This December the Department will be celebrating our 50th Anniversary with a banquet to be held at the Renissance Hotel downtown, join us for a night of more...
Each year the department offers a variety of topics under the course numbed 360B. This year we are offering courses in Modern Japanese Literature, Cultures of Manga and Anime More...
[PLEASE NOTE THAT NOT ALL COURSES ARE OFFERED EVERY YEAR]
http://courses.students.ubc.ca
* Please note that courses with a * beside its course title are courses that can be used to fulfill the Arts Literature Requirement.
- ASIA 344 and ASIA 346 can be counted as Arts Literature Requirement only if they were taught by Professor Joshua Mostow.
- The following are not literature courses and cannot be used to fulfill the Arts Literature Requirement:
CHIN 310, 311, 312, 330, 331 and 332
JAPN 300, 301, 302, 303, 310, 315, 410, 411, 415, 417 and 420
The Arts literature requirements may be met with ASIA courses on Asian literature (which require no knowledge of an Asian language) as well as upper-division CHIN and JAPN courses which have "literature" or a genre of literature in the course title or in the Calendar description of the course.
ASIA 100 - Introduction to Traditional Asia - (3) A survey of the histories and cultures of Asia before 1600 and the coming of the Europeans. Emphasis will be given to parallel themes in the development of the civilizations of South, Southeast and East Asia.
ASIA 101 - Introduction to Modern Asia - (3) A survey of the emergence of modern Asia. Aims at an understanding of how the various people of Asia have maintained distinctive cultural identities despite centuries of political, economic, social and cultural change.
ASIA 200 - Cultural Foundations of East Asia - (3) A comparative survey of the beliefs, assumptions and values which have shaped the civilizations of East Asia in both traditional and modern times.
Prerequisite: All of ASIA 100 and ASIA 101.
ASIA 204 - Introduction to Asian Religions (6) The religions of India, China, and Japan in their interactions and cultural contexts, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Taoism, Confucianism, and Shinto.
Equivalency: RELG 204.
ASIA 208 - Cultural Foundations of South Asia - (3) A survey of South Asian cultures, including language and literature, art, religion, polity and society, as they developed in the past and have been transformed in the modern period.
Prerequisite: All of ASIA 100 and 101.
ASIA 209 - Cultural Foundations of Southeast Asia - (3) A comparative survey of the different cultures found in the communities of Southeast Asia. Focus will be on language and literature, arts, religion, society and polity, ideologies and belief systems in the past as well as in modern times.
Prerequisite: All of ASIA 100, ASIA 101.
ASIA 250 - Introduction to Buddhism - (3) Origins, basic teachings, development of Theravada, Mahayana, and Tantric traditions, historical spread first through Asia and later the world, and Buddhism in contemporary societies.
ASIA 270 - Modern China and the West - (6)
Equivalency: HIST 270
ASIA 300 - Writing and Culture in East Asia - (3) Practical, aesthetic, historical, technological, and political issues pertaining to the use of Chinese characters -hanzi (Chinese), kanji (Japanese), or hantcha (Korean) -throughout the region. Prerequisite: one of first-year CHIN, JAPN or KORN.
*ASIA 308 - Mythological Literature of Ancient India in Translation - (3) Myths of creation Gods and goddesses of the Vedic pantheon. Connections with myths in other parts of the world, particularly in the Indo-European tradition. Literary representations of the myths.
ASIA 309 - South Asian Beyond South Asia - (3) A history of South Asian people and communities that emigrated overseas, including Indo-Canadians.
ASIA 310 - Studies in the History of a Major Asian Civilization - (3/6) D Study of an Asian culture area different from those covered in existing courses. Not given every year. Consult Department for details. May be taken multiple times on different subjects for credit.
ASIA 314 - Premodern Japan (3) Japanese history (political, economic, social and cultural) to 1600.
ASIA 315 - Japan from Feudal to Modern State (3) Japanese history from 1600 to the Meiji Restoration. Political, economic, social and cultural forces which were involved in transforming Japan.
ASIA 317 - The Rise of Korean Civilization - (3) The evolution of a distinctive Korean civilization within the East Asian cultural sphere. Primary focus on cultural, social, and political development from the earliest times to the sixteenth century.
ASIA 318 - Premodern India - (3) A survey of the history and culture of India from the earliest historic period to 1200 and the coming of Islam, with emphasis on the evolution of classical Hindu civilization.
ASIA 319 - History of Indonesian Civilization - (3) Survey of the archipelago from the 10th century to the present. Social organization, major religions, economic and political developments from the pre-modern period, through Dutch colonial rule to independence.
