East Asia (ETAS) 300B - Lecture 01

Introduction to East Asia
Fall 2008/Winter 2009

Monday & Wednesday, 10:00 - 11:15L

Location: SS006

 

Instructor:	Yoko Riley
Office Location:	CHC210
Office Phone:	403-220-3993
E-Mail:	rileyy@ucalgary.ca
Web Page:	https://www.ucalgary.ca/~rileyy
Office Hours:	Wed. 11:30 - 12:30

This course outline is for the second semester of a two-semester course and the detail in this outline represents the second semester.

Course Description

An overview of the three major civilizations of East Asia with the purpose of describing the essence of East Asian Civilization, as well as outlining their common characteristics. Subjects covered include physical environment, history, philosophy, religion, social and political order, economy and arts.

Objectives of the Course

Knowledge of the Japanese civilization in East Asia will enable the students to see both the uniqueness and the similarities of the civilizations that constitute East Asia.

Textbooks and Readings:

Japan, Its History and Culture, W. Scott Morton, McGraw-Hill, Inc (Optional)

Reading materials will be posted in the Blackboard as the course progresses.

Assignments and Evaluation

5 quizzes: 5% each for a total 0f 25%

1 Mid-Term Exam 12.5%

Date of the Quizzes is on the Schedule of Lectures and Readings

They will cover all materials covered to the date of the quiz.

1 Term-paper 12.5% (10% for paper, 2.5% for outline)

The topic to the term paper is at the students' discretion, but must deal with an aspect of Japanese civilization. Length: approx. 1500 words. Font 12

It is the student's responsibility to retain a copy of each submitted assignment.
Note: Please hand in your essays directly to your instructor, if possible. If it is not possible to do so, please drop it in the envelope attached to my office door. Assignments will be removed the following morning, stamped with the previous day's date.

Registrar-scheduled Final Examination: NO

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:

(Revised, effective September 2008)

	Grading Scale
A+	96-100
A	90-95.99
A -	85-89.99
B+	80-84.99
B	75-79.99
B-	70-74.99
C+	65-69.99
C	60-64.99
C-	55-59.99
D+	53-54.99
D	50-52.99
F	0-49

 

Where a grade on a particular assignment is expressed as a letter grade, it will normally be converted to a number using the midpoint of the scale.  That is, A-  would be converted to 87.5 for calculation purposes.  F will be converted to zero.

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 Faculty of Communication and Culture Research Ethics site: http://www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/ethics

or the University of Calgary Research Ethics site: http://www.ucalgary.ca/research/compliance/ethics/info/undergrad/

Schedule of Lectures and Readings

COURSE CONTENT -- SECOND TERM
Weekly Topics (Subject to Revision)

Jan. 12-14: Japan and East Asia Course explanation, general characteristics of Japan within the Asian Continent. Western images of Japan/Samuel P. Huntington, The Clash of Civilization: Remaking of World Order. (Handout available on Blackboard to registered students.)

Jan. 19 - 28:Brief history of Japan prior to 1600/Morton, W. Scott, Japan: Its History and Culture (Jan. 28 Quiz #1)

Feb. 2-4:( Philosophical and Religious Fundamentals/ Shinto & Bushido and their influence/Japanese attitudes toward religion in general/ Winston, Davis, Japanese Religion and Society/Nitobe, Inazo, Bushido: The Soul of Japan

Feb. 9-11: Japanese arts and artistic history/Heian elegance/Fusion of Samurai and aristocratic art culture/Zen influence of serenity, simplicity/Erotic arts by townsmen ( Feb. 9 Quiz #2)

Feb. 23 - March 4: The Tokugawa Shogunate and Its Impact on Modern Japan Cultural, Political and Economical Impact/Varley, Paul, Japanese Culture: The Flourishing of a Bourgeois Culture. Japanese style of individualism/Japanese way of thinking (March 4 Quiz #3)

March 9-11: ( March 9 Mid-Term Examination) Relations between Samurai and the militarization of Japan, The Samurai's discipline and legacy to Japanese militarization in later periods/Dower, John W., War without Mercy Paris, Erna, Long Shadows: Truth, Lies and History/ Poetic Manifestation of Japanese Imperialism and the Yasukuni Shrine: The controversy over the Yasukuni Shrine.

March 16-18: Development of the Japanese economy/ Video Presentation /Discussion on the Japanese style of business/Kenichi Miyashita & David Russell Keiretsu: Inside the Hidden Japanese Conglomerate, Chapter 2/ Where it began: The history of Keiretsu

March: 23-25: Japanese Feminism: Feminism built upon long-standing Japanese domination by Samurai (March 25 Quiz #4)

March 30-Apr. 1 Young salary men who do not believe in life time employment: Modern movement of young salary men in Japan

April 6-8: Pop Culture of Manga and Animation/Osamu Tezuka & Faust/ History of Japanese Cartoon/

April 13-15: Japanese interest in Anne of Green Gables (If time permits)

(April 15 Quiz #5)

Additional references will be provided in class during lectures.

Additional information will be placed on the Blackboard as the course progresses. Please check the Blackboard regularly.