DEPARTMENT COURSES
ASIAN AND MIDDLE EASTERN LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES (AMELL)
7. First-Year Seminars in Asian and Middle Eastern Languages and Literatures
Consult special listings
17. Discourse, Culture and Identity in Asia and the Middle East (Identical to Linguistics 50)
07F, 08F: 10A
This course introduces theories of discourse, communication and sociolinguistics and illustrates how Asian and Middle Eastern cultures employ language to construct and reflect values, identities and institutions, to negotiate relationships, and to perform actions (such as ending a phone call, apologizing, worshipping and writing a scientific paper). Particular attention will be paid to uses of orality and literacy, to gender and ethnicity, and to the social and material contexts in which language and literature operate.
Open to all classes. Dist: SOC or INT; WCult: NW. Glinert.
85. Independent Research
All terms: Arrange
Under the direction of members of the faculty. Students should consult with a member of the faculty in the term preceding the term in which the independent work is to be done.
87. Honors Thesis
All terms: Arrange
Open only to AMELL majors who are participating in the Honors Program. See guidelines under ‘Honors Program.’
ARABIC LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE
1-2-3. First-Year Courses in Arabic
1. 07F, 08F: 9S
2. 08W, 09W: 9S
3. 08S, 09S: 9S
An introduction to written and spoken Modern Standard Arabic (MSA). In addition to mastering the basics of grammar, emphasis is placed on active functional communication in the language, reading comprehension, and listening comprehension. Mandatory apprentice-teacher-run drill sessions meet four times/week (4 hours/week) for all beginning Arabic language classes. Never serve in partial satisfaction of Distributive or World Culture requirements. The staff.
10. Introduction to Arab Culture (Identical to Asian and Middle Eastern Studies 4, pending faculty approval)
08S, 09S: 12
This course will provide a broad introduction to the historical, literary, artistic, and popular cultures of the Middle East, from pre- and early Islamic times to the present. The aim of the course is to give students an appreciation of Arab and Arabo-Islamic culture, but also to examine ways in which prevailing historical, political, economic and social conditions have impacted cultural production and expression in the Middle East. Sources and texts will include, but not be limited to, selections from the Quran, hadith, Arabic poetry and literature, historical chronicles, and film. Dist: LIT; WCult: NW. Abouali.
11. Special Topics in Arabic Studies
08X, 09X: D.F.S.P. (Dartmouth in Morocco)
WCult: NW. The staff.
22, 23. Intermediate Modern Arabic
08X, 09X: D.L.S.A.+ (Dartmouth in Morocco)
A continuation of the fundamentals of grammar and further acquisition of spoken communication skills, aural comprehension, and proficiency in reading and writing. This is an intensive course that integrates the FSP homestays and the local environment into course materials. Students will be expected to master a wide variety of reading and video materials. WCult: NW. The staff.
24. Formal Spoken Arabic
Not offered in the period from 07F through 09S
This course provides training in Formal Spoken Arabic (FSA) with some attention to divergences of certain Arabic dialects. FSA is a register that encompasses interdialectical features as well as features of Modern Standard Arabic. The course emphasizes the functional and situational aspects of language. In addition to standard drills, students engage in structured and semi-structured speaking activities as well as content-based language activities built around regional topics. Prerequisite: Arabic 3 or equivalent. Dist: LIT; WCult: NW. Kadhim.
31-33. Advanced Arabic
31. 07F, 08F: 10A
32. 08W, 09W: 10A
Students will make the transition to true proficiency in Standard Arabic by relying primarily on authentic Arabic texts and audiovisual materials to a much greater degree. Students will be exposed to, and expected to master a wide variety of different kinds of texts, including, but not limited to, excerpts of classical poetry, classical prose, excerpts from the Quran, current newspaper articles, modern fiction, and essays from journals. Dist: LIT; WCult: NW. The staff.
59. Independent Advanced Study in Arabic Language and Literature
All terms except summer: Arrange
Available to students who wish to do advanced or independent study in Arabic. The student must get permission from the faculty member with whom he or she wishes to work. Dist: LIT; WCult: NW. The staff.
Courses numbered 61 through 63 are literature-in-translation courses, not requiring Arabic.
61. Topics in Modern Arabic Literature and Culture
07F: 2A
This course is an introduction to the study of modern Arabic literature through readings and discussion of key texts in prose and poetry from the 19th and 20th centuries. Each offering of the course will be organized around a particular author, genre, theme, or period. Topics may include, inter alia, the question of tradition and modernity, the construction of an Arab national identity, the colonial encounter, post-coloniality, and the status of women in Arab society. The course is conducted entirely in English. May be repeated for credit if topic varies. Courses listed under Arabic 61 are open to students of all classes.
