East Asian Languages and Cultures (Bi-Co)

East Asian Languages and Cultures (Bi-Co)

Department Website:
https://www.haverford.edu/ealc

The Bi-College Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures is housed at both Bryn Mawr and Haverford Colleges. Our mission is to foster learning about East Asia through rigorous  language study and through deep and exploratory engagement with prominent themes and  sources from East Asian countries. Towards these ends, EALC offers up to five years of  instruction in Chinese and Japanese language and an array of courses on East Asian culture  taught in English, including such topics as religion, visual culture, film, gender, history, and  literature. The Major seeks to train students in language, guide them through a curriculum that  situates East Asian culture within global discourses, and nurture their skills in critical thinking,  research, and writing. The two language programs, Chinese and Japanese, are central and  foremost in this effort. Minors are offered in each of the languages. There is also a Minor in  EALC. (See details on the requirements of the Major and the three Minor tracks below.) Many  students choose to study abroad in China or Japan during the school year or during the summer  to enrich their knowledge and experience; alumni have pursued a wide variety of fields after  graduation, both in East Asia and in the United States. Students also take advantage of offerings  on East Asia at Swarthmore and Penn; such courses may be applied to credit towards the major  or minor.

Learning Goals

EALC has four learning goals:

  • Laying the foundations for proficiency in Japanese or Chinese language and culture.
  • Gaining broad knowledge of the East Asian cultural sphere across time and in its global context.
  • Becoming familiar with basic bibliographic skills and protocols; learning how to identify, evaluate, and interpret primary textual and visual sources.
  • Embarking on and completing a major independent research project that pulls together past coursework, taking the knowledge and skills gained to a new level to demonstrate mastery of a particular aspect of East Asian culture.

Haverford’s Institutional Learning Goals are available on the President’s website, at http://hav.to/learninggoals.

Curriculum

Chinese Program

The Chinese Program is a fully integrated Bi-Co program. We offer multiple levels of instruction in Mandarin Chinese. 

  • First-Year Chinese (CNSE B001-CNSE B002) and Second-Year Chinese (CNSE B003CNSE B004) both have master and drill sections.
  • First-Year Chinese (CNSE B001CNSE B002) is a year-long course. Students must complete both semesters to receive a total of three credits.
  • We offer Non-intensive First-Year Chinese (CNSE H007-CNSE H008) for students with some background in Chinese, based on results of a placement test. Upon completion of this full-year sequence, students move on to Second-Year Chinese.
  • Following Third-Year, we offer Advanced Chinese each semester. So far, we have eight topic courses in the Advanced Chinese series and students can continue taking Advanced Chinese for credits as long as the topics differ. 

For further information, please consult the entry under “Chinese”.

Japanese Program

The Bi-Co Japanese Program offers five years of instruction in modern Japanese. All Japanese language courses are offered at Haverford.

  • First-Year Japanese (JNSE H001-JNSE H002) meet six hours per week. This is a year-long course. Students must complete both semesters in order to receive credit.
  • Second-Year Japanese (JNSE H003-JNSE H004) meet five hours per week.
  • Third- and Fourth-Year (Advanced) Japanese (JNSE H101-JNSE H102 and JNSE H201A/JNSE H201B) meet three hours per week.
  • Advanced Japanese takes a different topic each term; students can take it any term as Fourth- or Fifth-Year Japanese, with one credit per semester, and repeat the course with different topic headings.
 

EALC Major Requirements - Twelve Courses

Two introductory courses, Major Seminar, Capstone

  • EALC B131 Chinese Civilization (Can be replaced with alternate 100-level course on China)
  • EALC H132 Japanese Civilization (Can be replaced with alternate 100-level course on Japan)
  • EALC B200 Methods and Approaches to East Asian Cultures*
  • Senior Thesis (Fall of senior year)

Two Terms of Intermediate/Advanced Language

  • Two terms of Japanese or Chinese at third year level or above

Students who enter the major having satisfied the requirement through assessment and approval by the respective Chinese or Japanese language directors should discuss this requirement with the major advisor.

Six Electives

  • Two must be 300 level EALC courses
  • The rest (four) can be chosen from 200 or 300 level EALC courses (a 100-level EALC course may be substituted with permission), of which up to TWO can be chosen from CNSE or JNSE courses and non-EALC courses approved by the major advisor.

