01-02 LS&A Bulletin

Courses in Asian Studies (Division 323)

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ASIAN 111 / HISTORY 151. Indian Civilization.: (4; 3 in the half-term). (HU).; A lecture survey of the civilizations of India and its neighboring countries – Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka – from earliest times to the present.
ASIAN 112 / HISTORY 152. Southeast Asian Civilization.: (4; 3 in the half-term). (SS).; A lecture survey of the civilizations of Southeast Asia--both the Indo-China peninsula and the islands from Indonesia to the Philippines--from earliest times to the present.
ASIAN 120 / JAPANESE 120. Understanding Japan: A Multidisciplinary Introduction.: (4). (Excl).; This team-taught course aims to introduce students to key terms and concepts used in the study of Japan, but to do so critically by reflecting on the history and the utilility of these concepts. It also exposes students to the various disciplines represented in Japanese studies at Michigan, exploring some of the approaches and methodologies used in the humanities and the social sciences.
ASIAN 121 / HISTORY 121. East Asia: Early Transformations.: (4; 3 in the half-term). (HU).; Introduces the histories, cultures, and societies of East Asia, including China, Japan, and Korea from the archaeological phases through early modern times, ca 1700. It emphasizes social transformation that was made possible through international exchanges of knowledge and goods, technological innovations and adaptations, literacy and thoughts.
ASIAN 122 / HISTORY 122. Modern East Asia.: (4; 3 in the half-term). (SS).; An interdisciplinary analysis of the impact of the modern world on the traditional cultures of China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, and related areas and the consequent transformation of the societies of these countries, with an examination of their differing responses to the modern challenge.
ASIAN 123 / CHIN 123. Understanding Traditional China Through Stories of Conflicting Values.: (3). (HU).; The core concepts of traditional Chinese culture is investigated through related narratives and supporting/contrasting material which problematize those values by dramatizing internal conflicts among them. “Good” and “bad” rulers, officials, fathers, sons, wives, daughters, lovers, “Chinese”, and “barbarians” are contrasted. Exemplary stories are reread from multiple perspectives.
ASIAN 150. First Year Seminar in Asian Studies: Civilizations of Asia.: No knowledge of Asian Languages required. Only first-year students, including those with sophomore standing, may pre-register for First-Year Seminars. All others need permission of instructor. (3). (HU). May be repeated with permission of instructor for a total of six credits.; This First-year Seminar introduces undergraduates to traditions of poetic theory and practice in times and places distant from their own. The course explores different conceptions of what poetry is, and how it transforms the ways in which people interpret their lives. A second important objective of the course is to help students develop techniques and habits of research.
ASIAN 151(152) / CHIN 150 / HISTORY 141. Chinese Civilization.: No knowledge of Chinese required. (3). (HU). May be repeated for a total of six credits.; An exploration of the patterns of traditional Chinese culture, philosophy, literature, and institutions in their changing historical social contexts. Some attention is given to China's modern transformations, characteristics, and problems. Lectures, readings, and discussions.
ASIAN 152 / JAPANESE 150 / HISTORY 142. Introduction to Japanese Civilization.: A knowledge of Japanese is not required. (4). (HU).; Designed primarily for freshmen and sophomores, the course focuses on a few recurrent concerns in the Japanese tradition from the earliest times to the present. Topics to be considered include man and nature, language and culture, the individual and the state, men and women, and death and transcendence. Readings in mythology and representative works of the literature and religious texts, lectures, discussions, and short papers.
ASIAN 154(249) / KOREAN 150 / HISTORY 144. Introduction to Korean Civilization.: (4; 3 in the half-term). (HU).; Survey of civilization on the Korean peninsula from its beginnings in prehistory to the mid-twentieth century (Korean War).
ASIAN 203 / HISTART 203. Chinese Art and Religion.: (3). (Excl).; A survey of the arts and religions of China and an introduction to the techniques of visual analysis in historical studies. It examines Buddhism, Daoism, and Confucianism from the perspective of visual representation and religious practice. Lamaism in Tibet and Mazu cult in the coastal regions are also introduced.
ASIAN 220 / BUDDHST 220 / RELIGION 202. Introduction to the Study of Asian Religions.: (4). (HU).; An introduction to the study of Asian religions. We consider representative material drawn from some of the major Asian traditions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Shinto, etc.) from ancient times to the present day.
