The course offers a critical reexamination of the history of Asian Studies in the American academy over the twentieth century, anchoring this inquiry in the history of interpretation and pedagogy surrounding the modern Asian novel. We will read a number of canonical modern Asian novels in comparative contexts, paying attention to how these works have been taught and studied in college and university Humanities curricula--both in the original and in English. Special effort will be made to map and then cross the borders of the bilateral framework of English that continues to structure Area Studies.

Course Requirements:

Attendance and participation; weekly response papers; final project

Intended Audience:

Graduate students interested in Asian Studies, Translation Studies, Comparative Literature

Class Format:

One 3-hr seminar weekly