Courses

We cover a variety of genres, from historical fiction to light novels, and authors ranging from Edogawa Rampo to Murakami Haruki. We analyze these works against the literary and socio-historical context of Japan and consider questions of canon formation, literary taste and value(s), and the concept of genre. Occasionally we discuss highbrow or canonical texts and interrogate the validity of the highbrow/popular distinction.

This course combines the methods of history with those of linguistics and translation studies to promote an innovative interdisciplinary analysis of the processes of cultural (mis)communication and (mis)translation among communities across the Iberian Empires and Royal Patronages between 1500 and 1700. This course has three main objectives: 1) mapping the emergence of multilingual communities in early modernity involving cultures and languages that were previously unknown in Europe; (2) drawing up a comprehensive typological catalogue of overlooked, dispersed metalinguistic and multilingual sources (reports, letters, Christian doctrines, maps, word lists, lexicons, grammars, visual material which described linguistic practices and\or display bilingual or three-lingual evidence) produced mostly in missionary contexts; and (3) within this broad “horizontal” survey, highlighting specific area studies to carry out an in-depth “vertical” comparative analysis of cultural-linguistic contacts and translations in America, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Asia, specifically chosen because they were paradigmatic, coeval, and sometimes antithetical cases detailing the different shades of cultural translations in colonial, imperial, and missionary contexts. The integration of two working strategies—the extensive typological mapping of intercultural multilingual sources and the analysis of case studies—allows us to undertake a comparative analysis of the processes related to the learning, imposing or rejection of cultures and languages in the “troubled pasts” of missionary and colonial contexts. The course aims to document the largest possible corpora of translations in early modernity and offers new ideas on the relevance of linguistic and cultural interactions and on our multicultural and multilingual “troubled present.” Participants also have the opportunity to analyze a selection of historical multilingual and metalinguistic documents (dictionaries, grammars, doctrines, maps) in the John Carter Brown Library collections, in Providence, RI, to discover how these documents have variously embodied cultural lenses, religious beliefs, and political concerns.

What explains the persistent gap in support for military rearmament between Japanese politicians and the public? Why have US-China and Sino-Japan relations over the past two decades been plagued with hostilities? Why is the global spread of K-pop and K-dramas crucial to Korea’s foreign policy strategy? And what might explain all three countries’ increasing interest in hosting the Olympics? The answer that this course explores is international status. This course serves as an overview of status and prestige in international relations theory and an in-depth look at how status and prestige concerns drive foreign policy decision-making, influence interactions between states, and determine outcomes in global politics. Special attention is paid to how status and status-seeking behavior have impacted policies and regional dynamics in East Asia. The course is designed to develop students’ research and analytical writing skills. Reading materials are theory-driven and multidisciplinary, spanning political science, sociology, psychology, economics, and sports history.

This course explores ethical action in a range of Buddhist traditions, with an emphasis on Mahayana Buddhism in India and Tibet. Rather than starting with the categories of Western philosophy, we seek to develop an account that emerges from Buddhist sources. We begin by establishing a working model of karmic acts—describing the status of agents and patients, the mechanics of karma, and the cosmological and soteriological contexts for action. We then examine the paradigmatic ethical act of giving as embodied by two great virtuous exemplars: the Buddha (archetypal renunciate) and Vessantara (archetypal layman). From there, we turn to case studies of ethical cultivation and negotiation in three realms of Buddhist practice: the Vinaya precepts governing monastic life, the altruism and skillful means of bodhisattvas, and the antinomian ethics of Buddhist tantra. The course concludes with a reflection on the intersection of aesthetics and morality in Buddhist thought.

Methods such as participant observation, interviews, surveys, and ethnography are based on the assumption of access to a field. This course looks at whether and how one can understand a society if access is restricted and dangerous for local participants. We study the cluster of concepts known as “remote ethnography”—studying on-the-ground conditions from a distance—through the case of Xinjiang, China. It looks critically at methods used by journalists, social scientists, governments, corporations and others in situations where access is not possible, including open-source research, close reading of official texts, social media analysis, digital survey techniques, remote imaging, and diaspora interviews. In particular, we ask if these can be done without detailed knowledge of local context, culture and history, and study how these sources relate to recent ethnographic knowledge about people’s lives in rural southern Xinjiang. Students become familiar with the main concepts of remote ethnography and acquire basic tools for their own research. By the end of the semester, they also prepare to critically assess the methods used by anthropologists, social scientists, journalists and others in studying closed societies.

