The East Asian Studies major focuses on China, Japan, and Korea, with attention to Southeast Asia and the Pacific Rim. It provides a broad interdisciplinary and comparative perspective in an effort to deepen understanding of how, over time, these societies have dealt with problems common to all humanity, and how they view the world and themselves. The program can combine courses in anthropology, art history, economics, geography, history, international relations, political science, religion, and sociology, as well as language and literature. Students are encouraged to establish a firm basis in a specific discipline as well as to achieve a broad understanding of the East Asian experience. For further information, contact Professor Joseph Fewsmith, Department of International Relations, 156 Bay State Road, Boston, MA 02215; 617-353-6344.

Major in East Asian Studies

Ten separate and distinct courses with a grade of C or higher are required for a major in East Asian Studies: one required principal course, two core courses, and seven principal courses. In addition to these ten courses, students are required to take at least two years of an Asian language and a complementary minor. These five components of a major in East Asian Studies are described below. Courses marked with a (†) will satisfy the humanities divisional studies requirement.

1. Required Course All students concentrating in East Asian Studies are required to take CAS IR 275/PO 365 The Pacific Challenge.

2. Core East Asian Courses The core requirement consists of one course on the pre-modern East Asian heritage and one course on its modern transformation. The courses should be selected from the list below, one from each group. Note that courses on this list not taken to fulfill the core requirement may be taken to fulfill the principal course requirement (item 3 below).

Premodern Heritage

• †CAS AH 225 The Arts of Asia
• CAS AR 240 Archaeology of Ancient China
• CAS AR 390 The Archaeology of Southeast Asia
• CAS LC 250 Masterpieces of Chinese Literature (in English translation)
• CAS LC 283 Chinese Civilization (in English translation)
• CAS HI 381 The Samurai in Myth and History (meets with CAS LJ 282)
• CAS HI 389 Introduction to Early Chinese History
• †CAS LJ 250 Masterpieces of Japanese Literature (in English translation)
• CAS LJ 281 Japanese Civilization
• CAS PH 247 Introduction to Chinese Philosophy
• †CAS RN 103 Religions of the World: Eastern
• CAS RN 215 Japanese Religion
• CAS XL 224 Introduction to Comparative Literature: East Asian Literature (in English translation)

Modern Transformation

• CAS AN 318 Southeast Asia: Tradition and Development
• CAS AN 344 Modern Japanese Society: Family, School, and Workplace
• CAS AN 379 China: Tradition and Transformation
• CAS GE 381 Geography of Asia
• CAS HI 390 Introduction to Modern Chinese History
• CAS HI 391 Introduction to Modern Japanese History
• CAS IR 366 Political Economy of East Asia (meets with CAS PO 377)
• CAS IR 368 Contemporary East Asian Economics (meets with CAS EC 368)
• CAS IR 370 China: From Revolution to Reform (meets with CAS PO 369)
• CAS IR 582 Taiwan: Politics and Transformation (meets with CAS PO 582)
• CAS LC 287 Chinese Cinema (in English translation)
• CAS LC 440 Mass Media and Social Change in Modern China
• CAS LJ 283 Modern Japanese Culture in Cinema (in English translation)
• †CAS LJ 350 Self and Society in Modern Japanese Literature

3. Principal Courses Seven principal courses are required. This requirement can be met by selecting from any East Asian humanities or social science courses offered at the University, including core courses not used to fulfill the core requirement. At least three courses must be taken in the humanities and three in the social sciences. Courses offered by the Art History, Modern Languages & Comparative Literature, and Religion Departments are considered humanities. Courses offered by the Anthropology, Archaeology, Economics, Geography & Environment, History, International Relations, and Political Science Departments are considered social sciences. At least three courses must be taken at the 400 level or above. However, RN courses at the 300 level fulfill this requirement. One advanced East Asian language course at the 300 level or above may be used as a principal course.

4. Required Related Language Courses Knowledge of written and spoken Chinese, Japanese, Korean, or Vietnamese (or, where appropriate, another Asian language) through at least the 212 level, or its equivalent, as demonstrated through testing, is required of all majors. Students interested in graduate study in an East Asian field or employment in the region are advised to pursue the language beyond this level, through either advanced language classes at Boston University or study abroad.

