Asia-Related Courses Fall 2023
ASIA 1700 - Introduction to Tibetan Civilization
MW 3:35 - 4:50pm
Tenzin Tsepak (tenzin.tsepak@colorado.edu)
Explores the dynamic history of Tibet from its early empire to the present. Offers interdisciplinary perspectives on Tibetan civilization, including arts and literature, religion and politics, society and culture.
ASIA 2852/GEOG 2852: Contemporary Southeast Asia: Environmental Politics
TTh 5pm - 6:15pm
Lauren Collins (lauren.collins@colorado.edu)
Examines globally pressing questions of environmental sustainability, regional inequality and development in the dynamic and heterogeneous landscapes of contemporary Southeast Asia. Focuses on interactions between histories of uneven development and contemporary debates over energy and infrastructure, food security, governance and access to land, forest and water-based resources.
ASIA 4500: Urban Asia: Tradition, Modernity, Challenges
TTh 12:30pm - 1:45pm
Explores change in urban Asia, the representation of Asian cities, and the challenges of urban life through a transdisciplinary and thematic approach using academic articles, documentaries, and literary materials. The class discusses the role of tradition, concepts of modernity, the impact of tourism, rural to urban migration, poverty, the effects of war, legacies of colonialism, and environmental challenges.
ASIA 4600 - Encounters: Tibet, the Himalayas, and the West
TTh 2:00 - 3:15pm
Tenzin Tsepak (tenzin.tsepak@colorado.edu)
Provides a history of European knowledge about Tibet in the early medieval period, followed by the historical accounts of various European missionaries, travelers, and merchants to Tibet from the medieval to the early modern period. Critiques the construction of the myth of Shangri-la in the West the complex relationship and representation of Tibet and the Tibetans in the West. Formerly offered as a special topics course. Recommended prerequisite: ASIA 1700.
TBTN 1120 Beginning Tibetan II - DILS
MWF 10:10am - 11am
Tenzin Tsepak (tenzin.tsepak@colorado.edu)
Continuation of TBTN 1110; provides a thorough introduction to the colloquial and literary Tibetan language, emphasizing speaking and listening in the Lhasa dialect. Trains students in basic conversations and the idiomatic and syntactical features of Tibetan through drills and dialogues.
TBTN 2120 Intermediate Tibetan II - DILS
MWF 9:05am - 9:55am
Tenzin Tsepak (tenzin.tsepak@colorado.edu)
This DILS (Directed Independent Language Study) course on Intermediate Tibetan will introduce students to intermediate grammar, sentence construction, conversation topics, and readings in modern Tibetan. This will include introduction to Tibetan grammatical markers and particles, morphology, syntax, and vocabularies using a range of authentic materials.
INDO 1110 Beginning Indonesian 1- DILS
MWF 12:20 - 1:10pm
Beginning Indonesian 1. Reading assignments will include reading, listening and grammar, which students will demonstrate during class sessions, in which they will offer reading summaries, answer questions and practice speaking.
INDO 2110 Intermediate Indonesian 1- DILS
MWF 11:15am - 12:05pm
Continuation of Beginning Indonesian. In the second year, students will be exposed to more active communication.
RLST 4610/5610 Topics in Islam: Islamic Philosophy
M 3:30–6pm
Aun Hasan Ali (aun.ali@colorado.edu)
A survey of major questions in Islamic philosophy.
GEOG 3822 Geography of China
TTh 12:30 - 1:20pm
Tim Oakes (toakes@colorado.edu)
Geography of China explores the diverse human and environmental geographies of the world’s most populous country, with particular attention to understanding the dynamics of contemporary social, cultural, economic, technological and geo-political changes, as well as evaluating the growing influence of ‘global China’ around the world.
CHIN 4210 Introduction to Classical Chinese
MWF 11:15am - 12:05pm
Mattias Richter (mlr@colorado.edu)
In this class you will learn to read the texts of the Classical Period, such as the Confucian Analects (Lunyu 論語), Mencius (Mengzi 孟子), the Daoist Classics Laozi 老子 and Zhuangzi 莊子.
CHIN 1051 Masterpieces of Chinese Literature in Translation
TTh 2:00 - 3:15pm
Katherine Alexander (katherine.alexander@colorado.edu)
What are masterpieces of literature, and who gets to decide what qualifies as a masterpiece? In CHIN 1051, we’ll read texts that were masterpieces for many different segments of Chinese society over the centuries – from probably illiterate devotees listening to religious stories to the ruling classes and the philosophers who advised them – and think about how all of these works help us understand the diversity of ideas the past has handed down for us to appreciate in the present.
CHIN 4300 Open Topics Readings in Chinese Literature: Chinese Travel Writing
TTh 12:30-1:45 pm
Antje Richter (antje.richter@colorado.edu)
In this course we explore the world of travel writing through the ages. Widely different forms of travel, whether real or imaginary, have inspired all kinds of travel literature in China: from poems about a hike through ragged mountains and factual geographical reports to fantastical novels about intercultural and interspecies encounters of the strangest kind.
HIST 1628 Introduction to Chinese History since 1644
MWF 8:00 - 8:50am
William Wei (William.Wei@colorado.edu)
Introduces students to modern Chinese history and culture, from the 17th century to the present. Considers the pertinent aspects of modern China, focusing on its social patterns, economic structure, intellectual trends and political developments.
HIST 1708 Introduction to Japanese History
TTh 2:00 - 3:15pm
Sungyun Lim (sungyun.lim@colorado.edu)
A broad interdisciplinary survey of the history of Japan from earliest times to the 20th century. Explores the development of political institutions, social structures, cultural and religious life, economic development, and foreign relations in an historical perspective.
