Fall 2006: UMass Amherst Courses


Asian Studies 162: Folktales & Legends of Vietnam (Asian Studies)

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Tue. 2:30-5:15 pm
  • Instructor: Nguyen, Nhiem


Asian Studies 397B: Bridging Asia and Asian America Colloquium (Required Certificate Course)

  • Location: Dwight Hall, 1st floor lounge
  • Time: Tues. 7:00-9:00 pm
  • Instructor: Le, C.N. and Ciecko, Anne
  • Description: This course is a weekly seminar that combines class discussions, guest speakers, film screenings, and online activities focusing on the intersections between Asian and Asian American Studies. Meeting in Dwight Hall (the location of the Asian & Asian American theme residential floor), this course is also part of the "Living and Learning Program" that connects a student's academic learning to the his/her personal experiences and real-world social environment. This course is also required to complete the Asian & Asian American Studies Certificiate.


Chinese 140: Chinese Script I (Asian Studies)

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Tue. Thur. 2:30-3:45 pm
  • Instructor: Shen, Zhongwei


Chinese 155: Chinese Myths and Legends (Asian Studies)

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Mon., Wed., Fri. 10:10-11:00 am
  • Instructor: Gjertson, Donald


Chinese 375: Intro to Chinese Language (Asian Studies)

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Tue., Thur. 4:00-5:15 pm
  • Instructor: Shen, Zhongwei


Chinese 526H: Reading Modern Chinese Lit I (Asian Studies)

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Tue., Thur. 9:30-10:45 am
  • Instructor: Luo, Shaodan


Chinese 528: Chinese Language in Context (Asian Studies)

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Tue. Thur. 4:00-5:15 pm
  • Instructor: Shen, Zhongwei


Chinese 552: Reading Chinese Historical Texts (Asian Studies)

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Mon., Wed., Fri. 9:05-9:55 am
  • Instructor: Cohen, Alvin


Communication 497: Arab Cinema (Asian Studies)

  • Location: South College 108
  • Time: Tue. Thur. 1:00-2:15 pm
  • Instructor: Ciecko, Anne


Comparative Literature 141: Good & Evil: East-West (Asian American Studies)

  • 5 Sessions; check Spire for detailed information


Comparative Literature 231: Comedy, Race, Class (Asian American Studies)

  • Location: SOM 120
  • Time: Tue. Thur. 4:00-5:00 pm
  • Instructor: Balce, Nerissa
  • Description: American comedians, independent filmmakers, feminists and transgendered comics know an ancient truth: comedy is political. Writers, theater artists, filmmakers and actors deploy the language of comedy to invoke serious social matters in contemporary American life: racism, heterosexism, homophobia, class biases against the poor, misogyny, war and other burning issues of the day. The power of comedy as a literary and theatrical form draws on its ability to confront social ills and inequality with lightness and humor. Audiences and readers of comedy laugh because comedians and writers speak truth to power. The ends of comedy then are more than laughter. Comedy confronts political issues that are constitutive of and threatening to the U.S. body politic. Status: Gen Ed, AL (Arts and Literature requirement) Requirements: Midterm exam, two critical papers, student presentations, final exam.


Dance 496Y: Alankara: Arts in India Study & January Tour (Asian Studies)

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: 3:35PM -5:00 pm -- Yearlong course, 3 credits given in Sp 07 (Five College students get 4 credits)
  • Instructor: Devi, Ranjanaa
  • Required meetings schedule: 4 Wednesday meetings in the Fall 06 semester on UM campus: September 13, October 11, November 8, and December 6 (location TBA). Tour to India January 3-17. Four Wednesday meetings in the Spring 07 semester on UM campus: February 14, March 14, April 11, May 2, 2007 (location TBA). Costs for January 3-17, 2007 tour will be $3300 all inclusive (international and domestic airfare, buses, hotel rooms, 3 meals per day, tickets to shows, museums, historic places etc.) Students will cover costs for visas, passport and any/all personal expenses. Telephone cards are cheap and easy to buy in India. Students will be required to give a $300 deposit for the tour by September 19, 2006. Other payment deadlines will be announced later. Itinerary for tour travel will be given in class meetings. For more details on the course email devi@admin.umass.edu.