Requirements for Honors

The departmental faculty awards honors on the basis of superior performance in two areas: coursework in major-related courses (including language classes), and the senior thesis. The faculty requires a minimum 3.7 average in major-related coursework to consider a student for honors.

Senior Prizes

Graduating Seniors in EALC are eligible for the “Margaret Mayeda Petersson Prize,” which recognizes a spirit of engagement and enthusiasm through the major and the thesis project. EALC-sponsored Prizes

Graduating Seniors from any department who have studied Chinese are eligible for the “Hu Shih Prize in Chinese” which recognizes excellence and dedication in the study of the Chinese language.

Minor Requirements

Chinese and Japanese Minor Requirements

The Chinese language and Japanese language minors both require six language courses. Students  must take at least four language courses in our Bi-Co programs, and can take at most two at the  Quaker Consortium or our approved off-campus domestic or Study Abroad programs.  Candidates for the Minor are approved in consultation with the language program directors.  Students who receive above 3.0 in all language classes and complete at least one year of advanced level are eligible to receive a certification of ability in Chinese or Japanese based on  their level of achievement in the four skill areas of speaking, listening, reading, and writing.

East Asian Languages and Cultures Minor Requirements

The EALC minor requires six courses taken in the EALC department, including language  courses. The mix must include EALC 200 and one 300- level course. (BiCo co-chairs serve as  advisors.)

 

Study Abroad

The EALC Department strongly recommends that majors study abroad to maximize their language proficiency and cultural familiarity. We require formal approval by the study abroad adviser prior to the student’s travel. Without this approval, credit for courses taken abroad may not be accepted by EALC. If study abroad is not practical, students may consider attending certain intensive summer schools that EALC has approved. Students must work out these plans in concert with the department’s study abroad adviser and the student’s dean.

Language Placement Tests

The two language programs conduct placement tests for first-time students at all levels in the week before classes start in the fall semester.

To qualify for third-year language courses, students need to finish second-year courses with a score of 3.0 or above in all four areas of training: listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

In the event that students do not meet the minimum grade at the conclusion of second-year language study, they must consult with the director of the respective language program and work out a summer study plan that may include taking summer courses or studying on their own under supervision.

Students who do not meet the requirement to advance must take a placement test before starting third-year language study in the fall.

 

East Asian Languages and Cultures Faculty at Haverford

Ruodi Duan
Assistant Professor of History and East Asian Languages and Cultures

Hank Glassman
The Janet and Henry Richotte 1985 Professor of Asian Studies; Associate Professor and Chair of East Asian Languages and Cultures

Heejin Kim
Visiting Assistant Professor of East Asian Languages and Cultures

Erin Schoneveld
Associate Professor of East Asian Languages and Cultures; Associate Professor of Visual Studies

Paul Smith
Professor Emeritus of History and East Asian Languages and Cultures

East Asian Languages and Cultures Faculty at Bryn Mawr

Yonglin Jiang
Associate Professor of East Asian Languages & Cultures

Shiamin Kwa
Associate Professor of East Asian Studies and Co-Chair of the Department

Chinese Language Faculty at Haverford

Shizhe Huang
The C.V. Starr Professor of Asian Studies; Associate Professor of Chinese and Linguistics; Director of Chinese Language Program

Lan Yang
Chinese Language Instructor

Chinese Language Faculty at Bryn Mawr

Ying Liu
Visiting Assistant Professor of Chinese

Changchun Zhang
Instructor, Associate Director of the Chinese Language Program

Japanese Language Faculty at Haverford

Keiko Edmondson
Visiting Instructor of Japanese

Minako Kobayashi
Japanese Language Instructor

Yoko Koike
Senior Lecturer Emeritus of Japanese

Hiromi Koyama
Visiting Instructor of Japanese

Tetsuya Sato
Senior Lecturer and Director of Japanese Language Program

Kimiko Suzuki
Lecturer in Japanese

Yuka Usami 
Visiting Instructor of Japanese

Kei Walsh
Japanese Language Instructor

Courses

Courses in East Asian Languages and Cultures at Haverford

EALC H112  MYTH, FOLKLORE, AND LEGEND IN JAPAN  (1.0 Credit)

Hank Glassman

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts); B: Analysis of the Social World

An introduction to stories of the weird and supernatural in Japan and a reflection on genre and the scholarly enterprise of taxonomy-making. Readings from Buddhist miracle plays, early modern puppet drama, etc., supplemented by scholarly secondary sources.

