East Asian Studies (EAST)
The civilizations of East Asia offer a wealth of human experience of invaluable import to every academic discipline. Unbroken cultural lines of great antiquity lead to modern East Asian cultures of ever-growing global significance. Whether we look to the past, the present or the future, in studying East Asia, we study ourselves and our world.
A traditional liberal education that is limited to the study of “Western” civilization is no longer a liberal education. The Department of East Asian Studies, therefore, offers courses for all Bucknell students as well as the special interests of students choosing either the East Asian studies major or one of the department’s three minors: East Asian studies, Chinese or Japanese.
All students majoring or minoring in the East Asian studies department are strongly encouraged to seek opportunities for summer, semester or preferably full-year study in China or Japan. Bucknell is a member of the Associated Kyoto Program, under which students may, if accepted, spend part or all of their junior year at Doshisha University in Japan. Many other opportunities to study in East Asia also are available.
East Asian Studies Major
The major, requiring an emphasis on either China or Japan, entails a program of study (created in consultation with a department adviser) that requires a minimum of 11 courses:
| Six language courses in the language of one's emphasis (Chinese or Japanese) | 6 | |
| Four cultural courses, of which one - to provide a broad historical introduction to East Asian civilizations - must be chosen from the following: | 3 | |
Chinese emphasis: | ||
| East Asian Civilization | ||
| China from Ancient Time to 18th Century | ||
| China Since 1800 | ||
| The People's Republic of China | ||
Japanese emphasis: | ||
| East Asian Civilization | ||
| From Shinto to Shogun: Pre-modern Japan | ||
| Modern Japanese History | ||
| Contemporary Japanese History | ||
| Cultural course outside emphasis (Chinese or Japanese) | 1 | |
| EAST 395 | East Asian Studies Honors Thesis 1 | 1 |
| or EAST 400 | East Asian Studies Senior Thesis | |
| 1 | Culminating Experience |
The department encourages majors and potential majors, especially those considering a double major, to consult early and frequently with an EAST faculty member to explore ways to systematically connect and expand work done in the culture courses taken for the major with the research project that forms the core of the Culminating Experience.
The Culminating Experience provides students an opportunity to pursue focused research on a subject relevant to their concentration and of interest to them. The Culminating Experience must: involve substantial writing, involve substantial research, incorporate Japanese- or Chinese-language sources, treat in depth some aspect of the culture of Japan or China, and be presented at the spring Majors’ Symposium.
All students majoring in East Asian Studies will receive instruction in writing, speaking, and information literacy in the discipline through experiences in the language courses, culture courses, and the Culminating Experience that each major completes.
Minor in East Asian Studies
The department offers three minors.
East Asian Studies Minor
| Five EAST courses 1 | 5 | |
| A minor in East Asian Studies consists of five department courses, of which one must be selected from the following: 1 | ||
| East Asian Civilization | ||
| China from Ancient Time to 18th Century | ||
| China Since 1800 | ||
| From Shinto to Shogun: Pre-modern Japan | ||
| Modern Japanese History | ||
| 1 | Courses offered or crosslisted by department that are a coherent grouping. |
Minor in Chinese
A minor in Chinese consists of six department courses, of which four must be in the respective language.
Minor in Japanese
A minor in Japanese consists of six department courses, of which four must be in the respective language.
At the completion of the program, students in East Asian studies will be able to:
- Demonstrate a working knowledge of the history of Japan, China or Korea, and their basic chronologies.
- Demonstrate a nuanced understanding of contemporary culture of their country of concentration, informed by the unique mix of academic disciplines in each student’s curriculum.
- Discern major issues of cross-regional social, historical or cultural importance.
- Present ideas coherently in speech in the language of concentration.
- Present ideas coherently in writing in the language of concentration.
- Read basic fiction and non-fiction and be able to converse confidently about topics related to those materials.
- Understand Japanese or Chinese spoken at a natural speed.
