The following are special courses the Department has
offered in the recent past. To return to Upcoming
New & Special Courses, click
here.
Autumn 2009
An introduction to the ancient and classical literature of India in its cultural and historical context, featuring works originally written in ancient Indian languages. Tests from which readings are drawn include the Rig Veda, the Mahabharata and Bhagavadgita, the Pancatantra, and poems and plays of Kalidasa. All works are read in English translation. Course flyer.
How did martial arts grow into a popular genre in fiction and film, and how did the genre become a worldwide craze? How do martial arts movies comment on East Asian and North American cultures? The course examined the formation of literary and cinematic conventions of martial arts films, the history of their production in countries such as China, Hong Kong and Japan, and their ideological background. In addition to offering an introduction to filmic technique and Asian popular media, the course draws on the importance of visual and bodily perception, gender constructions, and intercultural translation.
Workshop on language teaching methodology. Includes mentoring in portfolio development for job seekers. Graduate standing and concurrent registration in both courses required.
This graduate-level course is an introduction to Mandarin phonology. Topics include:
phonology and phonetics of Modern Standard Mandarin; dialectal variation in Mandarin; the
historical and dialectal origins of the standard; comparative reconstruction of Proto-Mandarin; textual
sources on early Mandarin varieties; and the influence on Mandarin of Mongolic and Tungusic
languages. Students are expected to have a basic knowledge of phonetics and phonology, including
familiarity with the International Phonetic Alphabet. Readings in both English and Chinese. A
Pprerequisite of CHIN 342 or 442 is recommended. For more information, click here.
Spring 2009
ASIAN 498B - Special Topics: Approaches to the Study of Asian Languages and Literature
Instructor: Michael C. Shapiro
MWF 1:30-2:50, MLR 302B |
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This course is intended to familiarize students with the range of approaches to the study of Asian languages and literatures that are taken up during the course of undergraduate majors. Topics included: language learning and language learning theory; descriptive, historical, and comparative linguistics; philology; theoretical approaches to the study of literature; and cultural studies.
This course integrates speaking, reading, and writing skills with an emphasis on written and multimedia sources including newspaper articles, short stories, scholarly essays, and television short plays. Students will give oral presentations and write essays based on the assigned readings. There are also quizzes, tests, a midterm exam, and an end-of-term project to help students review materials learned. This course counts toward a Chinese major or minor, and is a VLPA course.
CHINESE 544 - Seminar in Chinese Dialectology
Instructor: Anne Yue-Hashimoto
T 1:30 - 4:30pm,
MGH 288
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Taxonomy; language contact and Linguistic stratification; reconstruction of the history of the Chinese language in its vicissitudes based on the modern Sinitic languages; and linguistic change across the Sinitic languages.
Hindi 502 Studies in Medieval Avadhi Literature
Instructor: Heidi Pauwels |
|
Itroduction to medieval Avadhi and the mixed Hindu-Muslim historical background. We will engage in readings from Padmavat of Muhammad Malik Jayasi. Assessment: class participation, final exam, and final paper.
Winter 2009
ASIAN 203A - Literature of Ancient and Classical India in English Translation
Instructor: Heidi Pauwels |
|
This course explores some of the most influential works of Indian tradition and world civilization in their cultural context: the Rigveda, the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and Bhagavadgita, Kalidasa’s Shakuntala, the Pañcatantra, and Cilappatikaram. The works covered in the course were originally composed in Sanskrit or Tamil, but we will read them in English translation.
CHINESE 470 - Modern Chinese through film
Instructor: Liping Yu |
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This course integrated speaking, reading, and writing skills based on some of the more famous Chinese films of the last few decades. Students watched a different film every two weeks, carried out in-class discussion, and did written responses.
Prerequisites: Chinese 213 or Chinese 303.
In its broadest sense etymology consists in the study of
the history and structure of words. In this course we shall approach
Chinese etymology primarily from two perspectives: (i) identifying lexical
relations among the words of Old Chinese, how these relations have led
to the lexical phenomenon of ‘word families’ and determining to what extent
such relations can be accounted for by recognized morphological processes,
and (ii) identifying foreign loanwords in Old Chinese, determining
the donor language or language family from which such words originate,
and how they came to be borrowed into Old Chinese. In considering these
aspects of Chinese word studies we will introduce the roles of historical
phonology, lexicography, and the writing system, among other things.
Autumn 2008
CHINESE 380A - Premodern Chinese narrative in translation
Instructor: Chris Hamm |
|
China’s
pre-modern novels, The Dream of the Red Chamber, also known
as The Story of the Stone. We will read Hawkes and Minford’s five-volume
English translation in its entirety. Through discussion, writing, and
secondary readings, we will explore the novel’s characters, plot, and
themes, its historical context, its reception, and the techniques of traditional
Chinese fiction.
CHINESE 496A - Special Studies in Chinese: Chinese Reading for Advanced Students
Instructor: Zev Handel |
|
The goal of this course was to improve reading skills in modern Chinese. Students will do close readings of works in a variety of styles, including fiction and on-line punditry, with an emphasis on accuracy of translation, grammatical precision, and appreciation of style and tone. Appropriate for beginning graduate students who wish to improve their reading skills, and for advanced undergraduates at the fourth-year level or higher. Conducted in English.