EALC H126  GLOBAL ASIAN DIASPORAS  (1.0 Credit)

Ruodi Duan

Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World

This course examines the modern histories, politics, and cultures of Asian migration and diasporas, with a focus on American contexts. Between 1840 and 1940, Asian migrants—numbering in the tens of millions—set out in search of livelihoods and fortunes, especially in Southeast Asia and the Americas. We will look at how patterns of Asian migrations were propelled by and shaped world-historical dynamics including colonialism, globalization, racial formation, and the most contentious wars of the twentieth century. Crosslisted: EALC.

(Offered: Spring 2024)

EALC H132  JAPANESE CIVILIZATION  (1.0 Credit)

Hank Glassman

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts); B: Analysis of the Social World

A broad chronological survey of Japanese culture and society from the earliest times to the present, with special reference to such topics as belief, family, language, the arts, and sociopolitical organization. Readings include primary sources in English translation and secondary studies.

(Offered: Spring 2024)

EALC H201  INTRODUCTION TO BUDDHISM  (1.0 Credit)

Hank Glassman

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts); B: Analysis of the Social World

Focusing on the East Asian Buddhist tradition, the course examines Buddhist philosophy, doctrine and practice as textual traditions and as lived religion. Crosslisted: East Asian Languages & Cultures, Religion

(Offered: Fall 2023)

EALC H219  EAST ASIAN ART AND VISUAL CULTURE  (1.0 Credit)

Erin Schoneveld

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

This course examines the development of modern and contemporary art and visual culture in China, Japan and Korea from the early twentieth century to the present day, with a focus on photography, sculpture, painting, film, propaganda, and performance art. Enrollment limit 25

EALC H231  PRE-MODERN JAPANESE LITERATURE  (1.0 Credit)

Hank Glassman

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts); B: Analysis of the Social World

This is a course introducing classical and medieval Japanese literature, and also related performance traditions. No background in either East Asian culture or in the study of literature is required; all works will be read in English translation. (Advanced Japanese language students are invited to speak with the instructor about arranging to read some of the works in the original or in translation into modern Japanese.) The course is a chronological survey of Japanese literature from the tenth century to the fifteenth. It will focus on well-known texts like the Tale of Genji and the Pillow Book, both written by women, and the ballad-form Tale of the Heike.

(Offered: Fall 2023)

EALC H239  VISIONS OF JUSTICE: INTERSECTIONALITY AND LEGAL CONSCIOUSNESS IN ASIAN CINEMA  (1.0 Credit)

Emily Hong

Division: Social Science
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

This course aims to deepen our understanding of Asian law and society through independent films by Asian directors. We will analyze films that offer a window into individual and collective struggles for gender justice, freedom of expression, and environmental justice. Crosslisted: Visual Studies; Anthropology; East Asian Languages & Cultures; Peace, Justice and Human Rights

(Offered: Spring 2024)

EALC H247  DEATH AND THE AFTERLIFE IN EAST ASIAN RELIGIONS  (1.0 Credit)

Hank Glassman

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts); B: Analysis of the Social World

This course engages the rich textual and visual traditions of China, Korea, and Japan to illuminate funerary and memorial practices and explore the terrain of the next world. Students will learn about the culturally constructed nature of religious belief and come to see the complexity and diversity of the influences on understandings of life and death. The course is not a chronological survey, but rather alternates between modern and ancient narratives and practices to draw a picture of the relationship between the living and the dead as conceived in East Asian religions.

EALC H292  MATERIAL CULTURE IN CHINA  (1.0 Credit)

Division: Social Science
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts); B: Analysis of the Social World

This course offers an overview of China’s social, cultural and political history during the early modern and modern periods. But it does so by confronting material objects, placing them at the center of historical inquiry. We will investigate how material objects marked status and social distinction; how they served as expressions of gender, ethnic and class identity; and how during the modern period they morphed into symbolic tools of imperialist and nationalist projects. Crosslisted: EALC. Lottery Preference: History majors, EALC majors, sophomores

EALC H293  MANCHUS IN CHINA  (1.0 Credit)

Staff

Division: Social Science
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts); B: Analysis of the Social World

A history of Manchu rule in China, with a focus on the long eighteenth century. The course explores a variety of strategies that Manchu emperors deployed to legitimize their power and expand imperial control over the conquered territories. More broadly, the course offers the occasion to reflect on the legacy of Manchu rule in the history of the modern Chinese state. Crosslisted: EALC, HIST

EALC H294  WEALTH AND POVERTY IN CHINA AND THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE  (1.0 Credit)

Staff

Division: Social Science
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts); B: Analysis of the Social World

Drawing on the examples of China and the Ottoman Empire, this course explores the dynamics of two interconnected phenomena of the early modern period: 1) the rise of new court cultures and elite families, both of which relied on the conspicuous consumption of luxuries to mark status and power, and 2) the increasing visibility of poverty. The course embraces the methodologies of global microhistory, focusing on case studies while keeping abreast of the global context. Crosslisted: EALC. Lottery Preference: History and EALC/LAILS (as appropriate) majors/concentrators, followed by freshmen and sophomores.