Economics 496A: Asia in the World Economy (Asian Studies)

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Wed. 6:00-8:30 pm
  • Instructor: Rao, Mohan


Education 229: International Education (Asian Studies)

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Tue. 4:00-6:30 pm
  • Instructor: Cohen-Mitchell, Joan


English 117: Ethnic American Literature (Asian American Studies)

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Mon., Wed., Fri. 11:15 am-12:05 pm
  • Instructor: Staff


English 144: World Literature in English (Asian Studies)

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Mon., Wed., Fri. 10:10-11:00 am
  • Instructor: Staff


Geography 592P: Pacific Rim Cities (Asian Studies)

  • Location: Morrill 2-126
  • Time: Wednesdays, 10:10-12:05am
  • Instructor: Gaubatz, Piper
  • From Tokyo to L.A., Shanghai to San Francisco, the cities of the "Pacific Rim" are rapidly changing in the 21st millennium era of globalization. This multi-disciplinary reading, discussion and research seminar explores the dynamic cities of the "pacific rim" and the challenges they face for the future. We will use case studies from China, Japan, and the U.S. to explore issues of rapidly changing urban form and development such as globalization and the new business districts, housing, migration and population change, and environmental issues. Case studies will be placed in geographic, historic, and urban planning perspectives. Students will be responsible for keeping up with weekly reading assignments, contributing actively to discussions, and carrying out a research project on a current issue in a Pacific Rim city. Both graduate students and advanced undergraduates are welcome. For more information, contact P. Gaubatz, gaubatz@geo.umass.edu, or come to the first class meeting on September 6.


History 114: History of China I (Asian Studies)

  • Location: Hasbrouck 134
  • Time: Mon., Wed. 2:30-3:20 pm
  • Instructor: Schmalzer, Sigrid


History 116: History-Japan (Asian Studies)

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Mon., Wed. 1:25-2:15 pm
  • Instructor: Minear, Richard H


History 130: Middle East History I (Asian Studies)

  • Location: Morrill II 131
  • Time: Tue., Thur. 4:00-5:15 pm
  • Instructor: Broadbridge, Anne


History 343: Modern Middle East (Asian Studies)

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Tue., Thur. 11:15 am-12:30 pm
  • Instructor: Wilson, Mary


History 391V: US and Vietnam War (Asian American Studies)

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Tue., Thur. 11:15 am-12:30 pm
  • Instructor: Appy, Christian


History 592J: Hiroshima (Asian Studies)

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Mon., Wed., Fri. 2:30-3:20 pm
  • Instructor: Minear, Richard


Japanese 135: Japanese Arts and Culture (Asian Studies)

  • Location: SOM 137
  • Time: Tue., Thur. 4:00-5:15 pm
  • Instructor: Bargen, Doris Gertrud


Japanese 144: Japanese Literature-Modern (Asian Studies)

  • Location: Fernald 11
  • Time: Tue., Thur. 2:30-3:45 pm
  • Instructor: Seaman, Amanda


Japanese 190R: Intro to Japanese Religion (Asian Studies)

  • Location: HasLabAdd 126
  • Time: Mon., Wed. 12:20-1:10 pm
  • Instructor: Sono, Reiko


Japanese 197k: Post War Japanese Literature (Asian Studies)

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Tue., Thur. 11:15-12:30 pm
  • Instructor: Forrest, Stephen


Japanese 235: Performing Arts of Japan (Asian Studies)

  • Location: Herter 227
  • Time: Mon., Wed., Fri. 12:20-1:10 pm
  • Instructor: Baird, Bruce


Japanese 297B: Japanese Pop Culture (Asian Studies)

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Tue. Thur. 2:30-3:45 pm
  • Instructor: Seaman, Amanda


Japanese 297D: Medieval Japanese Literature (Asian Studies)

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Mon., Wed., Fri. 12:20-1:10 pm
  • Instructor: Miller, Stephen


Japanese 491A: The Samurai (Asian Studies)

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Tue. 1:00-3:45 pm
  • Instructor: Bargen, Doris G


Japanese 497A: Reading Modern Japan I (Asian Studies)

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Tue. Thur. 9:30-10:45 am
  • Instructor: Forrest, Stephen


Japanese 536: Advanced Modern Japan I (Asian Studies)

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Mon., Wed., Fri. 1:25-2:15 pm
  • Instructor: Sono, Reiko


Japanese 560H: Japanese Literature (Asian Studies)

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Tue. 1:00-3:45 pm
  • Instructor: Bargen, Doris G


MidEast 397: Special Topics (Asian Studies)

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: TBA
  • Instructor: TBA


Sociology: 291A: Sociology of the Asian American Experience (Asian American Studies)

