour the Buddhist art at the Chicago Art Institute. Cross-listed with REL 243.
AAS 244 | TRADITIONS OF CHINESE POPULAR CULTURE | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
Most of the Chinese, throughout history, did not subscribe to one exclusive belief system or belong to a single institutional religion. They, instead, participated in a web of popular religious practices, held multitudinous popular beliefs, and shared with each other imaginaires of heroes, monsters, ghosts, and gods. This course focuses on what has been popular and provides an understanding of Chinese religions from the perspective of the common people. Students are expected to learn aspects and elements of religion-related Chinese culture, such as mythology, ancestor veneration, divination, demonology, hero cults, festivals, local deities, and drama while paying attention to the internal logic of religious practices and imagination.
AAS 245 | RELIGION IN JAPANESE HISTORY, SOCIETY, AND CULTURE | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
Explores the specific interplay between religion and culture in Japan. Taking historical and cultural factors into account, it considers prehistoric Japanese religion, ancient imperial myths, the assimilation of Buddhism, Confucianism, and continental (Chinese/Korean) culture, the religious and aesthetic worlds of the court nobility and the warrior class, popular mountain cults, the revival and systematization of Shinto, the impact of western culture, Japanese ultra-nationalism, and the religious situation in the post-war period. Cross-listed with REL 245.
AAS 246 | ASIAN FOREIGN POLICY | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
This course surveys the international relations of selected Asian countries. For each country, the course presents the basic historical background shaping foreign relations, introduces the external and domestic influences on foreign policy, and identifies emerging international challenges. It examines both the economic and military-security dimensions of Asian foreign relations. Cross-listed with PSC 246.
AAS 247 | LITERATURE AND RELIGION IN JAPAN | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
Focuses on the pervasive influence of religious thought and sentiment on Japanese literature from ancient to modern times and explores the intricate relationship between religion, aesthetics, and the arts in Japanese culture. Considers original works including ancient Japanese mythology and poetry, the memoirs of court ladies and Buddhist hermits, romance, epics, folktales and social satire, with attention to their historical, social, religious and social dimensions, as well as to the individual experience expressed in them. Cross-listed with REL 247.
AAS 248 | CHINESE CALLIGRAPHY | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
An introduction to the art of Chinese calligraphy. Hands-on practice as well as history and theory of the art. This course is open to students with no background in Chinese calligraphy, language, literature, or culture. Cross-listed with MOL 248.
AAS 249 | JAPANESE WOMEN'S LITERARY MASTERPIECES | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
The course begins over 1000 years ago with masterpieces of world literature including The Tale of Genii and classical poetry, traverses through the modern period of New Women Bluestocking and arrive in the 21st century to reflect on the richness of Japanese women's: writings across time and space. * No prior knowledge of Japanese language, history or culture.
AAS 250 | CHINESE CINEMA: A WINDOW ON CHINA | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
This course studies Chinese cinema, the visualized artistic reflection of Chinese society, ideology, and culture from four perspectives: Historical, directorial, thematic, and artistic. It will cover the history of Chinese cinema, from the birth of the first Chinese film through the Silent Age, 1st Golden Age, 2nd Golden Age, Pre- and-Post-War Era, Pre- and-Post "Cultural Revolution" Period, and the Fifth Generation up to the emerging Sixth generation and beyond. Through substantial exposure and analysis of selected movie classics and subsequent classroom discussions, students will be well informed about the major developments and trends of each period in the history of Chinese cinema. Students will also explore the historical backgrounds, artistic characteristics, and key directors and stars of important Chinese movies as well as cinematic terminologies, the formation of Chinese cinematic theories, and innovative cinematic techniques.
AAS 251 | SOUTH ASIA TO C. 900 C.E.: THE STONE AGE TO THE GOLDEN AGE | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
The course follows the development of the history of the region from the earliest phases of human settlement, the first civilization in the Indus valley, and the formation of the Mauryan and Gupta empires. It will analyze the growth of different state structures from tribal/lineage based state to these great empires. It incorporates the rise of regional states and the growing importance of trade to linking South Asia with the West. It will also examine the development of different religious traditions from Vedic Brahmanism to Buddhism to Jainism and the very early days of Islam in the region. The central question of this course will be how to contextualize the relationship between structures like family, law, caste, community, state and the tumultuous changes in the subcontinent over this long period. Cross-listed with HST 151.
AAS 252 | SOUTH ASIA, C. 900 TO 1707: SULTANS, MUGHALS, AND ISLAMIC EMPIRES | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
The course begins with the transformation of society from the 'ancient' to the 'medieval', and compares this to developments in Europe in the feudal age. It then incorporates specific political, social, and cultural developments in South Asia that came about with the establishment of powerful Islamic states in a region where Muslims were a minority. These issues will inform the analysis of the Ghaznavid and Ghurid invasions, the Delhi Sultanate, the Vijayanagara empire and the Mughal empire. The course will end with the Marathas and the decline of the Mughal empire, and the rising influence of the British. The central themes concern how the state, economy, culture, and society developed in the period when Islam became firmly embedded in South Asia. Cross-listed with HST 152.