EALC H295  CHINA IN THE WORLD, 1895-1921  (1.0 Credit)

Ruodi Duan

Division: Social Science
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts); B: Analysis of the Social World

We will read the history of late imperial and Republican China in global perspective, discerning ways in which world-historical dynamics—colonialism and anticolonialism, capitalist expansion and the Russian Revolution, World War I and the Treaty of Versailles—have shaped perceptions within and outside of China as to the nation’s place on the global stage. Attention is accorded not only to connections between China and the West, but also how Chinese nationalists engaged and imagined the colonized world. Crosslisted: EALC.

EALC H296  CHINA AND AFRICA: HISTORICAL ENCOUNTERS AND CONTEMPORARY LEGACIES  (1.0 Credit)

Ruodi Duan

Division: Social Science
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts); B: Analysis of the Social World

China's economic and cultural presence in Africa has expanded dramatically since 2000, especially after the launch of the “Belt and Road Initiative." But to understand the contemporary China-Africa relationship, it is essential to examine historical precedents. This course draws from scholarship, journalism, and culture to explore modes and implications of foreign aid, diverse experiences of travel and resettlement between China and Africa, and the role of race in past and present constructions of China-Africa relations. Crosslisted: EALC. Pre-requisite(s): N/A

EALC H297  SOCIAL PROTEST IN MODERN CHINA  (1.0 Credit)

Ruodi Duan

Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World

Since 1949, Chinese state policies have engendered diverse modes of resistance, and today, popular uprisings continue to challenge assumptions about passivity under authoritarianism. This course reads contemporary Chinese history through the lens of social protest. Major events we will examine include: contestations of rule in the early People’s Republic; the Cultural Revolution; the 1989 protests in Tiananmen Square; labor and rural resistance; the 2019-2020 demonstrations in Hong Kong; and most recently, the "A4 Revolution. Crosslisted: EALC.

(Offered: Fall 2023)

EALC H299  MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY JAPANESE LITERATURE AND FILM  (1.0 Credit)

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

This course explores important works within modern and contemporary Japanese literature as well as their filmic adaptations, from 1945 to the present. Topics include literary and cinematic representation of Japan’s war experience and postwar reconstruction, negotiation between traditional and modern Japanese aesthetics, confrontation with the state, and changing ideas regarding gender and sexuality. We explore these and other topics by analyzing texts of various genres, including film and film scripts, novels, short stories, manga, and academic essays.

EALC H303  WRITING EMPIRE: IMAGES OF COLONIAL AND POSTCOLONIAL “JAPAN”  (1.0 Credit)

Staff

Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts); B: Analysis of the Social World

This course will explore the development of Japanese and colonial identities in literature produced in and about Japan’s colonies during the first half of the 20th century. Throughout the semester, we will read works written during and about the Japanese empire by Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Okinawan, and Taiwanese writers. Looking at the different representations of empire, we will examine concepts such as assimilation, mimicry, hybridity, travel, and transculturation in the context of Japanese colonialism. Lottery Preference: EALC majors and minors

EALC H316  EAST ASIA'S COLD WAR  (1.0 Credit)

Ruodi Duan

Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World

Far beyond a time of geopolitical tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union, the Cold War was a global phenomenon with many violent battlegrounds. This course examines East Asian histories of the “long Cold War,” from 1945 to the present, with a focus on China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. We will read East Asia’s Cold War—through scholarship, film, and literature—as a struggle for national redefinition and cultural renewal in the aftermath of empire. Crosslisted: EALC.

(Offered: Spring 2024)

EALC H335  JAPANESE MODERNISMS ACROSS MEDIA  (1.0 Credit)

Staff

Division: Humanities

This curatorial seminar examines the technological shifts and cultural transformations that have shaped Japanese artistic production and practice from the early 20th-century through the present day. Readings from pre-modern through contemporary sources, film screenings, and museum field trips, will be included. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or higher. Enrollment limited to 15 students.