Chinese Courses
CHIN 101. Chinese I. 1 Credit.
Offered Fall Semester Only; Lecture hours:3,Recitation:2
Intensive introduction to spoken and written "Mandarin" Chinese, the puutonghuah (common language) of modern China.
CHIN 102. Chinese I. 1 Credit.
Offered Spring Semester Only; Lecture hours:3,Recitation:2
Intensive introduction to spoken and written "Mandarin" Chinese, the puutonghuah (common language) of modern China. Prerequisite: CHIN 101.
CHIN 103. Chinese II. 1 Credit.
Offered Fall Semester Only; Lecture hours:3,Recitation:2
Continued rigorous study of spoken and written "Mandarin" Chinese now called puutonghuah (the common language). Prerequisite: CHIN 102 or equivalent.
CHIN 104. Chinese II. 1 Credit.
Offered Spring Semester Only; Lecture hours:3,Recitation:2
Continued rigorous study of spoken and written "Mandarin" Chinese now called puutonghuah (the common language). Prerequisite: CHIN 103 or equivalent.
CHIN 201. Chinese III. 1 Credit.
Offered Fall Semester Only; Lecture hours:3
Continued study of modern "Mandarin." Contemporary essays, movie scripts, short stories and newspaper articles. Equal emphasis on reading and speaking. Conducted in Chinese. Prerequisite: CHIN 104 or equivalent.
CHIN 202. Chinese III. 1 Credit.
Offered Spring Semester Only; Lecture hours:3
Continued study of modern "Mandarin." Contemporary essays, movie scripts, short stories and newspaper articles. Equal emphasis on reading and speaking. Conducted in Chinese. Prerequisite: CHIN 201 or equivalent.
CHIN 203. Chinese IV. 1 Credit.
Offered Fall Semester Only; Lecture hours:3
Reading and discussion of selected modern Chinese texts: newspaper and magazine articles, essays, short stories, and film scripts. Conducted in Chinese. Prerequisite: CHIN 202 or equivalent.
CHIN 204. Chinese IV. 1 Credit.
Offered Spring Semester Only; Lecture hours:3
Reading and discussion of selected modern Chinese texts: newspaper and magazine articles, essays, short stories, and film scripts. Conducted in Chinese. Prerequisite: CHIN 203 or equivalent.
CHIN 301. Chinese V. 1 Credit.
Offered Fall Semester Only; Lecture hours:4
Study of Chinese films and film scripts and an introduction to Classical Chinese. Besides reading and speaking, interpreting and writing essays are emphasized. Prerequisite: CHIN 204 or equivalent.
CHIN 302. Chinese V. 1 Credit.
Offered Spring Semester Only; Lecture hours:4
Study of Chinese films and film scripts and an introduction to Classical Chinese. Besides reading and speaking, interpreting and writing essays are emphasized. Prerequisite: CHIN 301 or equivalent.
CHIN 310. Advanced Seminar in Chinese Study. 1 Credit.
Offered Both Fall and Spring; Lecture hours:3; Repeatable
Selected topics in Chinese studies. In Chinese. Course topic varies. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.
CHIN 319. Independent Studies in Chinese. 1 Credit.
Offered Fall Semester Only; Lecture hours:3
Independent projects conducted in Chinese in the student's area of special interest. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.
CHIN 320. Independent Studies in Chinese. 1 Credit.
Offered Spring Semester Only; Lecture hours:3
Independent projects conducted in Chinese in the student's area of special interest. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.
East Asian Studies Courses
EAST 111. East Asian Civilization. 1 Credit.
Offered Fall Semester Only; Lecture hours:3,Other:1
The development of Chinese, Korean, and Japanese civilizations highlighting their political, cultural, philosophical, and religious aspects from earliest times to the present.
EAST 120. Introduction to Chinese Culture. 1 Credit.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3
Introductory course on Chinese culture from antiquity to the middle of the 20th century, covering philosophy, literature and arts.
