College of Arts and Sciences

Modern Languages
and Comparative Literature

Chair William Waters

Associate Chair Sarah Frederick

Professor O'Connor

Associate Professors Frederick, Richardson, Waters, Yeh

Assistant Professors Gillman, Micellef, Mustafa, Schwartz, Vincent

Senior Lecturer Sharma

Lecturers Alhadeff, Bekkai,Chang, Gilman, Henstock, Huang, Khazanov, Okita, Roh, Zhou

Professors Emeriti Ackermann, Kreye, Reichenbach

The Department of Modern Languages and Comparative Literature conducts research and teaching in German; in Russian; in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean; and in Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, and Turkish. Majors combine their coursework with study abroad and international internships, and acquire insight into other cultures and into dimensions of literature that cut across national boundaries. The BA prepares students to enter an increasingly global workplace permeated by cultural and linguistic diversity.

Divisional Studies Requirements

Courses marked with a (†) satisfy divisional studies requirements.

Concentrations and Minor Concentrations in Modern Languages and Comparative Literature

Students may choose a concentration or a minor concentration in German, Japanese, or Russian. Minors are also available in Chinese and Hebrew. Language and literature concentrators frequently prepare themselves for careers or advanced study in international relations, government, education, journalism, and translating. Students in premedical or pre-law programs find the major and minor concentrations in modern languages a satisfying way to broaden their programs of study.

Minor Concentrations The department encourages CAS students, whatever their concentration, to obtain the greatest benefit from their foreign language requirement by pursuing a minor concentration in their chosen language. Advanced courses in a language or its literature increase proficiency in that language, present the great works and epochs of the literature, and acquaint students with the contemporary culture and that culture's roots in the past. A grade of C or higher is required in all courses taken toward the minor concentration. Students plan a minor concentration program with their advisor, consisting ordinarily of six courses in their language or literature at the 240 level or above. Minors are available in Chinese (1107), German (1103), Hebrew (1111), Japanese (1108), and Russian (1106). Internships taken during Boston University's or other study abroad programs may not be credited toward minor concentrations offered by the department. Minor concentrations have specific course requirements; these are detailed for each minor concentration in the following pages.

College of Arts and Sciences Language Requirement Detailed information is available under Languages and Mathematics. Several options are available for students who must fulfill the College language requirement. Information concerning these options is listed for each language.

Courses in Other Departments Students are encouraged to consult the offerings of the Departments of Romance Studies, Classical Studies, and English, and of the University Professors Program.

Language Center

The James Geddes Jr. Language Center, on the fifth floor of 685 Commonwealth Avenue, includes language laboratories, specially equipped classrooms, audiovisual production facilities, and libraries of audiovisual materials. Use of these facilities is required for many courses and is assigned for supplementary work in other courses.

Foreign-Language Specialty Residences

German and Russian houses enable majors, minors, and students taking courses in one of these languages to use the language daily and to strengthen their knowledge of the language and culture of the countries. Deutsches Haus is at 209 Bay State Road; the Russkii Dom is at 178 Bay State Road.

Boston University Study Abroad Programs in Dresden, Haifa, Kyoto, and Shanghai

These programs feature intensive language courses as well as literature, civilization, and linguistics courses. Detailed information is available from the Study Abroad Office.

Information on the Department's Courses and Programs is described in the following sections:

Courses in Literature or Civilization in English Translation

Arabic (LY)

Chinese (LC)

Comparative Literary Studies (LL)

German (LG)

Hebrew (LH)

Japanese (LJ)

Korean (LK)

Persian (LZ)

Russian (LR)

Turkish (LT)

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Courses in Literature or Civilization in English Translation

The following courses are offered with lecture, discussion, and readings in English. Courses marked with a (†) satisfy humanities divisional studies requirements. Some may satisfy concentration requirements within specific programs. The courses are described in their respective language sections.

†CAS LC 250 Masterpieces of Chinese Fiction

CAS LC 281 Post-Mao China in Film and Fiction

CAS LC 283 Chinese Civilization

CAS LC 284 Chinese Women's Writing

CAS LC 286 Topics in Chinese Culture

†CAS LG 250 Masterpieces of German Literature

CAS LG 280 Topics in German Culture

CAS LG 282 Marx, Nietzsche, Freud

CAS LG 287 German Cinema

†CAS LG 350 Introduction to German Literature

†CAS LH 250 Masterpieces of Modern Hebrew Literature

CAS LH 283 Israeli Culture through Film

CAS LH 284 The Culture and Civilization of Modern Israel

†CAS LJ 250 Masterpieces of Japanese Literature

CAS LJ 281 Japanese Civilization

CAS LJ 282 The Culture of the Samurai

CAS LJ 283 Modern Japanese Culture in Cinema

CAS LJ 451 Topics in Japanese Literature: Sexuality and Subjectivity in Modern Japanese Literature

†CAS LL 250, 251 Introduction to the Study of Continental European Literature

CAS LL 281 Holocaust Literature and Film

CAS LL 381 Topics in Gender and Culture

CAS LL 383 Dante's Hell

CAS LL 556 Studies in Literature and Culture

†CAS LR 250 Classics of Russian Prose

CAS LR 280 Dostoyevsky

CAS LR 281 Tolstoy

CAS LR 282 Russian Prose Classics of the Twentieth Century

CAS LR 285 Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky

CAS LY 281 Contemporary Arab Literature

CAS LY 282 Qur'anic Negotiations

CAS LY 283 Contemporary Arab Women Writers

Arabic

CAS LY 111, 112 Elementary Modern Arabic

The essentials of standard Arabic, the idiom used in public communications throughout the Arab world. Listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Lab required. Staff. 4 cr each, 1st & 2nd sem.

