Courses by semester
Courses for Fall 2024
Complete Cornell University course descriptions and section times are in the Class Roster.
Course ID | Title | Offered |
---|---|---|
ASIAN 1106 |
FWS: The Great Epic of India
The great Sanskrit epic, the Mahabharata, is one of the principal monuments of world literature. This vast, enthralling, and powerful tale of intra-familial war and world historical decline (of which the famous Bhagavad Gita forms but a small part) transformed the religious and literary consciousness of India, and exercised a broad impact throughout South and Southeast Asia. This course will introduce students to this remarkable text and the literary tradition it inaugurated, through selected readings from the epic itself, along with samples of later renditions of its narrative (including contemporary theatrical, TV, and comic book versions). Catalog Distribution: (WRT-AG) |
Fall. |
ASIAN 1111 |
FWS: Literature, Culture, Religion
This First-Year Writing Seminar is about Asian Literature, Religion, and Culture and provides the opportunity to write extensively about these issues. Topics vary by section and instructor. Catalog Distribution: (WRT-AG) Full details for ASIAN 1111 - FWS: Literature, Culture, Religion |
Fall, Spring. |
ASIAN 1112 |
FWS: Allegories of Identity in Stories by Lu Xun and Feng Jicai
In times of national crisis, in times of cultural soul-searching, what role can literature play? Two celebrated Chinese writers of the twentieth century, Lu Xun (1881-1936) and Feng Jicai (1942-), sought answers to this question at pivotal historical moments, each contributing to his generation's search for a Chinese modern identity by writing stories. While both writers wrote in the mode of "literary realis," representing people's everyday experiences "as they really were in read life," they also employed allegory to embed other levels of meaning, figurative or symbolic, within their "true-to-life" narratives. Investigating, interpreting, and learning to write about these different levels of meaning will be the goal of our class lessons and discussions, our writing exercises and assignments. Catalog Distribution: (WRT-AG) Full details for ASIAN 1112 - FWS: Allegories of Identity in Stories by Lu Xun and Feng Jicai |
Fall. |
ASIAN 2208 |
Introduction to Southeast Asia
What is Southeast Asia? How does this faraway, "exotic," region intersect with our realities? This course introduces key questions in the study of Southeast Asia (which includes Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam) and its diasporas using cinematic, literary, historical and scholarly materials. This introduction to Southeast Asia's historical, religious, literary, visual, and political traditions -- and the ways in which scholars have thought about them -- addresses a variety of themes including notions of kinship, gender, political conflict, colonialism, media and the arts, sexuality, textual and visual genres, and forms of belief and belonging. Students will have an opportunity to investigate topics of interest to them, in the form of research essays as well as small-scale fieldwork, curatorial, or media projects. Catalog Distribution: (ALC-AS, HST-AS) (CA-AG, HA-AG, LA-AG) Full details for ASIAN 2208 - Introduction to Southeast Asia |
Fall. |
ASIAN 2211 |
Introduction to Japan
This course serves as a general introduction to the study of Japan in the humanities. Through literature, film, art, and pop culture, we will explore how "Japaneseness" and "Japanese culture" have historically been constructed, debated, and rethought from early history to the present from a variety of perspectives and academic disciplines. All texts will be available in English; no prior knowledge of Japanese language, history, or culture required. Catalog Distribution: (ALC-AS, HST-AS) (CA-AG, HA-AG, LA-AG) |
Fall. |
ASIAN 2233 |
Introduction to China: Beyond China
"China" and "Chinese" are no longer adequate terms for the study of Sinitic-language communities and cultures that evince politically tenuous and linguistically polyphonic relations with the People's Republic of China. This course introduces students to transnational literatures, film, and popular culture from formerly marginalized Chinese voices, and to the field of Sinophone Studies as a critical, interdisciplinary alternative. Students will study fiction and films from Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, the United States, and the PRC, along with critical works explaining the ways that diaspora, colonialism, comparative empires, and ethnic or minority studies have informed the rise of global Chinese studies beyond "China" as a homogenous, static entity. Catalog Distribution: (ALC-AS) (CA-AG, LA-AG) Full details for ASIAN 2233 - Introduction to China: Beyond China |
Fall. |
ASIAN 2245 |
Gamelan in Indonesian History and Cultures
This course combines hands-on instruction in gamelan, Indonesia's most prominent form of traditional music, and the academic study of the broader range of music found in contemporary Indonesia, including Western-oriented and hybrid popular forms. Students thus engage with music directly, and use it as a lens to examine the myriad social and cultural forces that shape it, and that are shaped by it. Catalog Distribution: (ALC-AS) (CA-AG, LA-AG) Full details for ASIAN 2245 - Gamelan in Indonesian History and Cultures |
Fall. |
ASIAN 2261 |
From Samurai to Superpower: Japan in World History I
How did Japan evolve from samurai to superpower? We investigate this transformation in Japanese and world history over a two-semester sequence. Students are free to enroll in either semester independently. (All are welcome, but none required, to enroll in both semesters.) We begin in early Japan: the birthplace of the sun goddess Amaterasu, the imperial court devoted to her, and the samurai who rose to rule under her sway. Early Japan was also home to con-men and courtesans, mischievous gods and warring Buddhists, the world's first (and female!) novelist, and a surprisingly cosmopolitan culture of artists and scientists, comedians and entrepreneurs, human traffickers and international travelers. Our first semester exploring this eclectic culture culminates in the early modern era (1600–1868), when under samurai rule, Japan developed many "modern" elements that laid the groundwork for the revolutionary changes and superpower status examined in the second semester. We chart Japan's development not only through big events but also everyday life, delving into gender and sexuality, family and labor, arts and entertainment, and more. Catalog Distribution: (GLC-AS, HST-AS) (CA-AG, HA-AG) Full details for ASIAN 2261 - From Samurai to Superpower: Japan in World History I |
Fall. |
ASIAN 2262 |
Medicine and Healing in China
An exploration of processes of change in health care practices in China. Focuses on key transitions, such as the emergence of canonical medicine, of Daoist approaches to healing and longevity, of "scholar physicians," and of "traditional Chinese medicine" in modern China. Inquries into the development of healing practices in relation to both popular and specialist views of the body and disease; health care as organized by individuals, families, communities, and states; the transmission of medical knowledge; and healer-patient relations. Course readings include primary texts in translation as well as secondary materials. Catalog Distribution: (ALC-AS, HST-AS) (CA-AG, HA-AG, LA-AG) |
Fall. |
ASIAN 2271 |
China's Literary Heritage: An Introduction in Translation
This is an introductory course designed for, though not limited to, non-majors with or without any knowledge of Chinese language, history, or culture. It offers a guided survey of the history and development of major literary themes, genres, and traditions that still today are assumed to be an integral part of China's cultural identity. Readings include works of poetry, prose and fiction, all in English translation. Catalog Distribution: (ALC-AS) (CA-AG, LA-AG) Full details for ASIAN 2271 - China's Literary Heritage: An Introduction in Translation |
Fall. |
ASIAN 2273 |
Religion and Ecological Sustainability
