All Asian Studies courses are conducted in English.
A survey of the histories and cultures of Asia before 1600 and the coming of the Europeans. Emphasis will be given to parallel themes in the development of the civilizations of South, Southeast and East Asia.
A survey of the emergence of modern Asia. Aims at an understanding of how the various peoples of Asia have maintained distinctive cultural identities despite centuries of political, economic, social and cultural change.
A survey of religious traditions of Asia, including communities, professionals, practices and beliefs of small-scale and large-scale societies. Approaches and theories drawn from the field of religious studies.
The cultures of contemporary Asia through an exploration of the uses, form, and content of online media from and about Asia.
A comparative survey of the beliefs, assumptions and values which have shaped the civilizations of East Asia in both traditional and modern times.
A survey of South Asian cultures, including language and literature, art, religion, polity and society, as they developed in the past and have been transformed in the modern period.
A comparative survey of the different cultures found in the communities of Southeast Asia. Focus will be on language and literature, arts, religion, society and polity, ideologies and belief systems in the past as well as in modern times.
Philosophical, religious, and cultural development of yoga in classical and medieval South Asia and its relation to contemporary globalized practice.
Sex and sexual ethics in the scriptures, monastic rules, rituals, and narratives of Asian religions, such as Sikhism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Confucianism.
Literary, historiographic, religious, and feminist approaches to Japanese myths, legal tracts, religious tales, fiction, and poetry.
Indian literary and mythological texts, in genres from epic to lyric, as recast in contemporary Hindi film.
Introduction to the literary, religious, and philosophical traditions of at least two Asian cultures using foundational texts. Students will learn about these traditions by encountering them historically as well as through the lenses of their own diverse identities and contexts.
This writing-intensive course is to be taken concurrently with ASIA 222. The seminar builds on the materials of ASIA 222. Students must have knowledge of or be enrolled in the study of one of the languages offered in Asian Studies.
Origins, basic teachings, development of Theravada, Mahayana, and Tantric traditions, historical spread first through Asia and later the world, and Buddhism in contemporary societies.
The integral role that sex, gender, and sexuality play in literary and cinematic works from Japan. Literary works will be read in translation, movies will be subtitled.
The major religious traditions of South Asia, including Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, and Buddhism; the significance of religious thought and practice in premodern India, as well as the continuing impact of religion in today's globalized South Asia.
The history of China in a global context, from the earliest times to the most recent past; how China has changed the world and how engagement with the world has changed China. Credit will be granted for only one of ASIA 270 or HIST 270. Equivalency: HIST 270
Practical, aesthetic, historical, technological and political issues pertaining to the use of Chinese characters - hanzi (Chinese), kanji (Japanese), or hanccha (Korean) - throughout the region.
Buddhism from the nineteenth century to present day with special emphasis on its history and character in local settings, including specific traditions such as Tibetan Nyingma and Japanese Zen, as well as the development of a modern and global Buddhism.
History, story, and culture of the major form of Buddhism primarily focused on the regions of Sri Lanka, and mainland Southeast Asia, including southern Vietnam, parts of southern China, spread to Nepal, and modern global diffusion.
Historical and philosophical development of Mahayana Buddhism.
An historical perspective of the performing arts of South and Southeast Asia, highlighting the role of music, dance, and the dramatic arts in the lives of actors and audiences. Option to complete a practicum performance.
Engaging with the ideologies, industrial histories, socio-cultural contexts, and aesthetics of horror films - and the genre itself - from various Asian cinemas.
Overview of Buddhism's rich and complex esoteric traditions in the Himalayan region and South, Southeast, and East Asia, with particular emphasis on texts, commentaries, and practices from a variety of traditions, locales and time periods.
An examination of Korean language and writing using approaches from sociolinguistics, the sociology of language, and linguistic anthropology.
Myths of creation Gods and goddesses of the Vedic pantheon. Connections with myths in other parts of the world, particularly in the Indo-European tradition. Literary representations of the myths.
A history of South Asian peoples and communities that emigrated overseas, including Indo-Canadians.