CAS LY 211, 212 Second-Year Modern Arabic

Prereq: CAS LY 112. Completes the process of presenting the basic structures of modern formal Arabic, concentrating on weak verb forms, more complicated sentence formation, and more sophisticated expression in speech and writing. Vocabulary expansion and better root-pattern identification skills are also stressed. Lab required. Bekkai. 4 cr each, 1st & 2nd sem.

CAS LY 281 Contemporary Arab Literature: Subversion, Censorship, Exile (in English translation)

Subversion, censorship, and exile explored in contemporary Arabic texts. Focus on women's and émigrés' writings to demonstrate the dialectical relationships among the three themes. Mustafa. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS LY 282 Qur'anic Negotiations: Contemporary Muslim Writers and the Holy Book

Contemporary Muslim writers' responses to the Qur'an, especially their imitations of its rhetorical effects, and their use of the Holy Book to attack social and political ills. Writers include Mahfouz, Durrani, Nisrin, and Rushdie. Mustafa. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS LY 283 Contemporary Arab Women Writers (in English translation)

Not offered 2007/2008

CAS LY 303, 304 Third-Year Arabic

Advanced reading, composition, grammar review, listening skills, and conversation in Modern Standard Arabic as well as major dialects such as the Cairine or the Gulf dialect. Mustafa. 4 cr, 1st & 2nd sem.

CAS LY 491, 492 Directed Study: Arabic

Prereq: consent of department and CAS Room 105. Application form available in department. Variable cr, 1st & 2nd sem.

Chinese

Minor Concentration in Chinese (1107)

CAS LC 311 and 312 and four additional courses numbered CAS LC 250 or above. With prior approval of the minor advisor, one of these four courses may be replaced by a related course chosen from among CAS AN 379, HI 389, HI 390, and IR 370/PO 369. Students may include up to three transfer courses from other colleges, universities, or non-Boston University study abroad programs and must take a minimum of three courses on the Charles River Campus. Internships taken through Boston University or other study abroad programs may not be credited toward minor concentrations offered by the department. A grade of C or higher is required in all courses taken toward the minor.

CAS LC 111, 112 First- and Second-Semester Chinese

Essentials of structure, oral practice, introduction to the writing system. Lab required. Four hours weekly. Staff. 4 cr each, 1st & 2nd sem.

CAS LC 116 Chinese Reading and Writing I

An intensive course covering first-year Chinese in one semester for students who speak Mandarin fluently but possess limited or no reading and writing skills. Emphasis on reading, writing, and analysis of grammar. Lab required. Four hours weekly. Zhou. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS LC 211, 212 Third- and Fourth-Semester Chinese

Prereq: CAS LC 112. Review of structure and grammar, practice in conversation and writing, introduction to reading. Lab required. Satisfactory completion of CAS LC 212 fulfills the CAS language requirement. Staff. 4 cr each, 1st & 2nd sem.

CAS LC 213 Conversational Chinese

Prereq: CAS LC 112 or equivalent. Conversation planned to equip the student with vocabulary, listening ability, and oral skill to deal with everyday situations in a Chinese-speaking environment. Text supplemented by handouts, films, TV, etc., to make textbook Chinese come alive. Huang. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS LC 216 Chinese Reading and Writing II

An intensive course covering second-year Chinese in one semester for students who have completed LC 116 or students who speak Mandarin fluently and possess some reading and writing skills. Emphasis on reading and writing and analysis of grammar. Lab required. Three hours weekly. Satisfactory completion of CAS LC 216 fulfills the CAS language requirement. Zhou. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

†CAS LC 250 Masterpieces of Chinese Fiction (in English translation)

A survey of Chinese fiction from the classical tradition to modern times. Readings from significant works, illuminating issues in Chinese history and culture: Dream of the Red Chamber, Three Kingdoms, Outlaws of the Marsh, and modern classics. Yeh. 4 cr, 1st sem. (HU)

CAS LC 281 Post-Mao China in Film and Fiction (in English translation)

Not offered 2007/2008

CAS LC 283 Chinese Civilization (in English translation)

An interdisciplinary introduction to Chinese culture, including social life, thought, literature, and fine arts. Emphasis placed on the major cultural and social developments from prehistory to the nineteenth century that have a particular relevance to understanding modern China. Chang. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS LC 284 Introduction to Chinese Women's Writing (in English translation)

Close reading of modern Chinese women's writing since 1919 for what the texts reveal of the lives of Chinese women and society. Poetry, fiction, and autobiography. Yeh. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS LC 286 Topics in Chinese Culture

Topics focus on particular aspects of Chinese culture such as food, costume, education, religion, philosophy, and film in order to examine Chinese culture from its beginnings to the present. Topic for Spring 2008: Food Culture. A study of food in Chinese culture including artistic and literary representations, history of agriculture, food preservation and preparation, medicinal uses, restaurant culture, and food as a commodity. Chang. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS LC 311, 312 Third-Year Modern Chinese

Prereq: CAS LC 212. Readings in modern Chinese. Readings and discussion in Chinese of selected nonliterary and literary materials, including newspaper articles, short stories, and essays. Regular compositions and lab work (tapes and films) required. Chang. 4 cr, each, 1st & 2nd sem.

