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 single discipline. Students who do major in single discipline departments are strongly encouraged to concentrate in East Asian Studies or South Asian Studies, although in exceptional cases a double major with Asian Studies can be approved.
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 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
ARTH 165 Japanese Art and Culture
ARTH 166 Chinese Art and Culture (not offered in 2015-2016)
ARTH 209 Chinese Painting (not offered in 2015-2016)
ARTH 220 The Origins of Manga: Japanese Prints
ARTH 267 Gardens in China and Japan (not offered in 2015-2016)
ARTH 321 Arts of the Chinese Scholar's Studio (not offered in 2015-2016)
ASLN 111 Writing Systems (not offered in 2015-2016)
ASLN 237 Tao of Wisdom in Asian Literature (not offered in 2015-2016)
ASLN 260 Historical Linguistics (not offered in 2015-2016)
ASST 284 Japanese Linguistics in Kyoto Seminar: History and Culture of Japan
CHIN 115 The Taoist Way of Health and Longevity: Taichi and Other Forms (not offered in 2015-2016)
CHIN 206 Chinese in Cultural Context
CHIN 207 Chinese Studies Seminar in Tianjin: Chinese Language (not offered in 2015-2016)
CHIN 212 Chinese Studies Seminar in Tianjin: Chinese Culture (not offered in 2015-2016)
CHIN 240 Chinese Cinema in Translation
CHIN 248 The Structure of Chinese
CHIN 250 Chinese Popular Culture (not offered in 2015-2016)
CHIN 282 Chinese Studies Seminar in Tianjin: Chinese Civilization (not offered in 2015-2016)
CHIN 307 Chinese Studies Seminar in Tianjin: Advanced Chinese Language (not offered in 2015-2016)
CHIN 346 Advanced Readings: Chinese Fiction (not offered in 2015-2016)
CHIN 347 Advanced Readings in Contemporary Chinese Prose: Newspapers (not offered in 2015-2016)
CHIN 348 Advanced Chinese: The Mass Media (not offered in 2015-2016)
CHIN 349 Advanced Chinese: Social Commentary
CHIN 350 Advanced Chinese: Poems and Stories (not offered in 2015-2016)
CHIN 355 Contemporary Chinese Short Stories
CHIN 360 Classical Chinese (not offered in 2015-2016)
CHIN 363 Conversation and Composition: The Liberal Arts in Chinese (not offered in 2015-2016)
ECON 240 Microeconomics of Development
ECON 241 Growth and Development
HIST 100 Confucius and His Critics
HIST 151 History of Modern Japan (not offered in 2015-2016)
HIST 153 History of Modern China
HIST 156 History of Modern Korea (not offered in 2015-2016)
HIST 200 History Workshop: The Chinese Cultural Revolution, 1966-76 (not offered in 2015-2016)
HIST 251 History of Chinese Capitalism (not offered in 2015-2016)
HIST 254 Colonialism in East Asia
HIST 255 Rumors, Gossip, and News in East Asia (not offered in 2015-2016)
HIST 256 History of Urban China (not offered in 2015-2016)
JAPN 204 Intermediate Japanese
JAPN 205 Intermediate Japanese
JAPN 206 Japanese in Cultural Context
JAPN 230 Topics in Pre-Modern Literature in Translation (not offered in 2015-2016)
JAPN 231 Japanese Cinema in Translation (not offered in 2015-2016)
JAPN 236 Classical Japanese Fiction: The Tale of Genji and Its World in Translation (not offered in 2015-2016)
JAPN 238 Individuals and the Family in Modern Japanese Literature in Translation (not offered in 2015-2016)
JAPN 244 The World of Anime in Translation
JAPN 254 World of Japanese Manga in Translation (not offered in 2015-2016)
JAPN 343 Advanced Japanese Through Fiction and Film (not offered in 2015-2016)
JAPN 344 Advanced Writing: Contemporary Prose (not offered in 2015-2016)
JAPN 345 Advanced Reading in Modern Japanese Literature: The Short Story (not offered in 2015-2016)
JAPN 349 Advanced Readings in Contemporary Japanese Prose (not offered in 2015-2016)
JAPN 353 Thinking about Environmental Issues in Japanese (not offered in 2015-2016)
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 232 Chinese Foreign Policy (not offered in 2015-2016)
POSC 237 Southeast Asian Politics
POSC 239 The Diplomat's Craft: Three Case Studies (not offered in 2015-2016)
POSC 241 Ethnic Conflict (not offered in 2015-2016)
POSC 248 The U.S.-China Relationship (not offered in 2015-2016)
POSC 264 Politics of Contemporary China
RELG 151 Religions in Chinese Culture (not offered in 2015-2016)
RELG 152 Religions in Japanese Culture (not offered in 2015-2016)
RELG 153 Introduction to Buddhism
RELG 250 Buddhism and Ecology (not offered in 2015-2016)
RELG 253 Tibetan Buddhism (not offered in 2015-2016)
RELG 254 Zen Buddhism
RELG 255 Social Engagement in Asian Religions (not offered in 2015-2016)
RELG 280 The Politics of Sex in Asian Religion (not offered in 2015-2016)
RELG 350 Emptiness (not offered in 2015-2016)
WGST 310 Asian Mystiques Demystified (not offered in 2015-2016)
SOUTH ASIA:
ARTH 164 Buddhist Art
ASST 260 Resistance Struggles & People's Movements in India (not offered in 2015-2016)
ECON 240 Microeconomics of Development
ECON 241 Growth and Development
ENGL 245 Bollywood Nation (not offered in 2015-2016)
ENGL 250 Modern Indian Fiction (not offered in 2015-2016)
ENGL 251 Contemporary Indian Fiction
ENGL 252 Caribbean Fiction (not offered in 2015-2016)
ENGL 335 England in India/India in England (not offered in 2015-2016)
HIST 161 History of Modern India, c. 1700-1947