Study of an Asian culture area different from those covered in existing courses. Not given every year. Consult Department for details. May be taken multiple times on different subjects for credit.
Religious terrain of the Tibetan cultural realm, looking at the history and development of Tibetan Buddhism and key ideas of the four main Tibetan Buddhist traditions.
Historical, cultural and philosophical development of Korean Buddhism.
History and culture of the Himalayan regions, including India, China, Tibet, Nepal, and Bhutan.
Japanese history (political, economic, social and cultural) to 1600.
Japanese history from 1600 to the Meiji Restoration. Political, economic, social and cultural forces which were involved in transforming Japan.
Examines relations between majority and minority groups in Japanese society and changing definitions of Japan through literature and film from Japan.
The evolution of a distinctive Korean civilization within the East Asian cultural sphere. Primary focus on cultural, social and political development from the earliest times to the sixteenth century.
A survey of the history and culture of India from the earliest historic period to 1200 and the coming of Islam, with emphasis on the evolution of classical Hindu civilization.
Chinese popular cultures of the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, in relation to social changes, national policies, individual choices, everyday experience, and globalization.
History of China from the earliest times to the disintegration of the Tang empire. Students will acquire the analytical skills and tools to understand the origins and foundations of Chinese society. Credit will be granted for only one of ASIA 320 or HIST 378. Equivalency: HIST 378
Histories, controversies, and implications of celebrity culture in Chinese societies, with a focus on the entanglement of author, audience, and media across different sociopolitical contexts. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
The history, culture, languages, and identities of the multi-faceted Cantonese worlds, in the context of Chinese history and the Cantonese diaspora. Credit will be granted for only one of ASIA 323 or HIST 377. Equivalency: HIST 377
A survey of the literature of Hong Kong, from classical times to the present. Important periods in literary history (imperial, colonial, post-colonial), major authors (locals, visitors, and writers elsewhere), and important genres, including poetry, essays, and fiction.
A survey of the cinema of Hong Kong from the post-war period to the present. The influence of Hong Kong on global cinema, and the forces (artists, studios, audiences, etc.) that have given rise to filmmaking styles and genres perceived as distinctively Hong Kong.
A critical introduction to Japanese manga and anime in the 20th and 21st centuries.
History, contexts, and the genres of Korean popular music. Students will analyze specific artists and songs using a range of approaches. While an understanding of basic concepts of music will be helpful, no previous exposure to ethnomusicology or music performance is required.
History, culture, values, and sociopolitical movements of the Islamic world from 1500 to the modern day; interconnections between power, politics, gender, and the arts in modern Islamic societies. Recommended as a basis for all other Islamic studies courses.
A critical examination of what it means to be a woman or a man within the social and cultural context of South and Southeast Asia. What masculinity and femininity signify in these societies; how these concepts are reaffirmed or challenged.
The history of Muslims in modern South Asia from colonialism to the present.
The history of Islam in South Asia beginning with the first Indo-Islamic interactions, the crystallization of Sufi traditions and sultanates, through the rise of European colonialism.
Key ideas and trends in Confucian thought and practice from its origins to modern times through primary sources in translation and secondary scholarship.
Main theories and key concepts with a particular focus on the changing status of women, and gender and sexual minorities.
The construction of gender in literary writings by and about women in select areas of premodern East Asia.
A history of musical genres with Cantonese lyrics from the nineteenth century to the present. Topics include music and text relationships, major singers, major genres (narrative songs, Cantonese opera, Cantopop). Credit will be granted for only one of ASIA 335 or MUSC 327. Equivalency: MUSC 327
Sufi and Bhakti thought and tradition in South Asia through literary works in translation.
The transformation of Korea from a Confucian state into an industrial nation. The rise of nationalism and modern ideologies in Korea. Cultural, social and economic changes Korea has undergone as it has entered the modern world.
History of the political shifts and revolutions that transformed India to a British colony.
An examination of contemporary South Asian communities in the diaspora. Topics of particular importance are family life, religious life, notions of space, communal memory, literary and visual representation.