EAST 125. Masterpieces of Chinese Literature in Translation. 1 Credit.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3
This course introduces students to various great works in Chinese literary tradition from early times to the modern period. No prerequisite.
EAST 131. Introduction to Brush Calligraphy: Character Composition Practicum. .5 Credits.
Offered Fall Semester Only; Lecture hours:Varies,Other:1.5
This course is an introduction to the art of brush calligraphy. Students will engage in the practice of composing Chinese characters. Those who are interested in Japanese, Chinese or studio art are encouraged to participate.
EAST 134. Modern China Through Digital Lenses. 1 Credit.
Offered Summer Session Only; Lecture hours:2,Other:5
In this course, we use computational tools (Voyant, ImageJ, Neatline, ArcGIS Story Map) to study the history of modern China (1800-2000). We focus on several influential figures in the 19th and 20th centuries whose ideas and actions transformed the intellectual and political landscape of the country.
EAST 203. Digital Methods in Chinese Studies. 1 Credit.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:.5,Other:2.5
This course introduces students to digital tools and resources in Chinese studies. Topics include data mining, database design, and data visualization. It combines discussion of digitally-empowered scholarship in Chinese studies and training in the technical know-how. Knowledge of Chinese language, Chinese history, or programming is not required. Crosslisted as HIST 203.
EAST 205. Introduction to Translation Studies. 1 Credit.
Offered Spring Semester Only; Lecture hours:3
An introduction to the history, theories, and development of the field of Translation Studies. Facility in one language other than English is strongly recommended. Crosslisted as HUMN 260.
EAST 208. The Red Brush: Women Writers in Imperial China. 1 Credit.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3
In this course we explore the writings of Chinese women from the 1st to the early 20th centuries, and discuss the changing social and historical contexts within which these women wrote, and the obstacles these women writers had to overcome in order to ensure that their voices were heard. Crosslisted as WMST 208.
EAST 209. Society and Culture in Imperial China. 1 Credit.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3; Repeatable
This course explores, in depth, a diversity of topics in pre-modern Chinese history from an interdisciplinary and comparative perspective. Besides Chinese history, we also discuss sociological/anthropological theories and history of other parts of the world. Thematic and temporal focus changes in each offering. Possible topics include economy, state, elite, religion. Crosslisted as HIST 209.
EAST 211. Premodern Japanese Literature in Translation. 1 Credit.
Offered Alternate Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3
The beginnings of Japanese literary traditions: works written before the close of the 19th century - before Western influence is seen. Taught in English.
EAST 212. Modern Japanese Literature in Translation. 1 Credit.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3
Literary trends in 20th-century Japan with emphasis on the development of the modern novel and short story. Works by Soseki, Tanizaki, Kawabata, Mishima, Abe, Enchi, Murakami and others. Taught in English.
EAST 213. Chinese Literature in Translation. 1 Credit.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3
Great works of modern and contemporary Chinese literature.
EAST 220. Japanese Warrior in Literature. 1 Credit.
Offered Fall Semester Only; Lecture hours:3
Traces the literary (re)construction of the 'warrior' in Japanese literature, from the samurai of the 12th century to the Imperial soldier of the mid 20th century. Taught in English.
EAST 222. Passion/Perversion: Japan Film. 1 Credit.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3,Other:3
A discussion class in which numerous modern Japanese films are used to explore the representation of desire, both passionate and perverse. WARNING: explicit sexual content. Crosslisted as WMST 221.
EAST 226. East Asian Politics. 1 Credit.
Offered Spring Semester Only; Lecture hours:3
This course surveys political history, political institutions, economy, and society of major countries in East Asia, with focus on the continuity and changes in politics and policies of China, Japan, and Korea. Crosslisted as IREL 226 and POLS 226.
EAST 228. China Through the Lens. 1 Credit.
Offered Alternating Spring Semester; Lecture hours:3
A history of cinema in mainland China, its origin and important periods, movements, and "generations," as well as representative cinemas of Taiwan and Hong Kong.