HINDI 421A - Survey of Modern Hindi Literature: Short Story
Instructor: Heidi Pauwels |
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This course provides a survey of modern Hindi literature from the
late nineteenth century to the present, exploring issues of nation
formation, hardening linguistic and religious identities, and the role
of gender issues in that process. This class features readings of
representative short stories in Hindi, in conjunction with reading
and discussion of recent scholarship on the topic.
Summer 2008
ASIAN 205- Modern Japan in Fiction and Film
Instructor: Ted Mack |
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Following Asian 204's introduction to China, Asian 205 offered an introduction to the fiction and film of 20th-century Japan, and an introduction to 20th-century Japan through fiction and film.
Spring 2008
ASIAN 498- Word Formation Patterns in Native Korean Vocabulary
Instructor: Soohee Kim |
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The course focused on verb formation patterns of verbs and adjectives from the native Korean stratum while providing the basics of Korean phonology. The course offered students studying Korean a fundamental understanding of Korean verbal morphology.
Winter 2008
ASIAN 207/COMP 272- Asian Martial Arts Films: Conventions, Institutional History, and Ideology
Instructor: Chris Hamm , Yomi Braester |
|
How did martial arts grow into a popular genre in fiction and film, and how did the genre become a worldwide craze? How do martial arts movies comment on East Asian and North American cultures? The course examined the formation of literary and cinematic conventions of martial arts films, the history of their production in countries such as China, Hong Kong and Japan, and their ideological background. In addition to offering an introduction to filmic technique and Asian popular media, the course draws on the importance of visual and bodily perception, gender constructions, and intercultural translation.
ASIAN 498- Trauma, Memory, Identity, and the City in Korean Cinema
Instructor: Susie Kim (Visiting Instructor) |
|
This course examined issues of "trauma" and "memory" and how they shape identities and the city in contemporary South Korean cinema. As part of the recent "Korean Wave" phenomenon, Korean cinema has played a significant role in constructing an imaginary cinescape that reflects the dynamic changes undertaken by postwar Korean society. The course will be organized around sub-topics such as the cinematic city, time and memory, national division, globalization, disintegration of family, gender, consumer society, youth culture, the student movement, etc. All materials will be provided in English. No prerequisites.
CHIN 470- Modern Chinese through Film
Instructor: Liping Yu |
|
This course integrates speaking, reading, and writing skills based on some of the more famous Chinese films of the last few decades. Students will watch a different film every two weeks, carry out in-class discussion, and do written responses. Prerequisites: Chinese 213 or Chinese 303.
CHIN 373- Chinese Poetry: The Everlasting Sentiments
Instructor: Jie Wu |
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This course on Chinese poetry, mainly of pre-modern times, provides an introduction to its forms, major themes, and relevant conventions, with a focus on the sentiments and emotions of human beings. Separation, reunion, exile, love, homesickness, the fall of an empire, seasonal changes, rebellious children... all of which touch the sensitive heartstrings of the Chinese. The sentiments of sorrow, joy, sympathy, frustration and pride are everlasting despite the changes of time and space, and these sentiments are the original impetus of poetry. Topics will include the sentiments and passions of lovers, friends, siblings, patriots, scholars and imperial family members. All readings are in English. No prerequisites.
The seminar is designed to introduce the language of oracle-bone inscriptions (OBI), often referred to in Chinese as jiaguwen 甲骨文, which is the earliest attested Chinese predating the old stratum of classical Chinese. The period covers ca. 1230 to 1050 B.C.
In addition to reading assignment, we will practice writing Shang OBI graphs, first by tracing the drawings made by specialists and then the “original” rubbings. After some practice, we will move on to copying OBI graphs (moxie 摹寫). The students will learn how to write them as accurately as possible as homework and are required to submit their work to the instructor. In class the use of reference materials, how to look up OBI graphs and how to transcribe them into modern Chinese characters (the subject of paleography), and how to go about reading the texts (the subject of philology) will be covered. The general methodologies followed will be linguistic, mainly lexicological and grammatical aspects, to try to understand the structure of the OBI language. Study of ancient Chinese civilization, specifically of the Shang, can most reliably be accomplished by the use of “synchronic evidential approach,” the use of primary contemporary texts.
A term paper, required for the course, is in the form of annotated translations of inscriptions. A set of inscriptions will be assigned to individual students as the term progresses.
Prerequisites: Chinese 213 or Chinese 303.
JAPAN 360- Topics in Japanese Culture: Japanese Film
Instructor: Davinder Bhowmik
Prof. Davinder Bhowmik is offering a reading intensive Japanese film course, Japan 360 “Topics in Japanese Culture”, which focuses on cinematic adaptations of literature. This course will be in English.
Autumn 2007
ASIAN 207- Survey of Korean Literature in Translation
SLN: 19354
Time: MWF 1:30-2:50
Classroom: PAR 213
Instructor: Susie Kim
This course is an introductory survey of modern Korean literature
through key works of fiction from the early twentieth century to
the postwar era. Topics to be covered include issues of nationalism,
Japanese colonization, the changing role of women, the Korean War,
American occupation, and national division. Discussions will be
based on close readings of the texts. All materials will be provided in
English. No prerequisites.
