East Asian Studies (EAST) 319 Lecture 01
East Asian Values in a Canadian Setting

Fall 2007
Tuesdays, 14:00-16:50 (Break: 15:45-16:00)

Instructor:	Claire Huot
Office Location:	TBA
Office Phone:	TBA
E-Mail:	clairehuot@shaw.ca
Web Page:
Office Hours:	Before or after class, with appointment

Course Description

Values, standards that guide one's behavior, are determined by particulars such as race, class, age, sex, gender, religion, nation, family, education, and so on. They are not immutable for any nation or community.

There is thus no fixed set of values easily ascribable to a region, such as East Asia. 

Even the term "East Asia" covers today more than its strict geographical area: it refers to both North East Asia (China, Taiwan, Japan, North and South Korea, Mongolia) and South East Asia (from Myanmar to Indonesia and the Phlippines) and extends to the Chinese diaspora worldwide.

Nevertheless, "East Asian values" have currency today for both people of "East Asian" origin and for the "West." What are perceived as values can be refashioned for political, economical or nationalist (sentimental) purposes. They are often subsumed under the term "Confucian."

Such values include: filial piety, social order within a male hierarchy, body and mind discipline, frugality, etc. They are manifested in rituals and cultural practices that run the gamut from ancestor worship to managerial styles to food preparation and serving.

This course will focus on the presence of East Asianness in cultural products today. The object of study will be the worldwide mega-hit television drama, DAE JANG GEUM a.k.a. THE JEWEL IN THE PALACE (South Korea, 2003) which extols East Asian values.

Objectives of the Course

To understand the complexity and the non-fixity of "East Asian values" as they are used today in cultural products within and beyond its geographical borders.

To realize that cultural values from a particular region are determined by an array of factors and that they shift meaning as they are refashioned for various purposes and target groups.

To  critically assess terms such as  Confucianism, tradition, authenticity, and values.

To learn about the pitfalls of essentialism and orientalism, and to realize the fiction of binaries such as East-West.

To analyze cultural works cross-culturally.

Textbooks and Readings:

1) The television drama: DAE JANG GEUM a.k.a THE JEWEL IN THE PALACE,

(South Korean Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) 2003 production) written by Kim Young Hyun and produced by Lee Byung Hoon.

            All students are required to view the beginning (i.e. first 6 episodes) as well as the individually assigned episodes.

The 18 DVDs, each containing 3 episodes, are available at the Media Library:

1: XDV0743 01 DAE JANG GEUM, EPISODES 01-03 (JEWEL IN THE PALACE)

2: XDV0744 01 DAE JANG GEUM, EPISODES 04-06 (JEWEL IN THE PALACE)

3: XDV0745 01 DAE JANG GEUM, EPISODES 07-09 (JEWEL IN THE PALACE)

4: XDV0746 01 DAE JANG GEUM, EPISODES 10-12 (JEWEL IN THE PALACE)

5: XDV0747 01 DAE JANG GEUM, EPISODES 13-15 (JEWEL IN THE PALACE)

6: XDV0748 01 DAE JANG GEUM, EPISODES 16-18 (JEWEL IN THE PALACE)

7: XDV0749 01 DAE JANG GEUM, EPISODES 19-21 (JEWEL IN THE PALACE)

8: XDV0750 01 DAE JANG GEUM, EPISODES 22-24 (JEWEL IN THE PALACE)

9: XDV0751 01 DAE JANG GEUM, EPISODES 25-27 (JEWEL IN THE PALACE)

10: XDV0752 01 DAE JANG GEUM, EPISODES 28-30 (JEWEL IN THE PALACE)

11: XDV0753 01 DAE JANG GEUM, EPISODES 31-33 (JEWEL IN THE PALACE)

12: XDV0754 01 DAE JANG GEUM, EPISODES 34-36 (JEWEL IN THE PALACE)

13: XDV0755 01 DAE JANG GEUM, EPISODES 37-39 (JEWEL IN THE PALACE)

14: XDV0756 01 DAE JANG GEUM, EPISODES 40-42 (JEWEL IN THE PALACE)

15: XDV0757 01 DAE JANG GEUM, EPISODES 43-45 (JEWEL IN THE PALACE)

16: XDV0758 01 DAE JANG GEUM, EPISODES 46-48 (JEWEL IN THE PALACE)

17: XDV0759 01 DAE JANG GEUM, EPISODES 49-51 (JEWEL IN THE PALACE)

18: XDV0760 01 DAE JANG GEUM, EPISODES 52-54 (JEWEL IN THE PALACE)

To book a particular episode, contact the Media Library booking desk (MLB40 downstairs from the Registrar's office; 220-3087) one day in advance of intended use. They cannot be taken out during the semester.