AAS 253 | ASIAN POLITICS | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
An introduction to contemporary government and politics in Asia, focusing on China and Japan, with comparative reference to other Asian and non-Asian political systems. Special attention will be made to the emerging political and economic role of the Pacific Rim.
AAS 254 | SOUTH ASIA, 1707 - 1947: RISE AND FALL OF THE BRITISH RAJ | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
The course begins with the decline of the Mughal Empire, and then moves to examine the British empire, the nationalist movement and finally to independence and partition in 1947. The central questions of this course continue to be relevant in the post-colonial period: how we understand the distinctive form of modernity that has developed in South Asia. Taking a comparative approach as often as possible, the course examines the fundamental ways that Britain was as transformed by the development of its empire as was colonial India. The course constantly deconstructs easy binaries of self and others/ East and West by examining the differences within Indian and British society. Cross-listed with HST 153.
AAS 259 | RELIGION IN MANGA AND ANIME | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
Because of manga and anime's global popularity, growing market size, and artistic qualities, they become a window on Japanese history, culture, and society. The religious dimensions of manga and anime have deep roots in the history of Asian religion, visual arts, and literature, and they are key to a nuanced understanding of many important works. This course will address and discuss topics of religious significance in connection to manga and anime, such as death, afterlife, spiritual purity, personal cultivation, nature, among others. This course intends to help students understand various aspects of Japanese religions through manga and anime, where religious elements abound. This course is cross-listed with REL249.
AAS 262 | JAPANESE POPULAR CULTURE | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
Globally celebrated for its creativity, world-building, and complexity, Japanese pop culture: including anime, manga, J-pop, drama, collectible figurines, cosplay, tv drama, film, and video games continues to push the boundaries of what it means to be human in the 21st century. Students will strengthen skills to analyze screen arts and other cultural products with specialized attention to how the content is conveyed in historical context. Themes include cyber-physical blending, gender-bending and performance, historical memory, national identity, and what it means to be human.
AAS 263 | JAPAN TO C. 1200 | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
Follows the formation of a unified state in central Japan during the 5th and 6th centuries. Considers the influence of Korean immigrants and Chinese philosophy and statecraft on the unification of Japan in early antiquity. Explores rise of Japan's aristocratic court culture in Nara and Kyoto as well as powerful Buddhist institutions and the emergence of the warrior class in Eastern Japan. Cross-listed with HST 263.
AAS 264 | JAPAN, CA. 1200-1800 | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
Follows the emergence of the warrior class and the system of dual political authority until the 14thcentury, with the imperial court in Kyoto and the samurai elite in Kamakura. Continues with an examination of the early modern processes of urbanization and the growth of a monetary economy, changes in social organization, major cultural innovations, and religious/intellectual movements. Cross-listed with HST 264.
AAS 265 | JAPAN, C. 1800 - PRESENT | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
Follows the radical transformation of Japanese politics, society, and economy with the commercialization of the countryside, the weakening of samurai rule, and increased, often hostile, contact with Western imperialist nations. Explores expansion of Japan as an imperialist nation from the middle of the 19th century and the lasting legacy of that expansion in the region. Explores WWII and postwar political, economic, social changes in contemporary Japan. Cross-listed with HST 265.
AAS 266 | EAST ASIA, C.1800-PRESENT | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
Begins with the reshaping of East Asian relations from the late 18th century following the realignment of the region after the expulsion of European Catholic missionaries. Follows the radical shift in the relations between these countries as they all sought to respond to the imperial challenges that the West imposed. Explores the central role of Japan and its effort to build an empire in and beyond East Asia from the late 19th century through its defeat in World War II and the lasting historical legacy of that history in the region. Cross-listed with HST 163.
AAS 267 | WORLD ECONOMY: STATES, MARKETS AND LABOR | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
This course introduces students to competing economic and political frameworks that analyze the interaction of states, markets and societies. The overall theme of the course is the spread of capitalism and the tandem disembedding of economic relations from social relations beginning with the Industrial Revolution in the 18th century through to the early 21st century.
AAS 272 | ANIME AND MANGA | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
This course examines the development of anime and manga in Japan from their inception to their explosion as international phenomena in recent decades. We consider anime and manga as forms of artistic expression that depend upon and parallel key Japanese visual forms of handscroll painting and woodblock prints. Students learn the ideas, ideals and values in Japanese cinematic and visual expression, and develop skills at analyzing anime and manga as artistic forms. The processes of drawing/creating anime and manga are considered; both form and content of anime and manga are discussed. Cross-listed with HAA 273.
