In this course, we will explore a range of research methodologies in Asian American Studies and, more broadly, in Ethnic Studies. The readings are organized around questions, approaches, and critiques that will help students develop qualitative research skills, while also considering the politics of research and representation. Students are required to complete daily short written assignments, a research project, and in-class presentations. Peer-writing exchange workshops will be a key component of our learning.
Days: TU  10:00-12:50 PM

This course introduces you to the more than 70-year political economy of transnational adoption of children from Korea to the US (and other parts of the West) and the cultural productions of Korean adoptees. We will critically engage the discourse of the “rescue” of children and the manufacture of the Korean “orphan” to create Western desire and industrial demand for these children, and explore how adoptees themselves are reframing adoption through literature, film, and activism, building new networks of solidarity with unwed mothers in Korea, and using international institutions—legal, media, and otherwise—to begin the process of dismantling the transnational adoption-industrial complex in and from South Korea.
Days: MO WE  09:30-10:50 AM

This course is an introduction to Japanese sociolinguistics, which is the study of the relationship between a language and society. We will explore variety of language uses in modern Japanese and how such variation is constructed by identity and culture. An exploration of attitudes and ideologies about these varieties will be of importance to understanding this relationship. Its main goal is to provide students a systematic introduction to the nature and characteristics of the language use. The course covers:

• Language assimilation and unification of a nation
• Speaking a dialect as manifestation of identity
• Inside and outside of a social group
• Honorific system as the art of socializing in the society
• Use of male/female language based on social norms



Days: MO WE  01:00-02:20 PM

This course examines 1970s and 80s South Korean literature and culture with a focus on the issue of utility. South Korean society underwent rapid industrialization and urbanization in the 1970s and 80s. During this period, many believed that if they worked hard and spent little, they would prosper. However, quite a few literary texts and movies from the period reveal how much oppressive and exploitative a society driven toward economic expansion can be. To understand the historical context and comprehend the complexity of the issue of utility, students will read excerpts from a Korean history textbook and works in critical theory as well as literary texts. All readings are in English.

Days: WE  03:00-05:50 PM

This course focuses on the experiences of women and men from roughly the end of the Heian period (794-1185) to the end of the 16th century. How did the roles and positions of women and men change in this time period, what were their problems, and how did they interact with each other and with the institutions and traditions that changed so markedly in the tradition from imperial to warrior rule? We will study women's and men's economic, social, political, and cultural roles, looking particularly at changes in women’s status, the spread of Buddhism, political movements and upheavals, warfare, entertainment, art, literature, and poetry.

Same as REL STD 120 & EAS 155
Days: MO WE  10:00-10:50 AM