This course is designed to look at both universal social organizational themes and their culture-specific variations. We do so by reading and discussing the ethnographies (holistic descriptions of a particular society's cultural tenets and folkways) of five non-western societies. Having gained an overview of each society in the first third of the course, the next two-thirds of the semester is devoted to cross-cultural comparisons of eight of the societies' shared principles of organization (kinship and family, belief, political, law, and economic systems as well as their understandings of medicine and health, time and them selves as evolving social entities across time, space and intercultural contact.)
The world cultures studied are largely dependent upon the professor who chooses to teach the course each semester. Dr. Weibel-Orlando, for example, lectured about the Trobriand Islanders of the Western Pacific, the Yanomano of So. Venezuela, the Cheyennes of Colorado, the Nuer of the So. Sudan, and a Hindi agrarian village in No. India.

Readings and Assignments:
The students are expected to read relevant portions of a classic ethnography about each of the cultures under exploration. Weekly reading assignments average about 50 pages. There are two, in-class mid-term tests and one final test given during exam week. Each test is worth 20 percent of the final grade. A comparative term paper of not less than 10 pages is due the 12th week of class. It, too, constitutes 20 percent of the grade. Discussion group attendance is mandatory. Ones attendance record and intellectual participation in discussion group are evaluated at the end of the semester and constitute 20 percent of the final grade.

For another ANTH 100 section, see the next entry.

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ANTHROPOLOGY 100
Principles of Human Organization
Eugene Cooper

This course attempts to convey to students the essence of the cultural relativist perspective. It provides students with the conceptual tools to understand other cultures in their own terms, making the exotic seem less so, while making one's own culture seem less natural. The course provides examples of the theoretical frameworks that anthropologists have devised to account for the diversity of the human experience in linguistic, social, economic, political, religious and racial terms. Students learn about the cultures of the Trobriand Islanders, the American Indians of the NW Coast, the Chinese, and the Tiv of Nigeria; plus the cultures of two societies they read about in preparation of their written assignments (see below).

Readings and Assignments:
Readings are in two required texts-
Abraham Rosman and Paula Rubel, The Tapestry of Culture
Andrei Simic and Eugene Cooper, Readings in Anthropology

Students are also required to read two additional anthropological studies of two societies and prepare a comparative analysis of the two societies (10-15 pages double spaced) as a term paper. There is one midterm and one final exam.

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ANTHROPOLOGY 263
Exploring Culture Through Film
Weibel-Orlando

This course explores cultural diversity (and similarity) across a number of world societies and organizational levels. Both written and filmic ethnographies are used to familiarize USC students with "the other." The aim of this course is to provide our students with an understanding and appreciation of the diversity of human cultural choices and to encourage students to develop a more analytical and relativistic view of their own cultures.
The world cultures studied each semester are largely dependent upon the three professors who choose to teach the course each semester. Dr. Weibel Orlando, as an example, presents written and filmic records of the !Kung of S. W. Africa, the Yanomamo of So. Venezuela, the Balinese of Indonesia and, in an attempt t to ground cultural tolerance in the students' own experience, a series of ethnographic films about aspects of sub-cultures in our own society.

Readings and assignments:
The students are expected to read relevant portions of a classic ethnography about each of the cultures under exploration. Weekly reading assignments average about 50 pages. There are two, in-class mid-term tests and one final test given during exam week. Each test is worth 20 percent of the final grade. A comparative term paper of not less than 10 pages is due the 12th week of class. It, too, constitutes 20 percent of the grade. Discussion group attendance is mandatory. Ones attendance record and intellectual participation in discussion group are evaluated at the end of the semester and constitute 20 percent of the final grade.

For another ANTH 263 section, see the next entry.

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ANTHROPOLOGY 263g
Understanding Culture Through Film
A. Simic

This course will introduce the student to the subject matter and theories of social anthropology through the extensive use of visual media, especially through film. Topics will cover a spectrum of issues, including: marriage and the family; economics; ritual and religion; conflict and conflict resolution; and culture change, among others. The approach will be broadly comparative.
Traditions covered in the course will include those of Africa, Latin America, and the Balkaus, among others.

Readings and Assignments:
Course readings will vary from semester to semester, but will usually include four books. Course requirements are: a midterm, final, film journals, and a term paper.