This course introduces the academic study of religion. This course serves as both an introduction to the academic study of religion and a survey of major topics in the intersections of religious communities and environmentally sustainable practices. Using real cases of environmentally sustainable, religiously oriented communities, we explore how myth, ritual, symbols, doctrines, and ideologies of time and space are activated in practical living decisions. This class involves readings of both primary sources, poetry and literature, secondary sources, films and site visits. Catalog Distribution: (ETM-AS, GLC-AS) (CA-AG, KCM-AG) Full details for ASIAN 2273 - Religion and Ecological Sustainability |
Fall. |
ASIAN 2278 |
East Asian Medical and Martial Arts
East Asian medicinal and martial arts, whether practiced in East Asia or in other parts of the world, have been important points of contact for people within and between often marginalized communities. In this course we will study the twentieth century development of East Asian combat and healing traditions, and the transport of those disciplines to the U.S. We will examine the personal, community, national, and global stakes of East Asian arts for those who invest in suppressing, teaching, and practicing them. We will consider how East Asian martial and medical practices relate, for example, to global and local histories of orientalism, colonialism, migration, and racism, and to historical post-colonial, anti-racist, feminist, and LGBTQ movements. Over the course of the semester, we will research martial and medical arts as they have been practiced in Ithaca, and place these local histories into their broader historical contexts. Catalog Distribution: (HST-AS, SCD-AS) (D-AG, HA-AG) Full details for ASIAN 2278 - East Asian Medical and Martial Arts |
Fall. |
ASIAN 2279 |
Chinese Mythology
Students will study Chinese myths from the earliest times. Focus will be on understanding how people have used myth to create and convey meaning, on examining the form Chinese myths take, and on considering how they are related to religion, literature, historical accounts, and intellectual trends. Catalog Distribution: (ALC-AS, HST-AS) (CA-AG, HA-AG, LA-AG) |
Fall. |
ASIAN 2282 |
Speculative Asias
This course explores Asian speculative literary fiction and cinema including early mythological influences, science fiction, and contemporary discourses of technoscientific progress. Students will examine the historical development of the broad genres in their specific contexts; the conceptual relations between realism, science, fantasy, and speculation; and ultimately, question past and future understandings of "Asia" as speculative. Catalog Distribution: (ALC-AS) (CA-AG, LA-AG) |
Spring. |
ASIAN 2296 |
Korea and East Asia
This course reexamines Korea's place in East Asia by studying transnational cultural and intellectual interactions that Korea has had with China and Japan. The course is divided into three parts. First, it examines Korea's centuries-long participation in the China-centered East Asian world order and its exit from that world order around the turn of the twentieth century. Second, it turns to Japan's emergence as an expansionist power in East Asia, replacing China's long-term hegemony in the region, and the diverse ways Koreans and other East Asians, including the Japanese, coped with the Japan-centered new formation of the East Asian world order in the first half of the twentieth century. Third, the course moves to contemporary Korea and investigates the impact of the so-called Korean Wave (the global popularity of Korean popular culture) on Japanese society and Korea-Japan relations, giving students a chance to think deeply about the effects of Japanese colonialism on contemporary Korea-Japan relations and the possible role of culture in smoothing over ongoing political and diplomatic tensions between the two neighboring countries. Catalog Distribution: (HST-AS) (HA-AG) |
Fall. |
ASIAN 2299 |
Buddhism
This course will explore the Buddhist tradition from its origins in ancient India to its migrations throughout Asia and eventually to the West. The first part of the course will deal with Indian Buddhism: the Buddha, the principal teachings and practices of his early followers, and new developments in spiritual orientation. We will then turn to the transmission of Buddhism to Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia, where at least one of the early schools has been preserved. Next we will look at Mahayana Buddhism as it moves north and east, encompassing China, Japan, and Tibet. While much of the course will be devoted to developments in traditional times, we will also look at some of the ways Buddhist cultures have responded to modernity. Catalog Distribution: (GLC-AS, HST-AS) (CA-AG, HA-AG) |
Fall. |
ASIAN 2951 |
Foreign Policy as Subversion
To what extent does the ideal of the US as a vanguard for democracy and freedom in the world match up with other aspects—military, economic, and humanitarian—of US foreign policy? This same question about the degree to which discourses and practices correspond might be asked of other countries, like the Soviet Union, China, and Britain, but this course examines the ways in which US foreign policy has been deployed over the course of the twentieth century and the ways those policies have been perceived and received by people living in Latin America and Southeast Asia. Particular case studies will be addressed stemming from the faculty's specializations (for example, Vietnam, Cambodia, Guatemala, and Chile) and the emphasis is on the role of the United States in Latin America and Southeast Asia. Prominent themes will include forms of subversion, from military muscle to economic coercion, and how and why they have changed over time; meanings of liberty, democracy, freedom, and sovereignty in different places and times; popular responses to policies and actions of foreign administrations; the relationships between sovereign states and transnational corporations; the uses and abuses of History in the formulation and justification of policy initiatives and in local responses to them; and the complexities involved in discerning internal and external forces in an increasingly transnational world. Catalog Distribution: (HST-AS) (HA-AG) |
Fall. |
ASIAN 3305 |
Seminar on American Relations with China
A historical review of the fragile and volatile U.S.-China relationship from the opening by Richard Nixon in the early 1970s until the present. Several individual sessions will be led by current or former executive branch or congressional officials, business people, journalists, representatives of nongovernmental organizations and others who have worked in China or have participated in the making of U.S. policy toward China. Catalog Distribution: (HST-AS) (HA-AG) Full details for ASIAN 3305 - Seminar on American Relations with China |
Fall. |
ASIAN 3314 |
Korean Literature and Performance: From P'ansori to K-Pop
This course examines Korean literature and performance traditions from the Chosŏn dynasty (1392-1910) to the present. Through performance workshops, the course enables students to experience how Korean epic and lyric traditions were performed in the past and how they continue to flourish in the present across various media, including recorded music, written texts, and film. We will examine how Korean literature and performance traditions have transformed over time, with attention given to how these traditions speak to local and global audiences following the Korean Wave. The course concludes with recent developments in Korean popular music, including K-pop bands and K-hip-hop. Readings for the course will be in English or in English translation and no prior knowledge of Korean culture is necessary. Catalog Distribution: (ALC-AS) (CA-AG, LA-AG) Full details for ASIAN 3314 - Korean Literature and Performance: From P'ansori to K-Pop |
Fall. |
ASIAN 3320 |
Buddhist Meditation Traditions
This course will examine both the practice of and the ideology surrounding forms of meditation in Buddhist traditions from South, Southeast, and East Asia in premodern and contemporary times. We will explore early canonical accounts of the practice as well as later formulations that emerged as central foci of specific sectarian traditions. We will also discuss some modern scientific explorations of meditation practice and its increasing role as a psychotherapeutic tool. Catalog Distribution: (ALC-AS) (CA-AG, LA-AG) Full details for ASIAN 3320 - Buddhist Meditation Traditions |
Fall. |
ASIAN 3332 |
The Barbarians
