Asian Studies Course Atlas, Fall 2005
ASIA 100 - Introduction
to South Asian Civilizations
Lal (Same as MES 370)
TTH 11:30-12:45 pm
Content: This course is intended as a multi-disciplinary introduction
to the civilizations of India. It is expected that by the end of the course
students will have developed a conceptual vocabulary with which to think critically
about the Indian subcontinent and the variety of methodological approaches used
in its study. The course will begin with a five-week overview of the history
and historiography of South Asia from its pre-history to the present. The remaining
weeks will be divided into two to three week segments in which a variety of
topics will be discussed, e.g. literature, religion, philosophy, art, music,
dance, film, colonialism, post-colonialism, politics, and Indian diaspora(s).
Particulars: TBA,
Satisfies GER, Area V, Section C.
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ASIA
190: Freshman Seminar: Meditation and Religion
Dunne (same as REL 190), MAX: ASIA/5
TTH 10:00-11:45 am
Content: In recent years, various forms of Buddhist meditation have become popular practices in North America. Focusing on these practices, we will seek to understand them within both their traditional context and the new context of contemporary North America. One central question will run through our study of meditation: how does meditation illuminate our notion of "religion"? By asking this question, we will encounter themes such as the centrality of "experience" or "feeling" in contemporary religion, the role of reason, the sometimes dangerous power of contemplative practice, and the transformation that religious traditions confront when they move from one place (such as Asia) to another (such as Atlanta). Our method will include the close-reading of texts, first-person analysis of meditative practices, interviews and observations at local meditation centers, and lively discussion.
Texts: TBA
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ASIA 212
Asian Religious Traditions
Doyle (Same as REL 212)
TTH 1:00-2:15 pm
Content:
This “theory-practice-learning” (TPL) class is an introduction to a number of prominent texts
and associated religious practices found within the Hindu and Buddhist traditions
of South Asia. Texts will include Vedic hymns, selections from the Upanishads,
Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra, the Devi-mahatmya, medieval bhakti
poetry, Ashvaghosa’s Buddha-carita, the Satipatthana Sutta,
Shantideva’s Bodhicaryavatara, and selections from Buddhist tantras.
In line with the TPL nature of this course, students will also witness important
rituals and/or festivals at the Hindu Temple of Atlanta and Wat Buddha Bucha,
study about and practice Hindu yoga and Buddhist meditation, and watch performances
of Carnatic devotional music and Tibetan chanting. All these will be studied
within historical and contemporary contexts, thus revealing both the continuity
and innovativeness of these two major religious traditions.
Texts:
Coburn, Encountering the Goddess
Eck, Darsan
Shantideva, Way of the Bodhisattva
Thich Nhat Hanh, Heart of Understanding
photocopied sourcebook of articles
Particulars: Class participation (15%), three 3-5 page reflection papers (30%), mid-term exam (25%), and final exam (30%). Meets General Education Requirement V.C.
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ASIA 271WR Premodern
Chinese Literature
Kurtz (Same as CHN 272WR, ASIA/3)
TTH, 2:30-3:45 pm
Content: An introduction to literature in early and imperial China from its beginnings through the end of the imperial era in 1911. Focusing on close readings of selected pieces in their literary and historical context, we will analyze representative works of various eras, writers, and genres. All texts will be studied in English translation. The aim of the course is to illustrate the beauty and diversity of classical Chinese literary voices and poetic sensibilities, and enable students to come to adequate terms with literary texts that were produced in a cultural environment often portrayed as being 'worlds apart' from our own. Satisfies G.E.R. post-freshman writing requirement and G.E.R. area IV.A (Humanities - Textual).
Texts:
Owen, Stephen. An Anthology of Chinese Literature. Beginnings to 1911. New York: W. W. Norton 1996. Mair, Victor H. (ed.). The Columbia Anthology of Traditional Chinese Literature. New York: Columbia University Press 1994.
Further readings will be made available on online reserve.
Particulars: No knowledge of Chinese required. Evaluation based on class participation, written assignments, research paper, midterm and final.
