This course traces the three famous voyages of Captain Cook in the Pacific Ocean during the later 18th century and through their contacts with diverse island peoples provide a perspective on how islands came to be occupied through technologies of sailing and navigation, how these people formed their own cultures, and how ocean and island ecologies affect their character even up to the present day.
Days: TU TH  09:30-10:50 AM

Emphasis/Category: Pacific Rim, Locating Asias (Nation, Culture, and Diaspora)
By drawing on literary works that depict interactions between the colonized and the colonizer during Japanese rule over Korea (1910-45), this course examines the complicated terrain of day-to-day life in a subjugated land under foreign rule. In order to appreciate the implications of the literary works for examining the issue of colonialism and to understand the stories’ historical context, students will also read critical essays on the colonial relationship and a history book on Japanese Assimilation Policies in Colonial Korea. The course aims to introduce students both to important literary works about Korea’s colonial experience and to the fields of colonial and postcolonial studies in East Asian context.
Days: TU TH  02:00-03:20 PM

Emphasis/Category: Inter-Area Studies, Pacific Rim, Locating Asias (Nation, Culture, and Diaspora)
"Virtualizing Cultures” is an interdisciplinary course that explores the dynamic landscape of digital technology and cultural practices, utilizing Virtual Reality (VR) and Mixed Reality (XR) to dive into how cultures are represented, transformed, and experienced in virtual spaces.

Students will engage with concepts from digital anthropology and media studies to investigate digital ethnography, the impact of technology on cultural norms, identity in virtual communities, and the ethical considerations of digital cultural interactions. Through virtual tours, interactive simulations, and project-based learning, students will critically examine cultural diversity, digital citizenship, and the impacts of digital environments on cultural understanding. 

Note: Each student will be provided with a Meta Quest headset by the instructor, ensuring access to VR technology throughout the quarter.
Days: TU TH  12:30-01:50 PM

Emphasis/Category: Pacific Rim
This course traces the three famous voyages of Captain Cook in the Pacific Ocean during the later 18th century and through their contacts with diverse island peoples provide a perspective on how islands came to be occupied through technologies of sailing and navigation, how these people formed their own cultures, and how ocean and island ecologies affect their character even up to the present day.
Days: T TH  09:30-10:50 AM