CAS LC 314 Basics of Classical Chinese

Prereq: CAS LC 212 or CAS LC 216, or consent of instructor. Basic grammatical components of classical Chinese with emphasis on word and phrase construction, particles, and sentence structure. Original texts from ancient mythology, philosophy, literature, geography, medicine, science, and technology. Huang. 4 cr, 1st sem.

†CAS LC 350 Introduction to Chinese Literature

Selected readings from three thousand years of Chinese literature up to the early twentieth century. Poetry, drama, fiction, discursive essay, biography. Portions of each text studied in Chinese. Yeh. 4 cr, 2nd sem. (HU)

CAS LC 401, 402 Senior Independent Work

Prereq: approval of the Honors Committee. 4 cr, 1st & 2nd sem.

CAS LC 411 Fourth-Year Modern Chinese I

Prereq: CAS LC 312. Advanced training in speaking, reading, writing, literary readings for expanded vocabulary. Chinese language films and cultural topics assigned for discussion. Written work. Yeh. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS LC 412 Fourth-Year Modern Chinese II

Prereq: CAS LC 411. Advanced-level readings in modern Chinese. Discussion in Chinese of literary materials in various forms and styles. Special attention to works written between 1919 and 1949. Regular compositions and lab work (tapes and films). Chang. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS LC 491, 492 Directed Study: Chinese

Prereq: consent of department and CAS Room 105. Application form available in department. Variable cr, 1st & 2nd sem.

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Comparative Literary Studies

Courses

Note: Most of the following comparative courses study literary texts from several language literatures. Translations are provided, as well as samples of readings in the original. The language of discourse in the classroom is English.

CAS LL 250 Introduction to the Study of Continental European Literature

Prereq: completion of two years of language study. Major works, with emphasis on techniques of close reading of original texts and translations. Frequent assignment of critical essays. Dante, Petrarch, Rabelais, Montaigne, Cervantes, Racine. Costa. 4 cr, 1st sem.

†CAS LL 251 Introduction to the Study of Continental European Literature

Prereq: completion of two years of language study. Major works, with emphasis on techniques of close reading of original texts and translations. Frequent assignment of critical essays. Second semester: Goethe, Stendhal, Gogol, Dostoyevsky, Tolstoy, and selected symbolist poets. Smith. 4 cr, 2nd sem. (HU)

CAS LL 281 Holocaust Literature and Film (in English translation)

Questions of representation in literature and film about the Holocaust, including testimonial and fictive works by Wiesel and Levi; films such as Shoah and Hotel Terminus. Discussions of the Holocaust as historical reality, metaphor, and generative force in literature. Harrowitz. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS LL 381 Topics in Gender and Literature

Two topics are offered 2007/2008; students may take one or both for credit. Topic for Fall 2007: Love in Indian Literature and Film. Gendered roles of lovers in Indian literature and their representation in contemporary Bollywood films. Study of social and historical contexts for the evolution of character types such as the pining heroine, mystic, madman, and star-crossed lovers. Topic for Spring 2008: Identities in Motion: Turkish and British Women Write One Another. Exploration of pivotal questions, related to the end of the nineteenth and early twentieth century, through readings of travel narratives by European and Ottoman women. Also offered as CAS WS 305. Sharma, Micallef. 4 cr, either sem.

CAS LL 383 Dante's Hell (in English translation)

Prereq: one literature course. A close reading of one text, Dante Alighieri's Inferno, with attention to its medieval contexts: philosophical, theological, and historical. Analysis of the poetic means by which Dante represents both human evil and human hope. Bilingual text. Lectures and discussions in English. Costa. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS LL 401, 402 Senior Independent Work

Prereq: approval of the Honors Committee. 4 cr each, 1st & 2nd sem.

CAS LL 470 Topics in Continental European Literatures

Not offered 2007/2008

CAS LL 491, 492 Directed Study: Comparative Literary Studies

Prereq: departmental and CAS Room 105 approval. Application form available in department. Variable cr, 1st & 2nd sem.

CAS LL 556 Studies in Literature and Culture

Prereq: two literature courses or consent of instructor. Topic for Spring 2008: Borges, Calvino, Kafka, and Cortázar: Humor and the Fantastic. An exploration of the relationship between humor and uncanny representations of the world through the reading of masters of the fantastic. Photography, film, and painting are incorporated in the course. Borinsky. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS LL 560 Topics in Bible and Literature

Not offered 2007/2008

German

Minor Concentration in German (1128)

Six LG courses numbered 250 and above. These must include LG 350 and at least one course from the LG 303-340 course sequence. Students may include up to three transfer courses from other colleges, universities, or non-Boston University study abroad programs and must take a minimum of three courses (or a minimum of two, if they have four courses approved for credit toward the minor from Boston University's program in Dresden) on the Charles River Campus. Internships taken through Boston University or other study abroad programs may not be credited toward minor concentrations offered by the department. A grade of C or higher is required in all courses taken toward the minor.

