Asian Studies Culture Courses

• Course Code: 01:098:477
• Course Title: WOMEN AND GENDER IN EAST ASIA RELIGIOSITY
• Semester(s) Offered: Spring
• Credits: 3

01:098:477 WOMEN AND GENDER IN EAST ASIA RELIGIOSITY

This seminar examines women's religious beliefs and practices in Buddhism and other East Asian religious traditions. It examines the intricate relationship between gender and religion in East Asian societies. We will explore the cultural and social constructs that have shaped the way women have been perceived and portrayed throughout history. By examining the roles assigned to women in relation to men, the seminar will uncover distinctions between female and male expressions of piety. We will also explore the treatment of the body in religious discourses of salvation, gaining a deeper understanding of the ways in which religion has shaped gender relations in East Asian societies. The course materials are organized thematically and by expressions of faith rather than individual religious traditions. It will be a journey to challenge our preconceptions about the role of women in religion.

Grading: Bi-Weekly Self-assessment Reports 40%, Peer-Review Class Presentations (incl. précis and outline) 25%, Peer-Review Term Paper 25%, Final Self-Assessment Report 10%

This course adopts two interwoven learning approaches: "self-regulated learning" and "collaborative learning." Self-regulated learning gives students the power to monitor their learning process and improve the academic skills of their choosing and at their own pace. It allows students to take charge of their own education. How does it work in the context of this course? I, the instructor, determine the academic framework and content but do not grade you, the students, at all. Rather, you will evaluate your own performance biweekly. Collaborative learning helps you as students learn efficiently and productively by sharing knowledge as you collaborate on reading and writing assignments as well as evaluate the work of your peers (double-blind). The more supportive you are toward your fellow students in providing assistance and constructive critiques, the more you will learn from them. To encourage self-motivation and accountability, B+ is the default final grade for this course. Each of you will give yourself a grade based on an honest reflection of your academic process according to the rubrics I provide in this syllabus. I reserve the right to adjust any grade where I find an unreasonable discrepancy between self-assessments, peer reviews, and normative academic standards. This could mean that I may raise a B+ to an A if I find you’re too harsh on yourself or lower a B+ to a B if I find you unduly lenient on yourself.

Students will:

• Gain an understanding of women’s and gendered experiences in practicing East Asian religions, past and present.
• Acquire and improve academic skills in reading, making presentations, and writing.
• Develop the ability to reflect on and assess their and their peers' learning progress.

For the undergraduate students specifically: This course achieves the Asian Languages and Cultures Departmental Learning Goals specified for the Asian Studies (098) and Chinese (165) major and minor. For the complete statement, see Asian Languages and Cultures Departmental Learning Goals (https://asianstudies.rutgers.edu/academics/undergraduate/learning-goals ).

You can choose whether to wear masks and engage in social distancing while in the classroom. However, masks are strongly encouraged for those who have yet to receive the bivalent booster. Please be reminded that COVID could cause severe long-term health problems and even death. If you test positive for COVID at any point during the semester, you should not return to the classroom until you have a negative test, even if you have no symptoms. Please be advised that the university’s policies may change as conditions require; for the latest information, check the university-wide COVID-19 Information page (https://coronavirus.rutgers.edu/ ).

Attendance is not mandatory for this course, but class participation is. This is the one area I will most likely adjust the grade you give yourself. When in class, please observe the following:

Preparedness: Complete and understand the reading assignment before the class.
Mastery: Demonstrate ability to apply course materials to address questions in discussions.
Engagement: Actively initiate and respond to questions and contribute to discussions.
Teamwork: Be respectful, supportive, engaging and listening to your peers.
Discussion: Focus and clearly articulate your analysis, synthesis & argument.
Overall: Your presence enhances the dynamic and level of discussion in the classroom.

Please be advised that class participation is the one basis on which I will most likely adjust the grade you give yourself at the end of the semester.