ASIAN 498 - Indian Devotional Literature in English Translation
SLN: 10492
Time: T & TH 12:30-2:20
Classroom: SMI 304
Instructor: Heidi Pauwels
The topic of this course is the devotional literature of “medieval” India (South Asia), covering the period from the middle of the second millennium CE through today, focusing on the so-called bhakti literature. During the course some of the most influential works of the Indian devotional tradition will be read and discussed in their cultural context, with an eye especially to how these texts are interpreted and used in contemporary art, religion, and politics. These include the South as well as North Indian devotional works in a variety of Indian languages. Although the works covered in the course were originally composed in Indian languages, they will be read in English translation. No knowledge of an Indian language is presupposed. No prerequisites.
This course provides an overview of foreign language teaching methods with application to Asian languages. The course is taught in a workshop style, with readings, discussion, short lectures, and hands-on practicum on topics related to teaching methodology such as lesson planning, teaching grammar, task-based instruction, teaching reading and writing, testing, materials development, etc. Students enrolled are given the opportunity to teach mini-lessons in their language of interest, as well as to observe professional language instructors. The course is open to graduate students who are Asian Languages & Literature TAs and those who are preparing to apply for a TA position or to teach an Asian language in another instructional context. No prerequisites.
Note: This course is only open to graduate students who are current or prospective TAs for the Department of Asian Languages and Literature courses.
CHINESE 580 - Readings in Vernacular Fiction: The Ming Vernacular Tale
SLN: 11739
Time: T & TH 1:30-3:20
Classroom: THO 217
Instructor: Chris Hamm
This introduction to the Chinese vernacular tale (huaben 話本) will combine close reading of texts from various collections with a survey of the relevant scholarship in Western and Asian languages. Topics will include the history and evolution of the genre, the relationship between oral and written literature, Ming book culture, the narrative rhetoric of vernacular fiction, and the representation of gender. Students will be expected to prepare readings in Chinese and English, give in-class presentations, and submit a final research paper. Recommended prerequisites are four years’ college study of modern Chinese (or the equivalent), one year of classical Chinese, and previous coursework in literary studies. Prerequisite: permission of instructor.
Summer 2007
ASIAN 204- Modern China in Fiction and Film
SLN: 10146
Time: Daily 1:10-3:20
Classroom: SMI 107
Instructor: Chris Hamm
Ah Q, Bruce Lee, and the White-Haired Girl will be among our guides as we tour the fiction and film of China¹s tumultuous twentieth century, using the artifacts of culture, both popular and high, as windows on the nation¹s history, aesthetics, and identity. Designed for students with no previous study of China. No prerequisites.
Winter 2007
JAPAN 360 and CHIN 381- Righteous Violence: Power, Justice, and the East
SLN: 14183 and 11725
Time: MWF 2:30-3:50
Classroom: JHN 075
Instructor: Ted Mack and Chris Hamm
The goal of this course will be to trace representations of righteous violence in China and Japan. The course will examine the interplay between these two traditions, which drew a great deal from one another, from their history in the premodern period into their twentieth-century incarnations. At the same time, the course will explore the psychological needs that these genres and their Western counterparts satisfy: the need to feel invulnerable at times of dramatic insecurity; the desire to see an ethically complex world as simple; and the yearning to believe that a transcendent knowledge exists that is ultimately accessible, if only to the most pure of heart. As such, the course will discuss the ethics of justice, vigilantism, and force. Finally, the course will address the persistence of a belief in a fundamental East/West divide, which allows Hollywood blockbusters to suggest that magical abilities and metaphysical insight remain hidden in the heart of Asia.
Prerequisites: None. All texts in English translation. Fulfills requirements for either Japanese or Chinese major. For more information, please visit the course webpage.
CHIN 482 - Advanced Readings in Modern Chinese
SLN: 11730
Time: TTH 1:30-3:20
Classroom: SAV 313
Instructor: Nyan-Ping Bi
This course integrates speaking, reading, and writing skills with an emphasis on written and multimedia sources including newspaper articles, short stories, scholarly essays, and television short plays. Students will learn to utilize sophisticated expressions and grammatical structures in in-depth discussion and formal speeches, support and defend points of view in a cohesive and coherent discourse, recognize different types of literary works and their basic rhetorical structures, and compose summaries, reviews, and critiques in Chinese on topics discussed.
Prerequisites: Chinese 213 or Chinese 303. Priority will be given
to students who have taken CHIN 496.
CHIN 540 - Seminar on Chinese Linguistics: Sino-Tibetan
SLN: 11732
Time: TTH 1:30-3:20
Classroom: SMI 111
Instructor: Zev Handel
This course explores the genetic relationship of Chinese to the Tibeto-Burman languages. Students will gain familiarity with the linguistic features and subgroups of the Tibeto-Burman family, whose speakers are located across a vast area from Northern India to the Southeast Asian peninsula, and with its place within the broader linguistic landscape of Asia. The course will focus on the methods and materials used in the reconstruction of Proto-Sino-Tibetan, arrived at through comparison of Chinese and Tibeto-Burman. Points of both consensus and controversy will be discussed.
