Asian Studies (ASST)
Founded in 1964, the program in Asian Studies is administered by a committee of faculty drawn from multiple departments. It involves a wide variety of courses and activities aimed at enhancing appreciation and understanding of the art, life, and thought of the cultures of Asia, past and present. We concentrate on three regions: East Asia (China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam), South Asia (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Tibet), and Central Asia (Afghanistan, Bhutan, Iran, the Islamic former Soviet republics, Manchuria, inner and outer Mongolia, Tibet, Xinjiang). The program consists of courses on Asia in nine departments, extracurricular events on campus, and off-campus studies. An interdisciplinary, regionally-focused major in Asian Studies is offered, which is especially suitable for students with an overriding interest in one or more regions of Asia whose academic needs cannot be met by majoring in a disciplinary-based. Students who do major in disciplinary-based departments may concentrate in East Asian Studies or South Asian Studies.
Requirements for a Major
A total of 66 credits:
I. 18 credits in a disciplinary-based department: Art History, Asian Languages, History, Political Science/International Relations, Religion, and Sociology and Anthropology which must include:
a) at least 12 credits in courses related to Asia
b) 6 credits in an appropriate methodology course:
ARTH 298 Seminar for Art History Majors
CAMS 330 Cinema Studies Topics Seminar
HIST 298 Junior-year History Colloquium
LCST 245 Introduction to Critical Methods: Structure, Gender, Culture
POSC 230 Methods of Political Research
RELG 300 Theories and Methods in the Study of Religion
SOAN 330 Sociological Thought and Theory
SOAN 331 Anthropological Thought and Theory
II. 42 additional credits in Asia-related courses (including appropriate off-campus credits, excluding ASST 400 and language-department courses below 228 or their equivalents); these must include:
a) at least 6 credits in each of three distribution areas: Literary/Artistic Analysis, Humanistic Inquiry, and Social Inquiry
b) a maximum of 18 credits at the 100 level
c) a minimum of 24 credits at the 200 level or above
III. 6 credits of Senior Integrative Exercise (ASST 400), normally taken during winter term of the senior year.
The Senior Integrative Exercise, normally is a research paper of 30 pages or more that delves into some aspect of the student's focal region. The project normally is developed by the student during the fall term, and proposed to, and approved by the Asian Studies Committee, which assigns two faculty members as readers and advisers for the project. The first draft of the exercise is due by the end of the ninth week of winter term, and a final draft by the end of the fourth week of spring term. The student defends the project before the two readers, and presents the research publicly to interested members of the community.
IV. A regional focus: East Asia (China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam), South Asia (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Tibet), or Central Asia (Afghanistan, Bhutan, Iran, the Islamic former Soviet republics, Manchuria, inner and outer Mongolia, Tibet, Xinjiang) involving:
a) at least 48 credits (exclusive of the Senior Integrative Exercise) related to one's focal region
b) at least 6 credits related to an Asian region different from one's focal region.
Courses by regional focus, subdivided by distribution area:
EAST ASIA:
ARTH 164 Buddhist Art (not offered in 2012-2013)
ARTH 165 Japanese Art and Culture
ARTH 166 Chinese Art and Culture
ARTH 209 Chinese Painting
ARTH 220 Gender and Genre in the Floating World: Japanese Prints
ARTH 320 Japanese Theater: Visualizing Narrative Across Media (not offered in 2012-2013)
ARTH 321 Arts of the Chinese Scholar's Studio (not offered in 2012-2013)
ASLN 111 Writing Systems (not offered in 2012-2013)
ASLN 237 Tao of Wisdom in Asian Literature
ASLN 260 Historical Linguistics (not offered in 2012-2013)
ASST 284 Linguistics Seminar: History and Culture of Japan (not offered in 2012-2013)
CHIN 115 The Taoist Way of Health and Longevity: Taichi and Other Forms (not offered in 2012-2013)
CHIN 206 Chinese in Cultural Context
CHIN 207 Chinese Studies Seminar in Tianjin: Chinese Language
CHIN 212 Chinese Studies Seminar in Tianjin: Chinese Culture
