East Asian Languages and Literatures (EALL)
* EALL 0300a, Things Japanese: An Introduction to Japanese Literature & Culture Rosa van Hensbergen and Yoshitaka Yamamoto
This is an introductory seminar to Japanese literature and culture through the lens of things that have been considered traditionally Japanese. We explore these things—tea bowls, kimono, haiku, animation, fans, etc.—from both premodern and modern perspectives. We ask how they came to be regarded as Japanese and trace how they have subsequently circulated around the world as markers of Japaneseness. As part of the course, students have the chance to visit archives and museums to view objects and handle original materials. No prior knowledge of Japan or Japanese is required. Enrollment limited to first-year students. HU
TTh 2:35pm-3:50pm
* EALL 0350a / HUMS 0275a / PHIL 0060a / RLST 0045a, Six Global Perspectives on Reality Lucas Bender and Sonam Kachru
What is the structure of reality? What makes up the world? This class introduces the questions of metaphysics from the perspective of different traditions from around the globe. Readings are drawn from Indian, East Asian, and Western contexts, ranging from the earliest sources to contemporary philosophy of science. The first-year seminars of the “Six Global Perspectives” series provide an introduction to the humanities at Yale. These seminars aim to build confidence for students who have little experience with the humanities while remaining challenging for students with more background. Participants in the program receive dedicated writing support and introductions to Yale’s collections and libraries. HU
MW 9am-10:15am
EALL 2000a / CHNS 2000a / EAST 2202a / HUMS 4527a, The Chinese Tradition Staff
An introduction to the literature, culture, and thought of premodern China, from the beginnings of the written record to the turn of the twentieth century. Close study of textual and visual primary sources, with attention to their historical and cultural backdrops. Students enrolled in CHNS 200 join a weekly Mandarin-language discussion section. No knowledge of Chinese required for students enrolled in EALL 200. Students enrolled in CHNS 200 must have L5 proficiency in Mandarin or permission of the course instructor. HU 0 Course cr
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* EALL 2050b / EAST 3204b / EVST 2205 / HSAR 4477b / HUMS 1810b, The Culture of Landscape in China Pauline Lin
An introduction to Chinese philosophical, poetic, and visual explorations of landscape and the changing relationship between human beings and nature. Through texts, archaeological materials, visual and material culture, and garden designs from the 2nd c. BCE to modern times, we learn about the Chinese conception of the world, relationship to and experiences in nature, and shaping of the land through agriculture, imperial parks, and garden designs. We conclude with contemporary environmental issues confronting China, and how contemporary parks can help regenerate our ecosystem. HU
F 1:30pm-3:25pm
EALL 2190b / EAST 2201b / HUMS 2140b / PHIL 1119b / RLST 1710b, Introduction to Chinese Philosophy Lucas Bender
This course represents an introduction to the most important philosophical thinkers and texts in Chinese history, ranging from roughly 500 BC–1500 AD. Topics include ethics, political philosophy, epistemology, and ontology. We discuss the basic works of Confucian and Daoist philosophers during the Warring States and early imperial eras, the continuation of these traditions in early medieval “dark learning,” Buddhist philosophy (in its original Indian context, the early period of its spread to China, and in mature Chinese Buddhist schools such as Chan/Zen), and Neo-Confucian philosophy. The course emphasizes readings in the original texts of the thinkers and traditions in question (all in English translation). No knowledge of Chinese or previous contact with Chinese philosophy required. HU 0 Course cr
MW 10:30am-11:20am
* EALL 2340a / EALL 234 / EAST 4220a, Japanese Detective Fiction Luciana Sanga
This class offers an overview of modern Japanese literature with a focus on detective fiction. Through detective fiction we can examine key concepts in literature such as narrative voice, point of view, genre, modernism and postmodernism, and learn about debates in Japanese literature, the distinction between highbrow and popular fiction, and the relation between Japanese literature and translated fiction. Detective fiction also allows for the exploration of key issues in Japanese history and society such as consumerism, colonialism, class, gender, and sexuality. Readings include a wide range of texts by canonical and popular writers, as well as theoretical texts on genre and detective fiction. All texts are available in English and no prior knowledge of Japanese or Japan is needed. HU
F 1:30pm-3:25pm
* EALL 2690a, Topics in Modern Korean Literature Kyunghee Eo
Students read key works of Korean literature in English translation from the early twentieth century to 1945. The specific course topic varies by semester. Primary sources include long-form novels, short stories, poetry, and nonfiction writing by representative authors, as well as literary scholarship on themes and historical context relevant to the materials. The readings in this course are arranged in roughly chronological order, requiring us to examine three major phases of Japanese colonialism in Korea: military rule (1910-1919), cultural rule (1920-1931), and wartime mobilization (1931-1945). Supplementary audio-visual materials such as artwork, video clips, and music may be presented to students in class. All class materials are in English translation, and no previous knowledge of Korean language is required. HU
T 1:30pm-3:25pm
* EALL 2801b / EAST 4232b, East Asian Animation: History, Theory, and Aesthetics Staff
This course explores the history of East Asian Animation and highlight key works from Japan, North Korea, South Korea, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the Soviet Union. The course is divided into two parts: analyzing the theoretical basis of animation studies and animation as an aesthetic form and a week-to-week focus on nations of East Asia. A major topic of this course is the tension between the nation-state as the site of animation production and arbiter of national culture vs. animation production as a transnational process. It also analyzes how animation theory has tried to exceed the bounds of the national and navigate the global, regional, and local. Some themes related to this explored during the course are socialist utopianism vs. socialist realism; otaku and Japanese postmodernism; traces of Japanese nationalism and Empire in anime; Chinese and North Korean national animation as “anti-revisionist” interventions; South Korea, North Korea, and Taiwan as global hubs of animation production. Both historically important and contemporary films are screened during the course as well as short films as part of lectures. No prior knowledge or language ability is required and all films will have English subtitles. HU
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EALL 2807b / HUMS 4515b / PHIL 2815b / RLST 2815b, Mind-Sculpting 101: World Meditation Traditions Sonam Kachru and Mick Hunter
Interest in meditation has surged in recent years, partly as a therapeutic response to stress, pain, and depression, and partly due to growing attentional challenges associated with our era of distraction (smart phones, social media, the internet, etc.). Available meditation techniques range from practices rooted in ancient contemplative traditions to secularized clinical protocols and app-based mindfulness exercises—but what is meditation, at once ancient and timely? This course brings a cosmopolitan perspective to the global history of meditation, treating it both as a humanistic object of study—normative, contested, and interpretively rich—and as a versatile suite of practices that might contribute to the humanities. In addition to experimenting with and developing their own attention practices, students encounter and reflect on contemplative genres of art, literature, and music. HU
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* EALL 2808a / WGSS 2808a, Sexual Cultures in East Asia Kyunghee Eo
This course explores how sex and sexuality have been discussed, regulated, and represented across East Asia and its diaspora, with particular focus on non-normative sexualities and gender variance. Course materials are organized in roughly chronological order, moving from scholarship on homoerotic practices in premodern East Asia; the introduction of modern sexological discourse in the early twentieth century; literary expressions of sexual deviance from the Cold War era (1945-1987); and LGBTQ subjectivities, cultures, and social movements since the 1990s. All class materials will be in English translation, and no previous knowledge of East Asian languages is required.
