Program Committee
Thomas A. Wilson, Director (History)
Haeng-ja Sachiko Chung (Anthropology)
Masaaki Kamiya (Japanese)
Charlotte Lee (Government) (F/S)
Kyoko Omori (Japanese) (F/S)
Lisa N. Trivedi (History)
Christopher Vasantkumar (Anthropology)
Steven Yao (English) (F/S)
The Asian Studies Program offers an interdisciplinary approach to the study of Asian languages, cultures, and societies. The program foresters an in-depth understanding of an Asian culture, requiring coursework in at least two of the following departments—Anthropology, Art History, English, Government, History, Religious Studies, Theatre—alongside study of an Asian language. Building upon this interdisciplinary approach, Asian Studies concentrators are well-prepared for study in an Asian country. In the senior year, concentrators draw together their knowledge from coursework and experiences in Asia to complete senior projects.
A concentration in Asian Studies consists of nine courses distributed among at least three departments. These courses should be selected according to the requirements listed below. Honors in Asian Studies will be awarded to concentrators with at least an 3.3 (88) average in the concentration and who complete 550 with a grade of at least A-.
A minor in Asian Studies consists of five courses, including 180 and four electives approved by the program director.
Students double majoring in Asian Studies and East Asian Languages and Literatures (EALL) may use upper-level Chinese or Japanese language courses to satisfy the Asian Studies requirements, providing they are not used to count toward the EALL concentration.
Beginning with the class of 2016, there are three tracks within the Asian Studies concentration: China Studies, Japan Studies, and India Studies. Ordinarily, students choose to focus their coursework and language study in one of these three regional areas. Students with thematic interests in Asia may pursue a comparative course of study in consultation with the Director. A partial list of courses regularly offered in each of these three areas follows a list of requirements for each track.
China Studies
1. 180F Exploring Culture in the Great Cities of Asia.
2. Asian Language: The completion of intermediate language study, Chinese 140. In consultation with the program director, students may fulfill this requirement through appropriate language study abroad or through an intensive summer program. Any Asian language course at Hamilton above 140 may be used to meet this requirement. Students are strongly encouraged to pursue advanced language courses beyond the intermediate level.
3. Core Courses: In consultation with the program director, students design their concentration through the completion of seven courses chosen from at least two departments. Besides Asian Studies 180, one other 100-level course may be counted toward the concentration. At least three of these courses should be at the 300 level or above.
4. Senior Project: Students complete the senior project by enrolling in AS 550F.
Japan Studies
1. 180F Exploring Culture in the Great Cities of Asia.
2. Asian Language: The completion of Japanese 140. In consultation with the program director, students may fulfill this requirement through appropriate language study abroad or through an intensive summer program. Any Asian language course at Hamilton above 140 may be used to meet this requirement. Students are strongly encouraged to pursue advanced language courses beyond the intermediate level.
3. Core Courses: In consultation with the program director, students design their concentration through the completion of seven courses chosen from at least two departments. One of the core courses for any student in the Japan Studies track must be Japanese 150S; no more than two 100-level courses may be counted towards the concentration. At least three of these courses should be at the 300 level or above.
4. Senior Project: Students complete the senior project by enrolling in AS 550F.
India Studies
1. 180F Exploring Culture in the Great Cities of Asia.
2. Asian Language: The completion of intermediate level Hindi, offered through Critical Languages. In consultation with the program director, students may fulfill this requirement through appropriate language study abroad or through an intensive summer program. Any Asian language course at Hamilton above 140 may be used to meet this requirement. Students are strongly encouraged to pursue advanced language courses beyond the intermediate level.
3. Core Courses: In consultation with the program director, students design their concentration through the completion of seven courses chosen from at least two departments. Besides Asian Studies 180, one other 100-level course may be counted toward the concentration. At least three of these courses should be at the 300 level or above.