Concentration in German Language and Literature (1133)

Twelve courses with a grade of C or higher are required. Students entering with advanced standing in German must complete a minimum of six principal courses at Boston University. Students are urged to consult their advisors about options for study in Dresden, Germany.

Required Courses

1. Four language focus courses: CAS LG 303, 304 and two additional courses from CAS LG 310, LG 320, LG 325, LG 330, and LG 340.
2. CAS LG 350 and three historical period courses chosen from CAS LG 451-456.
3. Three additional LG courses in German language and culture numbered 250 or higher. No more than two courses may be taken in English translation.
4. One of the following: CAS LX 250, CAS LL 250, or CAS LL 251.

Placement Examination

A placement test is required of all students whose most recent course in German was taken while in high school or at a college other than Boston University and who wish to continue their study of this language here. Information on testing dates and times is available in the department.

Language Courses

CAS LG 111 First-Semester German

For beginners or according to placement test results. Introduction to grammar, vocabulary, structure of German, emphasizing the four basic skills: speaking, writing, listening, and reading. Lab required. Four hours weekly. (If CAS LG 112 or a more advanced college-level course has been completed, this course may not be taken for credit.) Staff. 4 cr, either sem.

CAS LG 112 Second-Semester German

Prereq: CAS LG 111 or placement examination results. Continues study and practice of the basic skills of speaking, writing, and reading German. Conversational dialogues, reading of short texts, grammar sessions, compositions. Conducted in German. Lab required. Four hours weekly. (If a more advanced college-level course has been completed, this course may not be taken for credit.) Staff. 4 cr, either sem.

CAS LG 211 Third-Semester German

Prereq: CAS LG 112 or placement test results. Further development of communicative skills acquired in the first year, emphasizing both production (speaking, writing) and comprehension (listening, reading). Grammar review. Reading and discussion of selected short stories, poetry, and plays as well as nonliterary texts. Conducted in German. Lab required. Four hours weekly. Staff. 4 cr, either sem.

CAS LG 212 Fourth-Semester German

Prereq: CAS LG 211 or placement test results. Continued development of communicative skills and strategies for functioning socially in German-language contexts. Students learn to understand literary and nonliterary texts. Conducted in German. Lab required. Four hours weekly. Staff. 4 cr, either sem.

CAS LG 303, 304 Composition and Conversation I, II

Prereq: CAS LG 212 or placement test results. Increased sophistication in speaking German through simulation and role playing as well as in writing German through regular compositions and journal entries. Grammar review; practice in pronunciation, comprehension, conversation, vocabulary, and written expression. Discussion of contemporary topics, conducted in German. Alhadeff, Gillman. 4 cr each, 1st & 2nd sem.

CAS LG 310 Translation Workshop

Prereq: CAS LG 303. Advanced German language training. Pleasures and frustrations of different languages' and cultures' incommensurability are investigated through systematic practice in translating between German and English. Translation as technical skill, creative performance. Variety of subject areas and genres: literature, media, politics, humor. Waters. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS LG 320 German Media

Not offered 2007/2008

CAS LG 330 Stylistics

Not offered 2007/2008

CAS LG 403 Fourth-Year German: Vocabulary and Idiom

Not offered 2007/2008

CAS LG 404 Fourth-Year German: Style and Syntax

Not offered 2007/2008

Literature and Civilization Courses

†CAS LG 250 Masterpieces of German Literature (in English translation)

Introduction to the major works of German literature, emphasizing methods of close reading and the art of critical writing. Essays, plays, fairy tales, poetry, prose by Luther, Goethe, Grimm brothers, Heine, Nietzsche, Kafka, Thomas Mann, Rilke, Hesse, Christa Wolf. Schwartz. 4 cr, 2nd sem. (HU)

CAS LG 280 Topics in German Culture (in English translation)

Not offered 2007/2008

CAS LG 282 Marx, Nietzsche, Freud (in English translation)

Study of the three radical and influential German thinkers. Marx's German Ideology, Communist Manifesto, Grundrisse, Capital; Nietzsche's Beyond Good/Evil, Genealogy of Morals; Freud's Outline, Introductory Lectures, Civilization and Its Discontents. Cannot be taken for credit by students who have completed CAS LG 475. Schwartz. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS LG 287 German Cinema (in English translation)

History of German cinema, with in-depth exploration of a major period (Weimar, Third Reich, New German Cinema). Basics of film terminology and theory, analysis of film as film. Examination of the cultural and political conditions of production. Weekly screenings. Schwartz. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS LG 325 Modern German History and Culture through Film

Not offered 2007/2008

CAS LG 340 Topics in German Civilization

Prereq: CAS LG 300-level German course or consent of instructor. Topic for Fall 2007: Contemporary German Culture and Its Antecedents. The peculiarities of life in present-day Germany considered against the background of two hundred years of political and cultural history, including music and philosophy. Alhadeff. 4 cr, 1st sem.