EALC H346  RACE AND ETHNICITY IN MODERN EAST ASIA  (1.0 Credit)

Ruodi Duan

Division: Social Science
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts); B: Analysis of the Social World

Do East Asian notions of race and ethnicity extend from Western conceptualizations, or are they informed by indigenous traditions? How have racial and ethnic identities figured into popular imaginations of nationhood? Where does race begin and the nation end? This seminar examines race and ethnic constructs in East Asia through the twentieth century. We will draw from interdisciplinary scholarship to understand how national majority and minority identities have been categorized and reified across East Asia. Crosslisted: EALC.

EALC H347  TOPICS IN EAST ASIAN HISTORY: THE ART OF GOVERNANCE IN HIGH QING CHINA  (1.0 Credit)

Staff

Division: Social Science
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts); B: Analysis of the Social World

This seminar explores the cultural operations of state agencies during China’s long eighteenth-century, as they unfolded in bureaucratic and legal systematization, knowledge making, textual production, bodily performances and gestures, the taxonomization of space, people, and material objects, and the representation of social, gender and ethnic identities, among others. We will ask: How did governing elites structure the social world and translate it into administrative language and practice? What strategies of representation and technologies of rule did they develop to enhance their capacity for control and their ability to grasp the complexities of the territories and people under their governance? Crosslisted: History, East Asian Languages & Cultures Prerequisite(s): Sophomore standing and above or instructor consent.

EALC H370  ADVANCED TOPICS IN BUDDHIST STUDIES  (1.0 Credit)

Hank Glassman

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts); B: Analysis of the Social World

Advanced course on a topic chosen annually by instructor. The purpose of this course is to give students with a basic background in Buddhist Studies deeper conversancy with a particular textual, thematic, or practice tradition in the history of Buddhism. Prerequisite(s): EALC 201 or instructor consent

EALC H398  SENIOR SEMINAR  (1.0 Credit)

Hank Glassman, Yonglin Jiang

Division: Humanities

A semester-long research workshop culminating in the writing and presentation of a senior thesis. Required of all majors;

Courses in East Asian Languages and Cultures at Bryn Mawr

EALC B110  INTRO TO CHINESE LITERATURE (IN ENGLISH)  (1.0 Credit)

Students will study a wide range of texts from the beginnings through the Qing dynasty. The course focuses on the genres of poetry, prose, fiction and drama, and considers how both the forms and their content overlap and interact. Taught in English.

EALC B131  CHINESE CIVILIZATION  (1.0 Credit)

Yonglin Jiang

Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World

A broad chronological survey of Chinese culture and society from the Bronze Age to the 1800s, with special reference to such topics as belief, family, language, the arts and sociopolitical organization. Readings include primary sources in English translation and secondary studies.

(Offered: Spring 2024)

EALC B200  MAJOR SEMINAR: METHODS AND APPROACHES  (1.0 Credit)

Yonglin Jiang

Division: Humanities

This course is a writing intensive course for EALC majors and minors to introduce some foundational ideas and concepts in the study of East Asia. Beginning with close readings of primary source texts, students are introduced to the philosophy and culture of China, and its subsequent transmission and adaptation across the vast geographical area that is commonly referred to as “East Asia.” Students will gain familiarity with methods in this interdisciplinary field and develop skills in the practice of close critical analysis, bibliography, and the formulation of a research topic. Required of EALC majors and minors. Majors should take this course before the senior year. Prerequisite: One year of Chinese or Japanese.

(Offered: Spring 2024)

EALC B215  INTRODUCTION TO KOREAN CULTURE AND SOCIETY  (1.0 Credit)

Youngji Son

This course offers an introductory survey of Korean culture and society, focusing on major transformations and continuities during the modern period. Students will investigate various themes essential to comprehending Korea, such as Confucianism, modernization, colonialism, nationalism, industrialization, democratization, gender relations, US-Korea relations, and contemporary popular culture. In addition to class lectures, the course utilizes audio-visual materials, films, and slides to enhance the learning experience. No prior knowledge of Korea or Korean language is required.

(Offered: Fall 2023)

EALC B240  TOPICS IN CHINESE FILM  (1.0 Credit)

Shiamin Kwa

This is a topics course. Course content varies.