ASIA 320 - History of Early China (3) History of China from the earliest times to the disintegration of the Tang empire. Students will acquire the analytical skills and tools to understand the origins and foundations of Chinese society.
Equivalency: HIST 378.
ASIA 328 - Medieval India - (3) The history, culture, and social and economic organization of South Asia from the decline of the classical Hindu empires through the Sultanate period.
ASIA 329 - Gender in Southeast Asia (3) A critical examination of what it means to be a woman or a man within the social and cultural context of Southeast Asia. What "masculinity" and "femininity" signify in Indonesia's society; how these concepts are reaffirmed or challenged.
ASIA 337 - The Korean People in Modern Times (1600 to the Present) [3] The transformation of Korea from a Confucian state into an industrial nation. The rise of nationalism and modern ideologies in Korea. Cultural, social and economic changes Korea has undergone as it has entered the modern world.
ASIA 338 - Modern India (3) The history of India from the coming of the Europeans to the rise of the nationalist movement with emphasis on the social and economic impact of British imperialism.
ASIA 339 - The Construction of South Asian Communities in the Diaspora - (3) An examination of contemporary South Asian communities in the diaspora. Topics of particular importance are family life, religious life, notions of space, communal memory, literary and visual representation.
Prerequisite: ASIA 309.
ASIA 340 - The History of Later Imperial China (3) History of China from the end of Tang to the eve of its modern transformation. Students will acquire the analytical skills and tools to understand the political, socio-economic, and cultural changes in imperial China.
Equivalency: HIST 379.
*ASIA 341 - Classical Chinese Literature in Translation - (3) Poetry, historical and philosophic prose writings and the earliest genres of fiction in classical Chinese (ca. 1100 BC - ca. 750 AD).
*ASIA 342 - Chinese Literature in Translation: The Vernacular Tradition - (3) Readings in drama and fiction, 800 to 1800 AD. The emergence of vernacular genres as distinct from and sometimes opposed to the existing classical genres.
ASIA 344 - Topics in Japanese Cultural History I: Aristocrats and Warriors (3) Focuses each year on a specific topic related to the courtly or warrior culture of Japan.
ASIA 346 - Topics in Japanese Cultural History II: The Early Modern Age - (3) Focuses each year on a specific topic related to the culture of early modern Japan.
*ASIA 347 - Traditional Korean Literature in Translation - (3) An introduction to Korean literature from ancient times to 1900.
*ASIA 348 - Great Literary Works of Classical India in Translation - (3) Major Sanskrit and Prakrit literary genres as developed in the Brahmanical, Buddhist and Jaina traditions, including folktales of riddle, intrigue, etc. Ramayana, Mahabharata. Polished poems of the urbane. Plays. Learned novels and long poems.
*ASIA 349 - Southeast Asian Literature in Translation - (3) Literary works from the Malay/Indonesian speaking world (Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore) and some from other regions (mainland Southeast Asia, the Philippines). All readings in English translation.
*ASIA 350 - Asian Literature in Translation: A Comparative Approach - (3) A comparative approach to the literatures of East, South and Southeast Asia focusing on a specific theme.
*ASIA 351 - Modern Chinese Fiction in Translation - (3) Reading of selected novels and stories written between 1750 and the present.
*ASIA 352 - Topics in Traditional Chinese Vernacular Literature - (3) Traditional Chinese culture as seen through reading and discussion of exemplary literary works in the vernacular language.
ASIA 354 - Introduction to Japanese Cinema - (3) Students will be introduced to the work of the major directors (eg., Ozu, Mizoguichi, Kurosawa, Itami, Oshima, Shinoda). Ideological uses of literary texts and period pieces (eg., Ugetsu, Life of Oharu, Double Suicide). Impact of depiction of Japanese in American film.
ASIA 355 - Chinese Cinema - (3) Introduction to the work of major directors.
ASIA 356 - Korean Cinema - (3) Introduction to the work of the major film makers.
*ASIA 357 - Modern Korean Fiction in Translation - (3) Selected novels and stories written between 1906 and the present.
*ASIA 358 - Literature of Medieval India in Translation - (3) Devotional, mystic, and erotic poetry of medieval Hinduism, Islam, and Sikhism.
*ASIA 359 - Gender Relations in Southeast Asian Literature - (3) Gender relations as portrayed in writings in English translation by women and men from the Malay/ Indonesian-speaking world, mainland Southeast Asia, and the Philippines.