ANTHROPOLOGY 315g
North American Indians
Weibel - Orlando

This course explores the incredible and (largely) unperceived cultural diversity across the indigenous peoples of North America. Through lectures, slides, written and filmed ethnographies, and guest presentations by Native Americans, USC students are familiarized with the rich cultural heritages and vibrancy of contemporary Native American lifestyles. This course aims to provide USC students with an understanding and appreciation of the diversity of human cultural choices and to encourage students to develop a more analytical and relativistic view of their own cultures vis-à-vis one American "other." Native American students at USC are encouraged to share their life experiences with their fellow class mates. Eight Native American culture areas are studied each semester the course is taught. Pre-, historic and contemporary lifestyles are presented written and filmic records of the Northeast, Southeast, Prairie/Plains, Southwest, California, Northwest, Arctic, and Mexico culture areas.

Readings and Assignments:
The students are expected to read relevant portions of classic ethnographies about 4 of the culture groups under exploration. In addition, relevant chapters of a basic North American Indian reader are assigned weekly. The reading assignments average about 75 pages per week. There are two, in-class mid-term tests and one final test given during exam week. Each test is worth 20 percent of the final grade. A comparative term paper of not less than 10 pages is due the 12th. Discussion group attendance is mandatory. Ones attendance record and intellectual participation in discussion group are evaluated at the end of the semester and constitute 20 percent of the final grade.

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EAST ASIAN LANGUAGES AND CULTURES 110
East Asian Humanities: The Great Tradition
Hayden

This course introduces the fundamental humanistic traditions of China, Japan, and Korea through representative works of traditional literature, esthetics, social philosophy, religion, and historical writing. The readings are mostly from primary sources as translated into English. No previous knowledge of an East Asian culture or language is expected.

Readings and Assignments:
Sources of Chinese Tradition, vol. I
Sources of Japanese Tradition, vol I
Anthology of Chinese Literature, vol. I
Anthology of Japanese Literature
Anthology of Korean Literature

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EAST ASIAN LANGUAGES AND CULTURES 130g
East Asian Ethical Thought
Peter Nosco

This course examines the Confucian, Taoist, Legalist, Buddhist, Neo-Confucian, and Shinto traditions of China and Japan. Major themes include various perspectives on the question of human nature and religious options available to the East Asian believer, and the contextual relationship between thought and society.

Readings and Assignments:
W. T. deBary, ed., Sources of Chinese Tradition
R. Tsunoda, ed., Sources of Japanese Tradition
W. T. Chan, ed, Source Book in Chinese Philosophy
Arthur Waley, trans., The Analects of Confucius
H. B. Earhart, Japanese Religion: Unity and Diversity

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EAST ASIAN LANGUAGES AND CULTURES 340g
Japanese Civilization
Peter Nosco

The principle aim of the course is to heighten the student's awareness of the traditional and modern patterns of the Japanese people. This is done by surveying the main characteristics and historical development of Japanese philosophy, religion, literature, art, and political and social institutions, from earliest times to the present era, and by exploring the cultural traditions of Japan.

Readings:
H. Paul Varley, Japanese Culture
Conrad Schirokauer, A Brief History of Japanese Civilization
Edwin Reischauer, The Japanese Today
K. Yoshida, Essays in Idleness

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The object of this course is to explore fundamental patterns in the culture and civilization of Japan through an examination of key literary, historical, religious, and philosophical texts from the ancient through modern periods. Since standard narratives of Japan's cultural past have been heavily influenced by Japan's emergence as a modern nation state, particular attention will be paid throughout this course to how the cultural dialogue and conflict between Japan and the West that accompanied modernization have consistently shaped both Japanese and Western views of Japan's evolution as a civilization. Issues discussed in the course will include the role of myth, story-telling, and historical narrative in Japanese culture, with comparisons to western epic and Greek historical narrative; conceptions of authority as reflected in evolving notions of imperial, sacred, and secular power; the role of ritual, performance and sociality in Japanese literary and art forms, with specific comparisons to western theatrical and novelistic traditions; the centrality of aesthetics in Japanese self-identity; concepts of self, gender, and otherness, with comparisons to western notions of individuality and subject; the uses of geography, place, and boundary as markers of cultural identity and difference; the role of nature and time in Japanese culture with comparisons to western notions of time and nature.

