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
ARTH 166 Chinese Art and Culture (not offered in 2023-24)
ARTH 267 Gardens in China and Japan
ARTH 321 Arts of the Chinese Scholar's Studio
HIST 150 Politics of Art in Early Imperial China (not offered in 2023-24)
HIST 152 History of Late Imperial China
HIST 153 History of Modern China (not offered in 2023-24)
HIST 156 History of Modern Korea (not offered in 2023-24)
JAPN 231 Tradition and Modernity: Japanese Cinema in Translation (not offered in 2023-24)
RELG 152 Religions in Japanese Culture
RELG 153 Introduction to Buddhism
RELG 257 Asian Religions and Ecology (not offered in 2023-24)

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

ARTH 165 Japanese Art and Culture
ARTH 166 Chinese Art and Culture (not offered in 2023-24)
ARTH 209 Chinese Painting (not offered in 2023-24)
ARTH 220 The Origins of Manga: Japanese Prints (not offered in 2023-24)
ARTH 266 Arts of the Japanese Tea Ceremony
ARTH 267 Gardens in China and Japan
ARTH 321 Arts of the Chinese Scholar's Studio
ARTS 236 Ceramics: Vessels for Tea
ASST 283 Japanese History and Culture (not offered in 2023-24)
ASST 284 Japanese Linguistics in Kyoto Seminar: History and Culture of Japan (not offered in 2023-24)
CHIN 240 Chinese Cinema in Translation (not offered in 2023-24)
CHIN 251 Heroes, Heroines, Exceptional Lives in Chinese Biographical Histories (not offered in 2023-24)
CHIN 252 The Chinese Language: A Linguistic and Cultural Survey (not offered in 2023-24)
CHIN 348 Advanced Chinese: The Mass Media (not offered in 2023-24)
CHIN 349 Tasting China: Regional Geography and Food Culture
CHIN 350 Reading Chinese Comics (not offered in 2023-24)
CHIN 355 Contemporary Chinese Short Stories (not offered in 2023-24)
CHIN 360 Classical Chinese (not offered in 2023-24)
CHIN 361 Advanced Chinese: Readings in Twentieth Century Literature
CHIN 362 Advanced Chinese: Traditional Culture in Modern Language (not offered in 2023-24)
CHIN 364 Chinese Classic Tales and Modern Adaptation
DANC 265 Performing the Orient (not offered in 2023-24)
ECON 240 Microeconomics of Development
HIST 150 Politics of Art in Early Imperial China (not offered in 2023-24)
HIST 154 Social Movements in Postwar Japan (not offered in 2023-24)
HIST 156 History of Modern Korea (not offered in 2023-24)
HIST 159 Age of Samurai
HIST 215 Carleton in the Archives: Carleton in China (not offered in 2023-24)
HIST 252 Social Movements in Modern China
HIST 253 Social Movements in Modern Korea
HIST 254 Migration in Asia-Pacific History
HIST 256 Disaster, Disease, & Rumors in East Asia (not offered in 2023-24)
JAPN 206 Japanese in Cultural Context
JAPN 231 Tradition and Modernity: Japanese Cinema in Translation (not offered in 2023-24)
JAPN 241 Introduction to Modern Japanese Literature
JAPN 249 Introduction to Contemporary Japan and Literature (not offered in 2023-24)
JAPN 254 World of Japanese Manga in Translation (not offered in 2023-24)
JAPN 344 Japan Trends: Lifestyle, Society, and Culture (not offered in 2023-24)
JAPN 345 Advanced Reading in Modern Japanese Literature: The Short Story (not offered in 2023-24)
JAPN 355 Advanced Reading: Contemporary Japanese Prose
JAPN 357 Puppets, Dolls, Robots, and Vocaloids in Japanese Culture
LING 285 Japanese Linguistics in Kyoto Seminar: The Linguistics of the Japanese Writing System (not offered in 2023-24)
LING 286 Japanese Linguistics in Kyoto Seminar: The Structure of Japanese (not offered in 2023-24)
MUSC 182 Chinese Musical Instruments
MUSC 182J Chinese Musical Instruments (Juried)
MUSC 213 J-Pop: Listening to Music in Modern Japan (not offered in 2023-24)
MUSC 282 Chinese Musical Instruments
MUSC 282J Chinese Musical Instruments (Juried)
POSC 264 Politics of Contemporary China
RELG 153 Introduction to Buddhism
RELG 254 Zen Buddhism (not offered in 2023-24)
RELG 257 Asian Religions and Ecology (not offered in 2023-24)
RELG 280 The Politics of Sex in Asian Religion (not offered in 2023-24)
RELG 282 Samurai: Ethics of Death and Loyalty (not offered in 2023-24)
RELG 365 Mysticism (not offered in 2023-24)

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