5. Required Complementary Minor In order to ensure a sound disciplinary foundation, students majoring in East Asian Studies are required to pursue a complementary minor or major in one of the following departments or programs: Anthropology, Art History, Classics, Economics, Environmental Analysis & Policy/Environmental Science, History, International Relations, Linguistics, Modern Languages & Comparative Literature, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Religion, Sociology, and Women’s Studies. Students will earn credit for this minor or major as well as for the major in East Asian Studies. CAS permits dual counting of no more than two courses between a major and a minor, and no more than five courses between two majors.

Students are strongly urged to spend a summer, semester, or academic year studying in East Asia. Language courses and up to five core and principal courses taken at other universities, and accepted for Boston University credit, may be counted toward the major.

Minor in East Asian Interdisciplinary Studies

The East Asian Studies minor consists of (1) knowledge of written and spoken Chinese, Japanese, Korean, or Vietnamese (or, where appropriate, another Asian language) through the 212 level or its equivalent, as demonstrated through testing, and (2) six courses in East Asian Studies, including the two core courses. At least three of the non-language courses must be taken at Boston University.

Courses

Consult departmental listings for complete description of courses.

Regional Courses

• †CAS AH 225 The Arts of Asia
• CAS AH 425 Seminar: Topics in Asian Art (either China or Japan)
• CAS AH 530 Chinese and Japanese Calligraphy: History, Theory, and Practice
• CAS AH 531 Modern Asian Art in Global Context
• CAS AN 308 Food, Culture, and Society
• CAS AN 350 Asians in America
• CAS AN 505 Asian Development: The Case of Women (area)
• CAS AR 261 Heritage of Asia
• CAS AR 262 Asian Gods and Goddesses
• CAS EC 364 The Chinese Economy
• CAS GE 381 Geography of Asia
• CAS IR 275 The Pacific Challenge (meets with CAS PO 365)
• CAS IR 366 Political Economy of East Asia (meets with CAS PO 377)
• CAS IR 368 Contemporary East Asian Economics (meets with CAS EC 368)
• CAS IR 520 The State and Public Purpose in Asia (meets with CAS PO 562)
• †CAS RN 103 Religions of the World: Eastern

Chinese History and Politics

• CAS AH 327 Arts of China
• CAS AH 529 Seminar: Twentieth-Century Chinese Art
• CAS AN 379 China: Tradition and Transformation
• CAS AR 240 Archaeology of Ancient China
• CAS LC 283 Chinese Civilization (in English translation)
• CAS HI 389 Introduction to Early Chinese History
• CAS HI 390 Introduction to Modern Chinese History
• CAS HI 487 Continuity and Change in Late Imperial and Modern China
• CAS IR 365 Rise of China (meets with CAS PO 374)
• CAS IR 370 China: From Revolution to Reform (meets with CAS PO 369)
• CAS IR 527 Political Economy of China (meets with CAS PO 527)
• CAS IR 577 Foreign Policy of the People’s Republic of China (meets with CAS PO 578)
• CAS IR 582 Taiwan: Politics and Transformation (meets with CAS PO 582)
• CAS IR 585 Problems and Issues in Post-Mao China (meets with CAS PO 558)
• CAS LC 440 Mass Media and Social Change in Modern China

Japanese Society and Politics

• CAS AH 326 Arts of Japan
• CAS AH 328 Modern Japanese Architecture
• CAS AH 532 Japanese Print Culture
• CAS AN 344 Modern Japanese Society: Family, School, and Workplace
• CAS AN 505 Asian Development: The Case of Women
• CAS HI 381 The Samurai in Myth and History (meets with CAS LJ 282)
• CAS HI 391 Modern Japanese History
• CAS HI 488 Interwar Japan and the Pacific War
• CAS IR 570 Politics and Social Change in Postwar Japan (meets with CAS PO 569)
• CAS IR 579 Japan in International Politics (meets with CAS PO 579)
• CAS LJ 281 Japanese Civilization (in English translation)
• CAS LJ 282 The Samurai in Myth and History (meets with CAS HI 381)
• CAS LJ 410 The History of the Japanese Language
• CAS LJ 441 Japanese Press