In 07F, Modern Arabic Fiction. This course is an introduction to twentieth century fiction across the Arab world. Looking at works from North Africa to the Middle East, we will examine how Arab writers and filmmakers have dealt with such themes as nationalism, immigration, freedom, sexuality, war, violence, and religion. Authors include Tayyib Salih, Mohamed Choukri, Ghassan Kanafani, Tahar Wattar, and Hanah al-Shaykh, among others. No knowledge of Arabic is required. Dist: LIT; WCult: NW. Smolin.
62. Topics in Classical Arabic Literature and Culture
08F: 2
Classical Arabic literature spans over thirteen centuries from pre-Islamic times until the advent of the modern Arab “renaissance” in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Among the outstanding products of this literature are the famed pre-Islamic qasidahs, the adab works of the Abbasid al-Jahiz, the maqamas of al-Hariri, the exquisite lyrics of the Andalusian Ibn Zaydun, and the celebrated One Thousand and One Nights. Each offering of the course will focus on a particular author, genre, theme, or period. The course is conducted entirely in English. May be repeated for credit if topic varies. Courses listed under Arabic 62 are open to students of all classes.
In 08F, The Arabian Nights East and West (Identical to Comparative Literature 35). An introduction to Arabo-Islamic culture through its most accessible and popular exponent, One Thousand and One Nights. The course will take this masterpiece of world literature as the focal point for a multidisciplinary literary study. It will cover the genesis of the text from Indian and Mediterranean antecedents, its Arabic recensions, its reception in the West, and its influence on European literature. The course will be taught in English in its entirety. No prerequisites. Dist: LIT or INT; WCult: NW. Kadhim.
63. Themes in Arabic Literature and Culture
09W: 12
Arabic literature is widely regarded as the foremost intellectual and artistic accomplishment of the Arabs. In the course of over fourteen centuries of vigorous literary activity, Arab poets and writers have elaborated a set of themes which inform Arabo-Islamic culture in profound ways. Offerings of this course might range from the examination of a particular theme to broader comparative studies. The course is conducted entirely in English. May be repeated for credit if topic varies. Courses listed under Arabic 63 are open to students of all classes and, unless otherwise noted, will satisfy the following General Education requirements: Dist: LIT; WCult: NW.
In 09W, Society, Culture, and Gender in the Middle East. This course will examine the ways in which society, culture, and gender intersect and give shape to various institutions and ideologies in the Arab Middle East. The role of women in Islamic and Middle Eastern society will be looked at in historical perspective, and will serve as the primary lens through which Middle Eastern society, aspects of its culture, and the constructions of gender will be explored. We will examine topics such as family, marriage and divorce, sexuality, colonialism, and nationalism through a variety of historical and literary texts and visual media. The course will be taught in English in its entirety. Familiarity with Middle Eastern history or Islam is helpful, but not required. Dist: LIT; WCult: NW. Abouali.
Courses numbered 81 or above are advanced seminar courses.
81. Topics in Arabic Literature and Culture
Not offered in the period from 07F through 09S
This seminar is designed to examine closely literary and cultural texts employing theoretical and historical sources. Topics vary but might range from studies of individual authors to broader comparative themes. Dist: LIT; WCult: NW.
1-2-3. First-Year Courses in Chinese: Beginning Chinese
1. 07F, 08F: 9S, 10+
2. 08W, 09W: 9S, 10+
3. 08S, 09S: 9S, 10+
An introduction to spoken and written Modern Standard Chinese. Conversational drill and comprehension exercises in classroom and laboratory provide practice in pronunciation and the use of the basic patterns of speech. Intensive reading is conducted for textbook lessons. Grammar is explained and written exercises given. Traditional characters are learned in Chinese 1 and 2; simplified characters are introduced in Chinese 3. Classes are conducted increasingly in Chinese. Mandatory student-run drill sessions meet Monday to Thursday for fifty minutes each day for all beginning Chinese language classes.
Satisfactory completion of Chinese 3 fulfills the language requirement. Never serve in partial satisfaction of Distributive or World Culture requirements. Blader, Rudelson.
4. Advanced Beginning Chinese
07F, 08F: 11, 12
This course is designed for students with varying, minimal levels of competence in speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Weekly class hours include four or five fifty-minute sessions with the master teacher and up to four fifty-minute drill and/or conversation sessions. There are weekly exams, a midterm, and a final, as well as writing assignments, oral presentations, and supplementary work assigned as needed. This course is intended to achieve two goals: 1) to help students equalize their levels of the required speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills; 2) to allow them to raise these levels and thereby significantly increase their understanding of Modern Standard Chinese. Chinese 4 is an accelerated first-year course.
Satisfactory completion of Chinese 4 places the student into the 20-level series. Students who plan to use this course to fulfill the language requirement may not take it under the Non-Recording Option. Never serves in partial satisfaction of Distributive or World Culture requirements. A. Li.