I expect you to always uphold the highest standards of academic integrity. Violations include plagiarism, cheating, fabrication, facilitation of dishonesty, and academic sabotage. See the current Academic Integrity Policy. Ignorance of the policy is not a mitigating circumstance. Among these violations, plagiarism is the most common. If you are not sure what plagiarism is, watch this short YouTube video.

It is the policy of Rutgers to make reasonable academic accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. If you have a disability and wish to request accommodations to complete your course requirements, please contact the Office of Disability Services.

Course Materials: All readings are available via Rutgers library links or CANVAS Files. If not, please first look it up on Rutgers Library website or consult a Rutgers librarian. Email me if you still cannot locate a copy.

• Course Code: 01:098:444
• Course Title: Seminar on East Asian Societies
• Semester(s) Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer
• Credits: 3
• SAS Core Certified: WCd, WCr

01:098:444 Seminar on East Asian Societies

In this capstone seminar, we take a cross-disciplinary approach to East Asian history, religion, and literature, discussing some of the key issues in the above fields. The goal of this course is to familiarize students with major paradigms and works in East Asian Studies and help students develop their own research projects. During the seminar, students will closely examine primary sources in translation and read secondary materials that help illuminate the primary sources. The class meets twice every week, during which students react to the assigned readings and actively engage in group discussions.

Grading: Attendance 10%, Classroom presentation and discussion 15%, Field trip report 15 %, Final paper proposal 15%, Final paper project presentation 15%, Final paper – 30%

During every meeting, we need one or two students to give a brief presentation on the reading. The presenter should briefly summarize the gist of the reading and points out the interesting things in it. He or she may draw connections between the primary and secondary materials. The instructor and other students will give feedback. The presentation should run about 10–15 minutes.

Every student should briefly report your reading response in each meeting. You should tell us what you think of the reading and what interest you most. After that, everyone should actively participate in classroom discussions.

During the semester, the class will visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET). In the museum, students will carefully examine Buddhist artworks (paintings, statues, or other ritual objects) from East Asia. Students will write a field trip report, describing the objects that interest them and drawing connections between the museum objects and the ideas they learned from the class (300-400 words). Please include visual images.

In this research proposal, each student should find a research topic related to your research interest. The proposal should consist of the following parts: 1) Description of the topic; 2) Main Argument; 3) Methodology; 4) Detailed summary of each section; 5) Main sources.

At the end of the semester, each student should create a 15 minute presentation based on your paper proposal. The presentation should provide all the details of your project.

Based on the paper proposal and the final project presentation, students should write a full-fledged final paper with a clear argument. Please combine primary and secondary sources and analyze texts thoroughly. You should include footnotes and a bibliography. For citations, you may use CMS, MLA, or APA, as long as the citation practice is consistent throughout the paper. Quick guides for all three styles can be found under the “Research and Citation” tab at the Purdue Writing Lab website: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/purdue_owl.html

Course Materials: All reading materials, including individual articles and book chapters, will be available for download at the course website.

• Course Code: 01:098:410
• Course Title: The History of East Asian Writing Systems
• Semester(s) Offered: Spring
• Credits: 3

01:098:410 The History of East Asian Writing Systems 

Description:The course examines the history of writing systems in East Asia, starting from the evaluation of oracle bone inscriptions in early China in the context of the historical development of writing in Mesopotamia and Egypt. The first part of the course will be devoted to the evolution of character-based writing in China and the importance of a “literary language” in the Sino-sphere over the past two millennia. Then, we introduce the rise of vernacular traditions, with the local development of writing in Japan and Korea in terms of the linguistic classification of written symbols (syllabic and alphabetic). In particular, the crucial role of kana in Japanese and han’gŭl in Korean will be discussed in dealing with conflicts arising from historical diglossia. In addition, we touch on related topics such as the effect of literacy on the development of each society, print culture and the calligraphy traditions, psychological aspects of writing/reading, historical attempts at reforms, and technological innovations affecting East Asian scripts in the Digital Age.