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ASIA 370 Medieval
& Early Modern Japan
Ravina, (Same as HIST 371)
Content: This course will examine Japan from prehistory through the early 1800s. This was the era in which much of "traditional" Japanese culture was developed: samurai, geisha, sushi, ninja, Zen meditation, etc. Our focus will be on the production, dissemination, and reproduction of these cultural and political practices. We will also read a ghost story, watch a samurai movie, and sit Zen (optional).
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ASIA 370 Classical
Religious Texts: Taoism
Reinders, (Same as CPLT 203 / REL 210)
MWF 10:40-11:30 am
Content: This course will begin with a detailed, close reading of the Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu, a classic text of philosophical Taoism. We will read two different translations side by side, to facilitate our own inquiry into the meanings of texts, and discuss the views of language in the Tao Te Ching itself. Other themes of the text will include: its political philosophy, its relativism, the cultivation of the body, and its cosmology. We will then read the Taoist text Chuang Tzu, and a brief selection of later Taoist works. We will focus on two themes of the Tao Te Ching and other texts: the martial tradition and the utopian tradition, that is, what these Taoist texts have to say about war and violence, and about the ideal peaceful society.
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ASIA 370 So.
Asian Politics Since 1945
Creekmore (same as POLS 385 / HIST 385)
TTH, 11:30-12:45 pm
Content: This course analyzes the political and economic developments in South Asia over the past 50 years from a historical, political institutional, and policy perspective. Possessing 20 percent of the world's population, this region will play an increasingly important role in international affairs in the future.
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ASIA 370R: Special Topics: Religion and Culture: Religion and Modern
India
Courtright (same as REL 370R)
TTH 10:00-11:45 am
Content: A historical and thematic survey of religious traditions, primarily Hindu, Jain, Muslim, and Sikh, in India from the early nineteenth century to the present. Topics include: A brief survey of religion on the eve of British colonial encounter, European Orientalist scholarly presentations of India's religions, new religious movements in the colonial period, religion and nationalism, religion and the arts and media, major religious and cultural figures, e.g.: Ram Mohan Roy, Rabindranath Tagore, Vivekananda, Gandhi, Tilak, Sarvarkar, Sayyid Ahmad Khan, Radhakrishnan; religious and political conflict, the secular state, and religious diasporas. The main goal of the course will be to better comprehend India's religious diversity, the significance of religion in Indian culture, and how traditions make use of historical, narrative, and ritual traditions in modern and post-modern contexts.
Texts:
Khilnani, The Idea of India
Pinney, Photos of the Gods
Van der Veer, Gods on Earth
Selections of writings from major figures and organizations via electronic reserve.
Particulars: Assignments will include: writing descriptive profiles of religious traditions, communities, and movements; exploring broad themes and issues between and among traditions; and assessing the global distribution and impact of India's religious heritage in the contemporary world.
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ASIA 370: Classic
Religious Texts: Taoism
Reinders (same as CPLT 203 and REL 210)
MWF, 10:40-11:30 am
Content: This course will begin with a detailed, close reading of the Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu, a classic text of philosophical Taoism. We will read two different translations side by side, to facilitate our own inquiry into the meanings of texts, and discuss the views of language in the Tao Te Ching itself. Other themes of the text will include: its political philosophy, its relativism, the cultivation of the body, and its cosmology. We will then read the Taoist text Chuang Tzu, and a brief selection of later Taoist works. We will focus on two themes of the Tao Te Ching and other texts: the martial tradition and the utopian tradition, that is, what these Taoist texts have to say about war and violence, and about the ideal peaceful society.
Texts: Required books:
Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, translated by D. C. Lau
Lao-tzu’s Taoteching, translated by Red Pine
Wandering on the Way: Early Taoist Tales and Parables of Chuang Tzu, trans. by Victor Mair
Sunzi, Art of War
and a selection of readings.
Particulars: This course fulfills General Education Requirement IV.A (Humanities).