10. Introduction to Chinese Culture (Identical to AMES 12)
08W, 09W: 12
The aim of this course is to provide students with a basic knowledge and appreciation of Chinese culture. The course will examine the development of traditional Chinese culture from the earliest Chinese dynasties, dating back more than 3500 years, to the present day. Through readings of literary texts in translation students will be introduced to topics in language, history, literature and art, philosophy and social and political institutions. The course is open to students of all classes. It is required for participation in the FSP and for the major. Dist: LIT; WCult: NW. Blader.
11. Special Topics in Chinese Studies
07F, 08X, 08F, 09X: D.F.S.P. (Dartmouth in China)
WCult: NW. The staff.
FSP Language Courses: 22-23, 31-32, 41-42. Intermediate or advanced Modern Chinese (please see description under “Dartmouth Foreign Study Program in Beijing”)
07F, 08X, 08F, 09X: D.F.S.P. (Dartmouth in China)
WCult: NW. The staff.
22-23. Intermediate Modern Chinese (Second-year level)
22. 08W, 09W: 11, 12
23. 08S, 09S: 11
Chinese 22 and 23 covers a full second-year level course, using the textbook Integrated Chinese, Level Two and a variety of other materials. The course is designed for students who have completed Chinese 4 or Chinese 21 or the equivalent. Students who have only completed Chinese 3 may be eligible for this course with permission of the instructor. Class hours include four or five fifty-minute sessions with the master teacher and up to four fifty-minute drill and/or conversation sessions. There are weekly exams, a midterm, and a final, as well as writing assignments, oral presentations, and supplementary work assigned as needed. This series is intended to raise the student’s levels in speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills and, thereby, significantly increase their understanding of Modern Standard Chinese. Dist: LIT; WCult: NW. A. Li, Lü.
31-32-33. Advanced Modern Chinese (Third-year level)
31. 07F, 08F: 11
32. 08W, 09W 11
33. 08S, 09S. 11
This series may be taken non-sequentially, and any single course repeated, if content is different. Readings will be selected from literary, political, and historical publications. There will be regular exams, writing exercises, oral presentations, and supplementary work assigned as needed.
Prerequisite: Chinese 23 or permission of the instructor. Dist: LIT; WCult: NW. Lü, the staff.
41. Advanced Chinese (Fourth-year level)
08X, 09X: 12
Advanced readings from literary, political, and historical publications. The course will be conducted entirely in Chinese, with an emphasis on oral and written expression.
Prerequisite: Two third-year level Chinese courses or permission of the instructor. Dist: LIT; WCult: NW. Lü, the staff.
42. Advanced Chinese (Fourth-year level)
07F, 08F: 12
A progression of materials from Chinese 41.
Prerequisite: Two third-year level Chinese courses or permission of the instructor. Dist: LIT; WCult: NW. Lü, the staff.
43. Advanced Chinese (Fourth-year level)
08W, 09W: 12
A progression of materials from Chinese 42.
Prerequisite: Two third-year level Chinese courses or permission of the instructor. Dist: LIT; WCult: NW. Lü, the staff.
51. Introduction to Classical Chinese
08W, 09W: 10A
An introduction to the basic grammar and vocabulary of the Classical Chinese language using examples from a selection of texts from the Warring States Period.
Prerequisite: First-year Chinese. This course serves as a requirement for students wishing to major in the Chinese language and literature track. Dist: LIT; WCult: NW. Allan.
52. Readings in Classical Chinese: Daoist Philosophical Texts
Not offered in the period from 07F through 09S
Readings in the Daoist classics, such as the Laozi Daodejing and Zhuangzi. Readings will be in the original Chinese. Emphasis will be placed on key philosophical issues, such as the meaning of the Way in Daoist texts and the relationship of language to thought.
Prerequisite: Chinese 51. Chinese 52 may be considered a non-language course. Dist: LIT; WCult: NW. Allan.
53. Readings in Classical Chinese: Confucian Philosophical Texts
08S, 09S: 10A
Readings in the Confucian classics, primarily Mencius and Xunzi. Readings will be in the original Chinese. Emphasis will be placed on key philosophical issues, such as the concept of kingship in ancient China and the debate on human nature.
Prerequisite: Chinese 51. Chinese 53 may be considered a non-language course with approval of the advisor. Dist: LIT; WCult: NW. Allan.
59. Independent Advanced Study in Chinese Language and Literature
All terms: Arrange
Available to students who wish to do advanced or independent study in Chinese. Chinese 59 may be considered a non-language course with approval of the advisor. Dist: LIT; WCult: NW. The staff.
Courses numbered 61 through 63 are literature-in-translation courses, not requiring Chinese.