W 1:30pm-3:25pm
* EALL 2810b / FILM 3047b, Japanese Cinema and Its Others Aaron Gerow
Critical inquiry into the myth of a homogeneous Japan through analysis of how Japanese film and media historically represents “others” of different races, ethnicities, nationalities, genders, and sexualities, including women, black residents, ethnic Koreans, Okinawans, Ainu, undocumented immigrants, LGBTQ minorities, the disabled, youth, and monstrous others like ghosts. HU
MW 11:35am-12:50pm
* EALL 2880a / CPLT 3003a / EAST 3250a / RSEE 316 / RSEE 3316a / RUSS 3316a, Socialist '80s: Aesthetics of Reform in China and the Soviet Union Jinyi Chu and Jing Tsu
This course offers an interdisciplinary introduction to the study of the complex cultural and political paradigms of late socialism from a transnational perspective by focusing on the literature, cinema, and popular culture of the Soviet Union and China in 1980s. How were intellectual and everyday life in the Soviet Union and China distinct from and similar to that of the West of the same era? How do we parse “the cultural logic of late socialism?” What can today’s America learn from it? Examining two major socialist cultures together in a global context, this course queries the ethnographic, ideological, and socio-economic constituents of late socialism. Students analyze cultural materials in the context of Soviet and Chinese history. Along the way, we explore themes of identity, nationalism, globalization, capitalism, and the Cold War. Students with knowledge of Russian and Chinese are encouraged to read in original languages. All readings are available in English. WR, HU
T 1:30pm-3:25pm
* EALL 2960a / EAST 3621a / RLST 1210a, Religion and Culture in Korea Hwansoo Kim
Introduction to Shamanism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism, Christianity, and new religions in Korea from ancient times to the present. Examination of religious traditions in close relationships with social, economic, political, and cultural environments in Korean society. Examination of religious tensions, philosophical arguments, and ethical issues that indigenous and foreign religions in Korea have engaged throughout history to maximize their influence in Korean society. HU
Th 1:30pm-3:25pm
* EALL 3000a / EAST 3222a, Sinological Methods Pauline Lin
A research course designed for graduate and advanced undergraduate students working on early, imperial or modern China in preparation for their theses. Students use their own research topic as a focus to explore and utilize the wealth of primary sources and tools available in China, Japan, and the West. As a group, we learn about the history of Chinese book collecting, classification of knowledge, the compilation of the encyclopedia Gujin tushu jicheng and the canon Siku quanshu, as well as the darker aspects of censorship from ancient times to the present. For native speakers of Chinese, the course includes secondary literature in English and instruction in professional writing in English about China. Other topics include Chinese bibliographies, bibliophiles’ notes, specialized dictionaries, maps and geographical gazetteers, textual editions, genealogies and biographical sources, archaeological and visual materials, major Chinese encyclopedias, compendia, and databases, and evaluating variations and reliability, The course is supplemented by materials from the Beinecke rare books collection. Prerequisite: CHNS 171 or equivalent. Formerly CHNS 202. HU
F 9:25am-11:20am
* EALL 3010b, Ancient and Medieval Chinese Poetry Lucas Bender
Readings in ancient and middle-period Chinese poetry, from the beginnings of the tradition through the Song dynasty. Prerequisite: one year of classical/literary Chinese or equivalent, or permission of the instructor. HU
Th 1:30pm-3:25pm
* EALL 4700a or b and EALL 4710a or b, Independent Tutorial Rosa van Hensbergen
For students with advanced Chinese, Japanese, or Korean language skills who wish to engage in concentrated reading and research on literary works in a manner not otherwise offered in courses. The work must be supervised by a specialist and must terminate in a term paper or its equivalent. Ordinarily only one term may be offered toward the major or for credit toward the degree. Permission to enroll requires submission of a detailed project proposal by the end of the first week of classes and its approval by the director of undergraduate studies.
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* EALL 4910a or b, Senior Essay Rosa van Hensbergen
Preparation of a one-term senior essay under faculty supervision.
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