1 - 10 of 15 results for: JAPAN

This class introduces key literary texts from Japan¿s modern era (1868-present), locating these works in the larger political, social, and cultural trends of the period. nThe goal of the class is to use literary texts as a point of entry to understand the grand narrative of Japan's journey from its tentative re-entry into the international community in the 1850s, through the cataclysm of the Pacific War, the remarkable prosperity of the bubble years in the 1980s until most recent, post-3/11 catastrophe-evoked Zeitgeist.nnWe will examine a variety of primary texts by such authors as Futabatei Shimei, Higuchi Ichiy¿, Natsume S¿seki, Tanizaki Jun¿ichir¿, Miyamoto Yuriko, Kawabata Yasunari, ¿e Kenzabur¿, Yoshimoto Banana, Tawada Y¿ko, and Yu Miri among others. Each text will be discussed in detail paying attention to its specific character and contextualized within larger political trends (e.g., the modernization program of the Meiji regime, the policies of Japan's wartime government, and postwar Japanese responses to the cold war), social developments (e.g., changing notions of social class, the women's rights movement, the social effects of the postwar economic expansion, ecocriticism), and cultural movements (e.g., literary reform movement of the 1890s, modernism of the 1920s and 30s, postmodernism of the 1980s, and exophony). Students will also be encouraged to think about the ways these texts relate to each other and a variety of issues beyond the Japanese socio-cultural and historical context. nnNo prior knowledge of Japanese is required for this course, although students with sufficient proficiency are welcome to refer to original sources.nPrerequisites: None

Edo and Meiji periods with focus on grammar and reading comprehension. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: 246 or equivalent.

The Japanese tea ceremony, the ultimate premodern multimedia phenomenon, integrates architecture, garden design, ceramics, painting, calligraphy, and other treasured objects into a choreographed ritual wherein host, objects, and guests perform designated roles on a tiny stage sometimes only six feet square.. In addition to its much-touted aesthetic and philosophical aspects, the practice of tea includes inevitable political and rhetorical dimensions. This course traces the evolution of tea practice from its inception within the milieu of courtier diversions, Zen monasteries, and warrior villas, through its various permutations into the 20th century, where it was manipulated by the emerging industrialist class for different-but ultimately similar-ends.

EALC students writing a Senior Capstone Essay who wish to conduct research with their adviser may enroll in this course for 1 unit, for 1 quarter.

Asian Languages majors only. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisites: JAPANLNG 129B or 103, and consent of instructor.

Bibliographical and research methods. Major trends in literary and cultural theory and critical practice. May be repeated once for credit. Prerequisite: JAPANLNG 103 or 129B, or consent of instructor.

This class introduces key literary texts from Japan¿s modern era (1868-present), locating these works in the larger political, social, and cultural trends of the period. nThe goal of the class is to use literary texts as a point of entry to understand the grand narrative of Japan's journey from its tentative re-entry into the international community in the 1850s, through the cataclysm of the Pacific War, the remarkable prosperity of the bubble years in the 1980s until most recent, post-3/11 catastrophe-evoked Zeitgeist.nnWe will examine a variety of primary texts by such authors as Futabatei Shimei, Higuchi Ichiy¿, Natsume S¿seki, Tanizaki Jun¿ichir¿, Miyamoto Yuriko, Kawabata Yasunari, ¿e Kenzabur¿, Yoshimoto Banana, Tawada Y¿ko, and Yu Miri among others. Each text will be discussed in detail paying attention to its specific character and contextualized within larger political trends (e.g., the modernization program of the Meiji regime, the policies of Japan's wartime government, and postwar Japanese responses to the cold war), social developments (e.g., changing notions of social class, the women's rights movement, the social effects of the postwar economic expansion, ecocriticism), and cultural movements (e.g., literary reform movement of the 1890s, modernism of the 1920s and 30s, postmodernism of the 1980s, and exophony). Students will also be encouraged to think about the ways these texts relate to each other and a variety of issues beyond the Japanese socio-cultural and historical context. nnNo prior knowledge of Japanese is required for this course, although students with sufficient proficiency are welcome to refer to original sources.nPrerequisites: None