*Asia 360 - A Specific Asian Literature in Translation (3-9) D Introduction to the literature of linguistic area of Asia not covered in existing courses. Not given every year. Consult the Department for details. May be taken multiple times on different subjects for credit.
*ASIA 364 - Modern Japanese Literature in Translation - (3) An introductory to the literature and cultural history of modern Japan, with readings drawn from various literary genres, from 1868 to the present.
ASIA 367 - Contemporary Korean Culture - (3) An introduction to the literature, drama, music, and art of Korea today. Particular attention will be paid to the continuing influence of traditional themes and forms.
*ASIA 368 - Modern Literatures of South Asia in Translation - (3) Fiction, drama, and poetry of modern India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, including works in English translation and originally written in English.
ASIA 369 - Asian Folklore - (3) A survey of oral and expressive traditions in Asia, including jokes, superstitions, fairy tales, myths, music, and foodways; practical training in collecting and archiving folklore.
ASIA 371 - Foundations of Chinese Thought - (3) Chinese thoughts from its beginnings until the Han dynasty (206 BCE to 220 CE) in its historical and cultural contexts. Includes, among others: Confucius; Mo Zi; the Legalists/Authoritarians; Zhuang Zi; the Lao Zi book.
ASIA 372 - Development of Traditional Chinese Thought - (3) Chinese thought from the Han dynasty (206 BCE. to 220 CE) to Wang Yangming (1472-1529) in its historical and cultural contexts.
Prerequisite: ASIA 371
ASIA 376 - The Sikhs: Formations, Contexts, and Historical Development (3) Introduction to the historical development of Sikh traditions in India and Diaspora, from the 15th century to the present, with attention to broader historical contexts.
ASIA 377 - History of Korean Thought (3) An examination of Korean religious, philosophical, and scientific thought from the earliest written records to the present day, with particular focus on the interaction of Shamanism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and, in the present century, Christianity.
ASIA 378 - Philosophical Wisdom of Early India (3) Epistemological and ontological thought from the Vedic period to the period of the rise of philosophical schools or systems. Philosophy in the Mahabharata, Gita; early Buddhist and Jain views on knowledge and reality; views on language.
Equivalency: PHIL 378.
ASIA 379 - The Sikhs: History, Religion, and Society - (6) A historical study of the social and cultural forces that helped shape Sikh religious beliefs and ritual practices over the past four centuries. In dealing with the evolution of Sikh identity, due attention will be given to Sikh ideals, social organization, religious institutions and sacred literature.
Equivalency: HIST 389.
ASIA 380 - Modern Chinese History Since 1840 - (6)
Equivalency: HIST 380
ASIA 381 - Daoist (Taoist) Religion and its Philosophical Background - (3) A study of the Daoist religious traditions from their beginnings in the second century CE in their cultural, intellectual and social contexts.
Equivalency: RELG 365
ASIA 382 - Buddhism in China - (3) History, thought, and practices of Chinese Buddhism from its beginning until the twentieth century.
Equivalency: RELG 366
ASIA 383 - Common Religious Traditions in China - (3) A study of the religious practices and beliefs shared by the great majority of people in traditional Chinese culture, including ancestor worship, seasonal festivals, offerings to deities, exorcism of harmful forces.
ASIA 384 - The Zhuangzi (Chuang-Tzu) - (3) Introduction to a foundational text of East Asian thought. Both the primary text and its reception in traditional and modern contexts will be examined.
ASIA 387 - Japanese Religions - (3) An introduction to traditional Japanese religions including Shinto, Buddhism, Shugendo, Confucianism, new religions and folklore, and their roles in Japanese history, culture and society.
ASIA 388 - Buddhist, Brahamanical and Jain Philosophers in Interaction - (3) Debates on issues of epistemology, language and ontology among the philosophical schools or systems of classical India Nagarjuna, Bhartrhari, Uma-svati, Sankara and others.
Equivalency: PHIL 388.
*ASIA 398 - Classical Hindu, Buddhist and Jain Myths and Legends in Translation - (3) Stories of gods, goddesses and religious heroes from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, Puranas, Avadanas and in classical poetry and drama.
ASIA 400 - Chinese Characters: Script, Languages, and Civilizations - (3) Advanced study of the structure of the Chinese characters in their graphic, phonetic, and semantic aspects.
Prerequisite: ASIA 300 and one of CHIN 200, JAPN 200, KORN 300.
ASIA 405 - The Interaction of Science, Religion, and Philosophy in East Asia - (3) The influence of Confucianism, Buddhism, Daoism, and Christianity on the way peoples of East Asia understood and manipulated the natural world, focussing on the natural sciences.