†CAS LG 350 Introduction to German Literature

Prereq: CAS LG 303 or equivalent. Masterpieces of German literature representing major eras and genres from the eighteenth century to the present. Practical introduction to methods of close reading and literary interpretation; class discussion. Gillman. 4 cr, 1st sem. (HU)

CAS LG 401, 402 Senior Independent Work

Prereq: approval of the Honors Committee. 4 cr each, 1st & 2nd sem.

CAS LG 452 The Age of Reason and Revolution

Not offered 2007/2008

CAS LG 453 Romanticism

Prereq: CAS LG 350. Poetry and prose of major authors (Tieck, Novalis, Schlegel, Brentano, Gunderode, Eichendorff, Hoffmann), their connection to music and art and to German Idealism. Emergence of the fairy-tale. Women and the literary salons. Schwartz. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS LG 454 Nineteenth-Century German Culture

Prereq: CAS LG 350. The foundation of modern Germany: culture and literature. Major literary works and topics in politics, society, and the arts, from the waning of Romanticism through revolutionary fervor to Realism and the fin-de-siècle. Advanced training and practice in interpretation. Gillman. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS LG 455 Twentieth-Century Culture: Before 1945

Not offered 2007/2008

CAS LG 456 Twentieth-Century Culture: Since 1945

Not offered 2007/2008

CAS LG 461 German Poetry

Not offered 2007/2008

CAS LG 462 German Prose

Not offered 2007/2008

CAS LG 470 Topics in German Culture

Not offered 2007/2008

CAS LG 491, 492 Directed Study: German

Prereq: consent of department and the Taylor Academic Advising Center in CAS Room 105. Application form available in department. Variable cr, 1st & 2nd sem.

Modern Greek

For information regarding concentrations and courses in modern Greek, refer to the "Classical Studies" section.

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Hebrew

Minor Concentration in Hebrew (1111)

Required courses: (prereq: CAS LH 212 or equivalent) six courses numbered LH 240 and above, including LH 250. Up to four courses taken at Boston University's program in Haifa may count toward the minor. Up to two courses may be chosen from offerings in the departments of Religion, History, or Political Science, as approved by the advisor. Students may include up to three transfer courses from other colleges, universities, or non-Boston University study abroad programs, and must take a minimum of three courses on the Charles River Campus. Internships taken through Boston University or other study abroad programs may not be credited toward minor concentrations offered by the department. A grade of C or higher is required in all courses taken toward the minor.

Haifa

Students may take courses to fulfill their language requirement or courses toward their minor concentration in the Boston University Study Abroad Program in Haifa. Additional information on this program is available in the Study Abroad section of this site.

Placement Examination

A placement test is required of all students whose most recent course in Hebrew was taken while in high school or at a college other than Boston University and who wish to continue their study of this language here. Information on testing dates and times is available in the department.

Courses

CAS LH 111 First-Semester Hebrew

Introduction to modern Hebrew, including a balanced treatment of the basic language skills: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Lab required. Four hours weekly. Staff. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS LH 112 Second-Semester Hebrew

Prereq: CAS LH 111 or placement examination results. A continuation of CAS LH 111 with greater conversation and higher-level skills development. Conducted largely in Hebrew. Lab required. Four hours weekly. Staff. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS LH 211 Third-Semester Hebrew

Prereq: CAS LH 112 or placement examination results. Reinforces and extends skills in reading, conversation, writing, and grammar. Conducted in Hebrew. Lab required. Ben-Natan. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS LH 212 Fourth-Semester Hebrew

Prereq: CAS LH 211 or placement examination results. Stresses expanding conversation, grammar, and literary skills, enabling students to deal with most Hebrew material, ancient as well as contemporary. Conducted in Hebrew. Satisfactory completion of CAS LH 212 fulfills the CAS language requirement. Lab required. Staff. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

†CAS LH 250 Masterpieces of Modern Hebrew Literature (in English translation)

Narrative prose and poetry of major writers from the revival of Hebrew culture in nineteenth-century Eastern Europe to present-day Israel, including works of Bialik, Agnon, Amichai, and Yehoshua. Special focus on the struggle for modern identity in the domains of family, nation, and religion. Gillman. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS LH 283 Israeli Culture through Film (in English translation)

Examines changes in Israeli society over the last fifty years through the medium of film. Traces cultural responses to the Arab/Israeli conflict, the Holocaust, and Sephardi-Ashkenazi relations. Ben-Natan. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS LH 284 The Culture and Civilization of Modern Israel (in English translation)

Not offered 2007/2008

CAS LH 311 Fifth-Semester Hebrew

Prereq: CAS LH 212 or placement examination results. Reading in selected literary and non-literary materials. Includes short stories, news media and drama, and discussion and analysis of issues in Hebrew to acquire a mastery of modern Hebrew language. Klement. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS LH 312 Sixth-Semester Hebrew

Readings in selected modern and classical texts, including short stories, drama, journals, poetry, and selections from biblical and medieval works to acquire mastery of the full range of Hebrew language usages and styles. Conducted in Hebrew. Staff. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

†CAS LH 350 Hebrew Narrative: Biblical and Modern

Prereq: CAS LH 212. Narrative techniques in the Bible and in modern Hebrew texts. Selections from Genesis, II Samuel, and the book of Jonah as well as short stories by Agnon, Appelfeld, Yehoshua, and others. Klement. 4 cr, 1st sem. (HU)