The idea of the barbarians is as old as civilization itself. But what is a barbarian, and what is the role that barbarians play, as the savage enemies of civilization? In this course we will address such questions by looking at how different civilizations have imagined their barbarians, ranging from their key role in Greek drama, and as infidels in religious conceptions, to Chinese walls, and American savagery. We will examine both historical examples, and the barbarians of today -- the terrorists and insurgents so often framed as dark and primitive, in contrast with ourselves. Through readings and visual materials, we will seek to discover what these barbarians have in common. We will look comparatively for the underlying patterns of history that the barbarians are drafted from, to draw a new picture of the barbarians. At the same time, we will arrive at a new understanding of civilization as such, as well as of the general nature of human inequality, and how it is justified. |
Fall. |
ASIAN 3350 |
The Arts of Southeast Asia
The arts of Southeast Asia are studied in their social context, since in traditional societies creative processes are often mapped on the sequence of events that compose human lives. We will be looking particularly at the gendered ways in which bodies are mapped on the land, and how these various framings are often reflected in the unique relationships that emerge between works of art and textual sources. The South Asian epics of the Ramayana (Story of Rama) and the Mahabharata will be explored during the semester as infinitely renewable sources of inspiration. Special emphasis will be devoted to localized encounters in Indonesia, Cambodia, Burma/Myanmar, Vietnam, and Thailand. Catalog Distribution: (ALC-AS, HST-AS) (CA-AG, HA-AG, LA-AG) |
Fall. |
ASIAN 3362 |
Kingship and Statecraft in Asia: Angkor and Beyond
Kingship plays an outsize role in Asian countries today, in both democratic and authoritarian countries. Even in countries that abolished the monarchy, the legacy of kingship is very much at play. In this course we will study Asia's kingdoms, states, and empires, with attention to both tradition and present-day modern states. Focusing on kingship as both ideology and practice, we will study how states and monarchic traditions first came to be, including as Stranger-Kings, Buddhist monarchs, secondary state formation, local adaptations of foreign models, and more. We will examine examples such as China, from the ancient states and early empires to the legacy of empire there today; Cambodia and its Angkor empire modeled on Indian traditions; as well as Burma, Thailand, Japan, and other parts of Asia. Using readings, films, lectures and guest presentations, we will re-examine the role of kingship in Asia so as to enable a new understanding of both ancient, historical, and contemporary Asia. Catalog Distribution: (HST-AS, SCD-AS) (D-AG, HA-AG) Full details for ASIAN 3362 - Kingship and Statecraft in Asia: Angkor and Beyond |
Fall. |
ASIAN 3378 |
Korean American Literature
The rapidly growing literature of the Korean diaspora is one of the most significant developments in Korean literature since the 20th century. As Korean literature has circulated as world literature, it has become more widely recognized in the Anglophone world through translation and through narratives written by Korean American authors. This course will explore Korean American literature and creative transpacific exchanges between Korea and the US, addressing issues of identity, language, place, migration, race discrimination, citizenship, and the ways in which storytelling shapes community. We will examine the vibrant dialogue between works of fiction and poetry across the Pacific, reading the work of Korean American authors alongside the writing of Korean authors working in the Korean language. Increasingly, Korean American writers are creating narratives that remember and reconfigure Korean history and Korea's relationship to the US, and we will explore narratives and poetry that offer new perspectives on the Japanese colonial period, the Korean War, and American imperialism such as Min Jin Lee's Pachinko, Chang-rae Lee's The Surrendered, and Don Mee Choi's DMZ Colony. Readings for the course will be in English or in English translation and no prior knowledge of Korea is required. Catalog Distribution: (ALC-AS) (CA-AG, LA-AG) |
Fall. |
ASIAN 3386 |
Islam and the Ethnographic Imagination
How does one study Islam from an anthropological perspective? Through close readings of recent ethnographies, canonical texts, theoretical works, and critiques of the genre, we will understand the major debates and intellectual trends that have defined the anthropology of Islam from its earliest inception through the present day. Geographic areas covered include South Asia, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, America, North Africa, and West Africa. Catalog Distribution: (SCD-AS) (D-AG) Full details for ASIAN 3386 - Islam and the Ethnographic Imagination |
Fall. |
ASIAN 4401 |
Asian Studies Honors Course
Supervised reading and research on the problem selected for honors work. |
Multi-semester course: Fall, Spring. |
ASIAN 4402 |
Asian Studies Honors: Senior Essay
The student, under faculty direction, prepares an honors essay. Full details for ASIAN 4402 - Asian Studies Honors: Senior Essay |
Multi-semester course: Fall, Spring. |
ASIAN 4403 |
Supervised Reading
Intensive reading under the direction of a member of the staff. |
Fall, Spring. |
ASIAN 4417 |
Race and Asia in World History
This course explores the development of the concept of "race" as applied by and to Asian populations and societies. We also examine the idea of "Asia" and its others in global discourse, including through lenses such as Orientalism, Occidentalism, Pan-Asianism, and Afro-Asianism. Our focus is on the history of East Asia and trans-Pacific entanglements with Western empires from the early modern era to the present. A major theme is race science, or the scientific investigation and construction of "race," as it was practiced on and by East Asian peoples. We also explore intersections of "race" with nationalism, imperialism, warfare, law and citizenship, and sex and the family. Catalog Distribution: (HST-AS, SCD-AS) (D-AG, HA-AG) Full details for ASIAN 4417 - Race and Asia in World History |
Spring. |
ASIAN 4442 |
Shadowplay: Asian Art and Performance
Shadowplay is a superb medium for storytelling. As with many performing arts in Asia, neither the highly stylized images of puppets, nor its musical, or linguistic complexity detract from its wide popularity. Why does an art that appears so obscure exercise such broad appeal? This seminar explores the playful and politically adept fluctuations of shadows across screens from India to Mainland and Island Southeast Asia. We will also briefly examine East Asian developments, particularly in China and Japan. In each of the countries where shadow theatre exists it has acquired its own repertory and a distinct technique and style of its own. This aesthetic has translated locally into paint, sculpture, architecture, cinema, and modern and contemporary installation art. Classes will meet regularly in the Herbert F. Johnson Museum. Catalog Distribution: (ALC-AS, HST-AS) (CA-AG, HA-AG, LA-AG) Full details for ASIAN 4442 - Shadowplay: Asian Art and Performance |
Fall. |
ASIAN 4448 |
China, Tibet and Xinjiang
Seminar intended to examine the increasingly complex relationship that has evolved between China and the rest of the international system, with particular focus on the rise of Chinese nationalism and the extent to which those in Tibet, Xinjiang, and, to a lesser extent, Taiwan, are contesting such a trend. In so doing, the course emphasizes the interrelated, yet often contradictory, challenges facing Beijing in regards to the task of furthering the cause of national unity while promoting policies of integration with international society and interdependence with the global economy. Catalog Distribution: (GLC-AS, SSC-AS) (CA-AG, SBA-AG) |
Fall. |
ASIAN 4459 |
History of Book in China
One of the pressing concerns for scholars of print culture is how to access the impact of print in the Chinese context. This course will examine the current scholarship on the history of Chinese books within a broader comparative framework of the history of book in general. The readings deal with the impact of print and the growth of book market on the intellectual, social, and political transformation of Chinese society, focusing on the culture and technology of printing as an indispensable condition of textual production, circulation, and reception. By suggesting the history of book not merely as the study of publishing and publishers but as an interdisciplinary approach to combine literary criticism, material culture, and history of the broader social conditions, this seminar aims to provide students an opportunity to conceive their own theoretical framework upon which more specialized research can be built. Catalog Distribution: (ALC-AS) (CA-AG, LA-AG) |