Readings and assignments:
Readings will include mythical and historical narratives from the Kojiki (The Record of Ancient Matters), and ancient poetry from the Man'yôshû, Heian and medieval fictional narrative, dramatic texts from the Noh and puppet theaters, haiku poetry, modern novels, and other selections as well. Each student will be required to write two analytical papers of at least six pages (excluding bibliography and notes, 40% of final grade); and complete a midterm exam (essay and identifications, 20 % of final grade) and a final exam (essay and identifications, 30% of final grade). Attendance and participation in discussion will constitute of 10% of final grade. Students will also be required to master a basic vocabulary of proper names and technical terms in Japanese. Both paper topics must be related to the texts mentioned in the reading list, and submitted for the instructor's approval.

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HISTORY 106
Chinese Lives: An Introduction to Chinese History
Wills

This class introduces students to some key themes in the history of China from the origins of the civilization down to our own day. The emphasis is not on volume of material read or facts mastered, but on reading, thinking, and writing. Wills, Mountain of Fame provides some continuity of exposition and introduction to some key themes and problems through the study of a series of famous and infamous lives of individuals in Chinese history. Ebrey, Chinese Civilization gives you a sense of the variety of Chinese experience and the challenges of trying to make sense of sources in translation. Very short writing exercises are required regularly, to give you practice in the kinds of writing and thinking we want you to work on in this course, and to push you to keep up with the readings.

Readings and assignments:
Some kind of writing or exam is due in almost every week of this class. Most are brief and based entirely on assigned readings; all are carefully laid out in course materials and sessions. There are a mid-term exam and a final; two short essays, not over 1000 words; a longer paper, not over 2000 words, due at the end of the class; and short assignments, not over 250 words each, may be handwritten, due in most weeks when there is no longer paper or exam.

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HISTORY 107
Japanese History
Gordon Berger

This course has two essential purposes. The first is to acquaint you with a survey of Japanese history. Our purpose will not be to memorize names, dates and places, but rather to see how a civilization quite different from those of the West evolved, developed, and met human needs. We may thereby learn quite a bit not only about Japan, but about our own cultural traditions. At a time when comparisons between contemporary Japan and America appear daily in the mass media, seeing the patterns of Japanese history may help us understand the patterns of contemporary Japan, and evaluate those comparisons with a more educated eye.
The second purpose is to explore what "history" means as an intellectual discipline, and how materials from other branches of knowledge, such as archaeology, economics, fine arts, literature and political science may be deployed to enrich our understanding of the past.
The major cultural traditions explored are Japan's agrarian-village tradition, warrior (samurai) tradition, aristocratic/bureaucratic (court nobility) tradition, and the patterns of embracing or rejecting traditions encountered from foreign sources.

Readings:
DeBary, et.al. Sources of Japanese Tradition, Volume I;
Murasaki Shikibu, Tale of Genji;
Shirokaues, A Brief History of Japanese Civilization;
and collected xeroxed materials.

Assignments:
Midterm (25% OF GRADE); Final Examination (40% of grade); term paper exploring how a piece of literature, art, or architecture reflects the times in which it was created by the Japanese (35% of grade).

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HISTORY 324g
Islam in Russia and the Soviet Union
Azade-Ayse Rorlich

The class meets on M&W from 12:00-1:50. Its main goal is to equip students with the basic empirical information and analytical approaches that will enable them to understand the dynamics of religion, culture and politics in shaping one of the world's major civilizations. Hence, guided by a comparative perspective, this class focuses on the study of those societies of the former Soviet Union whose identities and cultures were shaped by Islam but also by their encounter with the colonial "other", be it in Tsarist or Soviet form. Given its focus on an area outside the "core" Middle Eastern countries, this course also contributes to a better understanding of the cultural diversity of the "Muslim World" against the background of its unity of faith while also identifying the remarkable diversity of "Russian Islam" forged as it was, by the interaction of the settled and nomadic; urban and rural; Muslim and non-Muslim societies. This course will begin with a general discussion of Islam as a religion and way of life; it will then turn to its main focus, the exploration of the beliefs, religions practices, cultural traditions, social institutions, and political culture of the Muslims of the former Soviet Union from the tenth century until the emergence of independent states such as Azerbaijan, Kazakhastan, Uzbedistan, and others.

Readings:
Reader
A Guillaume, ISLAM
R. Bukharev, ISLAM IN RUSSIA. THE FOUR SEASONS
S. Koplik, K. Aruz, P. Steinberger, eds., CENTRAL ASIA
HISTORY.ETHNICITY. MODERNITY
L. Blanch, SABRES OF PARADISE
G. Aitmatov, THE DAY LASTS MORE THAN A HUNDRED YEARS

Assignments:
Two Midterms
Annotated Bibliography
Book Reviews
Final

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