EAST 229. Love, Crime, and the Supernatural: Late Imperial Chinese Fiction. 1 Credit.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3
This seminar explores “huaben”, a maturing vernacular fiction genre starting early 17th century in China. We will discuss the social and cultural context that gave rise to this genre, the intersections between this genre and other literary, performative, and artistic genres, as well as its modern implications.
EAST 231. Arts of East Asia. 1 Credit.
Offered Both Fall and Spring; Lecture hours:3
This course introduces you to the art of China, Korea, and Japan from prehistory to the present. We examine a broad range of objects-ritual bronze vessels, Buddhist temple architecture, Neo-Confucian landscape painting, and ukiyo-e woodblock prints-to emphasize how cross-cultural exchanges stimulated new interpretations across time and space. Crosslisted as ARTH 231.
EAST 233. China from Ancient Time to 18th Century. 1 Credit.
Offered Fall Semester Only; Lecture hours:3
Chinese history and culture from their beginnings to the middle of the Qing Dynasty, before that dynasty and China were challenged by the West. Crosslisted as HIST 293.
EAST 234. China Since 1800. 1 Credit.
Offered Spring Semester Only; Lecture hours:3
China from the eve of its modern confrontation with the West to the present through years of traumatic challenge and change. Crosslisted as HIST 294.
EAST 240. Pacific Empires: Migration, Race and Imperialism in the Asia-Pacific Borderlands. 1 Credit.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3
Taking a “borderlands” perspective we trace the history of imperialism, settlement, migration and trade in the Pacific Ocean, 1700s-1900s. Putting “marginal” spaces at the center of our study, we investigate how contemporary geopolitical flashpoints like Okinawa and Hong Kong, shaped racial formations, the environment, war, state building and capitalist development.
EAST 244. Ghosts, Gods, & Immortals: The Taoist Religion in China. 1 Credit.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3
To live as long as heaven and earth; to make the body indestructible; to master the transformations of the cosmos; to control legions of demons and deities. These are the aims of the Chinese religion known as Taoism. This course examines Taoist beliefs and practices from ancient to modern times. Crosslisted as RELI 244.
EAST 248. International Relations in East Asia. 1 Credit.
Offered Spring Semester Only; Lecture hours:3
This course offers an overview of international relations in East Asia, with focus on political, economic, and social interactions among major states in the region. Crosslisted as IREL 283 and POLS 283.
EAST 251. Buddhism. 1 Credit.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3,Other:1
Interdisciplinary introduction to Buddhism, including basic teachings of liberation from suffering, impermanence, no-self, ethics, and meditation. Also explores the historical development of various streams of Buddhism in Asia and the West, with attention to the effect of Buddhism on society, politics, and material culture. Crosslisted as RELI 200.
EAST 252. Marketing Chinese Religions. 1 Credit.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3
Focus on the economies of Chinese religious institutions in modern and contemporary periods, with attention also paid to premodern precedents. Economics here indicates not only mechanisms of monetary exchange, but also negotiations of spiritual capital (ledgers of [de]merit) and of religious identities amidst rampant consumerism and commodification of sanctity. Crosslisted as RELI 245.
EAST 253. Death of Religion in Japan. 1 Credit.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3
Religion in Japan is dead. Or, the rumors of its demise are greatly exaggerated. But one thing’s for sure, Japanese religion is the province of the dead. This course examines how Japanese religions, which are supposedly dead or dying, supply the primary means for coping with life and death. Crosslisted as RELI 246.
EAST 254. From Shinto to Shogun: Pre-modern Japan. 1 Credit.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3
The course will examine the cultural and institutional developments which constitute the Japanese heritage, with emphasis on classical Heian and early medieval court culture and late medieval samurai society. Crosslisted as HIST 295.
EAST 255. Modern Japanese History. 1 Credit.