Fall. |
ASIAN 4483 |
Videogames in East and Southeast Asia
While Japan used to dominate the Asian gaming landscape, its East Asian and Southeast Asian neighbors have since developed into major gaming hubs with distinctive characteristics. This course presents a historical and theoretical overview of the cultural, industrial, and technological aspects of videogames within the contexts of East and Southeast Asian nations from the 1970s to the present. Although this course is organized using nation as a unit, we will study the proposed topics not solely from a national perspective, but also through the lenses of transnational media flow and globalization to shed light on the factors that regionalize videogames as a cultural imagination and an industrial system in East and Southeast Asia. Catalog Distribution: (ALC-AS) (CA-AG, LA-AG) Full details for ASIAN 4483 - Videogames in East and Southeast Asia |
Fall. |
ASIAN 6612 |
Japanese Bibliography and Research Methods
An introduction to the key reference and research works available for Japanese studies (both print and digital). Uses of databases and reference works on a given theme will be modelled in the class hour. Students will then practice with these resources for homework, according to their selected research projects, and report back on issues. The course will also touch on book history. Full details for ASIAN 6612 - Japanese Bibliography and Research Methods |
Fall. |
ASIAN 6614 |
Korean Literature and Performance: From P'ansori to K-Pop
This course examines Korean literature and performance traditions from the Chosŏn dynasty (1392-1910) to the present. Through performance workshops, the course enables students to experience how Korean epic and lyric traditions were performed in the past and how they continue to flourish in the present across various media, including recorded music, written texts, and film. We will examine how Korean literature and performance traditions have transformed over time, with attention given to how these traditions speak to local and global audiences following the Korean Wave. The course concludes with recent developments in Korean popular music, including K-pop bands and K-hip-hop. Readings for the course will be in English or in English translation and no prior knowledge of Korean culture is necessary. Full details for ASIAN 6614 - Korean Literature and Performance: From P'ansori to K-Pop |
Fall. |
ASIAN 6617 |
Race and Asia in World History
This course explores the development of the concept of "race" as applied by and to Asian populations and societies. We also examine the idea of "Asia" and its others in global discourse, including through lenses such as Orientalism, Occidentalism, Pan-Asianism, and Afro-Asianism. Our focus is on the history of East Asia and trans-Pacific entanglements with Western empires from the early modern era to the present. A major theme is race science, or the scientific investigation and construction of "race," as it was practiced on and by East Asian peoples. We also explore intersections of "race" with nationalism, imperialism, warfare, law and citizenship, and sex and the family. Full details for ASIAN 6617 - Race and Asia in World History |
Spring. |
ASIAN 6632 |
The Barbarians
The idea of the barbarians is as old as civilization itself. But what is a barbarian, and what is the role that barbarians play, as the savage enemies of civilization? In this course we will address such questions by looking at how different civilizations have imagined their barbarians, ranging from their key role in Greek drama, and as infidels in religious conceptions, to Chinese walls, and American savagery. We will examine both historical examples, and the barbarians of today -- the terrorists and insurgents so often framed as dark and primitive, in contrast with ourselves. Through readings and visual materials, we will seek to discover what these barbarians have in common. We will look comparatively for the underlying patterns of history that the barbarians are drafted from, to draw a new picture of the barbarians. At the same time, we will arrive at a new understanding of civilization as such, as well as of the general nature of human inequality, and how it is justified. |
Fall. |
ASIAN 6646 |
Shadowplay: Asian Art and Performance
Shadowplay is a superb medium for storytelling. As with many performing arts in Asia, neither the highly stylized images of puppets, nor its musical, or linguistic complexity detract from its wide popularity. Why does an art that appears so obscure exercise such broad appeal? This seminar explores the playful and politically adept fluctuations of shadows across screens from India to Mainland and Island Southeast Asia. We will also briefly examine East Asian developments, particularly in China and Japan. In each of the countries where shadow theatre exists it has acquired its own repertory and a distinct technique and style of its own. This aesthetic has translated locally into paint, sculpture, architecture, cinema, and modern and contemporary installation art. Classes will meet regularly in the Herbert F. Johnson Museum. Full details for ASIAN 6646 - Shadowplay: Asian Art and Performance |
Fall. |
ASIAN 6652 |
Kingship and Statecraft in Asia: Angkor and Beyond
Kingship plays an outsize role in Asian countries today, in both democratic and authoritarian countries. Even in countries that abolished the monarchy, the legacy of kingship is very much at play. In this course we will study Asia's kingdoms, states, and empires, with attention to both tradition and present-day modern states. Focusing on kingship as both ideology and practice, we will study how states and monarchic traditions first came to be, including as Stranger-Kings, Buddhist monarchs, secondary state formation, local adaptations of foreign models, and more. We will examine examples such as China, from the ancient states and early empires to the legacy of empire there today; Cambodia and its Angkor empire modeled on Indian traditions; as well as Burma, Thailand, Japan, and other parts of Asia. Using readings, films, lectures and guest presentations, we will re-examine the role of kingship in Asia so as to enable a new understanding of both ancient, historical, and contemporary Asia. Full details for ASIAN 6652 - Kingship and Statecraft in Asia: Angkor and Beyond |
Fall. |
ASIAN 6660 |
History of Book in China
One of the pressing concerns for scholars of print culture is how to access the impact of print in the Chinese context. This course will examine the current scholarship on the history of Chinese books within a broader comparative framework of the history of book in general. The readings deal with the impact of print and the growth of book market on the intellectual, social, and political transformation of Chinese society, focusing on the culture and technology of printing as an indispensable condition of textual production, circulation, and reception. By suggesting the history of book not merely as the study of publishing and publishers but as an interdisciplinary approach to combine literary criticism, material culture, and history of the broader social conditions, this seminar aims to provide students an opportunity to conceive their own theoretical framework upon which more specialized research can be built. |
Fall. |
ASIAN 6683 |
Videogames in East and Southeast Asia
While Japan used to dominate the Asian gaming landscape, its East Asian and Southeast Asian neighbors have since developed into major gaming hubs with distinctive characteristics. This course presents a historical and theoretical overview of the cultural, industrial, and technological aspects of videogames within the contexts of East and Southeast Asian nations from the 1970s to the present. Although this course is organized using nation as a unit, we will study the proposed topics not solely from a national perspective, but also through the lenses of transnational media flow and globalization to shed light on the factors that regionalize videogames as a cultural imagination and an industrial system in East and Southeast Asia. Full details for ASIAN 6683 - Videogames in East and Southeast Asia |