HIST 1800 Introduction to Global History - The Silk Road
MW 3:35 - 4:50pm
Kwangmin Kim (Kwangmin.kim@colorado.edu)
The first cornerstone course for history majors applies a broad perspective to the global past in order to illuminate how common historical patterns and processes, as well as unique elements, shaped the human experience. Using a thematic approach, all topical variations of this course highlight cross-cultural interactions among societies, and, when relevant, how historical processes that began centuries ago still impact the contemporary world. Topics will vary by section. Department enforced prerequisite: 3 hours of any history coursework.
HIST 2220 History of War and Society - Global Warfare in India
TTh 9:30-10:45am
Sanjay Gautam (sanjay.gautam@colorado.edu)
Focuses on war and society in a variety of global contexts. Explores the character, origins, and social, political, and intellectual impacts of war in contexts ranging from several centuries of international conflict to the experience of individual nations in specific wars. Topic varies in any given semester; contact Department of History for details.
HIST 4538 History of Modern India
TTh 8-9:15am
Sanjay Gautam (sanjay.gautam@colorado.edu)
Examines the history of India from the British conquest of India in the late 18th century to independence in 1947. Emphasizes the impact of British rule on the political, economic and social development of modern India. Recommended prerequisite: 6 hours of any history coursework. Same as HIST 5538.
HIST 4618 Early Modern China: From Genghis Khan to the Opium War
MWF 10:10 - 11:00am
Kwangmin Kim (Kwangmin.kim@colorado.edu)
Examines political, social, and cultural history of China from the Song Dynasty (960-1279) to the opium War (1839-1842). Topics covered include the development of imperial political institution and gentry society, Conquest Dynasties, Neo-Confucianism, China's "medieval economic revolution", Chinese world order in East Asia, Qing multiethnic empire, Chinese overseas migration, and the coming of the West. Recommended prerequisite: HIST 1618 or HIST 1628 or CHIN 1012.
HIST 4619 Women in East Asian History
TTh 11:00am - 12:15pm
Sungyun Lim (sungyun.lim@colorado.edu)
Considers major issues in the history of women in East Asia (China, Korea, Japan) in the 17th through 20th centuries. Focuses on gender roles in Asian family, state, and cultural systems. Topic varies in any given semester. Same as WGST 4619 and HIST 5619.
HIST 4638 Contemporary China: Radicalism and Reform, 1949 to Present
MWF 10:10 - 11:00am
William Wei (William.Wei@colorado.edu)
Examines the dramatic, often tragic, and globally transformative history of China under the Chinese Communist Party. Focuses on such topics as political, social, and cultural revolution, nationalism, Maoism, the Great Leap Forward, Red Guards and the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, the Deng Xiaoping era, relations with Taiwan, the 1989 Tiananmen Massacre, and China's rise as a world power. Same as HIST 5638.
HIST 4728 Modern Japanese History
MWF 2:30 - 3:20pm
Miriam Kingsberg Kadia (Miriam.Kadia@colorado.edu)
Begins with early modern Japan, proceeds through the era of rapid modernization after the Meiji Restoration in the mid-19th century, and concludes with Japan's gradual descent into prolonged war, first with China and then in the Pacific. Same as HIST 5728.
HIST 4800 Special Topics in Global History - Semicolonial China/Japan/Siam
MWF 1:25 - 2:15pm
Miriam Kingsberg Kadia (Miriam.Kadia@colorado.edu)
Organized around themes that change yearly, this class allows students to study and research processes, phenomena, and events of global significance in historical context. Will stress historical subjects that span multiple geographic regions of the globe. Topics could include the global history of: the arms trade; slavery; health and disease; youth culture; women's rights; genocide, the environment, migration, economic trade, warfare exploration etc... May be repeated up to 9 total credit hours.
SUMMER CLASSES!
KREN 1010/1020 Beginning Korean 1 & 2
Sangbok Kim (Sangbok.kim@colorado.edu)
Trains students in elementary conversational and writing skills and provides grounding in the basic idiomatic and syntactical features of Korean, through lectures, drills, and language laboratory sessions based on set dialogues and readings.
JPNS 1010/1020/2110/2120 Beginning & Intermediate Japanese (Remote)
Yumiko Matsunaga (Yumiko.Matsunaga-1@colorado.edu)
Mondays-Fridays 9:15 am-noon (Term A: JPNS1010/2110, Term B: 1020/2120)
All courses will meet via Zoom synchronously.
ARAB/RLST 2320 – Early Islamic World – Summer B
Islam represents the third iteration of the Abrahamic faiths, a monotheistic religion founded on the precedents of Judaism and Christianity. But it is more than a religion - it is a cultural, political, economic and social phenomenon that profoundly contributed to the emergence of the Modern West.
ARAB/RLST 2320 traces Islam’s emergence beginning with its most remote origins in pre-Islamic Arabia, through the ninth-century "Golden Age of Islam," to the decline of the caliphates in the eleventh century. The approach is interdisciplinary and comparative, and includes material on Christian and Jewish minorities living under Islam. Learn about the origins of Islam and the forces and traditions that shaped it over its first five centuries and its impact on the development of the West, looking at relationships between religious belief, religious institutions, and larger developments in politics, economics and society.
This course can be done from anywhere in the world. Grading is based on weekly quizzes, writing and discussion assignments, and a final exam.
Satisfies Asia Content, A&S Core: Human Diversity
A&S General Education: Distribution-Arts & Humanities & A&S General Education: Diversity-Global Perspective