Department Website:
http://www.sewanee.edu/Asianstudies/
Professor Goldberg, History, Chair
Professor O'Connor, Anthropology
Professor Peterman, Philosophy
Professor Mohiuddin, Economics
Professor Wilson, Political Science
Professor Wallace, Anthropology
Associate Professor S. Brown, Religion
Assistant Professor Yang, Asian Studies and Chinese
Assistant Professor Carter, Asian Studies and Japanese
Visiting Instructor Zhang, Asian Studies and Chinese
Home to well over half the world's population, Asia's rich and varied traditions invite study as well as reflection. The Asian Studies Program introduces students to Asia as a culturally-rooted but dynamic region. Its courses explore key elements of Asian civilizations — including Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islamic family structure, cultural symbolism, language, and ethics, as well as the forces of modernization and economic development. The Asian Studies curriculum challenges students to understand Asia’s cultural traditions and recent changes. The program offers exposure to both Chinese and Japanese language and literature, as well as related courses on film, popular culture, gender, politics, religion, history, economics, and more. A major in Asian Studies combines study in Asia with courses in Sewanee, so that a student may experience Asia, learn one of its languages, and explore its arts, history, cultures, religions, politics, and economics.
Major in Asian Studies: Asian Studies is an interdisciplinary major that brings together courses about Asia from a variety of departments and disciplines.
The requirements of the program are described below (see A-G):
A. Completion of 10 or more courses in Asian Studies from the lists below or from a study-abroad program (with the approval of the Asian Studies Chair).
B. Study abroad for a summer or semester in an Asian country (travel programs do not fulfill this requirement).
C. Completion of one or more courses in an Asian language at or above the 300-level or completion of an intensive language program abroad approved by the Asian Studies Chair. Meeting the college language requirement does not meet the Asian Studies requirement — courses only at or above the 300-level count toward the Asian Studies major.
D. Asian Studies 100, History 211, History 212, or Religion 162.
E. Two or more courses from the following list and from two different departments:
Asia 203: Chinese Martial Arts;
Asia 204: Themes in New Chinese Cinema;
Asia 205: Modern China Through Fiction and Film;
Asia 209: Introduction to Japanese Civilization: From Samurai to Sony;
Asia 217: Modern Japanese Literature in Translation;
Asia 230: The Land of the Rising "Sons": The Concept of the Child and Children's Culture in Japan;
Asia 232: Father Emperor, Mother Land: Family and Nationalism in Modern Japan;
History 211: History of China and East Asia (I);
History 212: History of China and East Asia (II);
History 388: The United States and Vietnam since 1945;
Philosophy 215: Chinese Philosophy;
Religion 162: Introduction to Asian Religions;
Religion 262: Buddhism;
Religion 263: Chinese Religion;
Religion 264: Hinduism;
Religion 342: Buddhism and Psychology;
Religion 353: Buddhism and the Environment;
Religion 364: Buddhist Ethics.
F. Two or more courses from the following list and from two different departments:
Anthropology 340: Families in Asia;
Anthropology 341: Culture and History of Southeast Asia;
Anthropology 342: Southeast Asia: An Introduction through Literature;
Economics 310: Economic Development in the Third World;
Political Science 249: China and the World;
Political Science 250: States and Markets in East Asia;
Political Science 326: Comparative Asian Politics;
Political Science 360: Chinese Politics.
G. Asian Studies 458 (a senior thesis on a selected topic under supervision of a faculty advisor — may be taken either semester of the senior year)
H. A comprehensive exam in two parts: a) a written set of questions that integrate courses taken by the student b) a written set of questions on specific courses taken by the student.
I. Honors: to earn honors in Asian Studies a student must satisfy the following criteria: 1) a 3.33 grade point average from courses within the major (B+ or better); 2) awarding of a "B+" or better on the senior thesis; 3) awarding of "distinction" (B+ or better) on the comprehensive examination.
Minor in Asian Studies: A minor in Asian Studies requires five courses, including:
1. Two courses in an Asian language.
2. Asian Studies 100, History 211, History 212, or Religion 162.
3. Two electives in Asian Studies (one from the E list above and one from the F list above), to be approved by the Asian Studies Chair.
4. No comprehensive examination.