Fall. |
ASIAN 6686 |
Islam and the Ethnographic Imagination
How does one study Islam from an anthropological perspective? Through close readings of recent ethnographies, canonical texts, theoretical works, and critiques of the genre, we will understand the major debates and intellectual trends that have defined the anthropology of Islam from its earliest inception through the present day. Geographic areas covered include South Asia, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, America, North Africa, and West Africa. Full details for ASIAN 6686 - Islam and the Ethnographic Imagination |
Fall. |
ASIAN 7703 |
Directed Research
Guided independent study for graduate students. |
Fall, Spring. |
BENGL 1121 |
Elementary Bangla-Bengali I
Intended for beginners or students placed by examination. The emphasis is on basic grammar, speaking, and comprehension skills; Bangla script will also be introduced. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) |
Fall. |
BENGL 2201 |
Intermediate Bangla-Bengali I
Continuing focus on reading, writing, and conversational skills, this course is designed to advance students' oral competence and enhance comprehension skills through reading, conversations, and listening. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) |
Fall. |
BENGL 3301 |
Advanced Bangla-Bengali I
Continuing instruction in Bangla at the advanced level focusing on conversation, interview, and discussion skills. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) |
Fall. |
BENGL 5509 |
Graduate Studies in Bangla-Bengali
Topics vary by semester in relation to student needs. Full details for BENGL 5509 - Graduate Studies in Bangla-Bengali |
Fall. |
BURM 1121 |
Elementary Burmese (Myanmar) I
This course is designed to give beginning learners a solid foundation in reading and writing Burmese. Reading and writing skills are essential first steps to learning the language, and this is the only course where you will learn the script. You will also learn some basic spoken Burmese and important grammatical concepts. Some of the assignments are completed online using interactive video and audio materials. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) |
Fall. |
BURM 2201 |
Intermediate Burmese (Myanmar) I
This course is for you if you have taken elementary Burmese at Cornell or learned some Burmese elsewhere and know how to read and write Burmese script. You will continue learning all major aspects of the language at the intermediate level, including reading and understanding formal-style texts. Some of the assignments are completed online using interactive video and audio materials. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) Full details for BURM 2201 - Intermediate Burmese (Myanmar) I |
Fall. |
BURM 3301 |
Advanced Burmese (Myanmar) I
This course is taught at the advanced level with focus on further development of all four skills. All materials used in the course are authentic Burmese stories, current event reports, radio plays, etc. The particular materials used in any given year may vary depending on the proficiency level of the students. For students who are involved in Burma/Myanmar related research, their projects may also become part of the course. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) |
Fall. |
BURM 3309 |
Advanced Reading in Burmese (Myanmar) I
This course will further advance the student's reading skills and, if needed, writing as well. Burmese texts of advanced-level complexity will be read, analyzed, and translated to English. A certain amount of discussion in Burmese is also part of the course, but the primary objective is to learn to read and understand the typical texts that appear on websites about current events, cultural trends, news from around the world, as well as short literary works by contemporary authors. Heritage speakers of Burmese as well as students who are learning Burmese as a foreign language are welcome. Reading materials are selected depending on the needs and interests of the students and differ from year to year. Full details for BURM 3309 - Advanced Reading in Burmese (Myanmar) I |
Fall. |
CHIN 1101 |
Beginning Mandarin I
For complete beginners only, providing a thorough grounding in conversational and reading skills. Students with any previous background or training in the language will need to take the Mandarin Placement Test to determine which Chinese course will best suit their needs. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) |
Fall. |
CHIN 1109 |
Beginning Chinese Reading and Writing for Students of Chinese Heritage I
Intended primarily for students whose family language is Mandarin but who have had little or no formal training. The focus is on reading, writing and speaking, as well as culture, and current events in the Chinese speaking community. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) |
Fall. |
CHIN 1121 |
Beginning Mandarin for Professional Students I
This course helps students develop basic skills in Mandarin Chinese, at a moderate pace. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) Full details for CHIN 1121 - Beginning Mandarin for Professional Students I |
Fall. |
CHIN 1123 |
Beginning Mandarin for Professional Students III
A continuation of CHIN 1122 . This course helps students develop basic skills in Mandarin Chinese, at a moderate pace. For non-heritage learners only. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) Full details for CHIN 1123 - Beginning Mandarin for Professional Students III |
Fall. |
CHIN 2201 |
Intermediate Mandarin I
Continuing instruction in written and spoken Chinese with particular emphasis on consolidating basic conversational skills and improving reading confidence and ability. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) |
Fall. |
CHIN 2209 |
Intermediate Chinese Reading and Writing for Students of Chinese Heritage I
This course focuses on reading and writing Chinese at the intermediate level for Chinese heritage students who grew up speaking Chinese with family members . Students will read authentic texts written by iconic Chinese figures such as Xu Dishan and Hu Shih (a Cornell alumnus, class of 1914), and practice writing while exploring various aspects of Chinese culture. Students will exit the course with a book of their own in Chinese as the course project documenting their learning during the semester. This course helps students further solidify their foundation for Chinese study at the next level as well as enhance their awareness of and overall competence in cross-cultural communication. If you grew up hearing and speaking Chinese and have very limited reading and writing proficiency, but have a goal of becoming a true bilingual of English and Chinese, this course is designed with you in mind. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) |
Fall. |
CHIN 3301 |
High Intermediate Mandarin I
Continuing instruction in spoken and written Mandarin Chinese via text and authentic multimedia materials. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) |
Fall. |
CHIN 3341 |
High Intermediate Mandarin I: CAPS in D.C.
Continuing instruction in spoken Chinese and in various genres and styles of written Chinese. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) Full details for CHIN 3341 - High Intermediate Mandarin I: CAPS in D.C. |
Fall. |
CHIN 3351 |
High Intermediate Mandarin I: CAPS in Beijing
Continuing instruction in spoken Chinese and in various genres and styles of written Chinese. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) Full details for CHIN 3351 - High Intermediate Mandarin I: CAPS in Beijing |
Fall. |
CHIN 4411 |
Advanced Mandarin I
Reading, discussion, and composition at advanced levels. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) |
Fall. |
CHIN 4427 |
High Advanced Mandarin I
This advanced course aims to further develop the four communication skills in Chinese: speaking, listening, reading, and writing, through learning materials and activities on various topics related to China Studies, including authentic Chinese texts and TV programs, class discussions on various issues, and compositions. Students can also expect to broaden their knowledge of Chinese culture and society through this course. Classical Chinese will be introduced in this class to help students further understand written/formal Chinese as well as Chinese culture. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) |
Fall. |
CHIN 4441 |
Advanced Mandarin I: CAPS in D.C.