EALC B263  THE CHINESE REVOLUTION  (1.0 Credit)

Yonglin Jiang

Division: Social Science

Places the causes and consequences of the 20th century revolutions in historical perspective, by examining its late-imperial antecedents and tracing how the revolution has (and has not) transformed China, including the lives of such key revolutionary supporters as the peasantry, women, and intellectuals.

EALC B264  HUMAN RIGHTS IN CHINA  (1.0 Credit)

Yonglin Jiang

Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World

This course will examine China’s human rights issues from a historical perspective. The topics include diverse perspectives on human rights, historical background, civil rights, religious practice, justice system, education, as well as the problems concerning some social groups such as migrant laborers, women, ethnic minorities and peasants.

EALC B270  TOPICS IN CHINESE HISTORY  (1.0 Credit)

Yanhong Wu

This is a topics course, course content varies.

(Offered: Fall 2023)

EALC B281  FOOD IN TRANSLATION: THEORY AND PRACTICE  (1.0 Credit)

Shiamin Kwa

This semester we will explore the connections between what we eat and how we define ourselves in the context of global culture. We will proceed from the assumption that food is an object of culture, and that our contemplation of its transformations and translations in production, preparation, consumption, and distribution will inform our notions of personal and group identity. This course takes Chinese food as a case study, and examines the way that Chinese food moves from its host country to diasporic communities all over the world, using theories of translation as our theoretical and empirical foundation. From analyzing menu and ingredient translations to producing a short film based on interviews, we will consider the relationship between food and communication in a multilingual and multicultural world. Readings include theoretical texts on translation (Apter), recipe books and menus, Chinese and Chinese-American literature (Classic of Poetry, Mo Yan, Hong Kingston). Films include Ian Cheney's "Searching for General Tso," Wayne Wang's "Soul of a Banquet" and "Eat a Bowl of Tea," Ang Li's "Eat Drink Man Woman," and Wong Karwai's "In the Mood for Love."

EALC B322  TOPICS: CONSIDERING THE DREAM OF RED CHAMBERS  (1.0 Credit)

Shiamin Kwa

The Dream of Red Chambers (Hongloumeng) is arguably the most important novel in Chinese literary history. The novel tells the story of the waxing and waning of fortunes of the Jia family and their networks of family and social relations, and in its finely articulated details also serves as a chronicle of the Qing dynasty, an examination of visual culture, environment, kinship, sociology, economics, religious and cultural beliefs, and the structures of domestic life. In addition to addressing these aspects that we might categorize as external, the novel also turns inwards and examines the human heart and mind. How can we know another? How do we define ourselves? These questions, and many others, have occupied scholars for the last two centuries. We will spend the semester reading all five volumes of the David Hawkes translation, with secondary readings assigned to guide the discussion based on the semester's theme. Course topics varies.

EALC B325  TOPICS IN CHINESE HISTORY AND CULTURE  (1.0 Credit)

Yanhong Wu

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

This is a topics course. Course content varies.

(Offered: Fall 2023)

EALC B353  THE ENVIRONMENT ON CHINA'S FRONTIERS  (1.0 Credit)

Yonglin Jiang

Division: Social Science

This seminar explores environmental issues on China’s frontiers from a historical perspective. It focuses on the particular relationship between the environment and the frontier, examining how these two variables have interacted. The course will deal with the issues such as the relationship between the environment and human ethnic and cultural traditions, social movements, economic growth, political and legal institutions and practices, and changing perceptions. The frontier regions under discussion include Tibet, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, and the southwestern ethnic areas, which are all important in defining what China is and who the Chinese are.

(Offered: Spring 2024)

EALC B355  ANIMALS, VEGETABLES, MINERALS IN EAST ASIAN LITERATURE & FILM  (1.0 Credit)

Shiamin Kwa

Division: Humanities

This semester, we will explore how artists question, explore, celebrate, and critique the relationships between humans and the environment. Through a topics-focused course, students will examine the ways that narratives about environment have shaped the way that humans have defined themselves. We will be reading novels and short stories and viewing films that contest conventional binaries of man and animal, civilization and nature, tradition and technology, and even truth and fiction. “Animals, Vegetables, Minerals” does not follow chronological or geographical frameworks, but chooses texts that engage the three categories enumerated as the major themes of our course. We will read and discuss animal theory, theories of place and landscape, and theories of modernization or mechanization; and there will be frequent (and intentional) overlap between these categories. We will also be watching films that extend our theoretical questions of thes e themes beyond national, linguistic, and generic borders. You are expected to view this course as a collaborative process in which you share responsibility for leading discussion. There are no prerequisites or language expectations, but students should have some basic knowledge of East Asian, especially Sinophone, history and culture, or be willing to do some additional reading (suggested by the instructor) to achieve an adequate contextual background for exploring these texts.