Offered Both Fall and Spring; Lecture hours:3
Japan from a few hundred samurai-ruled domains loosely held together by a shogun to a bureaucratic modern nation-state in service to an emperor: small wars won, expansive empire gained, cosmopolitan cities built, and a big war lost. Crosslisted as HIST 296.
EAST 256. Contemporary Japanese History. 1 Credit.
Offered Spring Semester Only; Lecture hours:3,Other:1
Political and cultural history of post-World War II Japan using various sources including film, anime, art, political cartoon, popular song. Crosslisted as HIST 286.
EAST 264. The Cold War in Asia. 1 Credit.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3
Explores how the Cold War developed in Asia.
EAST 266. Chinese Philosophy. 1 Credit.
Offered Alternate Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3
An introduction to Chinese thought, including: the major schools and thinkers of the classical age, Chinese Buddhist philosophy, early modern Neo-confucianism, and Chinese philosophy since the Communist Revolution of 1949. Crosslisted as HUMN 266 and PHIL 266.
EAST 267. The People's Republic of China. 1 Credit.
Offered Spring Semester Only; Lecture hours:3
A historical look at life in China under the rule of the Communist Party. Unprecedented triumphs and tribulations. Crosslisted as HIST 297.
EAST 269. Chinese Politics. 1 Credit.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3
This examines China's rich political history, its dynamic economic and social changes, its lasting political culture, it enduring struggle for modernization, and its evolving relations with the rest of the world. Crosslisted as IREL 225 and POLS 225.
EAST 275. History of Korea 1800-Present. 1 Credit.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3
This course explores the shaping of modern Korea.
EAST 295. Topics in East Asian Studies. 1 Credit.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3; Repeatable
Topics vary.
EAST 299. Topics in the History of the Third World. 1 Credit.
Offered Occasionally; Lecture hours:3
History of Vietnam.
EAST 321. Independent Study. 1 Credit.
Offered Fall Semester Only; Lecture hours:3; Repeatable
Individual program of reading, research, or writing. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.
EAST 322. Independent Study. 1 Credit.
Offered Spring Semester Only; Lecture hours:3; Repeatable
Individual programs of reading, research, or writing. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.
EAST 330. Hokusai and the Global Art of Edo. 1 Credit.
Offered Both Fall and Spring; Lecture hours:3
From luminous golden folding screens to delicate lines in woodblock prints, the arts of Edo (1603-1868) Japan profoundly impacted artists worldwide. How is this art global when seclusion policies of the era forbade foreign travel? Such questions guide our discussion as we focus particularly on artworks in the Samek Museum. Crosslisted as ARTH 330.
EAST 339. China & East Asian Economics. 1 Credit.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3
An analysis of economic transition and development in China, with emphasis on its role in the Asia-Pacific and world economies. Prerequisites: (ECON 203 or ECON 257) and (ECON 202 or ECON 259) or permission of the instructor. Crosslisted as ECON 339.
EAST 369. Seminar in East Asian History and Culture. 1 Credit.
Offered Both Fall and Spring; Lecture hours:3; Repeatable
A multidisciplinary seminar for Japanese and East Asian Studies majors. Bibliography, sources and disciplinary approaches to East Asia.
EAST 370. Seminar in East Asian History and Culture. 1 Credit.
Offered Both Fall and Spring; Lecture hours:3; Repeatable
A multidisciplinary seminar for Japanese and East Asian Studies majors. Individual and group studies of selected topics.
EAST 382. U.S.-China Relations. 1 Credit.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3
Through tracing the evolution of U.S.-China relations from the 18th century to the present, this course discusses major issues and challenges between the two countries today. Future trends of the bilateral relationship will also be explored. Prerequisite: POLS 170. Preference given to POLS/IREL/EAST majors. Crosslisted as IREL 482 and POLS 382.
EAST 395. East Asian Studies Honors Thesis. 1 Credit.
Offered Fall Semester Only; Lecture hours:Varies,Other:3
Focused research relevant to department Culminating Experience. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor. Seniors only.