CAS LH 351 Styles and Meaning of Hebrew Poetry: Modern Hebrew Poetry

Prereq: CAS LH 312. Examines changes in Israeli society over the last fifty years through the medium of film. Traces cultural responses to the Arab/Israeli conflict, the Holocaust, and Sephardi-Ashkenazi relations. Ben-Natan. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS LH 453 Israeli Culture through Film

Prereq: CAS LH 312. Examines changes in Israeli society over the last fifty years through the medium of film. Traces cultural responses to the Arab/Israeli conflict, the Holocaust, and Sephardi-Ashkenazi relations. Ben-Natan. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS LH 491, 492 Directed Study: Hebrew

Prereq: consent of department and the Taylor Academic Advising Center in CAS Room 105. Application form available in department. Variable cr, 1st & 2nd sem.

Japanese

Minor Concentration in Japanese Language and Literature (1108)

Required courses: six LJ courses numbered 240 and above, including LJ 303 and 304 and at least one course in literature. Up to four courses taken at Boston University's program in Kyoto may count toward the minor. Students may include up to three transfer courses from other colleges, universities, or non-Boston University study abroad programs and must take a minimum of three courses (or a minimum of two, if they have four courses approved for credit toward the minor from Boston University's program in Kyoto) on the Charles River Campus. Internships taken through Boston University or other study abroad programs may not be credited toward minor concentrations offered by the department. A grade of C or higher is required in all courses taken toward the minor.

Concentration in Japanese Language and Literature (1108)

A prerequisite of CAS LJ 212 (or equivalent placement) and thirteen courses with a grade of C or higher are required. Students must complete a minimum of six principal courses at Boston University.

Required Courses

1. one of the following: CAS LX 250, LL 250, LL 251, or LC 250.

2. three language courses: CAS LJ 303, LJ 304, and one of LJ 403 or LJ 404. Language courses taken at the Kyoto Center for Japanese Studies (KCJS) may also count towards this requirement.

3. three courses in Japanese Literature: CAS LJ 250 and two from LJ 350, LJ 451, LJ 480, and LJ 481. (LJ 451 may be taken more than once if topic has changed.)

4. a Japanese linguistics course: CAS LJ 410 or LJ 510.

5. two courses in Japanese civilization: LJ 281 and one of LJ 282, LJ 283, or LJ 441.

6. three additional CAS LJ courses at the 400 level or above or related courses in MLCL or other departments as approved by the advisor. (Non-language courses taken at KCJS may also count towards this requirement.)

Language Courses

CAS LJ 111, 112 First- and Second-Semester Japanese

Introduction to spoken and written Japanese and to fundamentals of Japanese grammar with oral drills and written exercises. Lab required. Staff. 4 cr each, either sem.

CAS LJ 211, 212 Third- and Fourth-Semester Japanese

Prereq: CAS LJ 112 or equivalent. Elaboration and refinement of the fundamental skills introduced in CAS LJ 111, 112 with an introduction to reading and composition. Lab required. Satisfactory completion of CAS LJ 212 fulfills the CAS language requirement. Staff. 4 cr each, either sem.

CAS LJ 303, 304 Third-Year Modern Japanese

Prereq: CAS LJ 212. Reading modern texts. Development of writing and speaking skills. Regular compositions required. First semester: readings from newspapers and journals on contemporary social, political, economic, and cultural topics. Second semester: selections from fiction and nonfiction. Henstock, Staff. 4 cr each, 1st & 2nd sem.

CAS LJ 401, 402 Senior Independent Work

Prereq: approval of Honors Committee. 4 cr, 1st & 2nd sem.

CAS LJ 403, 404 Fourth-Year Japanese

Prereq: CAS LJ 304 or consent of instructor. Advanced-level reading and discussion in Japanese of selected articles from scholarly journals, essays, and short stories; compositions written in Japanese on topics from readings. Henstock, Staff. 4 cr, 1st & 2nd sem.

Civilization and Literature Courses

†CAS LJ 250 Masterpieces of Japanese Literature (in English translation)

An introduction to Japanese literary history. Topics include mythic beginnings, conceptions of nature and death, flowering of a court aesthetic, the writer as hermit-sage, the Tokugawa stage and its love suicides. Use of literary and visual materials. Staff. 4 cr, 1st sem. (HU)

CAS LJ 281 Japanese Civilization (in English translation)

Survey of Japanese history, art, and contemporary culture. Henstock. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS LJ 282 The Culture of the Samurai (in English translation)

Study of medieval samurai culture, including Japanese feudalism, the warrior code, Zen Buddhism, war tales, and warrior arts. History of the impact of the West on samurai society. Staff. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS LJ 283 Modern Japanese Culture in Cinema (in English translation)

Major modern Japanese films are interpreted in the light of Japanese culture. Film scripts and the important literary sources are read in English; films are shown with subtitles. Frederick. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

†CAS LJ 350 Self and Society in Modern Japanese Literature

Not offered 2007/2008

CAS LJ 410 The History of the Japanese Language

Prereq: CAS LJ 211 or consent of instructor. Overview of major issues in the history of Japanese: genetic relationships, changes in sound system, word and sentence structures, and pragmatics. Special attention to the process leading to the current writing system. Representative texts used to demonstrate different literary languages. Okita. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS LJ 441 Japanese Press