Prerequisites: Familiarity with Old Chinese reconstruction and historical linguistics.
Spring 2007
CHIN 470 - Modern Chinese Through Film
SLN: TBA
Time: T 12:30-3:20, TH 12:30-2:20
Classroom: TBA
Instructor: Liping Yu
This course integrates speaking, reading, and writing skills based on some of the more famous Chinese films of the last few decades. Students will watch a different film each week, carry out in-class discussion, and do written responses.
Prerequisites: Chinese 213 or Chinese 303.
Priority will be given to students who have completed CHIN
496 or CHIN 482.
Note: Contrary to the course catalog, Chinese 413 is
not a prerequisite for the course this year.
Autumn 2006
RELIG 454 - Perceptions of the Feminine Divine in Hinduism
SLN: 17306
Time: TTh 12:30-2:20
Classroom: THO 235
Instructor: Heidi Pauwels
This course explores the implications of the perception of a feminine divine for gender issues in South Asia. It includes a historical overview, an analysis of the crucial text, the Devī-Mahātmya, as well as discussion of theoretical issues regarding the goddess's function as role model for women, political and social significance of goddess worship, suttee/satī, the phenomenon of goddess possession and women's goddess rituals at the village level. Students will read primary texts ranging from sacred Hindu scriptures to folk tales as well as recent and new research on the topic. Assessment via two papers, one oral presentation and class participation. Prerequisite: Relig 352, Asian 203 or equivalent
JAPAN 428 - Advanced Oral Communication
SLN: 18677
Time: MWF 12:30-1:20
Classroom: MGH 254
Instructor: Akiko Iwata
Course Website
This course focuses on development of oral communication skills.
This course is designed to build confidence in speaking
to an audience. You will discuss recent social issues in Japan and
other countries; express your opinions via group discussions; give
short speeches; interview native Japanese speakers; and participate
in task-based role-playing exercises. Communication strategies,
some advanced-level expressions and new vocabulary will be presented.
You will be asked to analyze your own speech through video and tape
recording and be given feedback on your speech habits and pronunciation.
Several other activities will be assigned to supplement the oral
communication, such as viewing taped and online news articles and
writing drafts. Prerequisite: JAPAN 313 with a grade of 2.5 or higher.
JAPAN 429 - Advanced Writing in Japanese
SLN: 18678
Time: MWF 1:30-2:20
Classroom: MGH 278
Instructor: Itsuko Nishikawa
This course focuses on writing, and writing is approached as a process of learning. It introduces and implements strategies to help students read, discuss, and write effectively. Authentic reading materials on various topics are used with an emphasis on both langauge and context. Students also choose reading materials according to their interest for their final paper.
Class activities include reading, group discussion of the reading
material, and exchange of peer feedback on writing. Students
learn skills and language involved in writing a summary, leading
and participating in a discussion, and writing a paper. These will
culminate in a final paper that synthesizes information from various
sources and expresses opinions. Prerequisite: JAPAN 313 with a grade
of 2.5 or higher
CHIN 496 - Special Studies in Chinese: Chinese Reading for Advanced Students
SLN: 18696
Time: MWF 1:30-2:50
Classroom: SAV 132
Instructor: Zev Handel
The goal of this course is to improve student reading skills in modern Chinese. Students will do close readings of works in a variety of styles, from fiction to academic articles, with an emphasis on accuracy of translation, grammatical precision, and appreciation of style and tone. The course is appropriate for beginning graduate students who wish to improve their reading skills, and for advanced undergraduates at the fourth-year level or higher. The course will be conducted in English.
BENG
321 - Intermediate Bengali
SLN:
Time: Daily 12:30-1:20
Classroom: MGH 286
Instructor: Carol Salomon
Develops proficiency in reading, writing, listening, and speaking
standard colloquial Bengali at an intermediate level. Readings
in fiction and nonfiction literature, vocabulary and grammar
exercises, writing of essays and creative pieces, aural
comprehension exercises, and topic-based conversation and
role play. Prerequisite: BENG 313.
BENG
401 - Advanced Bengali
SLN:
Time: TBA
Classroom: TBA
Instructor: Carol Salomon
Further development of proficiency in reading, writing, listening,
and speaking standard colloquial Bengali at an advanced
level with the aim of preparing students to do research.
Readings in fiction and nonfiction literature,
vocabulary and grammar exercises, writing of essays and
creative pieces, aural comprehension exercises, and topic-based
conversation. Prerequisite: BENG 323.
Spring 2006
JAPAN 533 - Graduate Seminar in Modern Japanese Literature
SLN: 4938
Time: TTh 9:30-11:20
Classroom: PAR 305
Instructor: Ted Mack
Professor Kôno Kensuke of Nihon University will be joining the seminar, which will be conducted in Japanese. All readings will be in Japanese.
