Second 8 weeks
3 credits
**As of October 9, 2006, this class is FULL.**

The purpose of this course is to provide a general interdisciplinary
introduction to modern East Asian civilizations. We will examine
selected aspects of each civilization's march towards modernity,
concentrating on traditional society just before Western
penetration, the impact of Western imperialism, and the particular
characteristics of each of the nations that make up present-day East
Asia. The focus will be on significant developments and traits, not
on comprehensive coverage or an excess of particularities. The
civilizations of China, Korea and Japan are alike in a number of
ways, but also quit distinct in others. We will try to identify
these common and distinctive traits throughout the course. Whether
or not China, Korea, and Japan should be regarded as belonging to a
single "Eastern" civilization is an open question that students will
be asked to consider over the span of the semester. No previous
knowledge of East Asia is required, and students will not be
expected to work in any language other than English. Because a
portion of each class session will be devoted to discussion,
everyone will be responsible for completing (before class) the
assigned readings (average of 50-60 pages/class). Daily reading
quizzes will be given to help reinforce this requirement. Note that
our primary text will be Modern East Asia: A Brief History
(Wadsworth Publishing, 2003) [ISBN: 0155068474]. All other readings
will be placed on E-reserve.