Reading, discussion, and composition at advanced levels. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) Full details for CHIN 4441 - Advanced Mandarin I: CAPS in D.C. |
Fall. |
CHIN 4443 |
High Advanced Mandarin I: CAPS in D.C.
This course is designed for students who have satisfactorily finished CHIN 4427 or the equivalent. The focus of the course is on formal Chinese, and the main aim of this course is to help students achieve an advanced level of Chinese performance, so that they may combine Chinese with their work in their majors. The course material will be formal Chinese writings by native speakers, mostly for native speakers, related to students' majors and fields of interest. In addition, classical Chinese will also be introduced through readings as a means to enhance students' understanding of the language. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) Full details for CHIN 4443 - High Advanced Mandarin I: CAPS in D.C. |
Fall. |
CHIN 4451 |
Advanced Mandarin I: CAPS in Beijing
Reading, discussion, and composition at advanced levels. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) Full details for CHIN 4451 - Advanced Mandarin I: CAPS in Beijing |
Fall. |
CHIN 4453 |
High Advanced Mandarin I: CAPS in Beijing
This course is designed for students who have satisfactorily finished CHIN 2210 or CHIN 4412, or the equivalent. The focus of the course is on formal Chinese, and the main aim of this course is to help students achieve an advanced level of Chinese performance, so that they may combine Chinese with their work in their majors. The course material will be formal Chinese writings by native speakers, mostly for native speakers, related to students' majors and fields of interest. In addition, classical Chinese will also be introduced through readings as a means to enhance student's understanding of the language. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) Full details for CHIN 4453 - High Advanced Mandarin I: CAPS in Beijing |
Fall. |
CHIN 6616 |
Mandarin Language Across the Curriculum (LAC)
This optional course aims to expand the students' vocabulary, and advance their speaking and reading skills as well as enhance their knowledge and deepen their cultural understanding by attaching to non-language courses throughout the university. Full details for CHIN 6616 - Mandarin Language Across the Curriculum (LAC) |
Fall. |
CHLIT 4421 |
Directed Study
Students choose a faculty member to oversee this independent study. The student and the faculty member work together to develop course content. |
Fall, Spring. |
CHLIT 6621 |
Advanced Directed Reading
Students choose a faculty member to oversee this independent study. The student and the faculty member work together to develop class readings. |
Fall. |
HINDI 1121 |
Elementary Hindi I
Designed for students who have no prior background in Hindi and wish to develop some basic speaking and written skills. This course offers a balanced treatment of speaking, listening comprehension, reading, and writing skills. By the end of the Elementary Hindi sequence, students will be able to (1) converse and comprehend conversations on topics such as personal needs and social activities; (2) listen and communicate main ideas of simple stories and conversations in Hindi; (3) read aloud/pronounce and write in Hindi-Urdu scripts at satisfactory speed; (4) familiarize themselves with the language through the meaning cultural contexts and background. |
Fall. |
HINDI 2201 |
Intermediate Hindi I
This is an intermediate-level course in Hindi. Students' competence in all four language areas will become extraordinarily strong and solid. This course will work on building up their confidence in describing complicated situations and ideas in the target language, improve their ability to read and write with better flow and accuracy, and increase their listening comprehension to more detailed and complicated materials. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) |
Fall. |
HINDI 2203 |
Intermediate Hindi Reading and Writing for Heritage Students I
Throughout this course sequence all aspects of language learning are practiced; listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Video materials are used and the emphasis is on the conversational aspect of the language. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) Full details for HINDI 2203 - Intermediate Hindi Reading and Writing for Heritage Students I |
Fall. |
HINDI 3301 |
Advanced Hindi I
Selected readings in modern Hindi literature. Continued work on fluency in speaking Hindi on an advanced level. There will be a combination of different reading materials from literature, journals, newspapers, and many social, entertainment, and political magazines in Hindi. Discussions will be based on those readings and articles, hence giving opportunities to express views and opinions in a fluent and effective manner. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) |
Fall. |
INDO 1100 |
Elements of Indonesian Language and Culture
This course is for students with no previous knowledge of Indonesian or Malay language. Students will learn enough phrases to be able to handle very simple interactions, express very simple needs, and behave appropriately in Indonesian settings. Cultural information will be taught in English. Indonesianists of Cornell share fun information about their fields of expertise regarding Indonesia. 80% of the course, the Bahasa Indonesia language component, will be practiced. Full details for INDO 1100 - Elements of Indonesian Language and Culture |
Fall, Spring. |
INDO 1121 |
Elementary Indonesian I
Gives a thorough grounding in basic speaking, listening, reading and writing skills. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) |
Fall. |
INDO 2201 |
Intermediate Indonesian I
Develops all four skills: reading, writing, speaking, and listening comprehension. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) |
Fall. |
INDO 3301 |
Advanced Indonesian I
Practical language course at a high intermediate and low advanced level in which students read and discuss selected materials on issues of their academic interests, write essays, and make oral presentations. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) |
Fall. |
INDO 4401 |
Advanced Indonesian for Research I
A critical academic language course at a higher advanced level that sharpens students' proficiency of integrated language skills from an advanced high or above level, based on the ACTFL proficiency benchmarks. Students read, discuss, debate and explore hypotheses on issues from specialized disciplines to broader abstract ideas. Full details for INDO 4401 - Advanced Indonesian for Research I |
Fall. |
JAPAN 1101 |
Elementary Japanese I
Gives a thorough grounding in all four language skills-speaking, listening, reading, and writing-at the beginning level. The laboratory provides explanation, analysis, and cultural background. Daily lectures are conducted entirely in Japanese. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) |
Fall. |
JAPAN 2201 |
Intermediate Japanese I
This course provides widely applicable language proficiency as an integrated Japanese course, which develops all four language skills (speaking, listening, reading, and writing) at the post-elementary level. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) |
Fall. |
JAPAN 3301 |
High Intermediate Japanese I
For students who have learned basic Japanese skills and would like to develop higher skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) |
Fall. |
JAPAN 4401 |
Advanced Japanese I
Develops reading, writing and oral communication skills at the advanced level. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) |
Fall. |
JPLIT 6625 |
Directed Readings
Students choose a faculty member to oversee this independent study. The student and the faculty member work together to develop class readings. |
Fall. |
JPLIT 6627 |
Advanced Directed Readings
Guided independent study for graduate students. |
Fall. |
KHMER 1100 |
Elements of Khmer Language and Culture
This course will introduce basic Khmer/Cambodian language and culture to anyone with interest in the subject matter, those planning to travel to Cambodia, heritage students, etc. Full details for KHMER 1100 - Elements of Khmer Language and Culture |
Fall or Spring. |
KHMER 1121 |
Elementary Khmer I
Gives a thorough grounding in speaking and reading. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) |
Fall or Spring. |
KHMER 2201 |
Intermediate Khmer I
Continuing instruction in spoken and written Khmer. Intermediate level of reading Khmer. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) |
Fall or Spring. |
KHMER 3301 |
Advanced Khmer I
Continuing instruction in spoken and written Khmer; emphasis on enlarging vocabulary, increasing reading speed, and reading various genres and styles of prose. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) |
