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ART HISTORY 126g
Introduction to Asian Art: 1300-1900
TBA
MWF, 10:00-10:50
Please contact the department for course description.
ANTHROPOLOGY 100g
Principles of Human Organization: Non-Western Societies
Cooper
TTh, 8:00 - 9:20
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 folk ways) 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.)
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.
Note: The readings and assignments list may be subject to change. Please contact the department for verification.
ANTHROPOLOGY 263g
Exploring Culture Through Film
Simic
TTh, 2:00 - 3:20
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.
For another Anthropology 263g section, see the next entry.
ANTHROPOLOGY 263g
Exploring Culture Through Film
Seaman
MW, 8:00 - 9:20
Please contact the department for course description.
ANTHROPOLOGY 315g
North American Indians
Weibel - Orlando
TTh, 2:00-3:30
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.
Note: The readings and assignments list may be subject to change. Please contact the department for verification.
EAST ASIAN LANGUAGES AND CULTURES 110g
East Asian Humanities: The Great Tradition
Hayden
TTh, 9:30-10:50
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
Note: The readings and assignments may be subject to change. Please contact the department for verification.
EAST ASIAN LANGUAGES AND CULTURES 130g
East Asian Ethical Thought
Birge
WF, 10:00-12:00
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
Note: The readings and assignments may be subject to change. Please contact the department for verification.
EAST ASIAN LANGUAGES AND CULTURES 352g
Chinese Literature and Culture
Hayden
TTh, 11:00 -12:20
Please contact the department for course description.
EAST ASIAN STUDIES CENTER 150g
East Asian Societies
Rosen
TTh, 2:00 - 3:50
Please contact the department for course description.
HISTORY 105g
The Korean Past
Hwang
TTh, 11:00 - 12:20
Please contact the department for course description.
HISTORY 106g
Chinese Lives: An Introduction to Chinese History
Wills
MW, 8:30 - 9:50
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, which may be handwritten, and due in most weeks when there is no longer paper or exam.
HISTORY 324g
Islam in Russia and the Soviet Union
Rorlich
TTh, 11:00 - 12:30
The main goal of this class 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
Note: The readings and assignments list may be subject to change. Please contact the department for verification.
RELIGION 131g
Religions of the East
TBA
MWF, 10:00 -10:50
Please contact the department for course description.
