In the following courses, readings, lectures, and discussion are in English.
JA 116 Traditional Japanese Literature in Translation (Not offered 2003-04)
This course is an introduction to Japanese literature from ancient times to the late medieval period. We will discuss the Japanese poetic tradition; the relationship between literature and religious beliefs; and issues of gender, sexuality, and subjectivity. 3 hrs. lect./disc. LIT OTH AAL
JA/FM 175 Anime: Japanese Animation (Fall)
Animated films (Japanese anime) have generated new excitement worldwide. Anime films raise serious questions about our existence and identity, about the relationship of the present to myths of the past, about the body and its transformations, about the power of the erotic, and about human aspirations in a mechanized world. In this course we will investigate the anime genre in its cultural contexts with special attention to the relations anime has with cinema. Films for study include Metropolis, Akira, Ghost in the Shell, Princess Mononoke, and Spirited Away. 3 hrs lect/disc./screening ART OTH AAL (Not open to student who have taken FS 020) (C. Cavanaugh)
JA 190 The Tale of Genji (Spring)(Not offered 2003-04)
Was the Tale of Genji the first psychological novel? Written by Murasaki Shikibu in Japan 1000 years ago, the narrative focuses on the political and amorous life of Genji, a fictional prince barred from the throne. His story addresses the conflict between Buddhist beliefs and human desire in a society committed to the arts and aesthetic pleasure. Is Genji a hero or a scoundrel? Is the narrative about one remarkable man, or about the personalities of the women who love him? We will answer these questions through a close reading of the work in translation as we explore its literary, religious, social and historical contexts. LIT OTH AAL
JA/PS 210 Introduction to Japanese Politics and Society (Spring)
See Department of Political Science listings for description. SOC OTH AAL (R. Pekkanen)
JA 220 Modern Japanese Fiction (CW 5) (Not offered 2003-04)
This class will examine the development of Japanese literature during the past century of enormous social and cultural changes. We will discuss the impact of foreign culture, the persistence of tradition, and the individual in relation to society, among other topics. Authors include Sôseki, Kawabata, and recent Nobel Prize winner Ôe Kenzaburô. 3 hrs. lect./disc. LIT OTH AAL
JA/HA 224 Arts of Japan (Not offered 2003-04)
See Department of History of Art and Architecture listings for description. ART HIS OTH AAL
JA 225 Japanese Language and Culture (in English) (Not offered 2003-04)
Study of the interrelationship of language and social structure in Japan. The topics include: discourse analysis, language borrowing, concepts of group formation and address forms, honorifics, history of oral and written varieties of Japanese, and language and gender. (JA 103). LNG OTH AAL
RE/JA 228 Japanese Religions (Spring)
See Department of Religion listings for description. PHL OTH AAL (E. Morrison)
JA 230 Japanese Visual Culture (in English)(Not offered 2003-04)
This course will explore the vibrant world of Japanese visual culture, and anime (animation). The course will aim to enhance visual literacy vis-à-vis Japanese culture, and to cultivate critical awareness and cross-cultural perspective on the role of visual media. Readings and viewings will include a combination of primary and theoretical works. ART OTH AAL
JA/HI 235 History of Pre-Modern Japan (Not offered 2003-04)
See Department of History listings for description. HIS SOC OTH AAL
JA/HI 236 The History of Modern Japan -(Fall)
See Department of History listings for description. HIS SOC OTH AAL (N. Waters)
JA/TH 237 Japanese Film (in English) (Spring)
This course traces the history of Japanese film through the cinema of Kurosawa, Mizoguchi, Ozu, Oshima and other directors. We will focus on the golden age of the 1950s, the New Wave of the sixties, and films of the 1990s and 2000s. Films include Rashomon, Seven Samurai, and Tokyo Story, as well as influential works by current directors. ART OTH AAL (C. Cavanaugh)
JA/WG 250 Gender in Japan (in English) (Not offered 2003-04)
In this course we will examine changing ideas about gender and sexuality in Japan in the tenth through twentieth centuries, with special attention to the modern period. Sources will include literary texts, films, and social/historical studies. We will discuss topics, including women's writing in classical Japan; the commercialization of sexuality in the eighteenth century; ideas of "homosexuality" in late-medieval and modern times; and women's social roles and political struggles in the twentieth century. LIT OTH AAL
PS 307 Political Economy of Japan (CW) (Not offered 2003-04)
See Department of Political Science listings for description. HIS SOC OTH AAL
JA/HI 418 Readings in Japanese History: Pearl Harbor and Hiroshima (Not offered 2003-04)
See Department of History listings for description.