61. Topics in Modern Chinese Literature and Culture
08F: 12
Following the definition generally accepted by the Chinese themselves, “modern” in this context refers to two large periods: that preceding the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, and that following 1949. The former (i.e., xiandai) can be pushed as far back as the Opium War of 1839-42, and the latter (i.e., dangdai) can be extended to “today”. Courses offered under this rubric examine the main literary and cultural phenomena and events taking place in China (including Taiwan and Hongkong) over this period of one and a half centuries. Courses listed under Chinese 61 are open to students of all classes.
In 08F, Literature and Revolution in 20th Century China. The revolutionary literature of 20th century China may be approached as fruitfully from the sociological point of view as from the literary one. This course will examine short stories, novels, plays, and poems in the context of their function as a political tool of the Chinese revolution. The methodology used will be developed in the first weeks of the course through extensive readings of western and translated Chinese theoretical sources, such as Marx and Engels’ The Communist Manifesto, Mao Zedong’s The Yenan Forum on Literature and Art, Leon Trotsky’s ‘On Literature and Art,’ and other works. Among the Chinese authors to be studied in English translation are Lu Xun, Cao Yu, Ding Ling, Lao She, Wang Anyi, and many others. The goal of this course is to reach a deeper understanding of the role of the artist and the art work in a communist society. Dist: LIT; WCult: NW. Blader.
62. Topics in Traditional Chinese Literature and Culture
08S, 09W, 09S: 2A
Traditional Chinese literature ranges from the earliest examples, divinations inscribed on turtle plastrons and ox scapulae dating back more than 3000 years, to the popular knight-errant novels of the early 19th century. The Opium War of 1839-42 is taken as the cut off point for courses in this topic category, which considers cultural as well as literary themes. Courses reflect the interests and expertise of the teaching staff and include early Chinese culture, the development of the Chinese script, historical prose, fiction and drama, poetry, and oral literature. Courses under this rubric are defined by historical period and/or literary genres. Courses listed under Chinese 62 are open to students of all classes.
In 08S and 09W, Early Chinese Culture (Identical to History 73). A survey of early Chinese culture. The literary tradition will be taken as the primary evidence in the reconstruction and students will read early Chinese poetry and historical texts in translation. This tradition will then be examined in the light of new evidence from archaeological excavations, concerning the material culture of ancient China, and from ancient inscriptions. Dist: LIT; WCult: NW. Allan.
63. Themes in Chinese Literature and Culture
07F: 12
Courses under this rubric will provide the student with a comprehensive view of the most frequently occurring themes in Chinese literary writings from the second millennium B.C.E. to the present. The most prominent among these themes are love (patriotic, familial, romantic, and platonic) and social protest. Individual literary genres in China have traditionally been associated, in a general way, with historical/dynastic periods. Therefore, tracing the evolution, for example, of the theme of romantic love will lead the student through the multiplicity of ways that an idea can be transformed by diverse literary mediums and different historical periods. In reaching a fundamental understanding through literature of the Chinese way of looking at a specific idea as it evolved over time, we will understand better the uniqueness of both Chinese values and institutions and their Western counterparts. Courses listed under Chinese 63 are open to students of all classes.
In 07F, Storytelling in China. This course attempts to provide the student with both a general understanding of the nature of oral, performed narrative and a specific grasp of the pre-modern and contemporary oral tradition in China. The course naturally divides itself into three parts: readings in English, from both the general folklore tradition and performance theory specifically, and from the history of Chinese oral performed narrative; analysis of videotaped performances from among China’s most renowned storytellers; and the creation and performance of three versions of a short narrative in English. Dist: LIT; WCult: NW. Blader.
Courses numbered 81 or above are advanced seminar courses.
81. Lu Xun and Hu Shi
09S: 11
Through the writings of Lu Xun (1881-1936) and Hu Shi (1891-1962), two of the most important scholar-writers of the twentieth century, this course will examine several issues that were raised during the first two decades of this century by Chinese intellectuals who felt an acute, ever-increasing inadequacy of their own cultural heritage in the face of Western democracy and technological and scientific advancements. Those issues, raised more than seven decades ago, have persistently engaged the central attention of modern Chinese intellectuals, and include discussions of China’s modernization (or Westernization) and of China’s vernacular language movement, debates about various political and social philosophies, questions surrounding the so-called new culture movement, and other such issues. The seminar will be conducted in English; however, readings will include several original articles in Chinese. Permission of instructor required. Dist: LIT; WCult: NW. Mowry.
82. Chinese Poetry
Not offered in the period from 07F through 09S
This course will provide the student with an in-depth examination of the Chinese poetic tradition of more than three thousand years. Main focus: a close reading of representative poetic works in the original, with critical exploration of Chinese poetics, in both Chinese and English. Dist: LIT; WCult: NW.
83. Topics in Chinese Literature and Culture
Not offered in the period from 07F through 09S
Key Concepts of Confucian and Daoist Philosophical Thought. In this course, we will examine the imagery at the root of certain key concepts, such as the Way (dao), non-action (wu wei), the mind/heart (xin), energy/ether/breath (qi), in early Chinese philosophy, and explore the relationship between these images and the structure of early Chinese philosophical thought. Students will do some reading in metaphor theory, as well as of early Chinese philosophical texts, such as the Analects, the Mencius, Laozi Daodejing, and Zhuangzi. Dist: LIT; WCult: NW.