Religion and Philosophy

• CAS AN 375 Culture, Society, and Religion in South Asia (meets with CAS RN 375)
• CAS PH 247 Introduction to Chinese Philosophy
• †CAS RN 103 Religions of the World: Eastern
• CAS RN 210 Buddhism
• CAS RN 211 Chinese Religion
• CAS RN 213 Hinduism
• CAS RN 215 Japanese Religion
• CAS RN 360 Taoist Religion
• CAS RN 362 Chinese Medicine
• CAS RN 363 Zen Buddhism
• CAS RN 426 Topics in Religion and Literature of East Asia
• CAS RN 430 Topics in East Asian Religions

Art and Literature

• †CAS AH 225 The Arts of Asia
• CAS AH 326 Arts of Japan
• CAS AH 327 Arts of China
• CAS AH 328 Modern Japanese Architecture
• CAS AH 425 Seminar: Topics in Asian Art
• CAS AH 529 Seminar: Twentieth-Century Chinese Art
• CAS AH 532 Japanese Print Culture
• †CAS LC 250 Masterpieces of Chinese Fiction (in English translation)
• CAS LC 281 Post-Mao China in Film and Fiction (in English translation)
• CAS LC 283 Chinese Civilization (in English translation)
• CAS LC 284 Introduction to Chinese Women’s Writing (in English translation)
• CAS LC 285 Topics in Chinese Literature (in English translation)
• CAS LC 286 Topics in Chinese Culture
• CAS LC 287 Chinese Cinema (in English translation)
• †CAS LC 350 Introduction to Chinese Literature
• CAS LC 351 Masterpieces of Modern Chinese Literature, 1910–Present
• CAS LC 470 Topics in Chinese Literature and Culture
• †CAS LJ 250 Masterpieces of Japanese Literature (in English translation)
• CAS LJ 281 Japanese Civilization (in English translation)
• CAS LJ 282 The Culture of the Samurai (in English translation)
• CAS LJ 283 Modern Japanese Culture in Cinema (in English translation)
• †CAS LJ 350 Self and Society in Modern Japanese Literature
• CAS LJ 445 Readings in Japanese Civilization
• CAS LJ 451 Topics in Japanese Literature
• CAS LJ 480 Japanese Women Writers (in English translation)
• CAS LJ 481 Rise of the Modern and Encounter with the West: Japanese Literature 1864–1945 (in English translation)
• CAS LK 283 Modern Korean Culture Through Cinema (in English translation)
• CAS LK 440 Korean Conversation and Composition Through Media
• †CAS XL 224 Introduction to Comparative Literature: East Asian Literature (in English translation)

South and Southeast Asia

• CAS AN 318 Southeast Asia: Tradition and Development
• CAS AR 390 The Archaeology of Southeast Asia
• CAS AR 560 Civilizations of Central and South Asia
• CAS IR 369 Southeast Asia in World Politics
• CAS IR 506 India: An Emerging World Power
• CAS IR 586 Islam in South Asian Politics
• CAS RN 425 Topics in South Asian Religions
• CAS SO 328 Contemporary South Asian Societies

The Latin American Interdisciplinary Studies program allows students to concentrate on the regionally focused offerings of several departments, giving the necessary breadth and depth to understand the complexities of Latin America. This region is traditionally defined as including the 20 independent countries in the Western Hemisphere south of the United States with Spanish, French, or Portuguese as their official languages. The major combines a focus on pre-Columbian and historical context (Group 1), art and literature (Group 2), and current social, economic, political, and foreign policy context (Group 3). It also includes substantial study of Spanish or Portuguese to gain competence in a language used extensively in the region, as well as a jointly taught capstone course on key issues and concerns designed to bring together the themes students have pursued in the major. Boston University has three international programs in Latin America: a semester or academic year in Quito, Ecuador, at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito; a semester in Guadalajara, Mexico, at the Universidad de Guadalajara; and a summer in Lima and Ayacucho, Peru, at the Universidad Católica and the Universidad Nacional de San Cristóbal de Huamanga. Courses in these programs count toward the Latin American Studies major. Faculty members of the program advise students closely in their course selection to ensure the intellectual coherence of both requirements and electives within the students’ specific areas of interest. A Latin American Studies minor is also available.