ASIAN 221 / GTBOOKS 221 / CHIN 221. Great Books of China.: A knowledge of Chinese is not required. II (in even years). (4). (HU).; Introduction in translation to the great works of literature which have influenced the lives and culture of the Chinese people from ancient times to the present.
ASIAN 222 / GTBOOKS 222 / JAPANESE 222. Great Books of Japan.: A knowledge of Japanese is not required. II (in odd years). (3). (HU).; Introduction in translation to books which have influenced the Japanese people through the ages.
ASIAN 223 / SSEA 223 / RELIGION 223. Bhagavad-Gita: The Activist View of Hinduism.: (3). (HU).; This class introduces Hinduism to students through an intensive study of this single most important scriptural text, the Bhagavad-Gita. We spend half the time going over the text-in-translation, chapter by chapter. The other half of the class time is devoted to critical issues relating to the text, i.e., history of the text, its transmission, its location within the history of Hinduism, its connections with political/cultural history, its ancient and modern interpretations.
ASIAN 224 / SSEA 224. Traditions of Poetry in India.: (3). (HU).; Throughout readings and discussions this course introduces the student to six traditions of poetry in India: (1) Vedic-Upanishadic mystic poetry; (2) Tamil Sangam love poetry; (3) classical Sanskrit and Prakrit court poetry; (4) medieval devotional poetry; (5) Urdu metaphysical poetry; and (6) modern secular poetry.
ASIAN 225 / SSEA 225 / RELIGION 225. Hinduism.: (3). (HU).; Introduction to Hinduism, its general history over 3500 years. It studies Hindu religious literature, ritual, social system, et cetera. Also studies Hindu response to changing conditions.
ASIAN 226. Other Hearts and Other Minds: Poetries of Asia.: (3). (HU).; Introduces students to traditions of poetic theory and practice in times and places distant from their own: the poetries of China, Korea, Japan, India, and Indonesia. The primary objective of the course is to explore a range of different conceptions of what poetry is, how it should form (or transform) the ways in which people interpret their lives, and what relation it should have to other parts of social life.
ASIAN 230 / BUDDHST 230 / PHIL 230 / RELIGION 230. Introduction to Buddhism.: (4). (HU).; Introductory lectures and readings on the history and literature of Buddhism in India and Tibet, followed by a discussion of the basic problems of Buddhist religion and philosophy in the light of selected Buddhist texts in translation.
ASIAN 231 / BUDDHST 231 / RELIGION 231. Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism.: (4). (HU).; This course surveys the development of Buddhism in Tibet. It begins with an introduction to those doctrines and practices of Indian Buddhism that would come to hold an important place in the Tibetan tradition and goes on to examine the process of transmission of Buddhism from India to Tibet.
ASIAN 245 / JAPANESE 245 / FILMVID 245. Anime.: (4). (Excl). Laboratory fee ($35) required.; In this course, we examine the history of Japanese animation and its relationship to the social, political, and economic transformations of the nation. Anime's roots are in 1930s children's films promoting the colonization of Asia, followed by propaganda films from World War II.
ASIAN 250 / BUDDHST 250. Undergraduate Seminar in Buddhist Studies.: No knowledge of an Asian language required. (3). (HU). May be repeated with department permission.; This undergraduate seminar offers lower division LS&A students a small group learning experience. Students explore a subject of particular interest in collaboration with a faculty member in the area of Buddhist Studies.
ASIAN 251 / CHIN 250. Undergraduate Seminar in Chinese Culture.: No knowledge of Chinese language is required. (3). (HU). May be repeated with department permission.; This undergraduate seminar offers lower division LS&A students a small group learning experience. Students explore a subject of particular interest in collaboration with a faculty member in the area of Chinese culture.
ASIAN 252 / JAPANESE 250. Undergraduate Seminar in Japanese Culture.: No knowledge of Japanese language is required. (3). (HU). May be repeated with department permission.; This undergraduate seminar offers lower division LS&A students a small group learning experience. Students explore a subject of particular interest in collaboration with a faculty member in the area of Japanese Culture.
ASIAN 253 / SSEA 250. Undergraduate Seminar in South and Southeast Asian Culture.: No knowledge of any Asian language required. (3). (HU). May be repeated with department permission.; This undergraduate seminar offers lower division LS&A students a small group learning experience. Students explore a subject of particular interest in collaboration with a faculty member in the area of South/Southeast Asia.