History of China from the end of Tang to the eve of its modern transformation. Students will acquire the analytical skills and tools to understand the political, socio-economic, and cultural changes in imperial China. Credit will be granted for only one of ASIA 340 or HIST 379. Equivalency: HIST 379
Poetry, historical and philosophic prose writings and the earliest genres of fiction in classical Chinese (ca. 1100 BC ca. 750 AD).
Readings in drama and fiction, 800 to 1800 AD. The emergence of vernacular genres as distinct from and sometimes opposed to the existing classical genres.
Social and cultural history of South Asian film.
Focuses each year on a specific topic related to the courtly or warrior culture of Japan.
Introduction to and analysis of artistically significant films made in mainland China during the first half century of Chinese film history.
Focuses each year on a specific topic related to the culture of early modern Japan.
An introduction to Korean literature from ancient times to 1900.
Cultural explorations in the poetry, theatre, and ornate prose writings of India in the classical period (c. 300-1300 CE).
Ecocultural approach to reading, analyzing, and writing about narratives written in Japan from premodern times to the present.
A comparative approach to the literatures of East, South and Southeast Asia focusing on a specific theme.
Reading of selected novels and stories written between 1750 and the present.
Traditional Chinese culture as seen through reading and discussion of exemplary literary works in the vernacular language.
History, aesthetics, politics, and social roles of Bollywood films. Films will be subtitled.
Students will be introduced to the work of the major directors (e.g., Ozu, Mizoguchi, Kurosawa, Itami, Oshima, Shinoda). Ideological uses of literary texts and period pieces (e.g., Ugetsu, Life of Oharu, Double Suicide). Impact of depiction of Japanese in American film.
Introduction to the work of major directors.
Introduction to the work of the major film makers.
Selected fiction and poetry written between 1917 and the present.
Devotional, mystic, and erotic poetry of medieval Hinduism, Islam, and Sikhism.
Afghan history as it unfolded from the Eurasian empires to the modern era of nation-building and internationalism.
Introduction to the literature of a linguistic area of Asia not covered in existing courses. Not given every year. Consult the Department for details. May be taken multiple times on different subjects for credit.
A thematic survey of modern Chinese fiction and film in translation.
The influential genre of early tales and fiction in pre-modern Japan.
A reading-intensive survey of literary and cinematic culture in Taiwan since the early 20th century: colonialism, the national divide, nativism, trauma, cosmopolitanism, and utopian imaginings.
An introduction to the literature and cultural history of modern Japan, with readings drawn from various literary genres, from 1868 to the present.
Punjabi culture, history, and social values through films. The class includes film viewings and seminar discussions. Films will be subtitled.
Thematically-organized topics in Asian literature, history, visual culture, religion, or communities. Topics vary from section to section. Consult Department for current offerings.
An introduction to the literature, drama, music, and art of Korea today. Particular attention will be paid to the continuing influence of traditional themes and forms.
Fiction, drama, and/or poetry of modern India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and/or Sri Lanka, including works in translation and/or originally written in English.
A survey of oral and expressive traditions in Asia, including jokes, superstitions, fairy tales, myths, music, and foodways; practical training in collecting and archiving folklore.
Languages, religions, art forms, and political structures of Asian societies shaped by creative encounters with Sanskrit.
Early (pre 221 BCE) Chinese thought (Confucianism, Daoism, Mohism, Legalism), its contemporary implications, and the role of philosophy and religion in human flourishing./Credit will only be granted for one of PHIL 371 or ASIA 371. Equivalency: PHIL371
Chinese thought from the Han dynasty (206 BCE to 220 CE) to Wang Yangming (1472-1529) in its historical and cultural contexts.
History, culture, and identities of Hong Kong from the early 1800s to the present. Credit will be granted for only one of ASIA 373 or HIST 373. Equivalency: HIST 373
The cultural and linguistic region of Punjab as it has been imagined in different times and places, in South Asia and beyond, in literature, scholarship, film, and popular culture.
A survey of Chinese cinemas in global perspective, covering films, filmmakers, producers, audiences, markets, industries, and critical discourse since the early twentieth century. Covers both cinematic culture and filmmaking technique.