Fall or Spring. |
KHMER 4431 |
Directed Study
Intended for advanced language study. |
Fall. |
KOREA 1101 |
Elementary Korean I
Designed for students with no or very little knowledge of Korean in order to acquire the 4 skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing) of the Korean language and to become familiar with its culture. Students will learn the Korean writing system and basic survival language skills. Basic knowledge of Korean grammar, vocabulary, expressions and cultural points will be given during the lab. Students will then have an opportunity to practice the learned knowledge in lectures. By the end of the semester, students will be able to engage in simple conversations with native Koreans on subjects familiar to them such as, introducing oneself, describing events or objects in the present and past, asking for and giving directions to and from certain places, talking about future plans, etc. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) |
Fall. |
KOREA 1109 |
Elementary Korean Reading and Writing I
Designed for Korean heritage students who already have some level of speaking and listening competence in Korean, but have limited linguistic proficiency of reading and writing. The course first introduces basic conversational and grammatical structures and idiomatic expressions. It will then focus on speaking, reading and writing skills through short stories, essays and Korean folktales. Students will be able to create a dialogue regarding topics such as greetings, leave-taking, campus life, Korean language class, daily life, and life in Seoul. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) Full details for KOREA 1109 - Elementary Korean Reading and Writing I |
Fall. |
KOREA 2201 |
Intermediate Korean I
Designed for intermediate learners of Korean. Students will achieve a higher level of communicative competence through practicing the target language in a wide range of speech events. Specifically, students will compare and contrast cultural differences, describe their own experiences and events, discuss opinions on various topics and participate in speech events. Students will command a lengthy discourse regarding various topics such as weather and seasons, clothing and fashion, travel, public transportation, shopping and life in Korea. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) |
Fall. |
KOREA 2209 |
Intermediate Korean Reading and Writing I
Designed for the Korean heritage students who can understand and speak Korean, but especially need to refine their reading and writing skills. Students will acquire concrete knowledge of grammar to use in everyday conversation, will be able to read passages faster, and will minimize their spelling errors in writing, through frequent discussion and composition about Korean culture, society and history. They will become confident in reading paragraph-length readings in Korean, be able to write their reflections on the passages that they have read, and speak with ease when participating in the classroom discussions. Various projects will enhance students' overall linguistic and intercultural competence. Korean typing skill is required. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) Full details for KOREA 2209 - Intermediate Korean Reading and Writing I |
Fall. |
KOREA 3301 |
High Intermediate Korean I
Designed for high intermediate learners of Korean. It aims to help students achieve high levels of language proficiency by introducing a wide range of authentic reading materials. The course provides students with reading materials from writings in various genres and styles such as newspaper editorials, columns, essays, short stories, and other literary writings. Students will discuss and write an essay on topics regarding living in Korea, popular Korean food, dating culture in Korea, tour sites and regional products, Korean wave, address terms and interpersonal relations, and famous Korean people. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) |
Fall. |
KOREA 4401 |
Advanced Korean I
Designed for students who have completed the intermediate level of Korean, to acquire advanced language skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing) through Content-Based Instruction and Project-Based Language Learning. Students will gain profound knowledge in various fields on Korea through discussion and composition: current issues in Korean society, Korean people's thoughts and mind, tradition, history and culture. With frequent discussions and compositions on various contemporary news articles, medical drama series, and documentaries, students are encouraged to become Intercultural Communicative Citizens and learn the contents through the language. The expected student outcome is to gain confidence in the academic level of discussions and compositions by critical thinking and analyzing. Korean typing skill is required. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) |
Fall. |
NEPAL 1121 |
Elementary Nepali I
This course is intended for beginners of the Nepali language. The course aims to develop basic Nepali language functions. The emphasis is on basic grammar structures, and four basic skills of language learning: speaking, listening, reading, and writing, using culturally up-to-date materials and texts. Devanagari script for reading and writing is also introduced. No previous knowledge of Nepali is required to enroll this course. |
Fall. |
NEPAL 2201 |
Intermediate Nepali Conversation I
Intermediate instruction in spoken grammar and verbal comprehension skills, with special attention to developing technical vocabularies and other verbal skills appropriate to students' professional fields. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) Full details for NEPAL 2201 - Intermediate Nepali Conversation I |
Fall. |
NEPAL 2203 |
Intermediate Nepali Composition I
Systematic review of written grammar and reading comprehension, with special attention to the technical vocabularies, necessary writing skills, and published materials typical of advanced students' professional fields. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) Full details for NEPAL 2203 - Intermediate Nepali Composition I |
Fall. |
NEPAL 3301 |
Advanced Nepali I
Reading of advanced texts, together with advanced drill on the spoken language. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) |
Fall. |
PUNJB 1121 |
Elementary Punjabi I
This course introduces students to Punjabi, a major language of northern India and Pakistan. Beginning with the study of the Gurmukhi script, the course offers an intensive study of the speaking, reading, and writing of the language. This is approached through the theme-based syllabus, a discussion in small groups and paired activities on the cultural background of Punjab and Punjabi culture. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) |
Fall. |
PUNJB 2201 |
Intermediate Punjabi I
Further develops students' skills in Punjabi, a major language of northern India and Pakistan. Continuing with the study of the Gurmukhi script, the course offers an intensive study of the speaking, reading, and writing of the language. This is approached through the theme-based syllabus, a discussion in small groups and paired activities on the cultural background of Punjab and Punjabi culture. |
Fall. |
PUNJB 5509 |
Graduate Studies in Punjabi
Topics vary by semester in relation to student needs. |
Fall. |
SANSK 1131 |
Elementary Sanskrit I
An introduction to the essentials of Sanskrit grammar. Designed to enable the student to read classical and epic Sanskrit as soon as possible. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) |
Fall. |
SANSK 2251 |
Intermediate Sanskrit I
Readings from simple Sanskrit poetry: the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) |
Fall. |
SANSK 3301 |
Advanced Sanskrit I
Selected readings in Sanskrit literary and philosophical texts. |
Fall. |
SINHA 1100 |
Elements of Sinhala Language and Culture
This course will introduce the basic Sinhala language elements and elements of Sri Lankan culture for those who are interested in the field of language and culture. Also for those planning to travel to Sri Lanka, heritage students, etc. Full details for SINHA 1100 - Elements of Sinhala Language and Culture |
Fall, Spring. |
SINHA 1121 |
Elementary Sinhala I
Semi-intensive introduction to colloquial Sinhala, intended for beginners. A thorough grounding is given in all the language skills; listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) |
Fall. |
SINHA 2201 |
Intermediate Sinhala I
This course further develops student competence in colloquial Sinhala, attending to all the language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. In addition, this course prepares students for the transition to literary Sinhala. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) |
Fall. |