ASIAN 254 / KOREAN 250. Undergraduate Seminar in Korean Culture.: No knowledge of Korean language is required. (3). (HU). May be repeated with department permission for a total of six credits.; This undergraduate seminar offers lower division LS&A students a small group learning experience. Students explore a subject of particular interest in collaboration with a faculty member in the area of Korean Culture.
ASIAN 263 / PHIL 263 / CHIN 263. Introduction to Chinese Philosophy.: (3; 2 in the half-term). (HU).; This course focuses on the major philosophical schools of Classical China (through the unification of China in 221 B.C.). Special consideration is given to the ethical, religious and political thought of the Confucian, Mohist and Daoist schools.
ASIAN 300(400) / JAPANESE 300. Love and Death in Japanese Culture.: A knowledge of Japanese is not required. (4). (HU).; This course covers issues of Love and Death in Japan, and how it is portrayed in Japanese Literature. In this course, students read a variety of premodern literature, including portions of the Tale of Genji and the Tale of Heike. All literature is read in a cultural context.
ASIAN 301(401) / JAPANESE 301 / WOMENSTD 301. Writing Japanese Women.: (4). (HU).; This is a course on writing by and about women – women's self-representation and men's representations of women – in Japanese culture. Along with primary sources in literature and the visual arts, secondary sources include theoretical readings in the psychology of sex, love, and death by Freud, Kristeva, Lacan, and Bataille; in the field of cultural production by Bourdieu; in feminist theories of reading in the Anglo-American academy.
ASIAN 302(402) / JAPANESE 302. Rewriting Identities in Modern Japan.: (4). (HU).; This introductory course to modern Japanese fiction examines how novels and short stories written after 1868 engage the issue of national, cultural, and social identities. The inquiry in the course simultaneously moves in two directions. We examine how fiction written in an age of national print-capitalism participates in the work of building a common understanding of a nation and its people, but we shall also see how the same fiction can spotlight divisions of gender, sexual orientation, class, generation and region.
ASIAN 303 / SSEA 303 / RELIGION 303. Sikhism.: (3). (HU).; Sikh religious beliefs, practices, and institutions. Emphasizes the techniques of the founder, Guru Nanak, and major doctrinal developments under subsequent Gurus. Particular attention is paid to the scripture, the Adi Granth, and other Sikh texts to understand the evolution of the Sikh community.
ASIAN 310 / CHIN 310 / JAPANESE 310. The Theater of China and Japan.: (4). (HU).; Not a survey but an integrated look at these two traditions. Selected elements of performance and consumption (including reading plays as literature) are investigated through representative plays from both traditions. A wide variety of primary and secondary materials are used.
ASIAN 312 / KOREAN 312. Traditional Korean Thought.: Knowledge of Korean language is not required. (3). (HU).; A survey of Korean thought in comparative context. Main topics include Shamanism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Sirhak (Practical Learning). Basic doctrines of each tradition (and the distinctive and yet interrrelated development or each of these tradition) are examined.
ASIAN 316 / BUDDHST 316 / RELIGION 316. Religion in Modern Japan.: (3). (Excl).; This course looks at dominant trends in modern Japanese religion. We pay particular attention to the "new religions" that arose after the Meiji restoration (1868), and the continued popularity of ancient religious practices (shamanism, exorcism, etc.) in a modern industrialized society.
ASIAN 320 / SSEA 320. Sikh History I (16th-18th Centuries).: (3). (HU).; Study of the historical context of North India which provides the basic impetus for the emergence of a new religious tradition in the beginning of the 16th century. The emphasis is on religio-cultural innovation of Guru Nanak (1469-1539) and his nine successors. Particular attention is paid to the evolution of the Sikh community (Panth) in tension with Mughals and Afghans. We also examine the influence of Banda Bahadur and the Misals on the Hkalsa as established by Guru Gobind Singh.
ASIAN 321 / SSEA 321. Sikh History II (19th Century-Present).: (3). (HU).; Study of the five phases of Sikh history (1800-1993), beginning with the Sikh Kingdom of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The emphasis is on religious and cultural transformation that took place under the British Raj. We examine a series of socio-religious movements of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries that gave rise to modern Sikh identity. Particular attention is paid to the Singh Sabha and the Akali movements. We also examine the Sikh situation between 1925 and Independence. We end with the last phase of Sikh history in Independent India (1947-1993).