HEBREW LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE
1-2-3. First-Year Courses in Modern Hebrew
1. 07F, 08F: 2
2. 08W, 09W: 2
3. 08S, 09S: 2
An introduction to spoken and written Modern Israeli Hebrew (MIH). In addition to mastering the basics of grammar, emphasis is placed on active functional communication in the language, reading comprehension, and listening comprehension. Mandatory student-run drill sessions meet four times/week for one hour (4 hours/week) for all beginning Hebrew language classes. Never serve in partial satisfaction of Distributive or World Culture requirements. Ben Yehuda.
10. Introduction to Hebrew and Israeli Culture (Identical to AMES 17 and Jewish Studies 16)
08S, 09S: 10A
This course is interdisciplinary, exploring the interaction of Hebrew literature, film, music, religion and society. For millenia, Hebrew has had a unique spiritual hold on both the Jewish and Christian imagination. We will focus on the Bible as wisdom, law, and poetry, the Talmud of the ancient Rabbis, Kabbalah and Hebrew alphabet mysticism, war and the Israeli cinema, Hebrew folk and rock culture, and a modern political mystery: how today’s Hebrew was raised from the dead. Required for the major.
No knowledge of Hebrew is required. Dist: LIT; WCult: NW. Glinert.
21-22. Intermediate Modern Hebrew
21. 07F, 08F: 12
22. 08W, 09W: 12
Continued study of Modern Israeli Hebrew grammar and syntax. Emphasis is placed on acquisition of the spoken language and on listening and reading comprehension. The course includes selected readings from contemporary Hebrew authors. Dist: LIT; WCult: NW. Ben Yehuda.
23. Intermediate Modern Hebrew
By arranged time, 07F – 09S
This course offers further study of Modern Israeli Hebrew. Students acquire the basic morphology and syntactic structures used in the colloquial, a vocabulary of about 2000 words, and acquire the following skills: (a) oral ability to respond to unprepared questions and to converse casually on such topics as personal details, family, house and home, finding one’s way, current affairs, (b) reading comprehension of simplified unvocalized newspapers and short stories by contemporary Israeli authors, and (c) writing letters, notes, applications, etc. There will be regular exams, writing exercises, oral presentations, and supplementary work assigned as needed. The staff.
31. Advanced Modern Hebrew
By arranged time, 07F – 09S
Continued study of Modern Israeli Hebrew grammar and syntax. Emphasis is placed on acquisition of the spoken language and on listening and reading comprehension. The course includes selected readings from contemporary Hebrew authors. Dist: LIT; WCult: NW. The staff.
32. Advanced Modern Hebrew
By arranged time, 07F – 09S
A variation on materials used in Hebrew 31.
Note: although the materials used in this course differ from the materials used in Hebrew 31, the general level of proficiency required to enroll in either Hebrew 31 or 32 is roughly equivalent. Students may take Hebrew 32 even if they have been unable to enroll in Hebrew 31.
Prerequisite: Hebrew 31 or permission of instructor. Dist: LIT; WCult: NW. The staff.
33. Advanced Modern Hebrew
By arranged time, 07F – 09S
A continuation and progression of materials used in Hebrew 31 and 32.
Note: the level of proficiency required to enroll in Hebrew 33 is higher than the proficiency required for Hebrew 32.
Prerequisite: Hebrew 32 or equivalent. Dist: LIT; WCult: NW. The staff.
51. The Hebrew of the Bible (formerly Hebrew 4, identical to Jewish Studies 24.1)
09S: 2A
An introduction to the language of the Hebrew Bible. The course teaches basic Biblical grammar, script, and vocabulary for recognition. Readings will be taken from a sampling of Biblical texts.
This course serves as a requirement for students wishing to major in Hebrew language and literature. Glinert.
59. Independent Advanced Study in Hebrew Language and Literature
All terms except summer: Arrange
Available to students who wish to do advanced or independent study in Hebrew. The student must get permission from the faculty member with whom he or she wishes to work. Dist: LIT; WCult: NW. Glinert.
Courses numbered 61 through 63 are literature-in-translation courses, not requiring Hebrew.
61. Topics in Modern Hebrew Literature and Culture
07F, 08F: 2A
Emerging in 18th and 19th century Europe, Modern Hebrew literature produced the Hasidic anecdote and fable seeking to revitalize the religious Jewish masses, then the excited and tortured novels and poetry of Jewish intellectuals seeking to Westernize themselves while remaining true to their roots, and now the radically different literature of contemporary Israel dealing with Zionism, modernity, the lonely individual, war and peace. Courses listed under Hebrew 61 are open to students of all classes.