  • Location: Bartlett 61
  • Time: Mon., Wed., Fri. 11:15 am-12:05 pm
  • Instructor: Le, C.N.
  • This course replaces the old English 204 ‘Introduction to Asian American Studies’ course and is part of the Asian & Asian American Studies Certificate program and takes an interdisciplinary approach to examine the many histories, experiences, and cultures that shape and define the Asian American population. Using readings, class discussions, films & videos, and student-designed projects, the course explores the diversity and commonality of experiences among different Asian ethnic groups. We will also explore themes and specific issues including immigration to the U.S., assimilation, demographic trends, community, ethnic identity, anti-Asian discrimination, socioeconomic mobility, gender dynamics, and relationships with other racial communities. There is only one textbook (Contemporary Asian America: A Multidisciplinary Reader by Zhou and Gatewood) and the requirements include three short midterms and a final paper. If you have any questions, please contact Prof. C.N. Le at le@soc.umass.edu or 545-4074, or visit the course web site at http://people.umass.edu/cnle/soc291a/. SPIRE Class Number: 78406


Theater 130: Contemporary Playwrights of Color (Asian American Studies)

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Wed. 2:30-5:00 pm
  • Instructor: Page, Priscilla


Women's Studies 291B: Gender, War and State in Asia (Asian Studies)

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Tue., Thur. 2:30-3:45 pm
  • Instructor: Hori, Hikari
  • Description: This course focuses on issues of gender and war in 20th century East and Southeast Asia. Students will be introduced to discourses of gender in relation to war, nationalism, colonialism, violence, and sexuality through readings, class room discussion, and visual materials. Film clips will also be shown in class to assist in understanding the materials and examining the politics of representation. Among the questions that will be addressed are the following: what are the relations between women and war? How do women work in battlefields and the military industry? How does the image of the family system construct and operate in the political sphere during social turmoil? How is women's citizenship conceived during war? How do class and ethnicity interact with gender during war? What kind of gendered war memories are constructed and circulated? Prior courses on the region are encouraged but not required.


Women's Studies 295B: Asian American Women, Gender, Race, & Immigration (Asian American Studies)

  • Location: Bartlett 61
  • Time: Mon., Wed. 2:30-3:45 pm
  • Instructor: Kang, Miliann
  • Description: How are the cross-cutting categories of "Asian American" and "woman" integrated in the lives of women who claim these identities? How do the experiences of Asian American women vary by ethnic group, and how do they compare to those of white women, other women of color, and Asian American men? What can we learn about broader systems of power and inequality by examining the historical and contemporary locations of Asian American women? In exploring these questions, this course examines Asian American women's identities, educational achievement, economic incorporation political participation, and social positions within their families, ethnic communities and the U.S. mainstream. Analyzing the intersections of race, ethnicity, gender, class, nation and sexuality, we will examine Asian American women's immigration experiences, families, work, cultural production and representation, and sexual politics. The course material will incorporate social science research, literature, political essays, film, poetry and art. The course has a strong comparative focus between women in the U.S. and women around the world, emphasizing transnational linkages and the processes of globalization. Fulfills the Women of Color inside the U.S. requirement for Women's Studies majors and minors, but is open to all students.


Fall 2006: Amherst College Courses

AS 25: Intro to Asian American Studies

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Tu/Th 2-3:20 pm
  • Instructor: Cardozo, Karen


ANTH 211: Indian Civilization

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Mon., Wed., Fri. 10:00-10:50 am
  • Instructor: Babb, Lawrence


ASLC 151: Buddhism: Theory/Practice

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Tue., Thur. 2:00-3:20 pm
  • Instructor: Heim, Maria


ASLC 181: Japan Prints and Photo

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Mon., Wed. 12:30-1:50 pm
  • Instructor: Morse, Samuel


ASLC 241: Chinese Civilization

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Tue., Thur. 2:00-3:20 pm
  • Instructor: Dennerline, Jerry


ASLC 251: Japanese History to 1700

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Mon., Wed., Fri. 11:00-11:50 am
  • Instructor: Maxey, Trent


ASLC 391: Islamic Ethics

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Tue., Thur. 2:00-3:20 pm
  • Instructor: Elias, Jamal


ASLC 431: Art of China

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Mon., Wed., Fri. 9:00-9:50 am
  • Instructor: Morse, Samuel


ASLC 491: China in the World

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Tue., Thur. 10:00-11:20 am
  • Instructor: Dennerline, Jerry


ASLC 701 Buddhist Lit Cult

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Mon. 2:00-4:30 pm
  • Instructor: Heim, Maria