ASIAN 360(475) / CHIN 360 / RCHUMS 375 / HISTART 387 / PHIL 360. The Arts and Letters of China.: (4). (HU).; An interdisciplinary introduction to Chinese civilization through the study of significant and representative works from philosophy, art, drama, and literature. Taught jointly by a team of faculty specialists.
ASIAN 361 / CHIN 361. Writer and Society in Premodern China.: (4). (HU).; This course examines highlights from pre-modern Chinese literature in order to enable students to see how these masterpieces illustrate the range and depth of the Chinese imagination and give insight into both the inner life of the individual and Chinese society as a whole.
ASIAN 362(476) / CHIN 362 / RCHUMS 362. Writer and Society in Modern China.: No knowledge of Chinese is required. (4). (HU).; A course examining the role and self-conception of the writer in relation to the changing historical context of modern China, through the study of works of narrative fiction, criticism, and literary theory.
ASIAN 375 / JAPANESE 375. Japanese Popular Music.: (3). (HU).; This course deals with both historical and contemporary forms of popular music in Japan. Amateur and professional music-making, as well as vernacular discourse about music (in translation) are treated as resources for thinking about the culture and experience of the populace, and ways in which they have been distinct from the 'high' culture of Japan's elites.
ASIAN 380. Topics in Asian Studies.: (3). (Excl). May be repeated for a total of six credits.; Course Topics vary.
ASIAN 381. Junior/Senior Colloquium for Concentrators.: Junior or senior standing and concentration in Asian Studies. (3). (Excl).; Readings, discussion, analysis, and short papers on major themes in the field.
ASIAN 395. Honors Thesis.: Honors candidate in Asian Studies and permission of instructor. (1-3). (Excl). May be elected a total of four times. May be elected for a maximum of six credits.; Thesis writing course
ASIAN 399. Directed Reading.: (1-3). (Excl). (INDEPENDENT).; Individual work and reading for undergraduate concentrators.
ASIAN 412 / JAPANESE 412. Topics in Japanese Culture.: (1-4). (Excl). May be elected 3 times for credit.; Variable topics, depending on the interest of our current and visiting faculty.
ASIAN 420 / KOREAN 420. Korean Literature in Translation.: (3). (Excl).; The course introduces and discusses classical Korean literature, from the earliest poetry “hyangga”, to the 19th century “sijo” which are the central poetic genre in the tradition of Korean poetry. The course examines the classical poetry and prose both in vernacular Korean and in Sino-Korean, hanmun.
ASIAN 428 / POLSCI 428 / PHIL 428 / SOC 426. China's Evolution Under Communism.: Upperclass standing. (4; 3 in the half-term). (Excl).; An analysis of developments in China since 1949 with particular emphasis on evolution of political control, economic development and social change, and their relationship to ideology.
ASIAN 440. National Cinema of Asia.: (3). (Excl). May be repeated for a total of six credits.; Explores the diverse cinemas of Asia, form their beginnings in one-shot actualities to today's proliferation of electronic media. Analyzing the aesthetic and narrative style of Asian films in the context of their culture and historical moment, we study everything from popular films to art cinema to animation.
ASIAN 444. The Southeast Asian Village.: (3). (Excl).; Daily life, religion, customs, ceremonies, music, drama, arts, and crafts are examined to provide a view of Southeast Asian village life. An analysis of the village economy, society, and political organization relates the peasant village tradition to the greater urban traditions of Southeast Asia.
ASIAN 461 / SSEA 461. Southeast Asian Literature.: (3; 2 in the half-term). (Excl).; An introduction to Indonesian literature in English translation.
ASIAN 462 / SSEA 462. Writing, Culture, and History: Perspectives on Indonesia.: (3). (Excl).; The course considers the colonial and postcolonial formation of Indonesia as a subject of scholarly study. How is the Indonesian past recalled and how is Indonesian culture represented?
ASIAN 463 / MUSICOL 463. Music of Southeast Asia.: Undergraduates only. (2). (Excl).; Survey of the musical cultures of the Indonesian archipelago including Java, Bali, and Sumatra.
ASIAN 466 / CHIN 466 / PHIL 456. Interpreting the Zhuangzi.: Asian Studies 263 or another introductory philosophy course is recommended. (3). (Excl).; This course is a survey of different interpretations of the early Daoist classic, Zhuangzi. We examine both traditional and modern interpretations, but we focus on modern interpreters and approaches.