Introduction to the historical development of Sikh traditions in India and Diaspora, from the 15th century to the present, with attention to broader historical contexts.
An examination of Korean religious, philosophical, and scientific thought from the earliest written records to the present day, with particular focus on the interaction of Shamanism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and, in the present century, Christianity.
Epistemological and ontological thought from the Vedic period to the period of the rise of philosophical schools or systems Philosophy in the Mahabharata, Gita; early Buddhist and Jain views on knowledge and reality; views on language. Credit will be granted for only one of ASIA 378 or PHIL 378. Equivalency: PHIL 378
Analysis and critique of 20th and 21st century Modern Arabic prose writing emerging from the Middle East and North Africa in translation.
A study of the Daoist religious traditions from their beginnings in the second century CE in their cultural, intellectual and social contexts.
History, thought, and practices of Chinese Buddhism from its beginnings until the twentieth century.
Introduction to a foundational text of East Asian thought. Both the primary text and its reception in traditional and modern contexts will be examined.
The history, doctrines, and practices of Chan Buddhism, particularly the profound influence of Chan Buddhism on various aspects of East Asian culture.
Analysis of modern Chinese grammar and its usage in various discourses, situating its form and function in relation to social and cultural contexts. Recommended pre-requisites: One of CHIN 207, CHIN 337, CHIN 208, CHIN 338, CHIN 217, CHIN 347, CHIN 218, CHIN 348, or a higher level of Chinese language proficiency.
An introduction to traditional Japanese religions including Shinto, Buddhism, Shugendo, Confucianism, new religions and folklore, and their roles in Japanese history, culture and society.
Debates on issues of epistemology, language and ontology among the philosophical traditions of classical South Asia. ASIA 378/PHIL 378 is recommended. Credit will be granted for only one of ASIA 388 or PHIL 388. Equivalency: PHIL 388
Auto/biographies and life writings of South Asian women in the Diaspora. Emphasizes theories of representation, subjectivity, agency, difference, and memory.
Societies and empires shaped by voyages of exploration, religious pilgrimages, trading diasporas and forced migration in the world of the Indian Ocean.
History and culture, values, and achievements of Islamic societies from 700-1500; interconnections between power, politics, gender, and the arts in Islamic societies. Recommended as a basis for all other Islamic studies courses.
Works of classical Persian literature dating from the tenth to the seventeenth century.
Iranian history from the fall of the Sasanian empire and the Arab conquest of Iran to the rise of Iranian dynasties in the east, the reign of Turkic and Turko-Mongolian rulers, and the formation of a Shi'ite Iran under the Safavids.
Gender politics, family relationships, and women's social, economic, and political roles in post-revolutionary Iran as shown through Iranian cinema.
Modern Persian literature, including fiction, drama, and/or poetry, of Iran, Afghanistan, and/or Tajikistan dating from the mid-19th to the 21st century (in English translation).
Analysis of modern Chinese grammar and its usage in various discourses, situating its form and function in relation to social and cultural contexts. Continuation of ASIA 386. Recommended pre-requisite: ASIA 386 or higher level of Chinese language proficiency.
History of cultural ideas that led to India's transformation from a traditional, colonial society tied to the British empire to a postcolonial, pluralistic, development oriented parliamentary democracy.
Stories of gods, goddesses and religious heroes from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, Puranas, Avadanas and in classical poetry and drama.
Contemporary films of the South Asian Diaspora, with a focus on Canada, US, and UK. Emphasizes theories of representation, visual and cultural analysis.
Advanced study of the structure of the Chinese characters in their graphic, phonetic, and semantic aspects. Recommended pre-requisites: ASIA 300 and one of CHIN 207, CHIN 208, CHIN 337, CHIN 338, CHIN 217, CHIN 218, CHIN 347, CHIN 348, JAPN 213, JAPN 251, JAPN 323, JAPN 361, KORN 300, KORN 301, KORN 302.