CHIN 241 Twentieth Century Chinese Literature and Film in Translation (not offered in 2012-2013)
CHIN 248 The Structure of Chinese
CHIN 282 Chinese Studies Seminar in Tianjin: Chinese Civilization
CHIN 307 Chinese Studies Seminar in Tianjin: Advanced Chinese Language
CHIN 347 Advanced Readings in Contemporary Chinese Prose: Newspapers
CHIN 348 Advanced Chinese: The Mass Media (not offered in 2012-2013)
CHIN 349 Advanced Chinese: Social Commentary (not offered in 2012-2013)
CHIN 350 Advanced Chinese: Poems and Stories (not offered in 2012-2013)
CHIN 356 Modern and Contemporary Women Writers (not offered in 2012-2013)
CHIN 357 Advanced Chinese: Contemporary Social Issues (not offered in 2012-2013)
CHIN 358 Chinese Idiom Stories (not offered in 2012-2013)
CHIN 360 Classical Chinese
ECON 240 Microeconomics of Development
ECON 241 Growth and Development (not offered in 2012-2013)
HIST 151 History of Modern Japan
HIST 152 History of Early China (not offered in 2012-2013)
HIST 153 History of Modern China
HIST 156 History of Modern Korea (not offered in 2012-2013)
HIST 254 Colonialism in East Asia
HIST 255 Print Culture and Nationalism in East Asia (not offered in 2012-2013)
HIST 256 History of Urban China
JAPN 230 Topics in Pre-Modern Literature in Translation (not offered in 2012-2013)
JAPN 231 Japanese Cinema in Translation (not offered in 2012-2013)
JAPN 236 Classical Japanese Fiction: The Tale of Genji and Its World in Translation
JAPN 240 Literature and Society of Modern Japan in Translation (not offered in 2012-2013)
JAPN 343 Advanced Japanese Through Fiction and Film (not offered in 2012-2013)
JAPN 344 Advanced Writing: Contemporary Prose (not offered in 2012-2013)
JAPN 345 Advanced Reading in Modern Japanese Literature: The Short Story (not offered in 2012-2013)
JAPN 348 Advanced Japanese Conversation and Composition (not offered in 2012-2013)
JAPN 352 Advanced Japanese through Manga and Contemporary Materials
MUSC 182J Chinese Musical Instruments (Juried)
MUSC 182 Chinese Musical Instruments
MUSC 282J Chinese Musical Instruments (Juried)
MUSC 282 Chinese Musical Instruments
POSC 170 International Relations and World Politics
POSC 237 Southeast Asian Politics
POSC 239 The Diplomat's Craft: Three Case Studies
POSC 241 Ethnic Conflict
POSC 326 America's China Policy* (not offered in 2012-2013)
POSC 346 Spies, Rogues and Statesmen: Intelligence and the Formation of Foreign Policy* (not offered in 2012-2013)
RELG 100 What Would Buddha Do? Exploring Buddhist Ethics
RELG 151 Religions in Chinese Culture (not offered in 2012-2013)
RELG 152 Religions in Japanese Culture
RELG 153 Introduction to Buddhism
RELG 250 Buddhism and Ecology
RELG 253 Tibetan Buddhism
RELG 254 Zen Buddhism (not offered in 2012-2013)
RELG 255 Social Engagement in Asian Religions
RELG 268 Encountering Islam: Dialogue and Difference (not offered in 2012-2013)
RELG 350 Emptiness (not offered in 2012-2013)
RELG 358 Zen, Nationalism, and Orientalism (not offered in 2012-2013)
WGST 310 Asian Mystiques Demystified (not offered in 2012-2013)
SOUTH ASIA:
ARTH 164 Buddhist Art (not offered in 2012-2013)
ECON 240 Microeconomics of Development
ECON 241 Growth and Development (not offered in 2012-2013)
ENGL 245 Bollywood Nation (not offered in 2012-2013)
ENGL 250 Modern Indian Fiction (not offered in 2012-2013)
ENGL 251 Contemporary Indian Fiction
ENGL 252 Caribbean Fiction (not offered in 2012-2013)
ENGL 395 Advanced Seminar: V.S. Naipaul
HIST 161 History of Modern India
HIST 167 History of Modern South Asia 1947 Onwards
HIST 259 Women in South Asia: Histories, Narratives and Representation
HIST 266 History of Islam in India (not offered in 2012-2013)
MUSC 180J Raga: Vocal or Instrumental Study of Hindustani Music
MUSC 180 Raga: Vocal or Instrumental Study of Hindustani Music
MUSC 181J Sitar (Juried)
MUSC 181 Sitar
MUSC 280 Raga: Vocal or Instrumental Study of Hindustani Music
MUSC 281J Sitar (Juried)
MUSC 281 Sitar
POSC 170 International Relations and World Politics
POSC 241 Ethnic Conflict
POSC 247 Comparative Nationalism (not offered in 2012-2013)
RELG 100 What Would Buddha Do? Exploring Buddhist Ethics
RELG 122 Muhammad and the Qur'an: An Introduction to Islam
RELG 150 Religions of South Asia
RELG 153 Introduction to Buddhism
RELG 163 The Qur'an (not offered in 2012-2013)
RELG 251 Theravada Buddhism (not offered in 2012-2013)
RELG 252 Mahabharata: The Hindu Book of War and Peace (not offered in 2012-2013)
RELG 253 Tibetan Buddhism