In 07F, Struggle and Rebirth in Modern Hebrew and Yiddish Literature (Identical to Jewish Studies 24.4 and Comparative Literature 38, pending faculty approval). Between 1850 to 1950, the Jewish world underwent rupture, revolution and rebirth, with the breakdown of tradition, migration and liquidation, and the rebirth of Hebrew and the State of Israel. The Hebrew and Yiddish literature of the times captures these cataclysms. We will study a sample of the major writers, from Yiddish-Hebrew social satire of the shtetl to the Resistance literature of WW2 and the first Hebrew women authors of the kibbutz. Dist: LIT; WCult: NW. Glinert.
In 08F, Film, Fiction and the Arab-Israeli Conflict (Identical to Jewish Studies 42). This course explores Israeli cinema in the context of the social and historical backdrop of the Arab-Israeli conflict and the painful emergence of a new Jewish-Israeli identity in the shadow of the Holocaust and constant warfare. We will study a dozen or so films in depth, situate them in the evolution of an Israeli cinema, and consider the problems of turning fiction into film.
No Hebrew or Yiddish required. Dist: LIT; WCult: W. Glinert.
62. Topics in Classical Hebrew Literature and Culture
08S: 2A
Classical Hebrew literature spans 3000 years from the Biblical period until the advent of Jewish ‘modernity’ in the 18th-19th centuries, and reflects the lives and values of Jews in their ancient homeland and across the Ashkenazi and Sephardi diasporas. Among the outstanding products of this literature, whose effects on Jewish and Western civilization have been incalculable, are the Bible, the Midrash and Talmud of late Antiquity. Medieval Hebrew genres include the theological and erotic poetry of Spain and Italy, the laments of the Crusades, the travelogue, ethical fables, philosophical essays, and Messianic folklore. Courses listed under Hebrew 62 are open to students of all classes.
In 08S, Midrash: How the Rabbis Interpreted the Bible (Identical to Comparative Literature 70 and Jewish Studies 24.3). Midrash is the ancient Jewish term for Biblical interpre-tation. We examine how the Bible was interpreted by the Rabbis 1500 to 2000 years ago, at the crucial juncture in history when the Bible was being canonized in the form it now has. We focus on powerful motifs such as the Creation, the Flood, Jacob and the Angel, Joseph’s Dreams, and the Golden Calf, and view them through two prisms: through a wide range of ancient Midrashic texts themselves; and through one influential modern Jewish literary reading of the Midrashic themes of Genesis. Dist: LIT; WCult: NW. Glinert.
63. Themes in Hebrew Literature and Culture
Not offered in the period from 07F through 09S
Committed to tradition but irresistibly changing, Hebrew literature across the centuries has created a delicate set of modulations on major themes, which may be deemed leitmotifs of Jewish culture and which continue to surface even in secular Israel: Among them are love and the mystical eros, holy land and holy people, the sacrifice of Isaac and martyrdom, exile and the messiah. Courses listed under Hebrew 63 are open to students of all classes.
Courses numbered 81 or above are advanced seminar courses.
81. Topics in Hebrew Literature and Culture
Not offered in the period from 07F through 09S
JAPANESE LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE
1-2-3. First-Year Courses in Japanese
1. 07F, 08F: 9S
2. 08W, 09W: 9S, 10+
3. 08S, 09S: 9S, 10+
An introduction to written and spoken modern Japanese. In addition to mastering the basics of grammar, emphasis is placed on active functional communication in the language, reading comprehension, and listening comprehension. Conversational drill and comprehensive exercises in classroom and laboratory provide practice in pronunciation and the use of the basic patterns of speech. Classes are conducted in Japanese. Reading in simple materials is extensive. Mandatory student-run drill sessions meet daily for one hour (5 hours/week) for all beginning Japanese language classes. Never serve in partial satisfaction of Distributive or World Culture requirements. Ishida, Watanabe.
10. Introduction to Japanese Culture (Identical to AMES 13)
08S, 09S: 11
Japanese cultural history through a broad survey of literature, art, social and political institutions, and popular culture. Modern conceptions of Japan and formations of Japanese identity have evolved under the pressures created by radical swings between periods of wholesale appropriation of foreign cultural forms and periods of extreme isolation. The course will trace the evolution of Japanese culture by examining the ways in which cultural archetypes are distinguished in Japan. Taught in English. Open to all classes. Dist: LIT; WCult: NW. Dorsey, Washburn.
11. Special Topics in Japanese Studies
08X, 09X: D.L.S.A.+ (Dartmouth in Japan)
WCult: NW. The staff.
22, 23. Intermediate Modern Japanese
08X, 09X: D.L.S.A.+ (Dartmouth in Japan)
A continuation of the fundamentals of grammar and further acquisition of spoken communication skills, aural comprehension, and proficiency in reading and writing. This is an intensive course that integrates homestays and the local environment into course materials. Students will be expected to master a wide variety of reading and video materials. WCult: NW. The staff.