Prereq: CAS LJ 303. Development of skills in formal Japanese through reading of periodicals. Emphasis on formats, styles, and idioms used in journalism. Vocabulary building. Television news programs and documentaries viewed for improvement of aural comprehension. Assignments geared to individual needs and interests. Okita. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS LJ 445 Readings in Japanese Civilization

Prereq: CAS LJ 303, placement test results, or consent of instructor. Uses the Japanese language to learn about history, society, art, politics, and current issues from Japanese perspectives. Critical engagement with topics in Japanese culture through multiple forms of communication, including reading, writing, discussion, and video. Conducted in Japanese. Henstock. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS LJ 451 Topics in Japanese Literature

Prereq: CAS LJ 304 or consent of instructor. Two topics are offered in 2007/2008; students may take one or both for credit. Topic for Fall 2007: Sexuality and Subjectivity in Modern Japanese Literature. Study of sexuality as an increasingly important component of psychic and social subjectivity in modern Japan. Saikaku, Soseki, and others are read alongside theorists of sexuality from Freud to Foucault, to illuminate the role played by literature in this transformation. Topic for Spring 2008: TBA. Vincent. 4 cr, 1st sem. Frederick. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS LJ 480 Japanese Women Writers (in English translation)

Not offered 2007/2008

CAS LJ 481 Topics in Japanese Literature (in English translation)

Prereq: one Japanese literature course or consent of instructor. Topic for Spring 2008: Rise of the Modern and Encounter with the West: Japanese Literature 1864-1945. Fiction from the Meiji period through World War II, with attention to the effect on literature of Japan's rapid modernization and increased contact with the West. Works by Ogai, Soseki, Higuchi, and Tanizaki. Lectures and readings in English, originals available. Staff. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS LJ 491, 492 Directed Study: Japanese

Prereq: consent of department and CAS Room 105. Application form available in department. Variable cr, 1st & 2nd sem.

CAS LJ 510 The Structure of the Japanese Language

Not offered 2007/2008

Korean

CAS LK 111 First-Semester Korean

Prereq: placement examination, or for those who have never studied Korean. Elementary grammar, conversation, reading, writing. Roh. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS LK 112 Second-Semester Korean

Prereq: placement examination or CAS LK 111. Continues the text from LK 111; grammar, conversation, reading, writing. Roh. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS LK 211 Third-Semester Korean

Prereq: placement examination or CAS LK 112. Development of communicative skills acquired in the first year. Readings in Korean. Writing exercises involving more complex grammatical patterns. Roh. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS LK 212 Fourth-Semester Korean

Prereq: placement examination or CAS LK 211. Further review of the structures of Korean. Practice in conversation involving specialized topics. Advanced readings from Korean culture. Frequent compositions. Satisfactory completion of LK 212 fulfills the CAS language requirement. Roh. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS LK 283 Modern Korean Culture Through Cinema (in English translation)

Introduction to modern Korean culture and society through film from the Korean war (1950–1953) to the present. Discussion and essays on modern Korean life as seen in Korean films. Critical analysis of changes in Korean society. Roh. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS LK 303 Korean Conversation and Composition through Media

Prereq: CAS LK 212 or consent of instructor. Intensive practice of both oral and written forms of Korean. Survey of important cultural, social, political, and economic issues in Korea as portrayed in films, television, and periodicals. Development of effective written and spoken communication. Roh. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS LK 311, 312 Third-Year Korean

Not offered 2007/2008

Persian

CAS LZ 111, 112 First-Year Modern Persian

Introduction to spoken and written Persian and to fundamentals of Persian grammar, with oral drills and written exercises. Sharma. 4 cr, 1st & 2nd sem.

CAS LZ 211, 212 Second-Year Modern Persian

Prereq: CAS LZ 112 or equivalent. Development of communicative skills acquired in the first year. Sharma. 4 cr, 1st & 2nd sem.

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Russian

Minor Concentration in Russian (1106)

Required courses: (prereq: CAS LR 211- 212 or equivalent) six courses numbered LR 240 and above. Students may include up to three transfer courses from other colleges, universities, or non-Boston University study abroad programs and must take a minimum of three courses (or a minimum of two, if they have four courses approved for credit toward the minor from Boston University study abroad programs) on the Charles River Campus. Internships taken through Boston University or other study abroad programs may not be credited toward minor concentrations offered by the department. A grade of C or higher is required in all courses taken toward the minor.

Concentration in Russian Language and Literature (1136)

Students entering with advanced standing in Russian must complete a minimum of six principal courses in Russian at Boston University. Courses may be credited toward the concentration only if a grade of C or higher is earned.

Required Courses Thirteen courses are required for the concentration:

1. one course from CAS LL 250, 251, CAS LX 250
2. four language courses: CAS LR 303, 304, and two courses chosen from CAS LR 306, 307, 403, 404
3. CAS LR 250, 282
4. four literature courses: CAS LR 350, 351, and two additional courses numbered 450 or higher
5. two electives: one from among CAS LR 280, 281, 283, 289; one from other LR courses, 300 level and above; or a related course from another department chosen with the written approval of the advisor

Basic Language Courses

CAS LR 111, 112 First-Year Russian I, II

An introduction to the fundamentals of Russian grammar. Extensive practice in orthography and pronunciation: oral drills, development of comprehension and conversation skills. Reading of simple texts. Lab required. Staff. 4 cr each, 1st & 2nd sem.