EAST 400. East Asian Studies Senior Thesis. 1 Credit.
Offered Both Fall and Spring; Lecture hours:3
Focused research relevant to department Culminating Experience. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor. Seniors only.
Japanese Courses
JAPN 101. Japanese I. 1 Credit.
Offered Fall Semester Only; Lecture hours:5,Recitation:2
Beginning language skills. Training in speaking and comprehending the basic sentence patterns of modern Japanese. Introduction to reading and writing.
JAPN 102. Japanese I. 1 Credit.
Offered Spring Semester Only; Lecture hours:5,Recitation:2
Beginning language skills. Training in speaking and comprehending the basic sentence patterns of modern Japanese. Introduction to reading and writing. Prerequisite: JAPN 101 or the equivalent.
JAPN 103. Japanese II. 1 Credit.
Offered Fall Semester Only; Lecture hours:Varies,Recitation:3
Continued training in the four language skills. Review of basic and introduction to complex sentence patterns. Reading of texts in basic Japanese. Prerequisite: JAPN 102 or the equivalent.
JAPN 104. Japanese II. 1 Credit.
Offered Spring Semester Only; Lecture hours:Varies,Recitation:3
Continued training in the four language skills. Review of basic and introduction to complex sentence patterns. Reading of texts in basic Japanese. Prerequisite: JAPN 103 or the equivalent.
JAPN 201. Japanese III. 1 Credit.
Offered Fall Semester Only; Lecture hours:5,Other:1
Application of the four language skills. Reading of texts written in standard Japanese and exercises in content-controlled conversation. Prerequisite: JAPN 104 or equivalent.
JAPN 202. Japanese III. 1 Credit.
Offered Spring Semester Only; Lecture hours:5,Other:1
Application of the four language skills. Reading of texts written in standard Japanese and exercises in content-controlled conversation. Prerequisite: JAPN 201 or equivalent.
JAPN 203. Japanese IV. 1 Credit.
Offered Fall Semester Only; Lecture hours:4
Continued application of the four language skills. Reading and guided discussion of texts related to a variety of topics. Prerequisite: JAPN 202 or the equivalent.
JAPN 204. Japanese IV. 1 Credit.
Offered Spring Semester Only; Lecture hours:4
Continued application of the four language skills. Reading and guided discussion of texts related to a variety of topics. Prerequisite: JAPN 203 or the equivalent.
JAPN 301. Japanese V. 1 Credit.
Offered Fall Semester Only; Lecture hours:4; Repeatable
Reading and discussion of selected materials. Exercises in the research skills of writing and presenting reports in Japanese. Prerequisite: JAPN 204 or the equivalent.
JAPN 302. Japanese V. 1 Credit.
Offered Spring Semester Only; Lecture hours:4; Repeatable
Reading and discussion of selected materials. Exercises in the research skills of writing and presenting reports in Japanese. Prerequisite: JAPN 301 or the equivalent.
JAPN 310. Japanese Studies Advanced Seminar. 1 Credit.
Offered Alternating Spring Semester; Lecture hours:3; Repeatable
Advanced study of Japanese/English translation. Prerequisite: JAPN 202 or higher.
JAPN 319. Independent Studies in Japanese. .5-1 Credits.
Offered Fall Semester Only; Lecture hours:Varies,Other:Varies; Repeatable
Independent projects conducted in Japanese in the student's area of special interest. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.
JAPN 320. Independent Studies in Japanese. 1 Credit.
Offered Spring Semester Only; Lecture hours:3; Repeatable
Independent projects conducted in Japanese in the student's area of special interest. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.
Faculty
Professor: Elizabeth L. Armstrong (adjunct)
Associate Professors: Song Chen, Erik R. Lofgren (Chair), James J. Orr, Xi Tian
Assistant Professor: Yunjing Xu
Visiting Assistant Professor: Abhishek Nanavati