Asian Studies- Course Descriptions | Department of History

Asian Studies- Course Descriptions

The following Asian Studies courses are listed at the University of North Texas. Please be aware that courses are added and deleted on a rolling basis, and that many departments offer courses on an occasional or experimental basis, and that those courses may not have formal listings or course descriptions. For up-to-date information on course offerings and scheduling for any given semester, please contact the relevant school or department.

Department of Anthropology
ANTH 3700/3100-002 South Asia. A survey of the culturally rich and diverse cultures and traditions of South Asia, each with its own unique history covering thousands of years. From the days of prehistory to the present period of profound social, economic, political, and technological changes, this course provides an in-depth background and understanding of the peoples and cultures of this area.

ANTH 3710 East Asia. An overview of cultures and contemporary issues in societies in the Far East, in the context of social and political change and development. Compares anthropological and ethnographic studies of the Peoples' Republic of China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan, supplemented by selected research from sociology, history, and political science, and specific areas of cultural and social change in each society, including kinship and family, ethnicity, economic and political development, industrialization, urbanization, and health and social policy.

ANTH 3720/3100-007 Southeast Asia. A survey of mainland and insular areas of Southeast Asia. Covers the development of indigenous cultures, the period of empires influenced by India and China, the merger with the Islamic world, Western colonialism and emerging nationalism, and the modern period of seeking global identity.

Department of History

HIST 4550 Imperial China. Chinese politics, ideas, economics and society from the Xia dynasty (ca. 2205 BCE) through the High Qing (late 18th century CE); political philosophy, the imperial state, Buddhism, women's roles, and political and economic relations with non-Chinese peoples and states.

HIST 4560 Modern China. Chinese politics, ideas, economics and society from the High Qing (late 18th century) through 1989; European idealism, the decline and fall of the Qing dynasty, Republicans and Communists, women, modernization and the question of democracy.

College of Music, Division of Theory, History, and Ethnomusicology
MUET 3030 Music Cultures of the World (when addressing an Asian music culture) Survey of music cultures of Africa, the Americas, Asia and Oceania. Music traditions are studied from a perspective that emphasizes music as an integral part of society and culture. Satisfies the Cross-cultural, Diversity and Global Studies requirement of the University Core Curriculum. Open to students in any major.

Department of Philosophy and Religion
PHIL 3620 - South Asian Philosophy and Religion. An examination of South Asian philosophical and religious thought from earliest period in Indian history of the Indus Valley civilization to the religion of the Vedas, through the Upanishads, and classical period in Indian thought including the development of Buddhism and Jainism.

PHIL 3625 - Modern South Asian Philosophy and Religion. An examination of Medieval to Contemporary South Asian philosophy and religion from Puranic Hinduism, the influence of Islam upon Indian thought, the development of medieval devotional Hinduism, and the origin of the Sikh religion. Explores contemporary Indian philosophy as expressed in the thought of such figures as S. Radhakrishnan, Sri Aurobindo, Tagore, and most particularly Gandhi.

PHIL 3630 - Jainism. An examination of one of the world's oldest religious and philosophical traditions from its origins in the 6th century BCE to its influence on contemporary figures, including Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, and the Dalai Lama. Topics include pacifism and non-violence, self-control, non-materialism, compassion, meditation, and the relationship of the self to divine consciousness.

PHIL 3635 - Bollywood. Examination of Indian culture as manifested in the Hindi language film industry known as "Bollywood." Topics include South Asian religions, epics and classical drama, devotional songs, Hindi-Urdu poetry, poverty and urban life, crime, and romance. Course presupposes no previous knowledge of Indic religions or cinema.

PHIL 3665 - Eastern Religon and the Environment. An examination of non-Western religious traditions for an environmental philosophy geared toward assessing global environmental issues with a focus on South Asian and East Asian philosophical and religious traditions.

PHIL 3585 South Asian Philosophy and Religion. Study of South Asian philosophical and religious thought from earliest times to the present: the Indus Valley civilization, Vedic religion, the development of Jainism, Buddhism and devotional Hinduism, the philosophical schools, medieval Indian thought, Sikhism, and modern Indian philosophy. Prerequisite(s): upper-division standing or consent of department.

PHIL 3595 East Asian Philosophy and Religion. Philosophical study of East Asia from earliest times to the present, including ancient Chinese religion; Taoist, Confucian, Mohist and Legalist philosophies; Chinese Buddhism and Neo-Confucianism; the influence of Shinto, Buddhism and Neo-Confucianism upon medieval Japan; and Japanese philosophy since the Meiji Restoration. Prerequisite(s): upper-division standing or consent of department.

Department of Political Science
PSCI 3700 Area Politics (When addressing Asian politics) Political institutions, processes, problems and policies in distinctive geographic or cultural areas of the world. Frequently offered areas include Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, Western Europe, the Anglo-American democracies, and the Commonwealth of Nations. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.

School of Visual Arts
ART 4320 Asian Art (Offered sporadically--please contact the School of Visual Arts for scheduling information) A survey of the art of India, China, and Japan from prehistoric to modern times, including architecture, sculpture, painting, ceramics and printmaking. Prerequisite(s): ART 2350 and 2360, or consent of instructor.

ART 4824 Topics in Asian Art. 3 hours. Selected topics in the arts of Asia. Prerequisite(s): ART 1200, 2350 and 2360, or consent of instructor. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.

Department of World Languages, Literatures and Cultures
Chinese 1020 Elementary Chinese. This course is the second semester of an introduction to both the Chinese language and to the world cultures and societies where Chinese is spoken (Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong, etc.). This course is the second of a two-course elementary Chinese language and culture sequence at the University of North Texas. By the end of this semester, your vocabulary will be expanded (200 new words and phrases), the grammar, syntax, sentence patterns, new phrases and expressions will be given through the texts, you will continue to develop the ability to communicate in real-life situations in Chinese, and through the cultural classes, you will have a deeper understanding towards the diverse aspects of societies and cultures in Chinese-speaking areas.

Chinese 2040 Intermediate Chinese. This course is the first semester of a two-semester intermediate-level review of Chinese. This course, oriented toward students who have completed Chinese 1010/1020 at UNT (or the equivalent), is designed to reinforce the material learned in previous Chinese courses. By the end of this semester, your vocabulary and grammar knowledge should be expanded (approx. 160 new characters & phrases), the reading and writing skills will be reinforced, the communication skill in real-life situation will also be developed, in addition to this linguistic skills, you should have a deeper understanding of the diverse aspects of societies and cultures in Chinese-speaking areas of the world.

JAPN 1010 Elementary Japanese. Grammar and phonetics; reading, composition and oral-aural practice. Satisfies the Communication requirement of the University Core Curriculum. (note: this course does not count toward fulfillment of the requirements for the minor, but is a prerequisite for 2040, which does count toward the minor.)

JAPN 2040 Intermediate Japanese. Grammar, composition, oral-aural practice and readings. Prerequisite(s): foreign language course 1020 in same language, or equivalent.

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