ASIAN 211 - Languages and Cultures of China: Chinese characters across time, space, and language
SLN: 1514
Time: M-F 11:30-12:20
Classroom: MLR 302B
Instructor: Zev Handel
Chinese characters (variously known as kanji, hanzi, hanja, etc.) are one of the oldest writing systems
that human civilization has produced. They have been in continuous use in China for over 3000 years,
and over that period have been adopted for use in Japan, Korea, Vietnam, and other locations
throughout Asia. For Westerners, Chinese characters have been an object of both curiosity and
philosophical speculation. This course examines the origin and development of Chinese characters
within China; the various strategies used to adopt them for writing different languages in Asia; and
their current status in written Vietnamese, Korean, and Japanese. The course will also explore Western
perceptions of the nature of Chinese writing over the last several hundred years, in particular the
question of whether Chinese characters can directly transcribe ideas. Prerequisite: One year of college-level instruction (or the equivalent) in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, or
Vietnamese. Familiarity with, or facility in, the use of Chinese characters is not required, but will be
helpful.
CHIN 580 – Literature of the Three Kingdoms (II)
SLN: 2604
Time: M,W 1:30-3:20
Classroom: SMI 107
Instructors: David Knechtges, Chris Hamm
Chinese 580 will be offered as the second course in a two-term sequence beginning with CHIN 560 in Winter 2006. Students are expected to take both courses in the sequence. The first term will be devoted to readings from the San guo zhi and primary texts from the Three Kingdoms period (221-280 A.D.). This term of the course can be approved as a substitute for Chinese 552 (Second-year Classical). The second term will be devoted to treatments of Three Kingdoms material in the drama, prosimetric literature, and fiction of the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. Prerequisites for the Winter term are Chinese 453 and at least one course from the Chinese 461-62-63 sequence. CHIN 560 in the Winter term is required for participation in the Spring.
Winter 2006
JAPAN 360/ASIAN 498 - Citizen, Subject, Traitor: The Paradox of National(ist) Literature
SLN: TBA
Time: TTh 2:30-4:20
Classroom: TBA
Instructors: Scott Swaner and Ted Mack
This class will focus on literature (in English translation) written by ethnically Korean writers in Japanese and Korean and analyzing questions of linguistic and national identity. Authors treated include three groups that have been displaced to the margins of empire: Korean colonial subjects in Korea and Japan, including so-called "collaborators"; Korean writers in postcolonial Korea; and ethnic Koreans writing in Japan throughout the twentieth century. The extreme situation faced by ethnically Korean writers reveals fissures that many other socio-political contexts conceal through relatively homogeneous cultural-linguistic communities and the naturalization of the nation-state. In order to highlight these continuities, we will supplement the literary texts with a variety of theoretical texts in postcolonial studies, nationalism and empire studies, ethnic studies, and identity studies.
CHIN 482 - Advanced Reading in Modern Chinese
SLN: 2748
Time: TTh 1:30-3:20
Classroom: TBA
Instructor: Nyan-Ping Bi
This course integrates speaking, reading, and writing skills with an emphasis on written and multimedia sources including newspaper articles, short stories, scholarly essays, and television short plays. Students will be asked to do weekly oral presentations and biweekly reaction papers based on the assigned readings. There are also quizzes, a midterm exam, and a final exam to help students review materials learned. This course counts toward a Chinese major or minor, and is a VLPA course. Prerequisites: Chinese 213 or Chinese 303.
CHIN 560 – Literature of the Three Kingdoms (I)
SLN: TBA
Time: T,Th 1:30-3:20
Classroom: TBA
Instructors: David Knechtges, Chris Hamm
Chinese 560 will be offered as the first course of a two-term sequence with CHIN 580 in Spring 2006. Students are expected to take both courses in the sequence. The first term will be devoted to readings from the San guo zhi and primary texts from the Three Kingdoms period (221-280 A.D.). This term of the course can be approved as a substitute for Chinese 552 (Second-year Classical). The second term will be devoted to treatments of Three Kingdoms material in the drama, prosimetric literature, and fiction of the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. Prerequisites for the Winter term are Chinese 453 and at least one course from the Chinese 461-62-63 sequence. The Winter term is required for participation in the Spring.
CHIN 580/C LIT 596 – The Figure of History in Modern Chinese Fiction and Film
SLN: TBA
Time: TBA
Classroom: TBA
Instructors: Yomi
Braester
Course web site: http://faculty.washington.edu/yomi/figureofhistory.html
Recent research has often noted the prevalent interest in historical constructs in modern Chinese fiction, be it through the figure of the sublime, testimony and antitestimony, or "the monster that is history." The seminar will engage in a critical reading of scholarly books (by, among others, Wendy Larson, Xudong Zhang, Ban Wang, Yomi Braester, Yi-tsi Mei Feuerwerker, And David Der-wei Wang) and the literary texts that they study. The course is cross-listed in the Comparative Literature Department.
Autumn 2005
ASIAN 494/SISSA 494 - Ramayana in Comparative Perspective
SLN: 1087/1048
Time: MW 11:30-1:20
Classroom: TBA
Instructors: Heidi Pauwels
The story of Rama has through the centuries influenced not only religious and moral but also cultural, social, and political life in south, east, and southeast Asia. In this course, we will compare different versions of the Ramayana, including the widely popular south asian television version. We will concentrate on some of the most famous and controversial passages, with special attention to gender issues. We will incorporate background readings from the most recent research, some of which has not yet been published. Students will be graded on the basis of class preparation and discussion preparation as wll as on their final paper.