EALC B398  SENIOR SEMINAR  (1.0 Credit)

Shiamin Kwa

Division: Humanities

A research workshop culminating in the writing and presentation of a senior thesis. Required of all majors; open to concentrators and others by permission.

(Offered: Fall 2023)

Chinese Courses at Haverford

CNSE H201  ADVANCED CHINESE: FOOD AND FOOD PRODUCTION  (1.0 Credit)

Shizhe Huang

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

The courses in the “Advanced Chinese” series are the culmination of language training in the Bi-College Chinese program. Students can repeat such courses in the series with different topics. Prerequisite(s): Third-year Chinese or instructor consent

(Offered: Fall 2023)

CNSE H202  ADVANCED CHINESE: LIVING AND DYING CHINESE CONCEPTS AND PRACTICES  (1.0 Credit)

Shizhe Huang

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

The courses in the “Advanced Chinese” series are the culmination of language training in the Bi-college Chinese program. Students can repeat such courses in the series with different topics. Students are expected to be proactive and independent learners to advance their Chinese competency in speaking, listening, reading, and writing under close supervision of the instructor. Prerequisite(s):Third year Chinese or instructor consent

(Offered: Spring 2024)

CNSE H480  INDEPENDENT STUDY  (0.5 Credit)

Shizhe Huang

(Offered: Fall 2023)

Chinese Courses at Bryn Mawr

CNSE B001  INTENSIVE FIRST-YEAR CHINESE  (1.5 Credits)

Lan Yang, Ying Liu

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

An intensive introductory course in modern spoken and written Chinese. The development of oral-aural skills is integrated through grammar explanations and drill sessions designed to reinforce new material through active practice. Six hours a week of lecture and oral practice plus one-on-one sessions with the instructor. This is a year-long course; both semesters are required for credit. Requires attendance at class and drills.

(Offered: Fall 2023)

CNSE B002  INTENSIVE FIRST-YEAR CHINESE  (1.5 Credits)

Ying Liu

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

An intensive introductory course in modern spoken and written Chinese. The development of oral-aural skills is integrated through grammar explanations and drill sessions designed to reinforce new material through active practice. Six hours a week of lecture and oral practice plus one-on-one sessions with the instructor. This is a year-long course; both semesters are required for credit. Attendance required at class and drills

(Offered: Spring 2024)

CNSE B003  SECOND-YEAR CHINESE  (1.0 Credit)

Changchun Zhang, Lan Yang

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

Second-Year Chinese aims for further development of language skills in speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Five hours of class plus individual conference. This is a year-long course; both semesters (CNSE 003 and 004) are required for credit. Prerequisite: First-year Chinese or a passing score on the Placement Exam. Requires attendance at class and drills

(Offered: Fall 2023)

CNSE B004  SECOND-YEAR CHINESE  (1.0 Credit)

Changchun Zhang, Lan Yang, Staff

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

Second-year Chinese aims for further development of language skills in speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Five hours of class plus individual conference. This is a year-long course; both semesters (CNSE 003 and 004) are required for credit. Prerequisite(s): First-year Chinese or a passing score on the Placement Exam. Attendance required at class and drills. Prerequisite(s): CNSE 003

(Offered: Spring 2024)

CNSE B007  FIRST-YEAR CHINESE NON-INTENSIVE  (1.0 Credit)

Changchun Zhang

This course is designed for students who have some facility in listening, speaking, reading and writing Chinese but have not yet achieved sufficient proficiency to take Second Year Chinese. It is a year-long course that covers the same lessons as the intensive First Year Chinese, but the class meets only three hours a week. Students must place into Chinese B007 through the Chinese Language Placement exam.