History of language, writing and linguistic thought in China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam from a comparative perspective and focusing on the dissolution of this translocal cultural formation with the onset of modernity. Restricted to fourth-year Asian Studies majors only. Recommended: At least 12 credits of any level of CHIN, JAPN, or KORN or placement approval. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Classic works on language and colonialism in British India and imperial Japan. Emphasis on language policies, linguistic thought, language ideology, questions of assimilation and identity, and the consequences of colonialism for Asian languages today. Prerequisite: Prerequisites: 4th year standing. 400-level standing (or equivalent) in Chinese, Japanese or Korean (can be concurrent).
The influence of Confucianism, Buddhism, Daoism, and Christianity on the way peoples of East Asia understood and manipulated the natural world, focusing on the natural sciences.
Analytical overview of North Korea's politics, society, and economy. Restricted to fourth-year Asian Studies majors.
The postcolonial nation-state and the challenge of a multi-religious society. Religious and secular discourse in colonial India, the partition, the modern constitution, secularism, Hindu and Muslim mobilization, and religious radicalism and communal violence Restricted to fourth-year Asian Studies majors. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
International relations, particularly between Korea and Japan in the premodern East Asian context, focusing on migration, trade, diplomacy, war, collective memory, mutual perceptions, and the context of the Sinocentric international order.
Chinese theories and practices of government and administration from earliest times to 1949.
Features and evolution of major pre-Chinese poetry from the 11th century B.C.E. to the 10th century C.E.; analytical reading of signature poems by selected poets in English translation in the pre-modern Chinese poetic tradition during this historical period.
The features and evolution of pre-Chinese poetry from the 10th century to the 19th century; analytical reading of signature poems by selected poets in English translation in the pre-modern Chinese poetic tradition during this historical period.
Historical factors shaping Indian architecture from the 13th to the 19th centuries.
Fundamental institutions including family, caste and religious organizations, with emphasis on the early modern and British periods.
Examines the material foundations of Indian history. Considers India's place in the premodern world, different phases of globalization, processes and legacies of European colonial rule, and the development of India's modern economy.
A survey of one of the primary areas of Korean popular culture, such as television dramas, film, K-Pop music, graphic novels and webtoons, or Hanshik cuisine. Recommended pre-requisites: one of ASIA 327, ASIA 347, ASIA 357, ASIA 447, ASIA 452, ASIA 457, or placement approval. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
History of the politics, economy, society, and culture of South Asia from the Great Mughals to the British conquest.
The social history of early modern Japan with a particular focus on the patterns of organized protests, rebellions, and movements under samurai rule.
Trade, diplomacy, war, imperialism, militarism, colonialism, collective memory, mutual perceptions Korean-Japanese relations are examined as an exemplary case for exploring the dimensions of international conflict and partnership.
Tibetan literature, textual genres, and book and printing culture from the seventh century to the present.
Depictions of Muslims in relation to the majoritarian community as well as other minorities in South Asian cinema, with a particular focus on the Hindi/Urdu film industry. Prerequisite: Second-year standing and above.
Analysis and critique of how the partition of India is depicted in fictional literary works and feature films. Prerequisite: Second-year standing and above
An in-depth examination of the construction, transmission, and transformation of Chinese culture(s) prior to 1800. Credit will be granted for only one of ASIA 440 or HIST 479. Restricted to fourth-year Asian Studies majors. Equivalency: HIST 479 This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Reading of a classic novel or play, with attention to intellectual, social, and political subtexts as well as aesthetic dimensions and problems of interpretation.
Concepts and methods for understanding the lives of books across time, through an examination of both the material forms of a text and its cultural reception. Focus on one major work from pre-modern China. Restricted to fourth-year Asian Studies majors.
Nationhood as it is constructed, deconstructed, and continuously contested in Chinese literature, film, and other media from the late imperial period to the 21st century in mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the Chinese diaspora. Restricted to fourth-year Asisan Studies.
Focuses on a limited time period or particular aspect of modern Japanese literature.
Examines representations of crime and criminality in modern and contemporary Japanese literature. Restricted to fourth-year Asian Studies majors. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Women's voices and issues in the Korean literary tradition, from earliest times to the new millennium, in translation. Recommended pre-requisites: one of ASIA 347, ASIA 357. Permission of instructor is also acceptable.