Major in Latin American Studies

The Latin American Studies (LAS) major consists of eleven courses distributed by level and field, including three electives and the capstone seminar. A grade of C or higher is required for all courses in the major. In addition, students must satisfy a five semester course requirement in either Spanish or Portuguese (one course more than the College of Arts & Sciences language requirement).

Field: Course offerings on Latin America are divided into three groups according to their subject matter. Majors must take seven LAS courses: at least two courses from Group 1, one from Group 2, and four from Group 3.

Electives: Majors must choose at least three additional LAS courses from any group in consultation with their advisors.

Level: Majors may take up to two courses below the 300 level. At least six courses must be at the 400 level or above.

Language: Majors must satisfy the College of Arts & Sciences language requirement in either Spanish or Portuguese (four semesters), and also take one additional course in that language to develop further competency. Intensive study in Ecuador, Mexico, or Peru with Boston University’s international programs can count toward satisfying this requirement.

Capstone Course: During the second semester of the senior year, majors take the capstone seminar, Latin America Today: An Interdisciplinary Approach.

Minor in Latin American Studies

The Latin American Studies minor consists of six courses, at least three of which are at or above the 400 level. At least one course is taken from each group. The capstone course is optional, though encouraged, for senior minors.

Courses

Consult departmental listings for complete course descriptions.

Group 1: Pre-Columbian and Historical Context

• CAS AA 385 History of the Atlantic World (meets with CAS HI 385)
• CAS AA 489 The African Diaspora (meets with CAS HI 589)
• CAS AH 322 Ancient Aztec and Inca Civilization
• CAS AH 528 Studies in Mesoamerican Art and Archaeology (meets with CAS AR 528)
• CAS AR 251 Ancient Maya Civilization
• CAS AR 252 Ancient Aztec and Inca Civilizations
• CAS AR 270 New World Rediscovery: Archaeology of the Age of Exploration
• CAS AR 351 Mesoamerican Archaeology
• CAS AR 352 South American Archaeology
• CAS AR 353 Maya Cities
• CAS AR 551 Studies in Mesoamerican Archaeology
• CAS AR 552 Studies in South American Archaeology
• CAS AR 555 Ancient American Writing Systems (meets with CAS AH 555)
• CAS HI 210 Age of Discovery
• CAS HI 385 Atlantic History (meets with CAS AA 385)
• CAS HI 386 Modern Latin America
• CAS HI 489 The African Diaspora in the Americas (meets with CAS AA 489)
• CAS HI 582 Social Movements in Twentieth-Century Latin America
• CAS HI 584 Comparative Slavery in the Americas (meets with CAS AA 514)
• CAS HI 587 U.S.-Mexican Borders

Group 2: Art and Literature

• CAS AH 222 Art and Architecture in Ancient America (meets with CAS AR 222)
• CAS AH 528 Studies in Mesoamerican Art and Architecture (meets with CAS AR 528)
• CAS LS 455 Spanish-American Literature Through the Nineteenth Century
• CAS LS 457 Twentieth-Century Spanish-American Literature
• CAS LS 554 Jorge Luis Borges
• CAS LS 569 Nineteenth-Century Spanish-American Literature
• CAS LS 572 The Spanish-American Colonial Experience: Early Texts, New Interpretations
• CAS LS 573 Spanish-American Literary Modernism and Modernization
• CAS LS 576 Topics in Spanish-American Literature
• CAS LS 577 Topics in Hispanic Thought and Criticism
• CAS LS 579 Topics in Hispanic Cinemas
• CAS LS 580 Mexico City in Literature and Film
• CAS LS 581 The Mexican Revolution Revisited

Group 3: Contemporary Context

• CAS EC 369 Economic Development of Latin America
• CAS IR 242 Globalization and World Poverty (meets with CAS SO 242)
• CAS IR 367 Introduction to Latin American Politics and International Relations (meets with CAS PO 367)
• CAS IR 395 North-South Relations (meets with CAS PO 352)
• CAS IR 425 Seminar: Women and Social Change in the Developing World (meets with CAS SO 420)
• CAS IR 502 Latin American Political Parties (meets with CAS PO 509)
• CAS IR 529 Cuba in Transition
• CAS IR 566 Democracy in Latin America and Its Challenges (meets with CAS PO 580)
• CAS IR 567 Latin American Politics (meets with CAS PO 567)
• CAS IR 568 U.S.-Latin American Relations (meets with CAS PO 568)
• CAS IR 572 The Latin American Military
• CAS IR 575 Political Economy of Mexico and NAFTA (meets with CAS PO 553)
• CAS IR 590 Political Economy of Latin America (meets with CAS PO 550)
• CAS IR 597 Sustainable Developement in Latin America (meets with CAS GE 597)
• CAS PO 581 National Development and International Politics

