An interdepartmental program in East Asian Studies

Last updated: August 28, 2009 at 11:15 a.m.

Objectives

The East Asian Studies Program (EAS) is an interdisciplinary program that seeks to give the student broad yet intimate knowledge of East Asian civilization. It can be taken either as a major or a minor. At the crux of the program is the language requirement of an East Asian language, providing the basis for postgraduate study or careers dealing with East Asia.

How to Become a Major or a Minor

To enroll in the program, either as a major or a minor, students must see the program chair. Together they will select as an adviser a faculty member who seems best suited to that student's interest and area of future work.

Committee

Aida Yuen Wong, Chair, Undergraduate Advising Head, and Study Abroad Liaison
(Fine Arts)

Yu-Hui Chang
(Music)

Yu Feng
(German, Russian, and Asian Languages and Literature)

Matthew Fraleigh
(German, Russian, and Asian Languages and Literature)

Donald Hindley
(Politics)

Gary Jefferson 
(Economics)

Stephen Platt
(History)

Hiroko Sekino
(German, Russian, and Asian Languages and Literature)

Ellen Schattschneider
(Anthropology) 

Ralph Thaxton
(Politics)

Requirements for the Minor

A. At least five courses are required for the minor. Students without East Asian language skills equivalent to a 20-level course will complete a total of six courses.

B. CHIN 10a and CHIN 20b or JAPN 10a and JAPN 20b. These courses must be taken in residence at Brandeis (or abroad with approval of the undergraduate advising head prior to commencement of the language study program), or their equivalents in another approved East Asian language. Students with demonstrated language skills at an equivalent level may be exempted from this requirement. For further information on the language requirement, see the undergraduate advising head.

C. The EAS core course, HIST 80a (Introduction to East Asian Civilization).

D. At least three additional courses from the EAS or EAS elective offerings. These three courses must be in at least two different departments. Students who are exempted from the language requirement for the EAS minor must complete a fourth elective course from the EAS or elective offerings for a total of five courses. Only East Asian language courses at the 100-level or higher may be used as electives for the minor.

Requirements for the Major

Satisfactory completion of at least ten approved semester courses in East Asian Studies and out of those ten at least six courses are required to be taken in residence at Brandeis.

Students must receive a C- or higher in all courses used to fulfill the requirements for the major.

The ten required courses for the major are:

A. The EAS core course: HIST 80a(Introduction to East Asian Civilization).

B. Language Requirement: CHIN 40b or JAPN40b

Students may petition for and receive exemption from the EAS language requirement if they formally demonstrate a proficiency equivalent to the completion of CHIN 40b or JAPN 40b, or another East Asian language (such as Korean) at this same level of competency. 

Any student exempted from the language requirement will need to meet the required 10 semester courses for the major by completing a sixth EAS approved course; however, if a student has already completed the EAS language requirement, courses in additional East Asian languages at or above the 20-level may also count toward fulfilling this requirement.

C. Three EAS elective courses from the social science, creative arts, and humanities elective course list below.

Students must take at least one social science elective and at least one creative arts or humanities elective. The third elective may be chosen from any one of the three disciplines.

D. Five elective courses chosen from the remaining elective course list below.

Honors
Candidates for honors are required to register for EAS 99d (or for a 99d (or 99a and 99b) course in an appropriate department) and to prepare an honors thesis on a topic relating to East Asia. If completed successfully, the 99d (or 99a and 99b) can be counted as two of the ten courses of the major.