31. Advanced Japanese
07F, 08F: 10
A progression of materials from Japanese 23. Intensive review and continued study of modern Japanese at the advanced level. Conversation skills will continue to be an important aspect of this course, but more emphasis will be placed on reading and writing skills. Reading materials will be drawn from current newspapers, contemporary fiction, essays from journals and excerpts from poetry. Short audiovisual selections will be used as well. Assigned work includes written compositions and oral presentations.
Prerequisite: Japanese 23 or permission of instructor. Dist: LIT; WCult: NW. Ishida.
32. Advanced Japanese
08W, 09W: 10
A progression of materials from Japanese 31. A variation of materials used in Japanese 31. Note: although the materials used in this course differ from the materials used in Japanese 31 the general level of proficiency required to enroll in either Japanese 31 or 32 is roughly equivalent. Students may take Japanese 32 even if they have been unable to enroll in Japanese 31.
Prerequisite: Japanese 31 or permission of instructor. Dist: LIT; WCult: NW. Watanabe.
33. Advanced Japanese
08S, 09S: 10
A continuation and progression of materials used in Japanese 31 and 32. Note: the level of proficiency required to enroll in Japanese 33 is higher than the proficiency required for either Japanese 31 or 32.
Prerequisite: Japanese 32 or equivalent. Dist: LIT; WCult: NW. Ishida.
41. Advanced Japanese
07F, 08F: 11
A variation of materials used in Japanese 33. Note: although the materials used in this course differ from the materials used in Japanese 33, the general level of proficiency required to enroll in either Japanese 33 or 41 is roughly equivalent. Students may take Japanese 41 even if they have been unable to enroll in Japanese 33.
Prerequisite: Third-year Japanese or permission of the instructor. Dist: LIT; WCult: NW. Watanabe.
42. Advanced Japanese
08W: 11
A progression of materials from Japanese 41. Designed to develop mastery of the spoken and written language. Assigned work includes written compositions and oral presentations.
Prerequisite: Japanese 41 or permission of the instructor. Dist: LIT; WCult: NW. The staff.
43. Advanced Japanese
Not offered in the period from 07F through 09S
A progression of materials from Japanese 42.
Prerequisite: Japanese 41 or 42 or permission of the instructor. Dist: LIT; WCult: NW.
59. Independent Advanced Study in Japanese Language and Literature
All terms except summer: Arrange
Available to students who wish to do advanced or independent study in Japanese. The student must get permission from the faculty member with whom he or she wishes to work. Dist: LIT; WCult: NW. Dorsey, Washburn.
Courses numbered 61 through 63 are literature-in-translation courses, not requiring Japanese.
61. Topics in 20th Century Japanese Literature and Culture
07F: 10A 09W: 12
Classes offered under this rubric deal with major figures, themes, or issues of twentieth-century Japanese literature, popular culture, and intellectual history. Techniques of critical reading and interpretation are studied as an integral part of these courses, which reflect the interests and expertise of the teaching staff. Since each offering is based on a particular theme or period students may take this course more than once. Courses listed under Japanese 61 are open to students of all classes.
In 07F, Religion in Modern Japanese Film and Literature. While many in Japan regard their nation as a paragon of secularity, various religious traditions, most notably Buddhism, Shinto, and Christianity have had a profound influence on Japanese arts and literature, which can be traced to the present day. This course will examine how religion and religious issues have been dealt with in modern Japanese literature and film, and how authors and directors have grappled with the purported disorientation and loss of meaning associated with Japan’s modernization and secularization. No previous knowledge of Japan or proficiency in Japanese language is required. Dist: LIT; WCult: NW. Drott.
In 09W, Godzilla’s Revenge: Pop Culture in Postwar Japan. Disillusionment with all that had led to the disastrous Pacific War fueled an interest in new, more democratic modes of cultural production and consumption. This course will explore this new popular culture through its evolving technologies of representation: manga (comic books), film, pulp fiction, popular music, animation and tv programming. Topics will include the dynamics between high- and low-brow genres; the delineation of race, gender, and identity; the nature of culture in post-industrial consumer capitalism.
No knowledge of the Japanese language required. Dist: LIT; WCult: NW. Dorsey.
62. Topics in Early Modern Japanese Literature and Culture
08W: 12
Classes offered under this rubric explore the emergence of modern Japan between the years 1600 and 1900 through an examination of literature, popular culture, and intellectual history. Techniques of critical reading and interpretation are studied as an integral part of these courses, which reflect the interests and expertise of the teaching staff. Since each offering is based on a particular theme or period students may take this course more than once. Courses listed under Japanese 62 are open to students of all classes.