POSC 351: Great Power Politics

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Tue., Thur. 10:00-11:20 am
  • Instructor: Machala, Pavel and Vitaly Kozyrev


Fall 2006: Hampshire College Courses

HACU 0146: Short Stories in Global Context

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Tue., Thur. 10:30-11:50 am
  • Instructor: Rueschmann, Eva


HACU 0150: Asian Religious Texts and Trad

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Tue. Thur. 12:30-1:50 pm
  • Instructor: Hadder, Alan


HACU 0240: Performing Arts of Asia

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Tue. Thur. 12:30-1:50 pm
  • Instructor: Devi, Ranjanaa


SS 0187: China Rising

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Tue. Thur. 12:30-3:00 pm
  • Instructor: Johnson, Kay


SS 0299: China Project Seminar

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Wed. 2:30-5:00 pm
  • Instructor: Johnson, Kay


Fall 2006: Mount Holyoke College Courses

ARTH 1051: Arts of Asia

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Mon., Wed. 8:35-9:50 am
  • Instructor: Sinha, A


ASIAN 2111: Modern Indian Fiction

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Tue., Thur. 8:35-9:50 am
  • Instructor: Peterson, I


ASIAN 2611: Hinduism

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Mon., Wed. 11:00 am-12:15 pm
  • Instructor: Peterson, I


GEOG 3111: Third World Development

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Wed. 1:00-3:50 pm
  • Instructor: Kebbede, G


HIST 1241: History of Modern South Asia

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Tue., Thur. 11:00 am-12:15 pm
  • Instructor: Datla, K


HIST 1331: Japan since 1600

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Mon., Wed. 8:35-9:50 am
  • Instructor: Lipman, J


POLIT 3811: South Asian Politics

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Wed. 1:00-3:50 pm
  • Instructor: Khory, K


RES 1511: Anna Karenina

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Mon., Wed. 1:15-2:20 pm
  • Instructor: Cruise, E


RES 1512: Crown Jewels of Russian Culture

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Tue. Thur. 1:15-2:20 pm
  • Instructor: Pleshakov, C


RES 2101: Great Books

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Tue. Thur. 11:00 am-12:15 pm
  • Instructor: Scotto, P


RES 2211: Texts and Contexts

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Mon., Wed., Fri. 1:15-2:30 pm
  • Instructor: Scotto, P


RES 2411: Russia and the West

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Mon., Wed. 11:00 am-12:15 pm
  • Instructor: Jones, S


Fall 2006: Smith College Courses

AMS 220: Colloquium: Asian Americans in Film and Video

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Tue., Thur. 9:00-10:20 am
  • Instructor: Cardozo, Karen


CHI 350: Advanced Readings in Chinese: Modern Literary Texts

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Mon., Wed., Fri. 1:00-2:20 pm
  • Instructor: TBA


EAL 231: Culture of the Lyric in Traditional China

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Mon., Wed. 2:40-4:00 pm
  • Instructor: Wu, Sujane


EAL 237: Chinese Poetry and the Other Arts

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Tue., Thur. 1:10-2:30 pm
  • Instructor: Wu, Sujane


EAL 240: Japanese Language and Culture

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Mon., Wed. 2:40-4:00 pm
  • Instructor: Hubbard, Maki


EAL 242: Modern Japanese Literature

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Tue., Thur. 3:00-4:20 pm
  • Instructor: Kono, Kimberly


EAL 244: Construction of Gender in Modern Japanese Women's Writing

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Tue., Thur. 1:10-2:30 pm
  • Instructor: Kono, Kimberly


EAS 219: Modern Korea

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Mon., Wed., Fri. 11:00 am-12:10 pm
  • Instructor: TBA


EAS 279: Colloquium: Art and Culture of Tibet

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Tue. 1:00-4:00 pm
  • Instructor: Rhie, Marylin


ENG 120: Colluqia in Lit: Growing up Asian American

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Mon., Wed., Fri. 10:00-10:50 am
  • Instructor: Cheung, Floyd


ENG 278: Writing Women

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Mon., Wed. 1:00-2:30 pm
  • Instructor: Cheung, Floyd


GOV 348: Conflict and Cooperation in Asia

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Tue. 3:00-4:50 pm
  • Instructor: Yasutomo, Dennis


JPN 350: Contemporary Texts

  • Location: TBA
  • Time: Mon., Wed. 2:40-4:00 pm
  • Instructor: Takahashi, Atsuko


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