Courses of Instruction

(1-99) Primarily for Undergraduate Students

EAS 98a Independent Study
Usually offered every year.
Staff

EAS 98b Independent Study
Usually offered every year.
Staff

EAS 99d Senior Research
Seniors who are candidates for degrees with honors in East Asian studies must register for this course and, under the direction of a faculty member, prepare an honors thesis on a suitable topic. Usually offered every year.
Staff

(100-199) For Both Undergraduate and Graduate Students

EAS 175a Masterpieces of Chinese Literature
[ hum ]
This course may not be repeated for credit by students who have taken COML 175a in previous years.
Surveys Chinese literature from the classical era through the eighteenth century. Readings are in English translation and include a wide range of genres, with particular emphasis on the great Chinese novels. Usually offered every third year.
Staff

East Asian Studies: Core Course

HIST 80a Introduction to East Asian Civilization
[ hum nw ss ]
A selective introduction to the development of forms of thought, social and political institutions, and distinctive cultural contributions of China and Japan from early times to the beginning of the nineteenth century. Usually offered every year.
Mr. James

East Asian Studies: Language Requirement Courses

CHIN 10a Beginning Chinese I
Mandarin is taught in this intensive course, intended for students with no previous knowledge of Chinese. Class meets four days per week plus one section of individual conversation. It offers training in basic Chinese grammar, speaking, aural comprehension, reading and writing. Chinese characters, and the "pinyin" phonetic system as a tool for learning Chinese. Usually offered every fall.
Mr. Feng

CHIN 20b Continuing Chinese
Prerequisite: CHIN 10a.
Continuation of CHIN 10a. Usually offered every spring.
Staff

CHIN 30a Intermediate Chinese
[ fl ]
Prerequisite: CHIN 20b or equivalent.
Development of skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing, including the writing of short essays. Usually offered every fall.
Staff

CHIN 40b Advanced Intermediate Chinese
[ fl hum ]
Prerequisite: CHIN 30a or equivalent
Continuation of CHIN 30a. Usually offered every spring.
Staff

JAPN 10a Beginning Japanese
Meets five days per week for a total of five class hours per week.
Intended for students with little or no previous knowledge of Japanese. This course offers intensive training in the basics of Japanese grammar, listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing. Students acquire Japanese language proficiency through various interactive classroom activities, workbook, audio, video, and computer-assisted exercises. Usually offered every fall.
Ms. Sekino

JAPN 20b Continuing Japanese
Prerequisite: A grade of C- or higher in JAPN 10a or the equivalent. Meets five days per week for a total of five class hours per week.
Continuation of JAPN 10a. Usually offered every spring.
Ms. Sekino

JAPN 30a Intermediate Japanese
[ fl ]
Prerequisite: A grade of C- or higher in JAPN 20b or the equivalent. Meets five days per week for a total of five class hours per week.
Continuation of JAPN 20b. This course aims to further develop a student's four language skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing Japanese through various classroom activities, workbook, audio, video, and writing essays. Usually offered every fall.
Ms. Sekino

JAPN 40b Advanced Intermediate Japanese
[ fl hum ]
Prerequisite: A grade of C- or higher in JAPN 30a or the equivalent. Meets five days per week for a total of five class hours per week.
Continuation of JAPN 30a with more emphasis on reading and writing. Usually offered every spring.
Ms. Sekino

East Asian Studies: Creative Arts and Humanities Electives

CHIN 98a Readings in Modern Chinese
Prerequisite: CHIN 40b or equivalent.
A continuation of CHIN 40b. Includes an introduction to readings in modern Chinese literature. Usually offered every year.
Staff

CHIN 98b Readings in Modern Chinese
Prerequisite: CHIN 40b or equivalent.
A continuation of CHIN 98a. Usually offered every year.
Staff

CHIN 105a Advanced Conversation and Composition I
[ fl hum wi ]
Prerequisite: CHIN 40b or equivalent.
Designed for advanced students who wish to enhance and improve their skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing through listening and reading authentic or slightly modified materials, discussing and writing on various topics of Chinese society and culture. Usually offered every fall.
Staff

CHIN 105b Advanced Conversation and Composition II
[ fl hum wi ]
Prerequisite: CHIN 40b or equivalent.
Designed for advanced students who wish to enhance and improve their speaking proficiency and writing skills. Speaking skills will be developed through guided conversation, discussion of texts and films, and oral presentation. Exercises and essays will be used to improve students' writing skills. Usually offered every spring.
Staff

