Undergraduate

This course introduces the basic narrative and critical discourses of the history of early modern Japan, roughly from 1500 to 1868.  The course examines the emergence of the central power that unified feudal domains and explores processes of social, cultural, and political changes that transformed Japan into a "realm under Heaven."  Some scholars consider early modern Japan as the source of an indigenous birth of capitalism, industrialism, and also of Japan’s current economic vitality, while others see a bleak age of feudal oppression and isolation.  We will explore both sides of the debate and examine the age of many contradictions.

The dynamic interplay between painting, poetry, and calligraphy in the Chinese tradition is encapsulated by Su Shi’s observation that there is “poetry in painting, and painting in poetry.” Further articulation of this truism requires us to examine developing modes of visual expression, and to define ways in which a painting might be “written,” or a text “imaged.” We will consider case studies which demonstrate increasingly fluid negotiation between these mediums: from pictures that labor in “illustrative” juxtaposition with didactic texts (image vs. word), to representations of the natural world that are inscribed with poetry as sites of social and cultural identity (image cf. word), and which achieve formal and conceptual integration in expressive purpose (imageword).

This course is an introduction to the arts of China focusing on major monuments and artworks produced in imperial, aristocratic, literati, religious, and public milieus. Lectures will reconstruct the functions and the meanings of objects, to better understand Chinese culture through the objects it produced. Note(s): Students must attend first class to confirm enrollment. For nonmajors, any ARTH 14000 through 16999 course meets the general education requirement in the dramatic, musical, and visual arts.

Building up on fascinating recent research on thought reform, social control, reeducation, spycraft, and police work in the early PRC, we will examine how the new state sought to mold and reeducate its people. We will begin by reading some of the recent English language literature and then move on to read self-criticisms, confessions, petitions, denunciation letters, and police reports in Chinese. Third year Chinese or equivalent is required.

Like all New Waves, Chinese New Waves are first and foremost an international event. From the late 1970s on and throughout the 1980s, three “New Wave” cinemas from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Mainland China appeared on the international stage, representing the historical debut of Chinese-language cinema to the world cinephiles. This course will investigate how the “universal” New Wave issues, such as their stylistic treatment of youth, city and violence, engage with historical local experiences. Films include major works by important New Wave directors, such as Tsui Hark, Wong Kar-wai, Hou Hsiao-hsien, Edward Yang, Chen Kaige, and Zhang Yimou. 

This course takes a multi-disciplinary approach to the study of craft production in Early China, adopting perspectives developed in anthropological archaeology, history, and art history. The course will be divided into two parts, with the first devoted to reading anthropological literature and case studies of craft production in other ancient civilizations. The second half of the course is devoted to the analysis of Chinese data, which range from pottery making, bronze casting, to the making of Qin terra cotta soldiers. Students are expected to become familiar with prevalent theoretical discussions in anthropology and are encouraged to apply, adopt, or revise them in order to analyze examples of craft production of their own choice. Students not specializing in China are required to consult the instructor before taking the course.

Anyang, or Yinxu, the ruins of Yin, is one of the most important archaeological sites in China. The discoveries of inscribed oracle bones, the royal cemetery, clusters of palatial structures, and industrial-scale craft production precincts have all established that the site was indeed the last capital of the Shang dynasty recorded in traditional historiography. With almost continuous excavations since the late 1920s, work at Anyang has in many ways shaped and defined Chinese archaeology and the study of Early Bronze Age China.

This course intends to examine the history of research, important archaeological finds, and the role of Anyang studies in the field of Chinese archaeology. While the emphasis is on archaeological finds and the related research, this course will also attempt to define Anyang in the modern social and cultural contexts in terms of world heritage, national and local identity, and the looting and illegal trade of antiquities.

What is philosophy and why does looking at Japanese philosophy make a difference? By examining  Buddhist, Confucian, Shinto and modern academic philosophical traditions this course will provide a history of ideas found in Japan and central to thinking about being/non-being, government, ethics aesthetics, economics, faith and practice.

This seminar explores the diverse range of human rights crises confronting China and Chinese people today. Co-taught by Teng Biao, an internationally recognized lawyer and advocate for human rights, and University of Chicago China historian Johanna Ransmeier, this course focuses upon demands for civil and political rights within China. Discussions will cover the Chinese Communist Party's monopoly on power, the mechanisms of the Chinese criminal justice system, and the exertion of state power and influence in places like Tibet, Hong Kong, Xinjiang, and Taiwan, as well as the impact of the People's Republic of China on international frameworks. We will discuss the changing role of activism and the expansion of state surveillance capacity. Students are encouraged to bring their own areas of interest to our conversations. Throughout the quarter we will periodically be joined by practitioners from across the broader human rights community.