AAS 273 | GLOBAL ASIAN LITERATURE | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
Introduction to selected authors, genres, and topics in Asian American or Asian diasporic literature from the mid-nineteenth century to the present. Variable emphasis on different groups, genres, or historical periods. WRD 103 or HON 100 is recommended for this course. Cross-listed with ENG 273.
AAS 287 | INTRODUCTION TO ASIAN PHILOSOPHY | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
What must we do in order to live a good life? In this class, we will examine this question through our study of Asian philosophy. In particular, we will ask -- do we have a duty to serve society? what is the relationship among desire, happiness, knowledge and virtue? what is the relationship among the human, the divine, and the world? While this class will be an introduction, it will not be primarily a survey. Rather we will examine and discuss several texts in depth, representing four of the philosophical traditions in South and East Asia -- Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism. The objectives of the course are to gain an understanding of Asian philosophy while exploring some of our own philosophical questions about the purpose and meaning of life.
AAS 290 | TOPICS IN ASIAN AMERICAN STUDIES | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
This course, which varies from quarter to quarter, explores topics in Asian-American studies.
AAS 301 | ECONOMIC INEQUALITY AND POLITICAL TRAUMA | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
Traditionally, the discourse of political trauma has been restricted to discussions of genocide. Yet in the contemporary political deployment of trauma, both the victims and those causing trauma have claimed the experience for themselves. This course departs from the traditional discourse by providing a framework for understanding how historical legacies, economic inequality and contemporary political contexts such as populist movements are linked. In light of the unusual circumstances owing to the COVID 19 emergency measures, the course plan also incorporates discussions of the amorphous social anxiety that is a feature of the current moment. The introductory section of the course begins with case studies in which the term trauma has been deployed in international political economy. The second section of the course builds a theoretical framework for understanding the links between political trauma and economic inequality using readings from psychoanalysis, social and literary theory, using case studies from the United States, South America, South Africa, the Middle East and East Asia. Case studies are NOT restricted to those regions and can include studies from other regions. The third and last section of the class examines the fledgling literature on resistance and activism in understanding and confronting political trauma. The course seeks to answer questions of how different groups come to define their experience as traumatic and how we can respond and set limits to engagement in political trauma. Note that while we attempt to understand why the term is so widely deployed, we also distinguish between those who have the social power to retaliate as opposed to those who cannot.
AAS 305 | RELIGION AND CULTURE IN SOUTH ASIA | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
This course examines the interplay between religion and society in pre-modern and contemporary South Asia. The course will use such materials as epic texts, poetry, novels, journalism, film, music and art to explore how religion, gender, social class and politics are experienced in the lives of people in India and Pakistan. Cross-listed with REL 305.
AAS 315 | THE STATE & ECONOMIC GROWTH IN EAST ASIA | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
A survey course focused upon key geographical factors contributing to the emergence of Japan as an international economic leader, and the rapid development of the People's Republic of China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and South Korea, among others, as global economic players. Cross-listed with GEO 315.
AAS 324 | JAPANESE POPULAR CULTURE | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
Globally celebrated for its creativity, world-building, and complexity, Japanese pop culture: including anime, manga, J-pop, drama, collectible figurines, cosplay, tv drama, film, and video games continues to push the boundaries of what it means to be human in the 21st century. Students will strengthen skills to analyze screen arts and other cultural products with specialized attention to how the content is conveyed in historical context. Themes include cyber-physical blending, gender-bending and performance, historical memory, national identity, and what it means to be human.
AAS 325 | QUEER JAPAN | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
This course surveys representations of same-sex sexuality from the 14th century to the present day in Japan. We will explore the intersection of history, politics, art, and culture through historiography, literature, film, photography, music, cartoons, and animation, examining "traditional" male-male sexuality, the emergence of the modern era of texts reflecting female-female sexuality, as well as the formation of new consciousness and subjectivities throughout the 20th century and into the 21st. Cross-listed with MOL 325.
AAS 337 | ASIAN AMERICAN MEDIA REPRESENTATION | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
This course examines the ways in which Americans of Asian descent are portrayed in popular media such as television, film, newspapers, and advertisement.
AAS 338 | ASIAN CULTURE AND COMMUNICATION | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
Reviews major Asian philosophical and religious traditions such as Hinduism, Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism and examines how these traditions influence and affect Asian cultures and communication behaviors, particularly communication among Indians, Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, and Asian Americans in various contexts. Cross-listed with INTC 338.
AAS 341 | ZEN MIND | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
A study of the thought and practice of Zen Buddhism, focusing on the role of Zen in shaping ideas, ethics and the arts in Japan and America. Cross-listed with REL 342.
