Asian Studies

This class introduces Korean contemporary films and relevant societal discourses. The course covers the role of film/moving images in contemporary society, the rhetoric of visual media in broader context, and lastly, Korean contemporary films in a more concrete realm. By writing critiques on each subject as well as sharing during class, students challenge their personal feelings and thoughts, broaden their knowledge, and deepen their insights on film media.

The course analyzes Korea’s perspective on today’s China. It focuses on a few main incidents that have affected Chinese modern history.

This course provides an overview of contemporary Japanese politics via Public (Rational) Choice Theory which emphasizes major political actors such as voters, parliamentarians, special interest groups, and national bureaucrats. This class describes and discusses some of the basic aspects of Japanese politics, currently undergoing a drastic transformation due to societal changes and globalization. The course covers the following topics: Public (Rational) Choice Theory, along with its strengths and weaknesses; democracy in Japan; party politics; the electoral system and voting participation; Japan's population issues; Japan's defense and foreign policy; Japan's food and energy problems, and current topics in Japanese politics and foreign policy.

This research internship program offers selected students the opportunity to participate in research projects or work as an intern in research centers or organizations at Yonsei University. Students are expected to participate in research projects for approximately 20 hours per week throughout the program. Projects will vary depending on placement. Graded Pass/No pass only.

This course examines the history of Sino-Japanese relations from the mid-nineteenth century to the present day. It studies how political, economic, and cultural relations between the two countries have evolved through multiple stages of conflict and cooperation. It covers the following themes: economic development and modernization in East Asia; colonialism and imperialism; Japanese and Chinese nationalism; cross-cultural fertilizations within the Sinosphere; and the relation between war, memory, and national identity.

The course examines the political, economic, and social history of China from the Boxer Rebellion to the contemporary era. Main topics covered include overthrow of the Qing Dynasty, the May Fourth Movement, the rise of Communism, and Reforms since the 1978-era.

Taiwan has formed a multilingual society rich in languages, an asset accumulated over a long history. This phenomenon was also due to Taiwan’s encounters with different cultures at different historical stages: that between Austronesians and Dutch; Austronesians and Han Chinese; Austronesians and Han Chinese and Japanese, to Taiwan natives and Chinese immigrants in 1949. This course enables students to gain a full understanding between Taiwanese language and historical development and social phenomena, as well as develop an enthusiasm for Taiwanese language.