ASIAN 468 / CHIN 468 / PHIL 468. Classical Chinese Thought.: Upperclass standing; no knowledge of Chinese required. (3; 2 in the half-term). (Excl).; Focuses on the major philosophical schools of the Chou-Han period. Special consideration is given to the Confucian and Taoist schools since doctrines associated with them were the sources of the two major philosophical traditions in China for the next 2000 years.
ASIAN 469 / CHIN 469 / PHIL 469. Later Chinese Thought.: Upperclass standing; no knowledge of Chinese required. (3; 2 in the half-term). (Excl).; Examines the poetic, philosophical, and religious aspects of the Taoist revival of the third century A.D., Chinese Buddhism, and Neo-Confucianism that dominates Chinese thought from the twelfth through the nineteenth centuries.
ASIAN 472 / KOREAN 472. The Korean War.: (3). (Excl).; This course explores the origins of the Korean war and its effect on Korean society and culture.
ASIAN 473 / KOREAN 473 / HISTORY 473. Modern Korea.: (3). (Excl).; A general introduction to the political and cultural history of modern Korea since 1850. The topics to be examined are: state and society in late Choson; impact of colonialism; nationalist and socialist movements; liberation and partition of Korea; the Korean war; rivalry between North and South Korea; problems of economic development; and the democratic movement in South Korea.
ASIAN 480 / BUDDHST 480 / PHIL 457 / RELIGION 480. Topics in Buddhism.: Asian Studies 230. (3). (Excl).; This course covers selected topics in the history of Buddhist ideas. The class combines lectures and discussions on a number of primary sources ("Buddhist Texts") in English translation. Buddhist doctrines are approached from several points of view, using primarily, but not exclusively, the conceptualizations of classical Buddhist systems.
ASIAN 482 / CHIN 480. Upperclass Seminar in Chinese Humanities.: Upperclass standing or permission of instructor. (3). (Excl). May be elected for credit twice.; Enables upperclass students to study in-depth aspects of Chinese humanities in a seminar setting. Readings (in translation) vary from year to year.
ASIAN 484 / BUDDHST 484. Buddhist Tantra.: Buddhist Studies 230. (3). (Excl).; This course surveys the development of this least understood current of the Buddhist tradition, identifying the precursors to tantrism in the earlier Buddhist tradition and then proceeding to examine those elements that appear to be common to the various tantric traditions, including initiation, the recitation of mantra, and the visualization of mandalas. The course then continues with a survey of development of tantrism in Tibet, China, and Japan.
ASIAN 489 / BUDDHST 489 / KOREAN 489. Korean Buddhism.: Buddhist Studies 220, or any introductory course on Buddhism. (3). (Excl).; This course surveys the introduction and development of Buddhism in Korea from the third century to the present. It introduces the doctrines and practices of Chinese Buddhism which hold an important place in the Korean tradition while examining the transmission and assimilation of Buddhism in Korea.
ASIAN 490. Topics in Japanese Studies.: (3). (Excl).; Selected topics in the Anthropology, Economics, Demography, Geography, History, Sociology of Japan and East Asia. Students are required to write papers based on original research taken from primary/secondary sources. Special attention is given to current topics on Japan.
ASIAN 491. Topics in Japanese Studies.: (1). (Excl).; Selected topics in the Anthropology, Economics, Demography, Geography History, Sociology of Japan and East Asia. Students are required to write papers based on original research taken from primary/secondary sources. Special attention is given to current topics on Japan.
ASIAN 492. Topics in S&SEA Studies.: (1-3). (Excl). May be repeated for a total of six credits.; This course is a topics course that allows visiting faculty, sponsored by the Center for South & Southeast Asian Studies, to teach seminar courses to departmental MA students.
ASIAN 499. Independent Study-Directed Readings.: (1-4). (Excl). (INDEPENDENT). May be repeated for a total of eight credits.; Directed readings or research in consultation with a member of the Asian Studies faculty.
ASIAN 511. Colloquium on Southern Asia: The Interface of the Humanities and the Social Sciences.: (3; 2 in the half-term). (Excl).; A colloquium principally for upperclass and graduate students with a special interest in the study of South and Southeast Asia. Weekly two-hour meetings at which original research papers by faculty associates of the Center for South and Southeast Asian Studies and others are read and discussed.

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