4. AS 550F Senior Project.
China Studies
Anthropology
232 Comparative Ethnographic Study of Asia
248 Peoples of China
338 The Anthropology of Globalization and Transnationalism
Art History
154 Arts and Cultures of Asia
258 Political Power and Cultural Authority: The Arts of China
340 The Arts of Zen Buddhism
352 Contemporary Chinese Art in the Global Cultural Economy
East Asian Languages and Literatures - Chinese
150 Chinese Culture, Society and Language
200 Advanced Chinese I
203S Women in Chinese Literature
205 Modern China Through Film
210 Modern and Contemporary Chinese Literature: Traditions and Modernists
215 Chinese Literature in Translation
220 Advanced Chinese II
230 Translation Workshop
320 Chinese Press and Television
360 Readings in Modern Chinese Literature
400 The Changing Face of China
420 Selected Readings in China's Post-Cultural Revolution Era
425 Current Issues in Contemporary China
430 Masterpieces of Chinese Literature
445 Classical Chinese Language and Culture
450 Remembering the Chinese Revolution through Film
470 History of Chinese Language
490 Advanced Readings in Chinese Literature, History and Philosophy
Government
211 Politics in China
329 Authoritarian Politics
History
180 Exploring Culture in the Great Cities of Asia
235 Women in Modern Asia
280 Chinese Culture in Imperial Times
285 Modernity and Nationhood in China
305 Nomads, Conquerors and Trade: Central and Inner Asia
333 Philosophical Masters of Ancient China
337 Confucian Traditions
309 Seminar on Asian Temples in a Virtual World
363 Seminar: Colonial Encounters in Asia
396 History of Gods
Religious Studies
208 The Dao and Its Power
225 Buddhist Worlds in the USA
425 Seminar in Mahayana Buddhism
Theatre
255 Asian Performance: The Exotic Body
Japan Studies
Anthropology
232 Comparative Ethnographic Study of Asia
268 Japan Inc.: Hierarchy, Power and Resistance
Art History
254 Courtier, Samurai, Priest and Chonin: The Arts of Japan
340 The Arts of Zen Buddhism
Comparative Literature
356 Introduction to Japanese Film
East Asian Languages and Literatures - Japanese
150 Introduction to Japanese Culture and Language
200-220 Advanced Japanese
205 Topics in Japanese Linguistics
219 Pragmatics and Language Acquisition
235 Love, Family and Loneliness in Modern Japanese Literature
239 Modern Life and War in Japanese Literature
255 The languages of East Asia
263 Deconstructing Orientalism: Representations of Japan in Popular Culture
401 Selected Readings in Japanese
402 Japanese Textural Analysis and Translation
History
180 Exploring Culture in the Great Cities of Asia
235 Women in Modern Asia
270 Emperor, Courtier and Samurai in Japan
283 A Modern History of Japan: From Samurai to Salaryman, 1800-1989
309 Seminar on Asian Temples in a Virtual World
360 Mythical Histories in China and Japan
363 Seminar: Colonial Encounters in Asia
396 History of Gods
Religious Studies
225 Buddhist Worlds in the USA
305 The World of Zen
425 Seminar in Mahayana Buddhism
Theatre
255 Asian Performance: The Exotic Body
India Studies
Anthropology
220 Contemporary Politics and Culture in India
232 Comparative Ethnographic Study of Asia
Art History
154 Arts and Cultures of Asia
245 Hindu, Buddhist and Islamic Arts of India
266 Art of the Islamic World
History
180 Exploring Culture in the Great Cities of Asia
220 Culture & Politics of India
239 The Making of Modern India, 1526-1947
247 "Cracking India:" Historical and Literary Perspectives on Partition
305 Nomads, Conquerors and Trade: Central and Inner Asia
309 Seminar on Asian Temples in a Virtual World
363 Seminar: Colonial Encounters in Asia
375 Gandhi: His Life and Times
396 History of Gods
Religious Studies
122 Encountering Hinduism
213 Islam and Modernity in South Asia
225 Buddhist Worlds in the USA
405 Seminar in Modern India and the West
Theatre
255 Asian Performance: The Exotic Body
180F Exploring Culture in the Great Cities of Asia.
An interdisciplinary exploration of Asian cultures through cities in China, India and Japan from early times to the 20th century. Examines the history and geography of greater Asia; its diverse peoples and their philosophical and literary traditions; their religious and commercial practices; and their art.
(Writing-intensive.)
(Same as History 180.)
Maximum enrollment, 20.
Trivedi and Wilson.
550F Senior Project.
Seminar in which concentrators develop individually-designed research projects in consultation with the instructor and one other member of the Asian Studies Program Committee. Students discuss their ongoing research with their peers throughout the semester, culminating in formal presentations of the final projects – usually written – which demonstrate mastery of the methods of the study of Asia in one or more discipline. Prerequisite, at least one Asian Studies course offered at the 300-level.
Maximum enrollment, 20.
Program Director.