HINDI 504 - Readings in Medieval Hindi: Rajasthani
SLN: TBA
Time: TTh 12:30-1:50
Classroom: TBA
Instructors: Heidi Pauwels
This class is to provide an introduction to the language and literature of Old Rajasthani, the literary form of Medieval Hindi associated with Rajasthan. This will be accomplished by a grammar introduction and close reading of selections from one representative literary works in the original language. This year we will have a special focus on horses. We will read selections from the Dhola-Maru, arguably one of the oldest Medieval Hindi texts, but still sung by Rajasthani camel drivers, and from the still vibrant folk epics Devnarayan Katha and Pabu ri Vat. Apart from reading the texts in the original, we will also discuss their literary, cultural, and historical context and contemporary relevance.
Spring 2005
ASIAN 207/COMP LIT 272 - Asian Martial Arts Films: Conventions, Institutional History, and Ideology NEW
SLN: 1478-1485
Time: screenings MT 2:00-3:50; lectures WTh 2:00-3:50; sections F 1:30-2:20 or 2:30-3:20
Classroom: Kane 110
Instructors: Yomi Braester and Chris Hamm
How did martial arts grow into a popular genre in fiction and film, and how did the genre become a worldwide craze? How do martial arts movies comment on East Asian and North American cultures? The course examines the formation of literary and cinemeaic conventions of martial arts films, the history of their production in countries such as China, Hong Kong and Japan, and their ideological background. In addition to offering an introduction to filmic technique and Asian popular media, the course dwells on the importance of visual and bodily perception, gender constructions, and intercultural translation.
JAPAN 533 - Modern Japanese Literature Seminar NEW
SLN: 4765
Time: TTh 2:30-4:20
Classroom: To be announced
Instructors: Davinder Bhowmik and Kanai Keiko (Waseda University)
This seminar will focus on fiction written by a variety of Japanese authors whose work addresses tensions wrought by modernization in Japan. Topics of discussion will include alienation, disease, lost languages, and the center-periphery divide. We will read works by authors such as Hayashi Fumiko, Shimao Miho, Ishimure Michiko, and Sakiyama Tami. The Department of Asian Languages and Literature is honored to have KANAI Keiko, professor of Japanese literature at Waseda University and visiting scholar at the University of Washington, co-teach this course. Professor Kanai is the author and editor of many articles and books, including Mayonaka no kanojotachi: kaku onna no kindai (Tokyo: Chikuma Shobô, 1995). The class will be conducted in Japanese and therefore requires an advanced level of Japanese speaking, listening, and reading ability. All writing for the course will be done in English. Any student with sufficient language ability and interest in Japanese literature, whether graduate or undergraduate, is welcome to inquire about taking the course. Enrollment is limited and requires the permission of the professors. Please contact Professor Bhowmik if you are interested in taking the course.
CHIN 470 - Advanced Readings in Modern Chinese NEW
SLN: 8891
Time: TTh 12:30-2:20
Classroom: CDH 125
Instructor: Deborah Porter
This course is designed to expose advanced students of Chinese to a variety of vernacular texts, including fiction, editorials and scholarly essays. The emphasis will be on identifying specific discursive structures that inform and adumbrate implicit rhetorical objectives of the different texts. Students will be asked to do weekly translations as well as a bigger translation project at the end of the quarter. This course counts as advanced language credit toward a Chinese major or minor.
ASIAN 498A - Advanced Japanese Through Content NEW
SLN: 1487
Time: MWF 12:30-1:50
Classroom: SAV 311
Instructor: Kaoru Ohta
The objectives of this course are to further develop advanced Japanese speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills through content-based instruction. Reading and listening materials are all authentic non-fiction made for native Japanese speakers. Prerequisites: Japan 423 or equivalent, and/or study abroad in Japan for (at least) one year, and/or heritage background in Japanese. See the instructor for add code/placement as apporpriate. Note: This course counts towards the "language" category of the Japanese major/minor.
ASIAN 498B - Studies in Urdu Poetry NEW
SLN: 8780
Time: MW 1:30-2:50
Classroom: MGH 297
Instructor: Jameel Ahmad
An Introduction to the classical poetry of the Urdu literary traditions. Works by such poets as Mir Taqi ("Mir"), Assadullah Khan ("Ghalib"), Mohammad Iqbal, and Faiz Ahmad ("Faiz") will be read and discussed. Prerequisites: At least one year of either Hindi or Urdu and with permission.
Winter 2005
JAPAN 505 - Kambun NEW
SLN: 4929
Time: TTh 10:30-12:20
Classroom: SAV 311
Instructor: Paul Atkins
The purpose of this course is to provide students with an introduction to kambun, a method of writing classical Japanese as classical Chinese and reading classical Chinese as classical Japanese. A knowledge of kambun is essential to anyone who wishes to conduct research on any aspect of Japan studies before 1945. Prerequisite: JAPAN 472; or JAPAN 471 and graduate standing.
