Asian Studies

This course introduces the democratization process of East and Southeast Asian Countries. The countries are categorized by regime types into four groups: liberal democracy, electoral democracy, electoral autocracy, and non-democracy. Systematic comparison will be focused on the application of the modernization theory, democratic citizenship theory, critical citizenship theory, and political socialization theory.  

This course introduces the main aspects of contemporary Korean society, including those pertaining to the family, gender, education, population, religion, economy, and popular culture. The course specifically focuses on topics and issues that figure prominently in the lives of the Korean people, such as the persistence of extended families, the rise of Christianity, education frenzy, population aging, low fertility rate, increasing ethnic diversity and multiculturalism, rapid industrialization, Seoul-based urbanization, and the rise of Hallyu as a global phenomenon. Each of these issues will be examined through sociological, historical, and comparative perspectives. 

Many Koreans have a fixed image that Greek-Roman myths (so-called classic myths) are standard of myth. This image is related to Euro-centered education in school of Korea. Many Korean students ask why we don't have a creation myth, and why have no heroes like Greek heroes. There are many kinds of myth in Korean oral and literal tradition. We have a creation myth, a flood myth, the origin myth of god, the birth myth of a nation, a shrine myth, and progenitor myth. We analyze and interpret these kinds of Korean myth in class. We also analyze myths by theories including comparative mythology, Sinocentrism, feminism and poststructuralism. Through this subject, attendees understand not only Korean myth, but also Korean culture and cultural unconsciousness deeply.

This course examines the history of Japanese film and television animation, or what the English-speaking world refers to as “anime.” It proceeds chronologically through Japanese animation history to see how the industry, culture, and various styles of Japanese animation developed and crystallized, particularly in the postwar era. Students view and discuss a range of animated works from a variety of angles and contexts germane to the particular work at hand. The course topics examine anime as 1) expressive of particular artistic merit, techniques, and themes relating to the components of the animated medium, and 2) relating to the business, management, and promotion of animation in the Japanese contents industries. Style and production are not separate categories within animation development, but mutually reinforce one another. 

This course examines the major philosophical texts and ideas of the Daoist tradition.