AST 102 Introduction to Japanese II (JPN)

Instructor: Nobuko Patton
Prerequisite: JPN/AST 101 w/ C or higher or Permission of Instructor
Offered: Typically every Spring Term
Continued emphasis on Japanese oral/aural communication skills and an introduction to the Japanese written language.
1 Course

AST 104 Introduction to Japanese IV (JPN)

Instructor: Nobuko Patton
Prerequisite: JPN/AST 103 w/ C or higher or Permission of Instructor
Offered: Typically every Spring Term
Completion of the two-term intermediate level of Japanese language instruction; continued practice of reading, writing, listening, and speaking, fully integrated with culture.
1 Course

AST 135-A, -B Religions of Japan (REL)

Instructor: Jeffrey L. Richey
A study of the principal religious traditions of Japan: Buddhism, Confucianism, and Shinto. The course includes readings in the classical primary texts of each tradition as well as attention to ritual and practice. Fulfills International (Non-Western) and Religion Perspective requirements.
1 Course

AST 186-UG History of Modern China (HIS)

Instructor: Uma Ganesan
Prerequisite: Determined by instructor
Offered:
This course surveys the history of China from c. 1650 CE to the present. While following a chronological narrative, it emphasizes broad themes that have shaped the history of modern China. The course begins with an examination of the Qing dynasty, the last major dynasty in Chinese history, and then proceeds to explore the forces, both internal and external, that propelled China to a major revolution in the twentieth century. It then focuses on the emergence of the People‘s Republic of China from the Mao years through to the Deng-Xiaoping era. The course thus provides the framework for understanding contemporary China. Fulfills International (Non-Western) Perspective requirement.
1 Course

AST 204 Yoga (PED)

Instructor: Stephanie Woodie
Prerequisite: PEH 100 or Permission of Instructor
Offered: Typically every Spring Term
A study of the asanas (poses) included in the practice of Hatha Yoga. The focus will be on connecting breath with movement, developing ease and comfort in poses and developing skills in using yoga as a tool for increased self-awareness. The content will include basic history of yoga, and asanas. Students will be required to purchase a yoga mat that they will keep throughout the term.
1 Course

AST 205 Tai Chi (PED)

Instructor: Martha Beagle
Prerequisite: PEH 100 or Permission of Instructor
Offered: Typically every Spring Term
Because of its movement and mind/body focus, the benefits of Tai Chi on dynamic balance, relaxation, and sustained mental attention have been recognized by those who engage in all kinds of activities. Students of Tai Chi will learn the Yang (short form) style of Tai Chi, as well as the mind-body connection in accordance with the principles and techniques of Tai Chi to help enrich one’s life. Tai Chi is designed scientifically to help all students maintain a healthy body through stretching, breathing and meditation.
1 Course

AST 286-UG Colonialism & Nationalism

Instructor: Uma Ganesan
Prerequisite: 1 previous AST or HIS course
Offered: Typically every Spring Term
This course examines the development of nationalism and nationalist movements from the late nineteenth century to about the middle of the twentieth century. While primarily concerned with anti-colonial nationalism as it emerged in the colonies, it also considers metropolitan nationalism to emphasize the mutual constitution of metropole and colony as an essential feature of the colonial encounter. Using selected case studies, it explores the similarities and differences among the various nationalisms and nationalist movements as indigenous peoples responded to colonialism. It concludes with an examination of post-colonialism as both a material condition and a mode of examining the colonial past. Fulfills International (Non-Western) Perspective requirement.
1 Course

AST 260 Buddhism (REL)

Instructor: Jeffrey L. Richey
Prerequisite: GSTR 110 or waiver
Offered: Typically alternate years (next offered Spring 2014).
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. Fulfills International (Non-Western) and Religion Perspective requirements.
1 Course

AST 386-G Women of China & India

Instructor: Uma Ganesan
Prerequisite: 1 previous AST or HIS course
Offered: Typically every Spring Term
This course examines the theme of women and social reform in India and China from c. 1800 to 1950 CE from an historical perspective. This thematic and temporal focus will enable students to engage with the major events that have shaped the modern histories of these regions. Reforms aimed at changing/improving the social, political, or economic status of women were crucial ingredients in the process of modernization and in the development of nationalism. While outlining the broad contours of the debate surrounding women’s status in India and China, the course complicates assumptions of a homogenous category of women by emphasizing the heterogeneity of women‘s experiences both between women in India and women in China and among women within India and China. Finally, it considers debates and trends within women‘s history to examine issues related to re-writing the past from a gendered perspective. Fulfills International (Non-Western) Perspective requirement.
1 Course