In this class, we read Natsume Sōseki’s canonical 1908 novel Sanshirō in its original Japanese. One of the most beloved works of modern Japanese literature, Sanshirō features an eponymous protagonist struggling to navigate college life, love, and friendship. I provide vocabulary lists as well as the historical background necessary to understanding the text, with a focus on its format as a newspaper serialization. Students are expected to come to class having carefully read the assigned chapter. We translate selected passages into English and discuss the text in the context of its initial publication venue and beyond. Students gain a deep understanding of this Japanese classic and become more aware of some recurrent challenges in translating Japanese into English. 

This course delves into Tibet’s modern history, covering the late nineteenth century to the present. It situates Tibet’s history within the emerging ideological and political landscape shaped by the globalizing force of colonial modernity. By examining pivotal moments in twentieth-century Tibetan history, this course discusses the gradual transformation of the Tibetan world as it encountered new ideas, institutions, and practices from the modern West, often mediated through modern China and colonial and post-colonial India. Emphasizing that the present state of Tibet’s future was not predetermined, the course delves into the diverse visions for Tibet’s destiny that emerged at the beginning of the twentieth century. By exploring these overlooked and unrealized possibilities, it underscores the contingent and contested nature of Tibet’s modern history. As such, this course may particularly interest students exploring themes of modernity, nationalism, colonialism, and exile. Through the incorporation of primary sources, students engage directly with first-hand accounts and historical materials, fostering a more intimate understanding of modern Tibetan history.

This course examines how music is transmitted by various factors and how its styles and meanings can change in a new context. Through various scholarly approaches, this class aims to enhance your understanding of the mobility of music and its meanings. We will examine the processes and conditions in which music is exchanged and blended and consider how such “mashups” function as cultural indicators and symbols for emergent and migrant communities. We will also examine the impact of technology on musical globalization, localization, and glocalization. In doing so, this class explores issues of identity, representation, authenticity, tradition, nationalism, and transnationalism. By examining music in- or as-culture, students will understand some of the political, cultural, and social aspects of music, as well as the contextual meanings of musical practices. The class will utilize audio/video sources, incorporate discussions based on academic articles and chapters, and require student analysis that connects music to its context. While this class focuses mainly on music from East Asian countries, we will also examine case studies from others around the world.

Where and when are the origins of Japanese culture? In this seminar we will examine the archaeology of the Japanese archipelago from the introduction of paddy rice agriculture through the end of the 8th century with an eye toward this question. Examining excavated materials and early textual accounts, we will confront myths—both ancient and modern—of Japanese origins, and interrogate the framing of these time periods. Students will explore the interplay between event and process; and between local developments and outside influence through topics including the arrival of immigrant populations and rice agriculture, political and trade relationships within the archipelago as well as on the Asian continent, and the emergence of political “statehood.”

Food is a central aspect of a culture, and culinary traditions often become tokens of identity. There are complex historical and social factors behind culinary choices. The Chili peppers now widely used in Chinese cooking were introduced in the region only in the 16th century. What socio-economic changes made this new spice so prevalent in Chinese cuisine so quickly? This seminar uses food as a lens to study major developments in Chinese history. We will think of food particularly in three ways; as a material actor, whose presence or absence affected historical events; as a metaphor, used by intellectuals to discuss proper government and other political topics; as a cultural mediator to shape identities in the social imaginary. 

For students with advanced Chinese, Japanese, or Korean language skills who wish to pursue a close study of the East Asia region, not otherwise covered by departmental offerings. May be used for research, a special project, or a substantial research paper under faculty supervision. A term paper or its equivalent and regular meetings with an adviser are required. Ordinarily only one term may be offered toward the major or for credit toward the degree. 

For students with advanced Chinese, Japanese, or Korean language skills who wish to pursue a close study of the East Asia region, not otherwise covered by departmental offerings. May be used for research, a special project, or a substantial research paper under faculty supervision. A term paper or its equivalent and regular meetings with an adviser are required. Ordinarily only one term may be offered toward the major or for credit toward the degree.