AAS 342 | ASIAN POLITICAL ECONOMY | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
This course offers an overview of the geopolitics, culture and history behind the "East Asian Miracle." It provides students with the tools to analyze the core theories, actors, and current and historical events in the study of the international relations, business, politics, and economy of Asia. Cross-listed with PSC 343.
AAS 343 | JAPANESE AMERICAN HISTORY IN THE US/CHICAGO | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
The second course in a sequence of three content-based courses designed for advanced high learners and native speakers of Japanese to discuss authentic cultural, historical, or literary materials. Topics vary with offering: see current schedule for details. Recommended for students who have completed JPN 201-202-203 and JPN 311-312-313, or have equivalent proficiency in Japanese.
AAS 344 | YOGA AND TANTRA | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
An examination of the history, philosophy and cultural meaning of body-oriented liberative techniques as they developed on the Indian subcontinent and Himalayan region in Hinduism and Buddhism. Students registering for this course are expected to have studied one or both of these traditions in courses such as REL 142, 143, 242, or 243, or in other courses. Background in theory is also useful. Cross-listed with REL 344.
AAS 345 | MORAL PHILOSOPHY, POLITICAL POWER, & RELIGION IN PRE-MODERN CHINA | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
An exploration of the major traditions informing pre-modern Chinese perspectives on morality, politics, social and personal formation, as well as cosmological and religious anchoring. Topics include Confucianism, Mohism, early Daoism, Legalism, correlative cosmology, liturgical Daoism, Buddhism, Neo-Confucianism, and also China's traumatic encounter with western power and thought. The course not only addresses comparative issues concerning Chinese values in relation to western views, but also questions common comparative constructs such as those contrasting religion & power; individualism & communalism, and tradition & modernity. Cross-listed with REL 343.
AAS 350 | ETHNIC MINORITY YOUTH: ADAPTATION, IDENTITY AND DEVELOPMENT | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
Utilizing an ecological systems perspective, this course examines the challenges and resiliencies faced and acquired by ethnic minority youth. This course will closely examine developmental issues during adolescence that are complicated by being an ethnic minority, or child of immigrant parents. Issues examining the intersection of socio-political power dynamics, with acculturation/cultural adaptation, ethnic identity formation, and intergenerational family conflict will particularly be examined.
AAS 351 | JAPANESE POLITICS | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
This course examines the meeting of the ancient and the modern in the context of 21st century politics in Japan. Exploring political, economic, and cultural practices and institutions, this class provides an in-depth understanding of Japan's political system from its origins in samurai traditions to current challenges facing Japan's democracy and economy. Cross-listed with PSC 350.
AAS 352 | CHINESE POLITICS | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
This course examines the political system of China and the major domestic issues in contemporary Chinese politics. The course explores the rise and early governance of the Chinese Communist Party, the economic and political developments since the start of the reform (post 1978) era, and the main political challenges facing Chinese society today. Cross-listed with PSC 352.
AAS 363 | YELLOW PERIL/YELLOW POWER: ASIAN AMERICANS IN THE MEDIA | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
This seminar course explores the landscape of popular and visual culture in the U.S. along the axes of race, ethnicity, class, gender, and sexuality and cultural "difference."Using an intersectional and interdisciplinary approach, the course also examines Asian Pacific Islander American representation and cultural production. Cross-listed with CMNS 563.
AAS 367 | LITERATURE OF THE VIETNAM WAR | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
This course examines novels, short stories, and essays on the Vietnam war and its aftermath, Vietnamese society, literature of the Vietnam Era.
AAS 373 | KYOTO (WORLD CITIES) | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
Explores the art, architecture, and urban plan of Kyoto, the ancient capital of Japan. Kyoto became the seat of government and the home of the imperial court in 794, and it continued to serve as the cultural and religious center of the land until the nineteenth century. This course considers major artistic developments as they relate to main sites in Kyoto, especially palaces, temples, and shrines. The eras covered extend from the Heian to the Meiji period.
AAS 385 | INTERNATIONAL ADVERTISING | 4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
This course informs students about the complexity and nuances of marketing communications in the global marketplace. We will explore the factors affecting the views of funny TV commercials from Japan, emotional short films from Thailand, controversial ads from China, and many more interesting ad campaigns from around the globe. Understand why Asian marketers made the ads the way they are as we talk about the theories behind cultural dimensions. As we progress, we learn not only about advertising but cultures. How do people from other countries behave and why. This course is perfect for someone who wants to understand the nuances of cultural difference and learn about the Asian way to advertise.
AAS 395 | INDEPENDENT STUDY IN GLOBAL ASIAN STUDIES | 4-8 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
Independent study. Variable credit.