CHIN 106b Business Chinese and Culture
[ fl hum ]
Prerequisite: CHIN 40b or equivalent.
An advanced Chinese course where students develop their language proficiency and cultural knowledge in professional settings such as the workplace. The course is conducted entirely in Chinese and is designed for students who want to sharpen their language skills and reach a higher level of proficiency in which they are able to read newspapers, magazines, or professional documents, as well as to improve their communicative ability and enhance their self-confidence in Chinese workplaces. Usually offered every second spring.
Staff

CHIN 120a Readings in Contemporary Chinese Literature: Advanced Chinese Language
[ fl hum wi ]
Prerequisite: CHIN 105a or equivalent.
For advanced students of Chinese, an introduction to contemporary Chinese short stories from the 1990s and later. Focuses on significant expansion of vocabulary and grammar, and on providing students an opportunity to develop and polish both oral and written skills through class discussion, presentations, and writing assignments. Usually offered every fall.
Staff

CHIN 120b Readings in Contemporary Chinese Literature: Advanced Chinese Language II
[ fl hum wi ]
Prerequisite: CHIN 120a or equivalent.
Continuation of CHIN 120a. Study of contemporary Chinese short stories from the 1990s and later. These stories not only represent new literary themes and linguistic expressions, but also reflect the modernization, commercialization, and urbanization that is transforming China. The course improves students' knowledge of the language, as well as enhancing their understanding of Chinese society and culture. Usually offered every spring.
Staff

CHIN 130b China on Film: The Changes of Chinese Culture
[ hum nw ]
Open to all students. Conducted in English and all films viewed have English subtitles.
Focuses on the enormous changes under way in Chinese society, politics, and culture. Helps students to identify and understand these fundamental transformations through a representative, exciting selection of readings and films. Usually offered every second spring.
Staff

COML 146b Classical East Asian Poetics
[ hum nw ]
An introduction to the classical poetic forms of China, Japan, and Korea. Special consideration is paid to issues of canonization, classical theories of literature, and the development of multilingual literary traditions. All readings are in English. Usually offered every third year.
Mr. Fraleigh

EAS 175a Masterpieces of Chinese Literature
[ hum ]
This course may not be repeated for credit by students who have taken COML 175a in previous years.
Surveys Chinese literature from the classical era through the eighteenth century. Readings are in English translation and include a wide range of genres, with particular emphasis on the great Chinese novels. Usually offered every third year.
Staff

FA 12a History of Asian Art
[ ca nw ]
A selective survey of the art of the three major Asian areas: India, China, and Japan. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Wong

FA 13b Buddhist Art
[ ca nw ]
The history of Buddhist art on the Silk Road. Usually offered every third year.
Ms. Wong

FA 15b Arts of the Ming Dynasty
[ ca nw ]
Examines a broad array of arts from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). The first half of the course focuses on activities in and around the Chinese court. The second half concentrates on monuments related to literati and popular cultures. Usually offered every three years.
Ms. Wong

FA 181b The Art of Japan
[ ca nw ]
A survey of Japanese art from antiquity to the modern period. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Wong

FA 182a The Art of China
[ ca nw ]
A survey of Chinese art from antiquity to the Ch'ing dynasty. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Wong

FA 184a Studies in Asian Art
[ ca nw ]
Usually offered every third year.
Ms. Wong

JAPN 98a Readings in Japanese
Prerequisite: JAPN 40b or the equivalent.
Usually offered every year.
Ms. Sekino

JAPN 98b Readings in Japanese
Prerequisite: JAPN 40b or the equivalent.
Usually offered every year.
Ms. Sekino

JAPN 105a Advanced Conversation and Composition I
[ fl hum ]
Prerequisite: JAPN 40b or the equivalent.
Designed for advanced students of Japanese who wish to enhance and improve their skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Students will develop their proficiency in writing, reading, and speaking through reading and discussion of Japanese texts on various topics of relevance. Listening and speaking skills are reinforced through audio, video, guided conversation, discussion of texts, and oral presentation. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Sekino