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ASIA 370: Politics of Southeast Asia
Same as POLS 322
Doner, TT 1:00-2:15, MAX: 35
Content: This course has two goals. One is to acquaint you with a diverse, fascinating group of countries that was, until the 1997 economic crisis, the most rapidly developing region in the world. In addition, the course aims to help you develop your abilities as a student of comparative political and economic development by examining major issues as they play out in this region. The course begins with a general and historical overview and then shifts to an examination of individual countries through the lens of particular themes: politics, religion, and moderate Islam (
Texts:
Particulars:
Suggested Prerequisites: POLS 110 (Introduction to International Politics) or POLS 120 (Introduction to Comparative Politics)
Examinations: midterm and final
Papers: 15-20 page research paper
Grading: exams 40%; research paper 40%; participation 20%
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ASIA 370 Topics in Religion:
Understanding Modern Tibet: Readings in Contemporary Religion, Culture, and Political History
(Same as REL472R, CHN375)
Tara Doyle, Mon 3:00-6:00 pm, Callaway S221, Four credits, (Permission of Instructor Required)
Content: This reading course will focus on contemporary Tibetan culture, religion, and political history inside the Peoples Republic of China. After a brief historical overview of twentieth-century China and Tibet, class members will decide on, read about, and discuss particular special topics, such as China’s nationality/minorities policies, recent political protests in both China and the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR), Chinese White Papers on Human Rights and Tibetan exile government responses, the figure of the Panchen Lama, modern art and issues of identity, dissident Chinese authors’ views on Tibet, Chinese policies regarding religion, the revival and crackdown of Buddhism inside China and TAR, economic development strategies, and recent discussions between Beijing and members of the Tibetan exile government.
Texts: A Tibetan Revolutionary: The Political Life and Times of Bapa Phuntso Wangye, by Goldstein, Sherap, and Siebenschuh; Xeroxed material, and readings from websites.
Particulars: This course will comprise weekly discussions and regular films. As a group, we will also attend the exhibition of contemporary Tibetan art coming to Emory campus in October (dates TBA). Requirements will include regular attendance, a one-page reflection on weekly assigned readings, and occasional student presentations.
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ASIA 372WR Introduction
to Modern Japanese Literature in Translation
Bullock, (same as JPN 372WR)
TTH, 11:30-12:45 pm
Content: This course is a survey of Japanese literature from the middle of the nineteenth century to the present. One goal of the course is to introduce students to the nature and range of literary genres as they developed in the context of Japan's confrontation with modernity. Another is to present and open for discussion issues in contemporary literary theory in order to understand and analyze important aspects of Japanese literature and culture, such as modernity, gender, nationalism, intertextuality, Orientalism, and identity. All texts are in English translation. Satisfies GER post-freshman writing requirement.
Particulars: Satisfies GER area IV. A. and post-freshman writing requirement IB
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ASIA 375: Culture
of Buddhist Tibet
Negi, TTh 11:30-12:45, (same as REL 331), MAX: 5 / ASIA
TTH, 2:30 - 3:45 pm
Content: This course explores the fundamental cultural elements that have shaped the Tibetan Buddhist world, and that spread from Tibet throughout Central Asia to the north and the Himalayas to the south. It will draw from not only literary sources, but also some of the unique film documentation that has become available in recent years. The aim of this course is to examine how various values, belief-systems and rituals have produced a unique culture that sustained the peoples of Tibet for many centuries. The course will also look at the relevance of these cultural facets to the modern world.
Particulars: Students will be graded on class participation, presentations, response papers, and a final paper.
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ASIA 375WR Tradition
in Modern China
Kurtz (same as CHN 471SWR)
TTH, 2:30 - 3:45 pm
Content: This advanced seminar examines the multiple ways in which traditions have been attacked, defended, revised, and (re-)invented in twentieth-century China. Our aim is to disentangle the anxieties, interests, and rhetorical devices that have shaped modern Chinese answers to the question of historical continuity. In our explorations, we will scrutinize representations of the past in scholarly works, including histories of Chinese thought, science and literature, as well as in memories of historical events as reflected in historiography, film, fiction, music, monuments, and art.
