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Courses in East Asian Studies
A Eas 103 Sources of East Asian Civilizations I (3)
A basic introduction to the primary texts that have contributed to the formative cultural foundations of Chinese and Korean civilizations. Readings will include the Analects of Confucius, the Tao te ching, and the Journey to the West.
A Eas 104 Sources of East Asian Civilizations II (3)
A basic introduction to the primary texts that have contributed to the formative cultural foundations of Korean and Japanese civilizations. Readings will include selections from the Tale of Genji and Basho’s Narrow Road to the Deep North.
T Eas 105 Traditional China and Its Modern Fate (3)
This course introduces the major social, intellectual, and political components of pre-modern China and describes the changes to those components that have occurred in China since the beginning of the 20th century. Prerequisite(s): This course is limited to students enrolled in the University at Albany Honors College.
A Eas 140 Introduction to East Asian Cinema (3)
This course offers an introduction to East Asian cinema, with emphasis on movies produced in China and Japan. Lectures and class discussions will focus on the interpretation of cinematic texts, especially as they relate to cultural dynamics and social change.
A Eas 177 (= A His 177) Cultures and Societies of Asia: An Historical Survey II (3)
An introduction to the history and cultures of East Asia (China, Japan, and Korea), their major institutions and their religious and philosophical traditions from ancient times to the present. A Eas 177Z is the writing intensive version of A Eas 177; only one may be taken for credit.
A Eas 177Z (= A His 177Z) Cultures and Societies of Asia: An Historical Survey II (4)
A Eas 177Z is the writing intensive version of A Eas 177; only one may be taken for credit.
A Eas 180 (= A Gog 180) Asian America (3)
This course examines the history of the Asian experience in the United States (especially that of the Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Southeast Asian communities). Topics include immigration, legal status, the transformation of Asian-American communities, their relationship with their native lands, and Asian-American self-representation in literature and film.
A Eas 190 Confucianism and the Samurai Ethic (3)
This course will examine primary texts in translation from Confucius’ Analects to 20th century political propaganda in an effort to trace the origins and evolution of the ideas that formed the samurai ethic in Japan. Course taught in English; no knowledge of Chinese or Japanese necessary.
A Eas 220 Chinese and Japanese Calligraphy (3)
Practical instruction in the artistic design and the different styles of written Chinese and Japanese with the traditional implements: brush, rice paper, ink plate and ink bar. Knowledge of Chinese or Japanese is not required.
A Eas 260 (= A His 260) China in Revolution (3)
This course examines China’s four great twentieth century revolutions: the 1911 Revolution, the 1949 Communist Revolution, the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, and the reforms of the 1980’s and 1990’s. Topics include authority and dissent, constituency mobilization, the relationship between urban and rural regions, and the changing nature of ideology in China.
A Eas 261 (=A Rel 261) Introduction to the Religions of Japan (3)
An introduction to the major religious traditions of Japan, particularly Shinto and Buddhism, this course will cover the major forms of religious expression in Japanese history from the earliest historical records to the so-called New Religions which arose in the twentieth century. Discussion will include the philosophical, artistic, social, and political dimensions of religion in Japanese society.
A Eas 265 (= A Rel 265) Introduction to Indian Buddhism (3)
An introduction to the story of Buddhism in South Asia. Focus is on the evolution of the Buddhist view of sentient life during its first 1500 years on the subcontinent as expressed primarily in doctrine, but cultural, artistic, social, and political issues will also be considered.
A Eas 266 (= A Rel 266) Buddhism in China and Japan (3)
An introduction to the heritage of Buddhism in East Asia. Focus is on the cultural interaction between Indian Buddhist notions of the human condition and the traditional religious and philosophical assumptions of China and Japan. Discussion will center on doctrine and the history of its transmission and understanding, including issues in language, artistic expression, and the establishment of the monastic community.
A Eas 270 (= A Wss 270) Women in East Asian Literature (3)
Female persona in East Asian literature will be examined in relation to their cultural background as well as the genres in which they appear. Women as rulers and lovers; as goddesses and prostitutes; exemplars and shrews. Conducted in English; no knowledge of the East Asian languages or cultures is required. Only one of A Eas 270 & A Wss 270 may be taken for credit.
A Eas 321 (= A Lcs 321 and A Gog 321) Exploring the Multicultural City (3)
This course will explore the human dimensions and implications of ethnic diversity in the United States, focusing on New York City. The course utilizes a variety of methods to introduce students to the multicultural city, beginning in the classroom but ending with fieldwork in a specific New York neighborhood. A Eas 321 is equivalent in content to A Lcs 321 and A Gog 321; only one of the three courses may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): A Gog 102 or 102Z; or A Gog 120Z, or A Gog 125, A Gog 160 or 160Z; or A Gog 220, or A Gog 240. May not be offered in 2008-2009.