CAS LR 211, 212 Second-Year Russian I, II

Prereq: CAS LR 112. The fundamentals of Russian grammar and syntax. Development of reading and oral skills. Satisfactory completion of CAS LR 212 fulfills the CAS language requirement. Khazanov. 4 cr each, 1st & 2nd sem.

Upper-Level Language Courses

CAS LR 303, 304 Third-Year Russian: Reading, Grammar Review, and Conversation

Prereq: CAS LR 212. Reading original unabridged Russian prose and poetry. Intensive work on improvement of fluency and quality of expression; special attention to pronunciation. Lab required. Khazanov. 4 cr each, 1st & 2nd sem.

CAS LR 309 Style and Composition for Native Speakers of Russian

Not offered 2007/2008

CAS LR 403 Advanced Russian Grammar

Prereq: CAS LR 304. Subtleties of grammar and usage. Written projects, including English to Russian translations. Contemporary journalistic and literary sources. Khazanov. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS LR 404 Advanced Russian Conversation

Not offered 2007/2008

Literature and Civilization Courses

†CAS LR 250 Classics of Russian Prose (in English translation)

Prose works that define the Russian literary tradition, including Pushkin's Queen of Spades, Gogol's Overcoat, Turgenev's Fathers and Sons, Dostoyevsky's Notes from the Underground, Tolstoy's Anna Karenina. O'Connor. 4 cr, 1st sem. (HU)

CAS LR 280 Dostoyevsky (in English translation)

Not offered 2007/2008

CAS LR 281 Tolstoy (in English translation)

Not offered 2007/2008

CAS LR 282 Russian Prose Classics of the Twentieth Century (in English translation)

Introduction to the major writers of twentieth-century Russian prose and to the literary traditions that they represent through a close reading of selected texts. Readings include works by the following authors: Chekhov, Sologub, Belyj, Babel, Olesha, Bulgakov, and Solzhenitsyn. O'Connor. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS LR 285 Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky (in English translation)

Close reading of Tolstoy's War and Peace and Dostoyevsky's The Brothers Karamazov. Discussion of Russian masters and larger themes: epic tradition from Homer to Tolstoy; continuity of "tragic world view;" the contrasts between the epic mode and the dramatic, and between two opposed views of God and history. Richardson. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS LR 289 Russian Culture (in English translation)

Survey of Russian culture in four periods of its development from 988 to the Revolution of 1917. Focus on literature, art, and music with some historical background. Readings include works by Pushkin, Gogol, Turgenev, Dostoyevsky, and Bely. O'Connor. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

†CAS LR 350 Introduction to Analysis of Russian Prose Texts

Prereq: CAS LR 212. Introduction to the great prose style of Russian literature. Pushkin, Gogol, Dostoyevsky, Turgenev, Tolstoy, and Chekhov: techniques of interpretation and close reading of short works. Lectures in Russian. Richardson. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS LR 351 Introduction to Analysis of Russian Poetic Texts

Not offered 2007/2008

CAS LR 401, 402 Senior Independent Work

Prereq: approval of the Honors Committee. 4 cr each, 1st & 2nd sem.

CAS LR 441 Contemporary Russian Press

Prereq: CAS LR 304. Designed to give students expertise in the special problems related to reading and interpreting current Russian journalistic literature. Emphasis on reading daily editions of Pravda, Izvestijia, and Literaturnaja gazeta; individual assignments are geared to students' interests. Khazanov. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS LR 442 Russian Media

Not offered 2007/2008

CAS LR 443 Contemporary Russian Culture

Not offered 2007/2008

CAS LR 455 Chekhov

Not offered 2007/208

CAS LR 456 Topics in Twentieth-Century Russian Literature

Not offered 2007/2008

CAS LR 491, 492 Directed Study: Russian

Prereq: consent of department and CAS Room 105. Application form available in department. 4 cr, 1st and/or 2nd sem.

Turkish

CAS LT 111 First-Semester Turkish

Introduction to spoken and written Turkish and fundamentals of Turkish grammar, with oral drills and written exercises. Micallef. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS LT 112 Second-Semester Turkish

Prereq: CAS LT 111 or equivalent. Completes introduction to modern Turkish grammar, with emphasis on development of aural and written comprehension, as well as writing and speaking abilities. Micallef. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS LT 211 Third-Semester Turkish

Prereq: CAS LT 112 or equivalent. Further, intermediate-level, development of Turkish language skills through textbooks, authentic readings including literary works, internet-based exercises, and the use of Turkish audio and visual materials. Micallef. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS LT 212 Fourth-Semester Turkish

Prereq: CAS LT 211 or consent of instructor. Completes presentation of structures of Turkish, to "intermediate-high" levels of proficiency in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Micallef. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS LT 281 Istanbul at the Crossroads

The image of the city of Istanbul in novels, autobiography, short story, poetry, as well as music videos and popular films. Themes include modernization, urbanization, isolation, cosmopolitanism, and the struggle between East and West. Micallef. 4 cr, 1st sem.

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22 October 2007
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