SINHA 3301 |
Literary Sinhala I
This one-semester course provides an introduction to the distinctive grammatical forms and vocabulary used in Literary Sinhala. While focused particularly on the development of reading skills, the course also introduces students to Literary Sinhala composition, and builds students' listening comprehension of semi-literary Sinhala forms (such as those used in radio and TV news). Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) |
Fall, Spring. |
SINHA 4400 |
Literary Sinhala II
This one-semester course further develops students' comprehension of written Literary Sinhala, using sample materials from a variety of genres prepared by the instructor, as well as excerpts from texts relevant to graduate student research (when appropriate). Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) |
Fall, Spring. |
TAG 1100 |
Elements of Tagalog-Filipino Language and Culture
This course will introduce very basic functional uses of Tagalog/Filipino language and elements of Filipino culture to interested students like heritage learners and those who are planning to travel briefly to the Philippines to participate in a short project or study abroad program in the country. Full details for TAG 1100 - Elements of Tagalog-Filipino Language and Culture |
Fall, Spring. |
TAG 1121 |
Elementary Tagalog-Filipino I
Gives a thorough grounding in basic speaking and listening skills with an introduction to reading and writing. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) |
Fall. |
TAG 2201 |
Intermediate Tagalog-Filipino I
Develops all four skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) |
Fall. |
TAG 3301 |
Advanced Tagalog-Filipino I
Continuing instruction on conversational skills but with emphasis on reading and writing. Selected core readings in contemporary Tagalog literature are used, but students, in consultation with the instructor, may select some of the class materials. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) |
Fall. |
TAMIL 1121 |
Elementary Tamil I
Introduces students to the basic grammatical and syntactical skills required to function adequately in a Tamil-speaking environment. Of particular interest to students planning to conduct scholarly research or fieldwork in that region of the world. Introduces students to the rich culture of the Indian subcontinent where Tamil is spoken. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) |
Fall. |
TAMIL 4431 |
Directed Study
Intended for advanced language study. |
Fall. |
THAI 1121 |
Elementary Thai I
This beginning level course provides a solid grounding in all four language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) with an emphasis on speaking and listening comprehension. The aim is to enable learners to think in Thai and learn to converse and "get around" in certain basic situations in daily life. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) |
Fall. |
THAI 2201 |
Intermediate Thai I
Continues to develop and comprehensively extends the four language skills acquired at the Elementary level (listening, speaking, reading, and writing). Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) |
Fall. |
THAI 3301 |
Advanced Thai I
Develops advanced speaking skill with emphasis on selected readings in Thai from various fields, for example, History, Anthropology, Government, Economics, Agriculture, as well as other professional schools. The readings are supplemented with visual materials such as video clips and films. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) |
Fall. |
THAI 3303 |
Thai Literature I
Reading of significant novels, short stories, and poetry written since 1850 and other classical works. Catalog Distribution: (ALC-AS) (FL-AG) |
Fall. |
THAI 5509 |
Graduate Studies in Thai
Topics vary by semester in relation to student needs. |
Fall. |
TIBET 1111 |
Elementary Modern Tibetan I
This is an introductory course and no previous knowledge is required. It focuses on developing basic abilities to speak as well as to read and write in modern Tibetan, Lhasa dialect. Students are also introduced to modern Tibetan studies through selected readings and guest lectures. |
Fall. |
TIBET 1121 |
Elementary Classical Tibetan I
Introduces students to the grammar of Classical Literary Tibetan as found in Indian treatises translated from Sanskrit into Tibetan, as well as indigenous Tibetan philosophical works. The course progresses through a sequence of the basic rudiments of the language, including an introduction to the script and its romanization, pronunciation (central Lhasan dialect), normative dictionary order, and the basic categories of grammar. Following these preliminaries, students proceed to guided readings in Tibetan literature designed to introduce them to the formal approach of Tibetan lexical semantics with an emphasis on the role of verbs in determining argument realization options. Over the duration of the course, students encounter new vocabulary (and associated Buddhist concept hierarchies) and increasingly complex sentence structures. This course thus provides a solid foundation for the later exploration of other genres of literature and styles of composition. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) Full details for TIBET 1121 - Elementary Classical Tibetan I |
Fall. |
TIBET 2201 |
Intermediate Classical Tibetan I
This two-semester class is designed to assist students who already have the equivalent of at least one year of Tibetan language study. The course is intended to build on this foundation so that students gain greater proficiency in reading a variety of classical Tibetan writing styles and genres, including (especially in the second semester) texts relevant to their research. Full details for TIBET 2201 - Intermediate Classical Tibetan I |
Fall. |
TIBET 2211 |
Intermediate Modern Tibetan I
For those whose knowledge is equivalent to a student who has completed the first-year course. The course focuses on the further development of their skills in using the language to engage with practical topics and situations, such as seeing a doctor, reading news, writing letters, and listening to music. |
Fall. |
TIBET 3301 |
Advanced Classical Tibetan I
This class is designed to assist students who already have the equivalent of at least two years of Classical Tibetan language study. The course is intended to build on this foundation so that students gain greater proficiency in reading a variety of classical Tibetan writing styles and genres, including texts relevant to their research. |
Fall. |
TIBET 3311 |
Advanced Modern Tibetan I
For those whose knowledge is equivalent to a student who has completed the second-year course. The course develops students' reading comprehension skills through reading selected modern Tibetan literature. Tibetan is used as the medium of instruction and interaction to develop oral fluency and proficiency. |
Fall. |
URDU 2225 |
Intermediate Urdu Reading and Writing I
This course is designed to develop competence in Urdu reading and writing for students with a first-year knowledge of Hindi and knowledge of Urdu script. The goal of this course is to improve listening, speaking, reading and writing abilities in Urdu. By the end of the course, students will have the ability to read articles, write short stories and translate Urdu writings. May be taken concurrently with Intermediate Hindi. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) Full details for URDU 2225 - Intermediate Urdu Reading and Writing I |
Fall. |
URDU 3325 |
Literary Reading and Writing in Advanced Urdu
Designed for those students who have either taken Intermediate Urdu or are at the same level of competency in reading and writing skills. The goals of this class are to improve Urdu literary reading and writing abilities, primarily through reading various forms of Urdu prose. In addition, students learn about various genres of Urdu poetry and watch video clips and lectures that enhance listening and speaking abilities as well as the understanding and appreciation of Urdu culture. Full details for URDU 3325 - Literary Reading and Writing in Advanced Urdu |
Fall. |
URDU 5509 |
Graduate Studies in Urdu
Topics vary by semester in relation to student needs. |
Fall. |
VIET 1121 |
Elementary Vietnamese I
This course gives a thorough grounding in basic speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills in Vietnamese. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) |
Fall. |
VIET 2201 |
Intermediate Vietnamese I
Continuing instruction in spoken and written Vietnamese. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) |
Fall. |
VIET 3301 |
Advanced Vietnamese I
Continuing instruction in spoken and written Vietnamese. Introduction to reading newspapers; the course emphasizes on enlarging vocabulary and increasing reading speed by reading various genres and styles of prose. Catalog Distribution: (FL-AG) |
Fall. |