JAPN 120a Readings in Contemporary Japanese Literature
[ hum nw ]
Prerequisite: JAPN 105B or equivalent.
Provides advanced students of Japanese an opportunity to develop reading and writing skills through class discussion, presentation, group work and writing. Familiarizes students with different facets of contemporary Japanese culture and society. Readings are supplemented by films and related visual materials. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Sekino

JAPN 120b Readings in Modern Japanese Literature
[ hum nw ]
Prerequisite: JAPN 105Bor the equivalent.
Provides advanced students of Japanese with broad introduction to contemporary Japanese literary work that is widely read in Japan. Focuses on significant expansion of vocabulary and grammar improving students' knowledge of the language as well as enhancing their understanding of Japanese culture and society. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Nakano

JAPN 125b Putting Away Childish Things: Coming of Age in Modern Japanese Literature and Film
[ hum nw ]
Explores the ways in which modern Japanese writers and filmmakers have represented childhood, youth, and coming of age. A variety of short stories, novels, and memoirs from the 1890s to the present day are read, and several recent films are also screened. Usually offered every third year.
Mr. Fraleigh

JAPN 130a The Literature of Multicultural Japan
[ hum nw ]
"Multicultural" may not be an adjective that many associate with Japan, but as we will find in this class, Japan's modern literary and cinematic tradition is rich with works by and about resident Koreans, Ainu, Okinawans, outcasts, and sexual and other marginalized minorities. Why then does the image of a monocultural Japan remain so resilient? Usually offered every third year.
Mr. Fraleigh

JAPN 135a Screening National Images: Japanese Film and Anime in Global Context
[ hum nw ]
All films and readings are in English.
An introduction to some major directors and works of postwar Japanese film and anime with special attention to such issues as genre, medium, adaptation, narrative, and the circulation of national images in the global setting. Usually offered every third year.
Mr. Fraleigh

JAPN 140a The World of Early Modern Japanese Literature
[ hum nw ]
A survey of the most celebrated works of literature from Japan's early modern period (1600-1868). Explores a wide range of genres, including fiction, travelogues, memoirs, dramatic forms such as the puppet theater and kabuki, as well as poetry in Japanese and Chinese. All readings are available in English translation; Japanese knowledge is not required. Usually offered every third year.
Mr. Fraleigh

JAPN 145a The World of Classical Japanese Literature
[ hum nw ]
A survey of some of the most important works of Japanese literature from its origins to the late sixteenth century, including a wide range of genres: fiction, essays, travelogues, poetry, and drama. All readings are in English. Usually offered every third year.
Mr. Fraleigh

MUS 4a Introduction to Chinese Music
[ ca nw ]
Prerequisite: Open to all students; no musical background is required.
A general introduction to this history and practice of Chinese music, with a focus on existing musical activities and their historical traces. through listening, reading, and class discussion, students explore different musical genres and gain an understanding and appreciation of Chinese music idiom, as well as a general picture of how music lives and functions in Chinese-speaking communities. Usually offered every third year.
Ms. Chang

REL 161a Chinese Religion and Thought: Understanding Confucianism and Daoism (Taoism)
[ hum nw ]
This course aims at widening and deepening students' knowledge of world religions by introducing to them distinctive Chinese religions and schools of thought with emphasis on two most significant ones, namely, Confucianism and Taoism. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. Feng

East Asian Studies: Social Science Electives

ANTH 137b Gender and the Sacred in Asia
[ ss ]
Ritual, violence, gender, religion, and cultural creativity in Asia, especially East Asia and South Asia. Religious movements, sacrifice and patriliny, and the ritualization of state power through religious imagery and institutions. Roles of religious leaders and spiritual movements in conflict resolution and peacemaking. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Schattschneider

ANTH 178b Culture, Gender, and Power in East Asia
[ nw ss ]
Explores the relevance of social theory to the dynamics of culture, gender, and power in East Asia. Topics include exchange, personhood, ideology, and historical consciousness. Students will read detailed ethnographic studies set in urban and rural East Asia and view several contemporary films. Usually offered every third year.
Ms. Schattschneider

