Asian Studies

A survey of Chinese narrative with its differing topical approaches: justice, history and fiction, romance, and the supernatural. Students are expected to comprehend the legacy of Chinese culture by examining its continuing articulations of archetypes and masterpieces. This class explores diverse narrative forms across time and genre: from the Han dynasty inceptions of historical records to Lu Xun`s personal essays; from the Tang romance to the Ming-Qing vernacular fiction; from the musical theatre in the Yuan dynasty to the revolutionary model plays during the Cultural Revolution, and also to contemporary cinematic representations of those popular themes.

This course is part of the Laurea Magistrale program. The course is intended for advanced level students only. Enrollment is by consent of the instructor. The course focuses on the history of Iran and Central Asia from the arrival of Islam to contemporary times. Special attention is placed on the methodology of historical research, and the treatment of historical themes in original and autonomous ways. Students are encouraged to evaluate sources and to know how to orient themselves with regards to specialized bibliographies. Emphasis is placed on how to prepare and communicate knowledge and how to make valid judgments in the historical field. The course is intended as a general introduction to the history of Iran and Central Asia in the Islamic period. Single historical periods are, broadly speaking, indicated below. Students are warmly encouraged to focus on specific thematic topics and to carry on, if possible, with further readings according to their personal interests. Basic historical periods covered: the Islamic penetration in Iran and Central Asia; the Mongol and Timurid periods, Iran and Central Asia under "Turkic" dynasties; the Safavid period and the formation of the so called "national state" in Iran; the contemporary condition of Caucasus and Central Asia and the relations of Iran with Ottoman Empire and Moghul India; contacts with Western countries: missionaries, diplomats and travelers; Iran under the Pahlavis, Caucasus, and Soviet Central Asia: "Cold War" challengers; the present-day situation: a "non-exotic" approach.

This course provides a general survey of the historical development of various aspects of Korean civilization, including politics, society and economy, thought and religion, and the arts. Half of the course covers the main themes in Korean history and their historical interpretations, from prehistoric times to the modern period. It also pays special attention to social systems, religion and culture, as well as the changing geopolitics of the region. The other half of the course will take a comparative approach by examining contemporaneous China, Japan, and northeast Asia, identifying similarities and differences between the regions. Through this course, students will have a better understanding of the challenges Korea faced in the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and the historical processes through which Korea, China, and Japan developed.

This course provides a basic knowledge of Japanese literature and culture, as well as the history and current state of Sino-Japanese relations. The course helps students develop a relatively objective and dispassionate understanding of Japan based on extensive reading and independent thinking, in addition to the mass media and mainstream Sino-Japanese propaganda, and to enable them to think and write about issues of interest to them under the guidance of the instructor.

The course provides a study of of Korean society and culture through a sociological perspective. In addition, this course helps students acquire relevant methods to understand diverse societies and cultures in the globalizing world

This course explores how Korean thinkers and reformers/activists have engaged religions and ideologies in the major political, social and cultural developments and movements during premodern Korea and beyond. Through this course, the students are expected to gain a deeper understanding of how ideologies and religious ideas have informed the major debates and collective activities that have made the Korean history progress. One further aim of this class is to enhance the students’ability to write readable essays and paper based on their knowledge and insight acquired through the lectures, readings, and discussions.