A Eas 345 (= A Rel 345) Ethical Issues in East Asian Thought (3)
This is a discussion course that looks at ethical issues of contemporary significance to the cultures of Asia. Students read contemporary academic discussions of how problems such as suicide, euthanasia, abortion, sexuality, cloning, etc. have been understood historically and in terms of contemporary social morality in India, China, Tibet, and Japan.
A Eas 357 (= A Rel 357) Zen Buddhism (3)
An introduction to the religious, philosophical, and artistic tradition of Zen Buddhism in China, Korea, and Japan and the West. This course looks at the birth and subsequent historical evolution of the Zen or Ch’an school of Buddhism in East Asia. We will look at the intersection of Buddhist and Chinese presumptions about spirituality that gave rise to this unusual religious form, discussing precisely what is and is not iconoclastic about its tenets. The experience of American Zen communities will also be considered.
A Eas 362 (= A Eco 362) Economies of Japan and Korea (3)
A study of the economic growth of Japan and Korea and of current issues facing these economies. A Eco 362Z & A Eas 362Z are the writing intensive versions of A Eco 362 & A Eas 362; only one of the four courses may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): A Eco 110 and 111 or permission of instructor.
A Eas 362Z (= A Eco 362Z) Economies of Japan and Korea (3)
A Eas 362Z & A Eco 362Z are the writing intensive versions of A Eas 362 & A Eco 362; only one of the four courses may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): A Eco 110 and 111 or permission of instructor.
A Eas 392 East Asian Travel Literature (3)
This course will examine the traditions of travel writing in China and Japan. Students will read selections from both countries that cover a range from the 9th century to the 18th century. Half of the semester will focus on China and half on Japan. All readings will be in English; no knowledge of Chinese or Japanese is required. Prerequisite(s): Any one of the following, or permission of the instructor: A Eas 104, A Eaj 210; A Eas 103; A Eac 210, A Eac 211
A Eas 393 (= A Rel 393) Readings in Buddhist Texts (3)
This is an advanced course in the study of Buddhism that will focus on the close reading of Buddhist scriptures in English translation. Prerequisite(s): A Eas 265/A Rel 265; A Eas 266/A Rel 266, or permission of the instructor.
A Eas 394 (= E Rel 394) Readings in Japanese Religious Studies (3)
This is an advanced course in the religious traditions of Japan. We will read English translations of religious texts native to the Japanese experience of religion, specifically Buddhist, Shinto, Confucian, and Folk. Prerequisite(s): One of the following: A Eaj 261/A Rel 261; A Eas 266/A Rel 266, A Eas 190, A Eas 357 or permission of the instructor.
A Eas 395 The History and Culture of Traditional Tibet (3)
This course surveys the salient aspects of the culture and history of the Tibetan region. Topics of particular interest include the evolution of Tibetan social and political structures, the importance of Tibet’s main religious traditions, and the distinctiveness of its artistic heritage (both visual and literary). Course materials include primary sources in English translation, scholarly works, and visual images. Prerequisite(s): Any one of the following: A Eac 170, A Eac 379, A Eac 380, A Eas 103, A Eas 262, A Eas 265, or permission of the instructor.
A Eas 397 The Silk Road (3)
The course examines the history of various land links between China and India, which are known collectively as “The Silk Road.” Special attention is given to the transmission of ideas (Buddhism), art forms, and commercial goods along this route, especially during the heyday of the Silk Road from about 600 to 1000 AD. The many discoveries made by Western archeologists in Central Asia in the late 19th and early 20th centuries are also considered, as well as issues related to their removal of Silk Road treasures to museums in Europe and around the world. Prerequisite(s): Any one of the following: A Eac 170; A Eas 103; A Eac 210, or A Eac 211.
A Eas 399 (= A His 399) Confucius and Confucianism (3)
This course surveys the main texts and themes in the development of the Confucian tradition from its origins in China through its spread in Japan and Korea to its reemergence in contemporary East Asia. The emphasis is on the way that the tradition has responded to social conditions. Particular attention will be paid to the relationship between Confucian intellectuals and political power. The rivalry with other traditions (e.g., Taoism, Buddhism, Marxism, Liberalism, etc.) will also be considered. Prerequisite(s): A His 177, A Eas 103, A Eas 190, A Eac 379, or permission of the instructor.
A Eas 495 Colloquium in East Asian Studies (3)
Directed readings and conferences involving several members of the faculty for students pursuing undergraduate honors in the Department of East Asian Studies. To be offered only when requested by students eligible for the honors program. Prerequisite(s): major in the department; junior or senior class standing; acceptance into the Honors Program. This course may be repeated once with the approval of the student’s honors project adviser.
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