ECON 30a The Economy of China
[ nw ss ]
Prerequisite: ECON 2a.
Analysis of China's economic transformation with particular emphasis on China's economic reforms since 1978, including the restructuring of its enterprise, fiscal, financial, and political systems and the roles of trade, foreign investment, and technology in driving China's economic advance. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Jefferson

ECON 64a East Asia's Economies
[ ss ]
Prerequisite: ECON 2a.
Examines the postwar economic performance of the East Asian countries, especially Japan, China, Korea, and Taiwan. Emphasizes the public policies, institutional features, and historical conditions that accounted for the performance of these four economies. Also explores differences between the East Asian models of economic development and those of the Western economies, particularly the United States. Usually offered every second year.
Staff

HIST 80b East Asia: Nineteenth Century to the Present (China and Japan)
[ hum nw ss ]
The civilization of East Asia at the beginning of the nineteenth century, the impact of the West, the contrasting responses of China and Japan to the confrontation, and the development and nature of their present societies. Usually offered every year.
Mr. James

HIST 176a The Emergence of Modern Japan
[ nw ss ]
A general introduction to Japan's modern transformation from a late feudal society into a powerful nation-state capable of challenging the Western powers. Particular attention is given to feudal legacies, rapid economic growth, nationalism and ultranationalism, the "Pacific War" between Japan and the United States, the meaning of defeat, issues of postwar democracy, and the workings of the postwar political economy. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. James

HIST 181a Seminar on Traditional Chinese Thought
[ nw ss ]
Social, historical, and political theory is one of China's greatest contributions to world civilization. Studies the most influential schools (Confucianism, Mohism, Taoism, and Legalism) through the reading and discussion of original texts. Usually offered every second year.
Staff

HIST 182a Sino-American Relations from the Eighteenth Century to the Present
[ ss ]
A seminar providing a historical overview of two centuries of Sino-American relations. Diplomacy and war, mutual perceptions, Americans in China, Chinese emigration and communities in the United States, and relations between the United States and the People's Republic. Usually offered every third year.
Staff

POL 146b Seminar: Topics in Revolutions in the Third World
[ nw ss ]
May be repeated for credit with permission of the instructor.
Explores revolutionary situations, revolutionary movements (successful and unsuccessful), and revolutionary regimes in the Third World since World War II. Specific topics may vary from year to year. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Hindley

POL 147a The Government and Politics of China
[ nw ss ]
Introduction to major themes of Chinese politics, emphasizing the rise of the Chinese Communists and the post-1949 trends in domestic politics, while also surveying historical, sociological, and cultural influences in Chinese politics. Attention to the nature of the traditional state, impact of colonialism, national revolution, and the course of contemporary state development. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. Thaxton

POL 147b Seminar: The Modern Chinese Revolution
[ nw ss ]
In-depth exploration of origins, processes, and consequences of the modern Chinese revolution, focusing specifically on Western social science theories and interpretations of the revolution. It also provides comprehensive and comparative perspective on revolution in twentieth-century China and revolutionary movements in other parts of the globe. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. Thaxton

POL 148a Seminar: Contemporary Chinese Politics
[ nw ss ]
A broad and in-depth understanding of key issues in contemporary Chinese politics--China after 1949. Emphasis on the role of the state in promoting economic development, social betterment, political stability, and justice. Special attention to the Tiananmen Protest Movement of 1989. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. Thaxton

POL 150a Politics of Southeast Asia
[ nw ss ]
Introduction to the politics of modern Southeast Asia, with the focus on the indigenous peoples and their cultures, societies, and histories. The greatly changed and changing political systems of Indonesia and Thailand are examined individually in some depth. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Hindley

POL 167a United States and China in World Politics
[ ss ]
Issues in U.S.-China relations, including Taiwan and Tibet, the formation of a Greater China, military security and use of nuclear weapons, human rights, Chinese and American versions of nationalism and internationalism, and others. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Thaxton