ASIAN 207 - Introduction to Korean Literature
SLN: 1486
Time: TTh 1:30-3:50
Classroom: SAV 316
Instructor: Scott Swaner
This course surveys Korean literature -- oral, dramatic, and written genres -- from the oldest texts to the present. Beginning with hyangga and legendary tales from the Remnants of the Three Kingdoms (Samguk Yusa), touching on sijo, kasa, and pansori, and arriving amid modern poetry and prose, students will be asked to question continually how literature relates to its social and cultural contexts, and related to this, which Korean voices are allowed to speak through literature. This inquiry will allow us to examine: ideology and literature, performance, gender dynamics, identity and difference. Among others, texts may include The Song of the Dragons Flying to Heaven, The Tale of Hong Kiltong, The Memoirs of Lady Hyegyông, Tears of Blood, Peace Under Heaven, A Grey Man, and works by Yi Sang, Kim Chiha, Hwang Ji-woo (Hwang Chiu), Kim Hyesun, and Choe Yôngmi. Students will become familiar with Korea's literary tradition and will work to acquire critical tools for analyzing texts and the idea of tradition itself. All texts are in English.
KOREAN 416 - Readings in Korean Literature
SLN: 4937
Time: MWF 1:30-2:20
Classroom: DEN 313
Instructor: Scott Swaner
Reading of various literary texts which may include pre-modern Korean narrative and poetry as well as modern literature and drama. Prerequisite: KOREAN 413.
URDU 312 - Elementary Urdu
SLN: 8639
Time: MTWThF 10:30-11:20
Classroom: MGH 287A
Instructor: Jameel Ahmad
Modern literary Urdu. Reading, writing, conversation, and listening comprehension. Introduction to Perso-Arabic script. Prerequisite: URDU 311.
URDU 322 - Intermediate Urdu
SLN: 8640
Time: MTWThF 9:30-10:20
Classroom: MGH 287A
Instructor: Jameel Ahmad
Systematic expansion of vocabulary and grammar. Intermediate level prose and poetry readings. Expansion of skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening comprehension. Prerequisite: URDU 321.
URDU 402 - Advanced Urdu
SLN: 8641
Time: to be arranged
Classroom: to be arranged
Instructor: Jameel Ahmad
Rapid reading of contemporary Urdu prose and poetry. Advanced conversation and composition. Prerequisite: URDU 401.
Autumn 2004
ASIAN 207 -
Hybrid Koreas: 20th-Century Literary and Cultural Studies
SLN: 9161
Time: MWF 2:30-3:50
Classroom: SAV 311
Instructor: Scott Swaner
Through 20th-century poetry, fiction, and film, Margaret Cho, Han Yong'un, Yi Sang, Kim Suyông, Hwang Ji-Woo (Hwang Chiu) (et al.), student & worker uprisings, questions of identity, race, (trans-) gender, tradition and modernity will be some of the broad themes of this course. The course is structured around the following issues, which are approached through a variety of cultural texts: hybrid identities, history "East" and "West," colonialism/post-colonialism, war and division, communism, minjok / race and nationalism, questions of (trans-)gender, and consumer society. Some historical and theoretical texts help frame critical questions about ever-changing "Korean" identities from the colonial period under Japan to the present of two Koreas. Assumes no prior knowledge of Korea; readings in English.
BENG 311 - Elementary Bengali (5)
SLN: 1652
Time: MTWThF 11:30-12:20
Classroom: SAV 326
Instructor: Carol Salomon
Elementary Bengali is the first of a three quarter introduction to colloquial Bengali. Bengali or Bangla is spoken in Bangladesh and in India, primarily in the state of West Bengal. With over 200 million speakers it ranks seventh among the world languages in the number of native speakers. Bengali is known for its rich literature dating back to 1000 AD. Among the many great modern Bengali writers, the single most important and well-known author is the 1913 Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore.
The course will offer a balance of all four skills: speaking, reading, writing, and listening. Students will learn modern standard Bengali of West Bengal (India). This is the style used in news broadcasts, newspapers and most formal writing today in both West Bengal and Bangladesh. However, differences from Bengali as spoken in Bangladesh will be pointed out. Instruction will include lectures on grammar, drill sections, oral and written exercises, aural comprehension exercises and readings in elementary level texts.
Spring 2004
KOREAN 413/KOREAN 531 - Modern Korean Literature: Aesthetics & Politics in Post-Colonial South Korean
SLN: 4572/4574
Time: T-Th 2:30-5:20
Classroom: Denny 309
Instructor: Scott Swaner
This course examines the development of contemporary poetic voice/s in postcolonial Korea, particularly by studying a number of representative poets such Sô Chôngju, Kim Suyông, Kim Chiha, Pak Nohae, and Hwang Chiu. The question to which we will constantly return is: What is the relationship between art and politics? The primary class activity is close readings of poetry. We will also become familiar with a set of theoretical ideas to help us grapple with the aesthetics-politics dialectic. These ideas derive from Ernst Bloch, et al, Aesthetics and Politics; essays by Benjamin, Mayakovsky, and Kim Suyông; and Peter Burger's Theory of the Avant-Garde. All poems and several essays will be read in Korean.
