Japanese Culture Courses
01:565:483
- Course Code: 01:565:483
- Course Title: From Text to Image in Japanese Art
- Semester(s) Offered: Fall
- Credits: 3
01:565:483 From Text to Image in Japanese Art
From ancient times, artists have transformed emotions and events described in myths, legends, poetry, courtly novels, and war chronicles into visual images. Literary works have been adapted to different formats—handscrolls, hanging scrolls, screens, and prints—as they became an integral, indivisible aspect of the arts that expressed the values and aesthetic of different social groups— aristocrats, shoguns, and urban bourgeoisie.
This interdisciplinary course traces the profound influence of classical Japanese literature on the arts of Japan and beyond from the Heian period (794-1185) to the modern times. We will read widely across many different genres of premodern Japanese literature and their visual representations and investigate how the fusion of text and image created unique masterpieces of Japanese art. We will also explore how such fusion impacted the movement of “Japonism” art in Europe and the U.S. in the late nineteenth-century. The course is constituted of three modules:
- Images of the Sea in Japanese Religions focuses on literary/visual representations of and meanings assigned to the “sea” in Japanese religions. The unit also explores the methods of storytelling through visual arts.
- Images of the Sea in Folklore and Legends focuses on the folktales and legends associated with the journey beyond the “sea” and the literary and visual depictions of legendary/historic sea battles. The unit also includes discussions of how these stories were transformed into propaganda during historic and modern wartimes.
- Images of the Sea in Poetry and Pictures focuses on emotions associated with the sea and waves in classical poetry and how they have been translated into visual representations. The unit also looks at ukiyo-e prints and other Japanese paintings of the sea and how they impacted Western art in the form of Japonism. The course will culminate with a final project, which will involve curating an online exhibition with the Zimmerli Art Museum, which is known for its extensive collection of 19th -century Japanese woodblock prints and Japonism art.
Attendance is mandatory. Any unexcused absence will result in a three-point reduction from the final grade. Excused absences include absences due to medical or other personal issues with proper documentation or prior permission from the instructor. Students must report absence prior to class time. Active participation is expected. Students must complete their reading assignments before class and fully engage in discussions. Participation grade will be determined by the frequency of contribution to the class and the content of the comments.
Final project is in collaboration with the Zimmerli Art Museum. Students will curate an online exhibition on the Zimmerli Museum website. The project consists of two main parts: (1) creating a page for an exhibition website consisting of works from the Zimmerli Art Museum/writing a label and short description (approx. 500 words) for each work (group work, 15 pts.); (2) and final paper (1500-2000 words + visual component) based on the group project, but with additional research (individual work, 15 pts.). Submit all work through Canvas. **This will be a group/class project. Attendance/active participation is highly expected!
All required readings will be posted on Canvas course site. Images will be posted on Google Drive Shared Folder. Students must complete all readings and come to class prepared for discussion. Students are also expected to have “read” the assigned images prior to class and must prepare to share their observations in class.
See https://asianstudies.rutgers.edu/academics/undergraduate/learning-goals for Asian Languages and Cultures Department Majors and Minors Learning Goals. Assessment of learning goals will be accomplished through the visual group presentation and the final paper, which requires students to exhibit their mastery of interdisciplinary analysis of aspects of Japanese culture addressed in the course.
01:565:380
- Course Code: 01:565:380
- Course Title: Contemporary Japanese Literature and Film
- Semester(s) Offered: Fall, Spring
- Credits: 3
01:565:380 Contemporary Japanese Literature and Film
Description: Examines the fictional representations (short stories, novels, films) of contemporary Japan from the 1980s to the present.
Number of Credits: 3
Prerequisites: Modern Japanese Literature in Translation (01:565:242) and Japanese Film (01:565:350) recommended prior to taking this course.
01:565:395
- Course Code: 01:565:395
- Course Title: Modern Japanese Novel and the West
- Semester(s) Offered: Fall, Spring
- Credits: 3
01:565:395/01:195:329 Modern Japanese Novel and the West
(Credit only for one of these courses)
Fall 2014
Description: Students will read several Japanese novels and short stories written from the late nineteenth century to the present that represent the West in the form of topics such as individualism, the Western woman, political and social freedom, mystery, and decadence, but also in the form of places and material objects. The goal in the course is to examine how the literary gaze on the Western Other, including both European nations and America, leads to questions not only about how Japanese viewed the West but also about what it meant to be Japanese at particular points in modern Japanese history.
Number of Credits: 3
Prerequisites: None
Expected Work: Regular attendance and participation; two 3-4 page papers; one 6-8 page paper
01:565:210
- Course Code: 01:565:210
- Course Title: Introduction to Japanese Culture
- Semester(s) Offered: Fall, Spring
- Credits: 3
01:565:210 Introduction to Japanese Culture
Introduction to Japanese culture, past and present. Explores some of the major themes in Japanese culture across areas of art, religion, literature, and film. Themes may include Shinto and Buddhism, warrior culture, monsters and the supernatural, and war and disaster.
This course is a general introduction to some of the major themes in Japanese culture that span widely across many different areas including art, religion, literature, and film from the earliest times to the present. The course is divided into three units: “Religion and the ‘Other Worlds’”, “Social Values, Order, and Disaster”, and “Japanese Aesthetics—Fashion and Food”. We will investigate how each theme developed over time and how the themes have contributed to the forming of diverse and distinct culture of Japan through primary sources in translation and secondary sources that provide context. The diverse range of materials will introduce students to the different foundations for cultural knowledge and deepen their understanding and appreciation of Japanese society and culture.
Grading: Attendance and class participation (10 %) 10 Weekly Responses (3 pts. each; total 30 %) 10 Discussion Forums (2 pts. each, total 20 %) Midterm Paper (1000-1500 words) (20 %) Final Project (20 %) Total: 100%
Required Readings All required readings will be posted on Canvas course site.
Active participation is expected in this class. Students must complete their reading assignments before class and fully engage in discussions. If you expect to miss a class, please use the University absence reporting website https://sims.rutgers.edu/ssra/ to indicate the date and reason for your absence. An email is automatically sent to me. More than three unexcused absences will affect your grade.
Prompts for the weekly reading assignments will be posted on Canvas.
For discussion forums, post your thoughts and comments on lectures and class discussions. These could be ideas or questions that were raised in class. You must first post a question as a group (identify group # and members of the group) during or immediately after class discussion. Then submit a minimum of TWO posts (you are welcome to contribute more, of course!) in response to questions posted by groups other than your own. If you are absent on the day of the discussion, you must post your own question before 5:00 pm on the day of your absence (unless you have an excuse approved by the professor).
Individual/Group project on a topic on Japanese culture that can be associated with religions and values discussed in class (Shinto, Buddhism, and/or Confucianism). Topics and grouping will be discussed in class. If you cannot make it to class on that day, notify the professor and submit topics of interest before. Presentations and a written summary of the project (2 pages) indicating the project thesis and role of each group member must be submitted on Canvas. Prepare a class presentation (5 min. for individual presentation; 7 mins. for 2-people groups; 10 mins. for 3 or more. Points will be deducted for going overtime). Peer evaluation is also required.
Final paper (1000-1500 words) on any topic on Japanese culture (you may choose to expand on your Midterm Project) that can be associated with themes discussed in class. Students must select at least three readings from class (one can be a film + reading assigned for the film) and discuss how they are relevant to your topic. The papers must have proper citation of sources (any style). Submit through Canvas.