Number of Credits:

Prerequisites: 

• Course Code: 01:098:242
• Course Title: East Asian Civilizations: Modern Era
• Semester(s) Offered: Fall, Spring
• Credits: 3

01:098:242 East Asian Civilizations: Modern Era

What is modernity? What traits contribute to defining a society as a “modern” one? More specifically, in the collision between tradition and modernity, and between the East and the West, how did East Asian countries interact with changes and challenges from within and without? This course addresses these issues and familiarizes students with major historical events, figures, and ideas that have had far-reaching influences on China, Japan, and Korea. By discussing a wide range of topics on politics, religion, literature, as well as women and gender studies, we see the influence of cultural traditions on East Asian countries. We also illuminate how outside forces challenged and altered these societies. Last but not least, we will reflect upon how the West has perceived East Asian cultures. This course is conducted online, asynchronously. Students are required to actively participate in Canvas discussions and submit a final research paper. Readings are all in English. No knowledge of East Asian languages and cultures is required.

Upon completing this course, students are expected to achieve the following learning goals:

1) Analyze the degree to which forms of human differences and stratifications among social groups shape individual and group experiences of, and perspectives on, contemporary issues. Such differences and stratifications may include race, language, religion, ethnicity, country of origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, economic status, abilities, or other social distinctions and their intersections.

2) Analyze a contemporary global issue from a multidisciplinary perspective.

3) Explain the development of some aspect of a society or culture over time.

4) Analyze arts and/or literatures in themselves and in relation to specific histories, values, languages, cultures, and technologies.

5) Communicate complex ideas effectively, in standard written English, to a general audience, and respond effectively to editorial feedback from peers, instructors, and/or supervisors through successive drafts and revision.

6) Communicate effectively in modes appropriate to a discipline or area of inquiry; evaluate and critically assess sources and use the conventions of attribution and citation correctly; and analyze and synthesize information and ideas from multiple sources to generate new insights.

The instructor uses PowerPoint as a tool to deliver lectures. In most weeks, there will be a PowerPoint file uploaded to Canvas. The file contains texts, images, and the recorded voice of the instructor.

Every week, we will hold a discussion section in written form on Canvas. The instructor will raise questions. Students will respond to those questions with one or two paragraphs (400 words minimum) that reflect your understanding of the topic. All the postings will be graded carefully. Altogether they constitute 35% of your final grade.

The midterm paper is a paper proposal (2-3 pages, double space). The purpose writing this proposal is to give the instructor or TA an opportunity to provide feedback on your final paper topic, argument, and research goals. The proposal should consist of the following parts:

1) Description of the topic
2) Main argument
3) Methodology
4) A brief summary of each section
5) Main sources

Based on the midterm paper proposal and the instructor’s feedback, each student should compose a final research paper (8 pages, double space, with one page of references). The final paper should contain a clear argument and substantive evidence to support your argument. When writing the paper, please combine primary and secondary sources and dissect texts thoroughly. Students should include footnotes and a bibliography according to the MLA Style Manual or Chicago Manual of Style. Please submit an electronic copy of the paper via e-mail.

Grading: Canvas postings – 25 %, Your response to other students’ postings – 10 %, Midterm paper (2-3 pages) – 25%, Final paper (8 pages) – 40 %

As a member of the Rutgers community, you are expected to demonstrate integrity in your academic endeavors. Your paper should be your own original work. If you want to use words or ideas from other sources, please make sure you identify the sources and provide footnotes. If you quote a passage from a book, an article, or a website, please indent the quoted passage and use single spacing. Any work that has been submitted in another course is generally not allowed to be submitted in this course unless you have the permission from your instructor.

It is the policy of Rutgers to make reasonable academic accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. If you have a disability and wish to request accommodations to complete your course requirements, please contact the office of disability services and ask to speak with a coordinator (848-445-6800 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) about accommodations.