HIST 162 Politics and Public Culture in Modern South Asia
HIST 167 History of Modern South Asia 1947-Onward (not offered in 2015-2016)
HIST 259 Women in South Asia: Histories, Narratives and Representation
HIST 266 History of Islam in South Asia
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 248 Music of India
MUSC 280J Raga:Voc/Instr Study Hindustani (Juried)
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 237 Southeast Asian Politics
POSC 241 Ethnic Conflict (not offered in 2015-2016)
POSC 378 Political Economy & Ecology of Southeast Asia: Social Changes in Southeast Asia (not offered in 2015-2016)
POSC 379 Political Econ & Ecology of S.E. Asia: Diversity of Social Ecological Systems in Southeast Asia (not offered in 2015-2016)
RELG 122 Introduction to Islam
RELG 150 Religions of South Asia (not offered in 2015-2016)
RELG 153 Introduction to Buddhism
RELG 155 Religions of Southeast Asia (not offered in 2015-2016)
RELG 238 The Sacred Body (not offered in 2015-2016)
RELG 245 Buddha (not offered in 2015-2016)
RELG 253 Tibetan Buddhism (not offered in 2015-2016)
RELG 255 Social Engagement in Asian Religions (not offered in 2015-2016)
RELG 256 Modern Hinduism: Encounters with the West (not offered in 2015-2016)
RELG 259 Gandhi (not offered in 2015-2016)
RELG 260 Tantra: Secrecy, Sex, and the Sublime (not offered in 2015-2016)
RELG 261 Hearing Islam (not offered in 2015-2016)
RELG 263 Sufism
RELG 265 Religion and Violence: Hindus, Muslims, Jews (not offered in 2015-2016)
RELG 266 Religion and the Senses (not offered in 2015-2016)
RELG 267 The Bhagavad Gita
RELG 280 The Politics of Sex in Asian Religion (not offered in 2015-2016)
RELG 281 Performing Tradition: Art, Religion, and Globalization (not offered in 2015-2016)
RELG 289 Global Religions in Minnesota
RELG 350 Emptiness (not offered in 2015-2016)
RELG 362 Spirit Possession (not offered in 2015-2016)
SOAN 157 Culture and Politics in India (not offered in 2015-2016)
SOAN 257 Culture and Politics in India
WGST 310 Asian Mystiques Demystified (not offered in 2015-2016)
CENTRAL ASIA:
CHIN 248 The Structure of Chinese
ECON 240 Microeconomics of Development
ECON 241 Growth and Development
HIST 254 Colonialism in East Asia
HIST 265 Central Asia in the Modern Age (not offered in 2015-2016)
HIST 267 Muslims and Modernity (not offered in 2015-2016)
HIST 360 Muslims and Modernity (not offered in 2015-2016)
RELG 122 Introduction to Islam
RELG 153 Introduction to Buddhism
RELG 253 Tibetan Buddhism (not offered in 2015-2016)
RELG 255 Social Engagement in Asian Religions (not offered in 2015-2016)
RELG 263 Sufism
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 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 207 Chinese Studies Seminar in Tianjin: Intermediate Chinese Language
CHIN 212 Chinese Studies Seminar in Tianjin: Chinese Culture
JAPN 101, 102, 103 Elementary Japanese
JAPN 204, 205 Intermediate Japanese
Languages available at Carleton through special arrangement may include: Uzbek (Adeeb 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 College has several of its own term-long off-campus studies programs. The Carleton Chinese Studies Seminar in Tianjin and Shanghai is a Chinese language and culture program at Nankai University and Tongji University. Students take courses in Chinese languages, civilization and society and culture including art, Taichi and other martial arts are also available. The Japanese Linguistics in Kyoto Off-Campus Seminar offers courses in Japanese history and culture in addition to linguistics. The Carleton program in Political Economy and Ecology of Southeast Asia provides opportunites for students to learn about social and ecological changes in Thailand, Lao PDR and Myanmar.
Carleton also 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. Carleton, Bates, Bowdoin, Colby, Swarthmore, Grinnell and Holy Cross 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. Opportunities to study in Asia also are available through a variety of non-Carleton programs and non-consortial 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 260. Resistance Struggles & People's Movements in India India, according to V.S. Naipal, is the land of "a million mutinies." What are these uprisings, rebellions, and resistance movements? Who is rising up, and why? In this class we will look, through the lens of social movements, at the wide variety of efforts to bring about social change, justice, and equality that have been at work in modern India. Case studies will include movements focused on the caste system, women in search of gender justice, queer activism, farmers' challenges to corporate agricultural policies, environmentalism, struggles for localized control over resources, Maoist uprisings against the state, and religious nationalism. 6 cr., HI, IS, Not offered in 2015-2016.
ASST 284. Japanese Linguistics in Kyoto Seminar: History and Culture of Japan This course is an introduction to several aspects of Japanese society, taking advantage of the New Media 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 and Hiroshima. 6 cr., HI, IS, Offered in alternate years. Spring—Doshisha University Faculty