In 08W, Image and Text in Modernizing Japan. Images and text have been variously combined in the Japanese tradition, from the ancient picture scrolls to today’s manga (comics). This course traces the evolution of such media in early modern Japan, with a focus on the late nineteenth century shift from the “communal reading” of visually-oriented texts to the silent, solitary reading of fiction. Some consideration will also be given to the re-emergence of the visual imagination in film, manga, and animation. Dist: LIT; WCult: NW. Dorsey.
63. Topics in Classical Japanese Literature and Culture
Not offered in the period from 07F through 09S
Classes offered under this rubric will explore key developments in the cultural history of Japan between the years 700 and 1600 through a close examination of literary artifacts. Techniques of critical reading and interpretation are studied as an integral part of these courses, which reflect the interests and expertise of the teaching staff. Since each offering is based on a particular theme or period students may take this course more than once. Courses listed under Japanese 63 are open to students of all classes.
Courses numbered 81 or above are advanced seminar courses.
81. Topics in Japanese Literature and Culture
08W, 08F: 10A
This seminar is designed to examine closely literary and cultural texts employing theoretical and historical sources. Topics vary according to instructor, but might range from studies of single authors to broader comparative themes, where students will be urged to incorporate readings in the original language.
In 08W, Folk Music and the Counterculture of 1960s Japan. Like their American counterparts, Japanese youth in the 1960s occupied university administration buildings, protested war and imperialism, and denounced discrimination, exploitation, and the status quo. This course will explore their counterculture through music, fiction, film, and comics (manga). Topics include: reactions to the Beatles tour (1966), resistance to singing in Japanese, the folk persona, quests for authenticity, anxiety of influence, the commensurability of social consciences, and musical representations of gender, sex, violence, discrimination, and war. Dist: LIT; WCult: NW. Dorsey.
In 08F, Fiction, Film, Paintings, and Propaganda from Japan’s Modern Wars. In this course we will examine the relationship between a wide variety of cultural artifacts (films, fiction, propaganda, painting, comics, music) and modern Japan’s experience of war, particularly WW II. Topics addressed within this context include: government censorship, literary subversion, popular culture versus high culture, visual versus written media, postwar cultural memory, the ideology of suicide squads, and the mentality of victimhood. Dist: LIT; WCult: NW. Dorsey.
KOREAN LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE
61. Topics in Modern Korean Literature and Culture
08S, 09W: 10
This course offers an examination of topics in modern Korean literature in English translation from the late-nineteenth century to the present, focusing on representative works of short fiction, novels, and poetry. Topics including the question of tradition and modernity, colonialism and imperialism, the construction of national identity, class, and gender, the Korean War and national division, U.S.-Korea relations, and industrialization and socio-economic change as reflected in cultural production may be considered in relation to the development of Korean literature and literary history.
In 08S, Introduction to Modern Korean Literature. This course will focus on providing an introductory overview of the twentieth century in Korean literature through a careful examination of both literary form and content. Readings will include literary and literary critical works from the Korean context; authors will include Yi Kwangsu, Hyôn Chingôn, Yôm Sangsôp, Ch’ae Mansik, Kim Yujông, Pak T’aewôn, Yi Sang, Yi T’aejun, Kang Kyôngae, Chôn Kwangyong, Ch’oi Inhun, Hwang Sunwôn, Yi Pômsôn, Kim Sûngok, Yi Ch’ôngjun, Cho Sehûi, Hwang Sôgyông, Yi Munyôl, Pak Wansô, and Ch’oe Yun. No Korean language ability is required; no background knowledge in Korean history or culture is assumed. Dist: LIT; WCult: NW. Hanscom.
63. Topics in Modern Korean Film
08W, 08F: 10A
Each offering of this course will undertake an examination of one or more topics in modern Korean film history. National or cultural identity, genre, representations of social or political movements, adaptation of literary works, the reworking of tradition (and representations of modernity), gender and sexuality, treatments of national division and international relations, and representations of war and violence may all be treated in the context of Korean film. Discussion and written assignments will focus both on the films themselves as well as on related critical texts.
In 08W, Introduction to Korean Film will provide a broad overview of Korean film history, from the beginning of the twentieth century into the present, tracing the correlation between film and major historical, political and cultural events or shifts over the same period. Focusing on how film narratives represent (rather than reflect) social reality, we will analyze the imagination and construction of national identity and cultural tradition (and its critique) across these films, which will primarily be arranged chronologically by theme rather than production date. Among others, we will consider: Hurrah! Freedom (1946), A Stray Bullet (1961), Sôp’yônje (1993), JSA (2000), Welcome to Dongmakgol (2005), Spring in My Hometown (1998), Oasis (2002), I’m a Cyborg, But That’s OK (2006), and The Host (2006). No Korean language ability is required; no background knowledge in Korean history or culture is assumed; all films are subtitled in English. Dist: ART; WCult: NW. Hanscom.