ASIA 410 - International Relations in Premodern East Asia (3) International relations, particularly between Korea and Japan in the premodern East Asian context, focusing on migration, trade, diplomacy, war, collective memory, mutual perceptions, and the context of the Sinocentric international order.
ASIA 411 - Chinese Political Thought and Institutions (3) Chinese theories and practices of government and administration from earliest times to 1949.
ASIA 418 - Social History of India (3) Fundamental institutions including family, caste and religious organizations, with emphasis on the early modern and British periods.
ASIA 422 - Modern Japanese History Since 1800 (6)
Equivalency: HIST 422.
ASIA 428 - Mughal India - (3) History of politics, economy, society, and culture of South Asia from the Great Mughals to the British conquest.
ASIA 430 - International Relations in Modern East Asia: Korea and Japan (3) Trade, diplomacy, war, imperialism, militarism, colonialism, collective memory, mutual perceptions Korean-Japanese relations are examined as an exemplary case for exploring the dimensions of international conflict and partnership.
ASIA 434 - History of Southeast Asia Since 1800 (6)
Equivalency: HIST 383
ASIA 438 - Twentieth Century South Asia (3)
ASIA 440 - Culture and Society in Late Imperial China - (6) An in-depth examination of how beliefs and practices were created and transmitted in imperial China from 1500 to 1800.
Equivalency: HIST 479.
ASIA 441 - Masterworks of Chinese Fiction and Drama in Translation (3/6) D Reading of a classic novel or play, with attention to intellectual, social, and political subtexts as well as aesthetic dimensions and problems of interpretation.
*ASIA 444 - Topics in Modern Japanese Fiction and Cultural History - (3) Focuses on a limited time period or particular aspect of modern Japanese literature.
Prerequisite: ASIA 364. Graduate level standing is also acceptable.
*ASIA 447 - Korean Women's Literature - (3) Women's voices and issues in the Korean literary tradition, from earliest times to the new millennium, in translation.
Prerequisite: One of ASIA 347, ASIA 357.
Permission of instructor is also acceptable.
ASIA 448 - Narrative and Performance in South Asia - (3) Key theoretical issues in the production of stories and their enactment in traditional and modern South Asian cultures. Intended for advanced undergraduates in South Asian narrative and performance theory.
Credit will not be granted for both ASIA 448 and 548.
ASIA 450 Special Topics in Buddhist Studies - (3-12) D Prerequisite: Permission of Instructor.
*ASIA 454 - Japanese Poetry in Translation (3) An introduction to Japanese poetry from its origins in song and myth, to its development from a courtly art (waka) to a popular pastime (haiku). Influences on prose, autobiography, and theatre will also be considered.
*ASIA 455- Adaptations of Japanese Classics (3) Introduction to literary, stage, and film adaptations of Japanese classics and legends and the ways in which these "new" works appropriate the past to comment on the present.
*ASIA 457 - The Modern Korean Novel - (3) Survey of major single-volume novels, ranging from Yi Kwang-su's Heartlessness to Ch'oe Yun's There a Petal Silently Falls, in translation.
Prerequisite: ASIA 357. Permission of instructor is also acceptable.
*ASIA 460 - Modern Asian Women in Narrative - (3) Experience of women in the context of a particular Asian culture, as seen through literature, popular culture, film, and folklore. Narrative as a medium for the representation and constitution of gender.
*ASIA 464 - Japanese Women's Self-Writing - (3) Selected aspects of the more than 1000 years of self-writing (diary, autobiography, personal fiction). Theory and criticism about the use of writing as a medium of self-expression.
ASIA 466 - The History of Christianity in Asia - (3) A survey of Christian proselytizing drives in South, Southeast, and East Asia, focusing on the period since 1500 and the reasons for successes (the Phillipines and Korea, for example) and failures (Japan).
Credit will not be granted for both ASIA 466 and 566
ASIA 470 - Comparative Conceptions of the Self - (3) Ways in which the "self" has been portrayed in eastern and western religious traditions. Thinkers to be considered include Aristotle, Mencius, Freud, Xunzi (Hsun-tzu), Nietzsche, and Zhuangzi (Chuang-tzu).
ASIA 476 - Topics in Sikh and South Asian Studies - (3-9) D Seminar class designed to explore current scholarly debates in South Asian and Sikh Studies. May be repeated for credit with permission of instructor.
Credit will not be granted for both ASIA 476 and 576.
*ASIA 490 - Asian Classics - Fourth Year Seminar (3) Focus changes from year to year.
Prerequisite: Permission of Instructor and fourth-year standing.