(Offered: Fall 2023)

CNSE B008  FIRST YEAR CHINESE (NON-INTENSIVE)  (1.0 Credit)

Lan Yang

This course is designed for students who have some facility in listening, speaking, reading and writing Chinese but have not yet achieved sufficient proficiency to take Second Year Chinese. It is a year-long course that covers the same lessons as the intensive First Year Chinese, but the class meets only three hours a week. Prerequisite: CNSE B007

(Offered: Spring 2024)

CNSE B101  THIRD-YEAR CHINESE  (1.0 Credit)

Ying Liu

Division: Humanities

A focus on overall language skills through reading and discussion of modern short essays, as well as on students’ facility in written and oral expression Audio- and videotapes of drama and films are used as study aids. Prerequisite(s): Second-year Chinese or consent of instructor

(Offered: Fall 2023)

CNSE B102  THIRD-YEAR CHINESE  (1.0 Credit)

Ying Liu

Division: Humanities

A focus on overall language skills through reading and discussion of modern short essays, as well as on students’ facility in written and oral expression. Audio- and videotapes of drama and films are used as study aids. Prerequisite(s): CNSE 101

(Offered: Spring 2024)

CNSE B403  SUPERVISED WORK  (1.0 Credit)

Changchun Zhang

Division: Humanities

Japanese Courses

JNSE H001  FIRST-YEAR JAPANESE (INTENSIVE)  (1.5 Credits)

Kei Walsh, Minako Kobayashi, Tetsuya Sato, Yuka Usami Casey

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

Class meets six hours per week. Students must register for sections 1, 2 or 3 and A, B or C. An introduction to the four basic skills (reading, writing, speaking, and listening), with special emphasis on the development of conversational fluency in socio-cultural contexts. This is a year-long course; both semesters (001 & 002) are required for credit.

(Offered: Fall 2023)

JNSE H002  FIRST-YEAR JAPANESE (INTENSIVE)  (1.5 Credits)

Kei Walsh, Minako Kobayashi, Tetsuya Sato, Yuka Usami Casey

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

Class meets six hours per week. Students must register for sections 1, 2 or 3 and A, B or C. An introduction to the four basic skills (reading, writing, speaking, and listening), with special emphasis on the development of conversational fluency in socio-cultural contexts. This is a year-long course; both semesters (001&002) are required for credit.

(Offered: Spring 2024)

JNSE H003  SECOND-YEAR JAPANESE  (1.0 Credit)

Kimiko Suzuki, Yuka Usami Casey

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

Class meets five hours per week. Students must register for sections 1 or 2 and A or B. A continuation of first-year Japanese, with a focus on the further development of oral proficiency, along with reading and writing skills. (Students are not required to take both semesters.) Prerequisite(s): First-year Japanese or equivalent or instructor consent

(Offered: Fall 2023)

JNSE H004  SECOND-YEAR JAPANESE  (1.0 Credit)

Kimiko Suzuki, Yuka Usami Casey

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

Class meets five hours per week. Students must register for sections 1 or 2 and A or B. A continuation of first-year Japanese, with a focus on the further development of oral proficiency, along with reading and writing skills. (Students are not required to take both semesters.) Prerequisite(s): JNSE 003 or equivalent or instructor consent

(Offered: Spring 2024)

JNSE H101  THIRD-YEAR JAPANESE  (1.0 Credit)

Tetsuya Sato

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

Class meets three hours per week. A continuation of language study with further development of oral proficiency and reading/writing skills. Emphasis on reading and discussing simple texts. Advanced study of grammar and kanji; more training in opinion essay and report writing. Additional oral practice outside of the classroom expected. Prerequisite(s): JNSE 004 or equivalent or instructor consent

(Offered: Fall 2023)

JNSE H102  THIRD-YEAR JAPANESE  (1.0 Credit)

Kimiko Suzuki

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

Class meets three hours per week. A continuation of language study with further development of oral proficiency and reading/writing skills. Emphasis on reading and discussing simple texts. Advanced study of grammar and kanji; more training in opinion essay and report writing. Additional oral practice outside of the classroom expected. Prerequisite(s): JNSE 101 or equivalent or instructor consent

(Offered: Spring 2024)

JNSE H201  ADVANCED JAPANESE  (1.0 Credit)

Kimiko Suzuki

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

Class meets three hours per week. Continued training in modern Japanese, with particular emphasis on reading texts, mastery of the kanji, and expansion of vocabulary. Explores a variety of genres and text types using authentic materials. Prerequisite(s): JNSE 102 or equivalent or instructor consent

(Offered: Fall 2023)

JNSE H480  INDEPENDENT STUDY  (1.0 Credit)

Tetsuya Sato

(Offered: Fall 2023)

JNSE H480F  INDEPENDENT STUDY  (1.0 Credit)

Tetsuya Sato

(Offered: Fall 2023)