Luciana Sanga | MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies at Yale

Rosenkranz Hall, Room 242

Courses

100 Years of Japanese Pop Literature

EAST 4221, EALL 2850

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.

All texts are available in English, no prior knowledge of Japanese or Japan is needed.

Seminar

Spring 2026

HTBA

Reading and Translating Modern Japanese Literature

EAST 4222, EALL 2860

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.

Seminar

Spring 2026

HTBA