2) The official English-language website of DAE JANG GEUM aka THE JEWEL IN THE PALACE will be a reference throughout the course for the popular as well as academic reception of the series:

http://daejanggeum.blogsome.com/

3) A series of texts have been photocopied and grouped into a package ("coursepack") which is on sale at the UofC bookstore. Some texts are also directly available on the internet. The texts, listed below in the Schedule of Lectures and Readings, are required reading.

Assignments and Evaluation

1) Presentation: 30%

Each student, or a team of students (depending on the size of the class) will be responsible for the presentation of a few episodes of the Korean television drama, DAE JANG GEUM AKA THE JEWEL IN THE PALACE; the goal of the presentation will be to identify (East) "Asianness" and to defend (or debunk) it critically.

Oral presentation (or discussion): 15% (once during the term, from September 25 to December 4) approx. 20min.

Individually written presentation (to be handed in one week after the oral presentation): 15% (500 words)

2) Reports: 20%

a) THE JEWEL IN THE PALACE has an official English-language website which includes synopsis for each of the 54 episodes; blogs; articles from newspapers around the world, and written by academics, journalists and fans. Students will write one critical report, of approximately 500 words, based on a topic discussed in the website pages.

Due: October 23, 10% 

b) Students will write one other critical report, of approximately 500 words, on one text taken from the Course pack.

Due: November 20, 10%

3) Quizzes: 20%

There will be two quizzes in class based on assigned readings and materials discussed in class.

Each quiz: 10% twice, October 16 & November 27

4) Research essay: 30%

The topic, chosen by the students, will focus on one aspect discussed in class; it can be applied to THE JEWEL IN THE PALACE or to any other transnational cultural production  (for example, pop music, anime, fashion) or "cultural industry" (food, sports, medicine, tourism).

Submission of topic, outline and bibliography: 5% November 6

Final paper: 25% (1500 words) December 4, during class hours

It is the student's responsibility to keep a copy of each submitted assignment.
Note: Please hand in your essays directly to your tutor or instructor if possible. If it is not possible to do so, a daytime drop box is available in SS110; a date stamp is provided for your use. A night drop box is also available for after-hours submission. Assignments will be removed the following morning, stamped with the previous day's date, and placed in the instructor's mailbox.

Registrar-scheduled Final Examination:  No

Please note: If your class is held in the evening, the Registrar's Office will make every attempt to schedule the final exam during the evening; however, there is NO guarantee that the exam will NOT be scheduled during the day.

Policy for Late Assignments

Assignments submitted after the deadline may be penalized with the loss of a grade (e.g.: A- to B+) for each day late.

Writing Skills Statement

Faculty policy directs that all written assignments (including, although to a lesser extent, written exam responses) will be assessed at least partly on writing skills. For details see www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/info. Writing skills include not only surface correctness (grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, etc) but also general clarity and organization. Research papers must be properly documented.

If you need help with your writing, you may use the Writing Centre.  Visit the website for more details: www.efwr.ucalgary.ca

Grading System

The following grading system is used in the Faculty of Communication and Culture:

A+ (96-100); A (92-95); A- (86-91); B+ (81-85); B (77-80); B- (71-76);
C+ (65-70); C (62-64); C- (59-61); D+ (55-58); D (50-54); F (0-49)

Plagiarism

Using any source whatsoever without clearly documenting it is a serious academic offense. Consequences include failure on the assignment, failure in the course and possibly suspension or expulsion from the university.

You must document not only direct quotations but also paraphrases and ideas where they appear in your text. A reference list at the end is insufficient by itself. Readers must be able to tell exactly where your words and ideas end and other people's words and ideas begin. This includes assignments submitted in non-traditional formats such as Web pages or visual media, and material taken from such sources.

Please consult your instructor or the Writing Centre (SS 106, efwr.ucalgary.ca) if you have any questions regarding how to document sources.