RELG 255 Social Engagement in Asian Religions
RELG 256 Modern Hinduism: Encounters with the West
RELG 257 Buddha (not offered in 2012-2013)
RELG 259 Gandhi
RELG 261 Beyond Hindu and Muslim: The Lives of Indian Saints (not offered in 2012-2013)
RELG 263 Sufism
RELG 268 Encountering Islam: Dialogue and Difference (not offered in 2012-2013)
RELG 350 Emptiness (not offered in 2012-2013)
SOAN 157 Culture and Politics in India
SOAN 257 Culture and Politics in India (not offered in 2012-2013)
WGST 310 Asian Mystiques Demystified (not offered in 2012-2013)
CENTRAL ASIA:
CHIN 248 The Structure of Chinese
ECON 240 Microeconomics of Development
ECON 241 Growth and Development (not offered in 2012-2013)
ENGL 395 Advanced Seminar: V.S. Naipaul
HIST 254 Colonialism in East Asia
HIST 265 Central Asia in the Modern Age (not offered in 2012-2013)
HIST 360 Muslims and Modernity (not offered in 2012-2013)
RELG 122 Muhammad and the Qur'an: An Introduction to Islam
RELG 153 Introduction to Buddhism
RELG 253 Tibetan Buddhism
RELG 255 Social Engagement in Asian Religions
RELG 263 Sufism
SOAN 256 Transformations in African Ethnography
V. One year of study of an appropriate 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, which may be studied through off-campus programs, summer study, or special arrangement at Carleton, it will involve completion of the equivalent of 103. Language (as opposed to literature) courses below 228 may not be applied to the major. The following courses do not count towards the 66 credits needed for the Asian Studies major.
CHIN 101, 102, 103 Elementary Chinese
CHIN 204, 205 Intermediate Chinese
CHIN 206 Chinese in Cultural Context
CHIN 207 Chinese Studies Seminar in Tianjin: Intermediate Chinese Language
JAPN 101, 102, 103 Elementary Japanese
JAPN 204, 205, 206 Intermediate Japanese
Languages available at Carleton through special arrangement may include: Uzbek (A. Khalid); Sanskrit, Pali, and Classical Tibetan (R. Jackson).
VI) Normally, at least one term of off-campus study in Asia Students interested in studying in Asia may apply to one of a number of overseas programs. Carleton cooperates with several other colleges to sponsor the Associated Kyoto Program, which takes 50 students and seven faculty members to Japan for an academic year. Carleton also participates in a one-year program at Waseda University sponsored by the Associated Colleges of the Midwest (ACM). The ACM Program in India consists of five months stay in Pune, where students study Marathi, take academic courses centered on India, and investigate an independent study topic. The program in Hong Kong at the Chinese University, also for students from ACM institutions, normally lasts one year, though a semester-long program is also possible. The Carleton Chinese Studies Seminar in Tianjin is a Chinese language and culture program at Nankai University. The Linguistics Off-Campus Seminar in Kyoto is also available. Students take courses in Chinese languages, civilization and society and culture including art, Taichi and other martial arts is also available. Carleton, Bates, Bowdoin, Colby, Swarthmore, Grinnell, Holy Cross, and Whitman jointly sponsor the Intercollegiate Sri Lanka Education Program (ISLE), in which students and a faculty member study at the University of Peradeniya near Kandy, the old capital in the middle of the island. A triennial program emphasizing Political Economy was begun in 1990, in Beijing, China. Opportunities to study in Asia also are available through a variety of non-Carleton programs.
Courses taken on off-campus programs may be applied to the major. Because of the paucity of Carleton courses in South Asian languages or on many aspects of Central Asia, off-campus programs generally form an important component of the major for those who focus in those two Asian regions.
Asian Studies Courses (ASST)
ASST 284. Linguistics Seminar: History and Culture of Japan This course is an introduction to several aspects of Japanese society, taking advantage of the Linguistics Off-Campus Studies Seminar seminar in Kyoto. The course consists of readings and lectures about important events in historical and contemporary Japan, and will include visits to sites that illuminate those events in an important way. In addition to Kyoto and the nearby Uji and Nara, we will also make excursions to Tokyo, Kobe, and Hiroshima. 6 cr., HU, RAD; HI, IS, Offered in alternate years. Not offered in 2012-2013.