Key theoretical issues in the production and enactment of folk narratives in traditional and modern South Asian cultures. Intended for advanced undergraduates in Asian folklore studies. Credit will be granted for only one of ASIA 448 or ASIA 547. Recommended pre-requisite: ASIA 369.
For upcoming offerings, including course descriptions, please see section information in the UBC course schedule at https://courses.students.ubc.ca/cs/main.
Study of one influential modern Chinese author, such as Lu Xun, Shen Congwen, Eileen Chang, Yu Hua, Mo Yan, or Wang Anyi. Restricted to fourth-year Asian Studies majors. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
A survey of literature, in translation, from the Korean diaspora, focusing on writing by ethnic Koreans in North America, Europe, and Japan. Recommended pre-requisites: one of ASIA 347, ASIA 357, ASIA 447, ASIA 457.
Japanese travel literature (myths, legends, poetry, tales, diaries, illustrated guides, satiric sermons, haiku, comic fiction, colonial reporting, and ethnography) from the 8th century to present. Restricted to fourth-year Asian Studies majors. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
An introduction to Japanese poetry from its origins in song and myth, to its development from a courtly art (waka) to a popular pastime (haiku). Influences on prose, autobiography, and theatre will also be considered.
Introduction to literary, stage, and film adaptations of Japanese classics and legends and the ways in which these new works appropriate the past to comment on the present.
The major social, economic, political, and cultural changes in Taiwan since the seventeenth century; the post-World War II process of democratization and Taiwan's place in the contemporary world.
Survey of major single-volume novels, ranging from Yi Kwang-su's Heartlessness to Ch'oe Yun's There a Petal Silently Falls, in translation. Recommended pre-requisite: ASIA 357, or permission of instructor.
Experience of women in the context of a particular Asian culture, as seen through literature, popular culture, film and folklore. Narrative as a medium for the representation and constitution of gender.
Literary, cinematic, folk, and/or popular culture texts from modern Iran. Emphasis on constructions and contestations of masculinities and femininities, as they intersect with sexuality, race, ethnicity, ability, and/or religion.
An exploration of Japanese cinema and the relationship between film genre theories discursive constructed conventions and sociocultural norms, as well as how artists challenge those norms. Prerequisite: 3rd year standing or above. A minimum of 6 credits of 300-level ASIA coursework, particularly ASIA 354, recommended.
Historical survey of Japanese documentary film and media, including press, photography, reality TV shows, and social media. Prerequisite: Restricted to students with 2nd year standing or above.
Selected aspects of the more than 1000 years of self-writing (diary, autobiography, personal fiction). Theory and criticism about the use of writing as a medium of self-expression.
The genre of Japanese visual horror explored through formal visual literacy, genre theory, and textual analysis. Prerequisite: Second-year standing and above. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
A survey of Christian proselytizing drives in South, Southeast, and East Asia, focusing on the period since 1500 and the reasons for successes (the Phillipines and Korea, for example) and failures (Japan). Credit will be granted for only one of ASIA 466 or 566.
The Western genealogy and problematics of religion, issues in its application to non-Western cultures and traditions, and the practical study of Asian religions, in Asia and its diasporas. Restricted to fourth-year Asian Studies majors. Recommended pre-requisites: one of ASIA 376, ASIA 381, ASIA 382, ASIA 383, ASIA 387. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Ways in which the self has been portrayed in eastern and western religious traditions. Thinkers to be considered include Aristotle, Mencius, Freud, Xunzi (Hsün-tzu), Nietzsche, and Zhuangzi (Chuang-tzu). Credit will be granted for only one of ASIA 470 or PHIL 470. Equivalency: PHIL 470
Examines how South Asian pasts have been memorialized in writing, from medieval chronicles to the development of history as a modern academic discipline in the nineteenth century. Credit cannot be granted for both ASIA 474 and ASIA 574.