Students with Disabilities

If you are a student with a disability who may require academic accommodation, it is your responsibility to register with the Disability Resource Centre (220-8237) and discuss your needs with your instructor no later than fourteen (14) days after the start of the course.

Students' Union

For details about the current Students' Union contacts for the Faculty of Communication and Culture see www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/su

"SAFEWALK" Program -- 220-5333

Campus Security will escort individuals day or night -- call 220-5333 for assistance. Use any campus phone, emergency phone or the yellow phone located at most parking lot booths.

Ethics

Whenever you perform research with human participants (i.e. surveys, interviews, observation) as part of your university studies, you are responsible for following university research ethics guidelines.  Your instructor must review and approve of your research plans and supervise your research.  For more information about your research ethics responsibilities, see the U of C Research Ethics "Information for Applicants," sections 3.0 to 9.0, inclusive: http://www.ucalgary.ca/UofC/research/html/ethics/info_undergrad.html

Schedule of Lectures and Readings

Week 1

Sept. 11:  Course presentation; viewing of the first episodes of DAE JANG GEUM A.K.A THE JEWEL IN THE PALACE

Week 2

Sept. 18: THE JEWEL IN THE PALACE: a South Korean melodrama highlighting East Asian values.

Kathleen McHugh, "South Korean Film Melodrama: State, Nation, Woman and the Transnational Familiar" (Coursepack)                                                                                   

Week 3

Sept. 25: Politics of film culture in non-Western settings

Krishna Sen, "Politics of melodrama in Indonesian cinema" (Coursepack)                 

Week 4

Oct. 2: Melodrama: genre and gender in non-Western settings

Arvind Rajagopal, ‘Mediating modernity: Theorizing reception in a non-Western society" (Coursepack)    

Week 5

Oct. 9: Capitalizing on Confucian values in East Asia

Roger Janelli and Dawnhee Yim, "The Mutual Constitution of Confucianism and Capitalism in South Korea" (Coursepack)

Week 6

Oct. 16: Traditional values and Chinese Modernity

Aihwa Ong, "Chinese Modernities: Narratives of Nation and of Capitalism" (Coursepack)

Week 7

Oct. 23: The marketing of East Asian values

Tim Oakes, "Tourism and Modernity" (Coursepack)       

Texts on the Dae Jang Geum theme park: http://www.imbc.com/entertain/mbcticket/mbcplay/2004/daejanggumtheme_eng/index.html

Week 8

Oct. 30: Transnational ways, East Asia in North America

Lisa Lowe, "Heterogeneity, Hybridity, Multiplicity: Asian American Differences" (Coursepack)

Week 9

Nov. 6: Cultural Clashes on Canada's West Coast

Katharyne Mitchell, "Transnational Subjects: Constituting the Cultural Citizen in the Era of Pacific Rim Capital" (Coursepack)                                                                                               

Week 10

Nov. 13: NO CLASS (READING DAY)

Week 11

Nov. 20: The transformation of culturally marked rituals and practices: within the family

Charlotte Ikels, Introduction, Filial Piety: Practice and Discourse in Contemporary East Asia . (Source: Stanford University Press, 2004.    GN635 .E18) ACCESS THROUGH INTERNET

Bonnie Adrian, Introduction: Framings; Family Weddings and Banquets         

(Source: Framing the Bride: Globalizing Beauty and Romance in Taiwan's Bridal Industry University of California Press, 2003.                    HD9999 .W373)           ACCESS THROUGH INTERNET

Week 12

Nov. 27: The transformation of culturally marked rituals and practices: within the state

Susan Brownell,  "Qing Dynasty Grand Sacrifice and Communist National Games" (Coursepack)

Week 13

Dec. 4: The dissemination of Asian cultural products and global youth culture: de-territorialized identities

Koichi Iwabuchi, "Time and the Neighbor: Japanese Media Consumption of Asia in the 1990s." (Coursepack)

David Desser, "Consuming Asia: Chinese and Japanese Popular Culture and the American Imaginary" (Coursepack)                                                                                                           

Susan Napier, Why anime?"; "Anime and Local /Global Identity"                                   

(Source: Anime from Akira to Princess Mononoke,  New York, Palgrave, 2000.   NC1766 .J3) 
ACCESS THROUGH INTERNET