AST 102 Introduction to Japanese II (JPN)

Instructor: Kobayashi

Prerequisite: AST/JPN 101 with a grade of C or higher or permission of instructor.

Continued emphasis on Japanese oral/aural communication skills and an introduction to the Japanese written language.

AST 104 Introduction to Japanese IV (JPN)

Instructor: Kobayashi

Prerequisite:AST/JPN 103 with a grade of C or higher or permission of instructor.

Completion of the two-term intermediate level of Japanese language instruction; continued practice of reading, writing, listening, and speaking, fully integrated with culture.

AST 123 Introduction to Japan (HIS)

Instructor: Robert Foster

Approved to Meet the Following General Education Requirement(s):International (Non-Western) Perspective

Japan has developed from an isolated chain of islands at the edge of East Asia into a modern economic giant. Through close reading of documents, focused analytical writing, open discussion and lecture, we will examine the complexity of the culture that gave rise to Zen Buddhism, the samurai, and Japan’s current position as one of the world’s most powerful economies.

AST 250 Indian & SE Asian Art His(ART)

Prerequisite: GSTR 203 or GSTR 210

Offered: Typically alternate years (next offered 2008-2009)

A survey of the religious art (Buddhist, Dravidian, Hindu, Islamic, Jain) of India and Southeast Asia. Arts Perspective and Religion Perspective.

Prerequisite: AST/HIS 122 or 123; or GSTR 221 or sophomore standing

Offered: Typically alternate Fall Terms (next offered Fall 2007)

The goal of this course is two-fold. Through examining a key period in Japanese history students will develop both a deeper appreciation for Japanese culture and a better understanding for the various methodologies that historians employ in analyzing complex societies. By reading key primary documents and secondary material from important historians, students will develop a picture of the way social, economic, political, and cultural issues interact and shape the period. May be repeated for credit, provided the topic differs from those studied previously. World Culture (Non-Western) component of the International Perspective.

AST 260 Buddhism (REL)

Instructor: Jeffrey L. Richey

Prerequisite: GSTR 100 or 110.
Approved to Meet the Following General Education Requirement(s):International (Non-Western) and Religion Perspective

A study of the history and diversity of Buddhist traditions, from the time of the Buddha in 5th-century BCE India to contemporary Buddhist communities in Asia and the West. Special attention will be given to the problems and prospects of Buddhism in relation to contemporary issues, such as gender and sexuality, ecological change, and the relationship between religion and politics.

AST 322 Seminar in Chinese History: “The Silk Road and China” (HIS)

Instructor: Robert Foster

Prerequisite: AST/HIS 122 or 123 or permission of instructor.
Approved to Meet the Following General Education Requirement(s):International (Non-Western) Perspective

The Silk Road is the ancient trade network that connected all parts of Eurasia.  Best known as the path by which silk from China entered Europe, it was the route that Marco Polo traveled in the 13th century from Venice to China.  Through literature, archaeology, art, and historical texts, this course examines the interchange of goods and ideas along the Silk Road.  We will discuss the historical development of the route, whether Polo actually made it to China, how the route enabled the spread of religions such as Buddhism, Islam, and Nestorian Christianity, and how the lure of the Silk Road’s legends encouraged modern adventurers to search for lost cities along its length.

CHI 102 Introduction to Chinese II

Instructor: Li Yang

For more information about this course, please contact Prof. Li.