Exploration of the history of the Punjabi Canadian community through traditional text-based methods and oral history collection. Credit will be granted for only one of ASIA 475 or HIST 475. Equivalency: HIST 475
Seminar class designed to explore current scholarly debates in South Asian and Sikh Studies. May be repeated for credit with permission of instructor. Credit will be granted for only one of ASIA 476 or ASIA 576. Prerequisite: Restricted to students with 2nd year standing or above.
Examines the rise of new religious movements in China, Japan, and Korea over the last two centuries, from the Taiping, Tonghak, and Tenri-kyo to the Unification Church, SGI International, and Falun Gong. Credit will be granted for only one of ASIA 477 or ASIA 577. Restricted to fourth-year Asian Studies majors. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
The religious image and related material culture within Buddhism, Islam, Jainism, Hinduism, Christianity, and Sikhism with special attention to methodological concerns. Credit will be granted for only one of ASIA 478 or ASIA 578. Prerequisite: Restricted to students with 2nd year standing or above.
Political, social, and cultural history of Korea's Choson Dynasty, focusing on how it lasted from 1392 to 1910 and why it collapsed so quickly at the beginning of the twentieth century. Credit will be granted for only one of ASIA 484 or ASIA 587.
An examination of how western imperial expansion transformed the descriptions and practices of Asian traditions through systems of classification, missionaries, discovery of languages, modernity, and fragmentation.
History of secular and religious discourse in post-independent India. Partition, state policy of secularism, religious mobilization among Hindus and Muslims, communal violence and religious radicalism.
Focus changes from year to year. Restricted to fourth-year Asian Studies majors.
Histories of Muslim Empires, spanning Iran, India and Central Asia, from 1000-1800 CE. Examined through the conceptual lens of the Persianate World with emphasis on Persianate culture and power in South Asia. Restricted to fourth-year Asian Studies majors.
The mediation of folklore (e.g. slang, songs, games, dance, foodways) in the everyday lives of immigrant and transnational Asian communities. Emphasis on Asian-Canadian folklore in Greater Vancouver through digital documentary media production and archival folklore research. Restricted to fourth-year Asian Studies majors. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Museological representations of Asia and Asian forms of museological representation in colonial and post-colonial contexts. Credit will be granted for only one of ASIA 498 or ASIA 598. Restricted to fourth-year Asian Studies majors. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Restricted to fourth-year students admitted to the Honours Program in Asian Studies. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Modern Chinese literature in relation to concepts such as world literature, the Sinophone, nationalism, cosmopolitanism, globalization, and critical theory. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Selected readings from primary texts in Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism, and popular religion. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
New media theory, technologies, industries, cultures, and analytical practices with a focus on transnational Asian interactive media such as video games, mobile apps, social media, video streaming sites and services, and online fan networks. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Critical engagement with different disciplinary approaches to the study of Asian popular cultures. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Recommended pre-requisite: one of JAPN 423, JAPN 312, or placement approval. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Reading seminar in Japanese scholarly material dealing with China and/or Korea for graduate students who have a reading knowledge of Chinese and/or Korean and some knowledge of Japanese. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Examines how South Asian pasts have been memorialized in writing, from medieval chronicles to the development of history as a modern academic discipline in the nineteenth century. Credit will be granted for only one of ASIA 474 or ASIA 574. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Credit will be granted for only one of ASIA 477 or ASIA 577. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Credit will be granted for only one of ASIA 478 or ASIA 578. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
The credit value for this course will be determined in consultation with the student prior to the registration. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Credit will be granted for only one of ASIA 587 or ASIA 484. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Focus changes from year to year, please check the Department website for current course syllabi. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Proseminar introducing major methodological and conceptual themes in the contemporary study of Asia, modern and pre-modern. Required of all Asian Studies PhD students, normally in their first year. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Introduction to essential skills for academic and professional work in Asian Studies. Outlines career trajectories in the PhD and beyond, including grant applications, cv-writing, and job searches. Required of Asian Studies PhD students, normally in their first year. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Credit will be granted for only one of ASIA 498 or ASIA 598. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
The credit value for this course will be determined in consultation with the student prior to the registration. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
In Chinese, Japanese, Korean, or South Asian Studies only. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.