South & SE Asian Studies

This course focuses on the functions of the biophysical environment of the city state of Singapore. The topics include geology, soils, river systems, water supply, natural reserves, green areas, land reclamation and coastal environments. The environmental problems that arise from the development of a large tropical city within a limited area, and the possible solutions for such problems are examined. The course emphasizes current events in Singapore and discusses what Singapore's environment may look like in the future.

This course examines how the story of the Buddha has come for some to be a story of authenticity, individualism and wisdom-seeking. Yet it has not always been so. It explores how Buddhism in Thailand has followed a gamut of historical changes, from promoting monarchy through monumental architecture to modernization and meditation to, at times, being a handmaiden of military rule. It has often in Thailand been accompanied by narratives of ghosts and dark magic, as well as of tiger-defying monks and romantic tales of bodhisattvas. By stressing how Buddhism has changed in Thailand over time and place, this course looks critically rather than romantically or conservatively at what Buddhism has been in Thailand over the centuries, of how it has tied itself to and reflected the desires, fears and political wills of its followers.

This course introduces contemporary South Asia in terms of the significant features of social, cultural, and economic life. It discusses the physical and human resources of the region and provides an overview of developments at the outset of the new century. Through the films, literature, and arts of the region, the course illustrates the changing patterns of life of the people of South Asia.

This course provides an introduction to gender and sexuality issues in Singapore from a historical perspective. It examines how our everyday understandings of gender have been formed in a long, complex process of negotiation over the twentieth century. In five themes 1) religion and marriage, 2) non-binary histories, 3) state morality, 4) queer stories and 5) gender troubles, it traces how state and religious authorities have shaped sexual behaviors and gender identities, with varying degrees of conformity and contestation from groups and individuals. Throughout history, gender remained fluid despite multiple attempts at restraining sexuality.

This course uses an integrated approach to teach the basic skills of speaking, listening, reading, and writing to maintain communication on common topics. Students acquire language skills through participation in various communicative tasks. Through exposure to the language, students develop a general understanding of the culture, the sociolinguistic and pragmatic aspects of the language. 

This course examines the food experiences and practices and their ideological effects that shape diners and their city. It also traces the crystallization of a conscious distinction of Hong Kong food and their influences among the residents of the city and overseas.

This course examines the features of the music of China, including genres and styles of Chinese Music. It covers musical works, sounds, and structures, as well as trying to understand the social, regional, and political contexts in which they developed, and the aesthetics and ideology that inspired the performers, composers, and listeners--as well as the writers of music history.