Texts: Spence, Jonathan D. The Search for Modern China. New York: W.W. Norton 1999. Further readings will be made available on online reserve .
Particulars: Satisfies G.E.R. post-freshman writing requirement
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ASIA 375: Introduction to Japanese Linguistics
Horibe (ASIA/3)
Cross List as JPN 375 Limit 12
Cross List as LING 385 Limit 3
Content: This course focuses on Japanese culture through readings and discussion of literary texts and materials from current periodicals and newspapers. This course is conducted in Japanese. Satisfies G.E.R. post-fresehman writing requirement.
Texts: TBA
Particulars: Prerequisite is JPN 302 or consent of the instructor.
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ASIA 375R: Special Topics: Tibetan Buddhist Philosophy
Negi, TTh 2:30-3:45, (same as REL 375R), MAX: 5/ASIA
Content: This course aims at providing the student with a comprehensive overview of the philosophical and metaphysical characteristics of the four principal movements that developed in Buddhist India during its classical period, i.e., pre-twelfth century A.D. All four of these movements were based on specific aspects of Buddha's own teachings, and emerged from the works of later Buddhist masters in their attempts to arrange the diverse elements of Buddha's doctrines into a cohesive structure. In that all schools of Buddhism that arose in other countries around Asia are based on trends found within these four, an understanding of them is paramount to an understanding of the many faces that Buddhism has revealed over the centuries in environments as diverse as China and Japan to Tibet, Mongolia, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
Texts: Coursework will draw from texts representing the two basic literary sources: the original sutras of the Buddha (The Sutra of the Four Truths of the Noble Ones (Skt.Chaturarvadharmasutra), The Sutra that is the Heart of Wisdom (Skt. Prajnaparamitasutra), The Sutra Addressing the Intent of the Buddha (Skt. Samdhinirmochanasutra); and the commentaries of the later Indian masters (Acharya Vasubandhu's Treasury of Metaphysics (Skt. Abhidharmakosha), Acharya Dharmakirti's Analysis of Valid Cognition (Skt. Pramanavarttika), Acharya Asanga's Stages of the Attendants (Skt. Shravakabhumi), Acharya Chandrakirti's A Guide to the Middle View (Skt. Madhvwnakavatara). This will be done with English translations made from the Tibetan versions of these ancient texts, with reference reading drawn from modem scholarship.
Particulars: Students will be graded on four criteria: (1) Attendance and class participation; (2) Class presentations and written summaries of the readings; (3) A mid-term exam; (4) A final term paper, six to eight pages in length. This should first present the main points of one of the four schools, and conclude with either a defense or a refutation of these.
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ASIA 497 Directed Reading: Honors
Permission Only, Contact Asian Studies at mshocke@emory.edu
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ASIA 497: Tibetan Conversation (2 Credits)
McClintock
Tuesday 1-2, Friday 12-1
Designed for students with at least one semester of prior Tibetan language study, this course aims to help students increase fluency in spoken Tibetan through conversation, games, and speaking drills. Students returning from Dharamsala semester study abroad program are strongly encouraged to take this course as a way to maintain language skills before joining the second-semester Tibetan language course in the spring. Others with appropriate background may join as well. The course will meet twice a week, and the grade will be based primarily on attendance and in-class participation (with some homework required as well).
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Tibetan 101
McClintock
MWF 10:35-11:35
Tu 11:30-12:45
Required Texts:
Recommended Text:
For Asian language courses listed in REALC or MESAS, please visit the following web site:
CHINESE COURSES:
Please see Russian and East Asian Languages and Culture:http://www.emory.edu/REALC/index.html for courses related to Chinese language, literature and culture.
HINDI LANGUAGE COURSES:
Please see Middle Eastern and South Asian Studies: http://www.emory.edu/NES/atlas.index.html for Hindi Language Courses
JAPANESE COURSES:
Please see Russian and East Asian Languages and Culture: http://www.emory.edu/REALC/index.html
SANSKRIT COURSES:
Please see Middle Eastern and South Asian Studies: http://www.emory.edu/NES/atlas.index.html