East Asian Studies

With the world's most populous nation and some of its largest economies, East Asia is a region of growing significance. It consists of areas encompassed by present day China, Japan, and Korea (and sometimes also Mongolia, Myanmar, Siberia, and Vietnam). The minor consists of a program of study combining language training, off-campus study, required core courses in various disciplines, and supporting courses, including a designated capstone course. The underlying logic of the minor seeks to highlight both the similarities and differences in the societies and cultures of East Asia and to generate increased understanding of a vital part of the modern world.

Requirements for the East Asian Studies Minor

The East Asian Studies Minor requires a total of 42 credits, with at least 6 credits drawn from each of the three Asian Studies distribution areas (Literary/Artistic Analysis, Humanistic Inquiry or Social Inquiry).

18 credits in core courses, drawn from at least two of the three Asian Studies distribution areas.

24 credits from additional courses, drawn from at least two of the three Asian Studies distribution areas, and including a designated East Asia-related capstone course.

Courses taken on off-campus programs may be applied to the minor.

Normally, at least one term of off-campus study in East Asia.

One year of study of an East Asian language, or its equivalent. For languages offered at Carleton, this will involve completion of a language through 103, or its equivalent. For languages not offered at Carleton, it will involve completion of the equivalent of 103.

Core Courses: 18 credits from among the following; courses must be from at least two distribution areas.

ARTH 165 Japanese Art and Culture (not offered in 2022-23)
ARTH 166 Chinese Art and Culture
ARTH 267 Gardens in China and Japan
ARTH 321 Arts of the Chinese Scholar's Studio (not offered in 2022-23)
HIST 150 Politics of Art in Early Imperial China
HIST 152 History of Late Imperial China (not offered in 2022-23)
HIST 153 History of Modern China (not offered in 2022-23)
HIST 156 History of Modern Korea (not offered in 2022-23)
JAPN 231 Tradition and Modernity: Japanese Cinema in Translation (not offered in 2022-23)
JAPN 245 Modern Japanese Literature and Manga in Translation (not offered in 2022-23)
RELG 152 Religions in Japanese Culture
RELG 153 Introduction to Buddhism
RELG 257 Asian Religions and Ecology

Supporting Courses: 24 credits from among the following; courses must be from at least two distribution areas.

ARTH 165 Japanese Art and Culture (not offered in 2022-23)
ARTH 166 Chinese Art and Culture
ARTH 209 Chinese Painting (not offered in 2022-23)
ARTH 220 The Origins of Manga: Japanese Prints
ARTH 266 Arts of the Japanese Tea Ceremony (not offered in 2022-23)
ARTH 267 Gardens in China and Japan
ARTH 321 Arts of the Chinese Scholar's Studio (not offered in 2022-23)
ARTS 236 Ceramics: Vessels for Tea (not offered in 2022-23)
ASLN 111 Writing Systems (not offered in 2022-23)
ASST 283 Japanese History and Culture (not offered in 2022-23)
ASST 284 Japanese Linguistics in Kyoto Seminar: History and Culture of Japan
CHIN 240 Chinese Cinema in Translation (not offered in 2022-23)
CHIN 251 Heroes, Heroines, Exceptional Lives in Chinese Biographical Histories (not offered in 2022-23)
CHIN 252 The Chinese Language: A Linguistic and Cultural Survey
CHIN 347 Advanced Chinese: Reading the News (not offered in 2022-23)
CHIN 348 Advanced Chinese: The Mass Media (not offered in 2022-23)
CHIN 350 Reading Chinese Comics
CHIN 355 Contemporary Chinese Short Stories
CHIN 360 Classical Chinese
CHIN 361 Advanced Chinese: Readings in Twentieth Century Literature (not offered in 2022-23)
CHIN 362 Advanced Chinese: Traditional Culture in Modern Language (not offered in 2022-23)
CHIN 364 Chinese Classic Tales and Modern Adaptation (not offered in 2022-23)
DANC 265 Performing the Orient
ECON 240 Microeconomics of Development
HIST 150 Politics of Art in Early Imperial China
HIST 154 Social Movements in Postwar Japan
HIST 156 History of Modern Korea (not offered in 2022-23)
HIST 159 Age of Samurai (not offered in 2022-23)
HIST 215 Carleton in the Archives: Carleton in China (not offered in 2022-23)
HIST 254 Colonialism in East Asia
HIST 255 Rumors, Gossip, and News in East Asia (not offered in 2022-23)
HIST 256 Disaster, Disease, & Rumors in East Asia (not offered in 2022-23)
JAPN 206 Japanese in Cultural Context
JAPN 231 Tradition and Modernity: Japanese Cinema in Translation (not offered in 2022-23)
JAPN 244 The World of Anime in Translation (not offered in 2022-23)
JAPN 245 Modern Japanese Literature and Manga in Translation (not offered in 2022-23)
JAPN 249 Introduction to Contemporary Japan and Literature
JAPN 254 World of Japanese Manga in Translation
JAPN 344 Japan Trends: Lifestyle, Society, and Culture
JAPN 345 Advanced Reading in Modern Japanese Literature: The Short Story
JAPN 353 Thinking about Environmental Issues in Japanese (not offered in 2022-23)
LING 285 Japanese Linguistics in Kyoto Seminar: The Linguistics of the Japanese Writing System
LING 286 Japanese Linguistics in Kyoto Seminar: The Structure of Japanese
MUSC 182 Chinese Musical Instruments
MUSC 182J Chinese Musical Instruments (Juried)
MUSC 213 J-Pop: Listening to Music in Modern Japan
MUSC 282 Chinese Musical Instruments
MUSC 282J Chinese Musical Instruments (Juried)
POSC 264 Politics of Contemporary China
POSC 378 Political Economy & Ecology of Southeast Asia: Social Changes in Southeast Asia (not offered in 2022-23)
POSC 379 Political Economy and Ecology of S.E. Asia: Diversity of Social Ecological Systems in Southeast Asia (not offered in 2022-23)
RELG 153 Introduction to Buddhism
RELG 254 Zen Buddhism
RELG 257 Asian Religions and Ecology
RELG 280 The Politics of Sex in Asian Religion (not offered in 2022-23)
RELG 282 Samurai: Ethics of Death and Loyalty (not offered in 2022-23)
RELG 365 Mysticism (not offered in 2022-23)

Capstone Course: To be determined in consultation with the director.