JAPAN 533 - The Golden Demon: Ozaki Kôyô's Konjiki yasha & Oguri Fûyô's sequel, Konjiki yasha (shûhen)
SLN: 4564
Time: T-Th 2:30-4:20
Instructor: Ted Mack
Konjiki yasha was serialized in the Yomiuri shinbun and the literary journal Shinshôsetsu between 1 January 1897 and March 1903. Along with Hototogisu, it was one of the two bestselling works of literature during the Meiji period (1868-1912). It is our pleasure to have RIMBARA Sumio, professor of Japanese literature at Kobe University and visiting scholar at the University of Washington, co-teach this course. The class will be conducted in Japanese and therefore requires a very advanced level of Japanese speaking, listening, and reading ability. All writing will be done in English. Any student with sufficient language ability and interest, whether graduate or undergraduate, is welcome to contact us about taking the course. Course enrollment is limited and requires the permission of the professors. Please contact Professor Mack if you are interested in taking the course. [5-credit course]
Winter 2004
ASIAN 207 - Many Koreas: 20th-Century Literature and Cultural Construction
SLN: 8502
Time: M-W-F 2:30-3:50
Classroom: Denny 310
Instructor: Scott Swaner (Post-Doctoral Fellow, Harvard University)
Through 20th-century fiction, poetry, and film, Margaret Cho, Han Yong'un, Yi Sang, Kim Suyông (et al.), student & worker uprisings, questions of identity, race, (trans) gender, tradition and modernity will be some of the themes and concerns of this course. Historical and theoretical texts will also be used to help frame critical questions about ever-changing 'Korean' identities from Korea's colonial period under Japan to the present state of two Koreas. Periods covered are East/West encounters (1870-present), colonialism and modernity (1905-1945), the Cold War/Korean (Civil) War (1945-present), growth of Modernist aesthetics (1920-1940, 1950-1980), and authoritarian regimes (1950-1990). It assumes no prior knowledge of Korea. [5-credit W course]
JAPAN 360 - Representations of Ethnic Minorities in Japanese Literature and Film
SLN: 8788
Time: T-Th 2:30-4:20
Instructor: Davinder L. Bhowmik
This course examines textual and filmic representations of ethnic minorities and recent immigrant groups in Japan using theories concerning the constructions of culture, race, and nation in Japanese national identity. We will explore the experiences of traditional ethnic minorities in Japan (the Ainu, Okinawans, hisabetsu burakumin, and Koreans), as well as more recent immigrant groups (Japanese-Brazilian return migrants, Middle Eastern, South and Southeast Asian labor immigrants). Evaluation will include a midterm, final examination, participation, and response papers. Designed for students interested in Japanese language, literature, and culture. No prerequisites. [5-credit course]
Spring 2003
CHIN
560 - Proseminar in Chinese
SLN: 2241
Time: Mon 1:30 - 4:20
Classroom: Savery 326
Instructor: Ken-ichi Takashima (University of British Columbia)
This is a graduate seminar introducing students with a basic knowledge of
Classical Chinese (one year or equivalent) to Zhou dynasty bronze inscriptions
(BRI). Subsequent to the earliest recorded form of the Chinese language (i.e.,
oracle-bone inscriptions or OBI), BRI are most important in that they are authentic
contemporary documents dating to Bronze Age China from about the 11th c. to
4th c. BC. Any serious study of the origins of Chinese civilization (language,
script, history, etc.) requires a knowledge of these unadulterated sources.
Much of what we know of the linguistic, historic, social, economic, religious,
philosophical, and political aspects of the first two dynasties to rule China
should ideally derive from these contemporary texts. The seminar is designed
to be the first step for students who are interested in reading these often
problematic but interesting original sources.
Winter 2002
ASIAN
585 - Proseminar in Chinese
SLN: 1473
Time: T-Th 1:30-2:50
Classroom: Savery 326
Instructor: Paul Harrison (University of Canterbury)
This seminar will investigate the textual and historical development of the
Sukhavati tradition (usually known as Pure Land Buddhism) by reading selection
portions of the Sanskrit text of the Larger Sukhavati-vyuha-sutra in comparison
with the corresponding sections in the Early Recension of that text, which
is represented by (but not identical with either of) the two earliest Chinese
translations, Taisho Nos. 361 and 362. The testimony of two other Chinese translations,
T.360 (the so-called Kang Sengkai or Sanghavarman version) and T.310.5 (the
Bodhiruci version) will also be considered.
Spring 2001
CHIN
496(A)/WOMEN
490(F) - Taiwan Contemporary Fictions and Feminisms
Time: T-Th 12:30-2:20
Instructor: Naifei Ding
This course will read a selection of Taiwan fiction from the eighties and
nineties in translation, focusing on works that engage contemporary Taiwan
feminist and queer movement theorizing and discursive strategies. We will juxtapose
fiction with contemporary cultural criticisms in order to examine how the dialogue
of fictional and movement discourses explore the possibilities, limitations,
and contradictions of new feminist and queer subject formations.