Capstone Course

• CAS IR 410 Latin America Today (topic changes each year)

The Russian & Eastern European Interdisciplinary Studies Program allows students to develop a coherent major from courses offered in several departments. With a focus on both the society and culture of a significant area of the world, the major can combine courses in history, international relations, political science, geography, philosophy, and economics, as well as language and literature. Specific courses are determined by the student’s own interests and in consultation with the major director. For further information, contact the Department of International Relations.

Through a cooperative agreement with the Russian and East European Center at Boston College, a limited number of students are able to cross-register by petition. Courses available at Boston College include languages such as Polish, Serbo-Croatian, and Old Church Slavonic; literature courses; Government and Politics of the Far East; Sino-Soviet Relations; Eastern European and Romanian History.

Major in Russian & Eastern European Studies

The REES major consists of the following three components:

1. Principal Courses in Politics and Society Minimum requirement: seven courses, with a grade of C or higher, to be chosen from the list of principal courses below.

2. Related Courses in Arts and Culture Minimum requirement: four courses with a grade of C or higher from the list of related courses below.

3. Language Proficiency is required at an advanced (third year) level in Russian or another approved Eastern European language.

Minor in Russian & Eastern European Studies

Six courses from the list of principal courses below, with a grade of C or higher, constitute a minor.

Courses

Consult departmental listings and the bulletins for complete description of courses.

Principal Courses in Politics and Society

• CAS AA 585 The Afro-Russian Experience (meets with CAS HI 585)
• CAS EC 396 Soviety and Post-Soviet Economics
• CAS EC 397 East European Economics
• CAS HI 345 History of Russia, 1689–1917
• CAS HI 346 History of the Soviet Union and Post-Communist Russia, 1917 to the Present
• CAS HI 347 Issues in Modern Russian and Soviet History, 1861–1956
• CAS HI 399 Modern History and Geopolitics of the Caucasus
• CAS HI 444 Problems in the Social History of Late Imperial Russia, 1861–1917
• CAS HI 445 Introduction to Nineteenth- and Twentieth-Century Russian Intellectual History
• CAS HI 446 The Russian Revolution
• CAS IR 341 Central Europe (meets with CAS HI 341)
• CAS IR 363 Soviet Politics 1917–1991 (meets with CAS PO 363)
• CAS IR 364 The Politics of Post-Communist Russia (meets with CAS PO 364)
• CAS IR 375 Introduction to Russian and Post-Soviet Foreign Relations (meets with CAS PO 375)
• CAS IR 465 The United States and the Cold War (meets with CAS HI 465)
• CAS IR 541 Russia’s International Policies I
• CAS IR 542 The Reemergence of Russia (meets with CAS PO 556)
• CAS IR 543 The Changing Face of Eastern Europe (meets with CAS PO 557)
• CAS IR 544 Comparative Political Systems and Foreign Policies
• CAS IR 545 Central/East European Diplomatic History, 1814–1918
• CAS IR 546 Power and Legitimacy: Ideology as a Political Tool
• CAS LR 441 Contemporary Russian Press
• CAS LR 442 Russian Media
• CAS PO 363 Soviet Politics, 1917–1991
• CAS PO 364 The Politics of Post-Communist Russia
• CAS PO 586 Nationalism in Post-Soviet Eurasia
• CAS SO 246 Sociology of Market Transitions
• CAS SO 324 Soviet and Post-Soviet Society

Related Courses in Arts and Culture

• †CAS LR 250 Classics of Russian Prose (in English translation) (HU)
• CAS LR 280 Dostoyevsky (in English translation)
• CAS LR 281 Tolstoy (in English translation)
• CAS LR 282 Russian Prose Classics of the Twentieth Century (in English translation)
• CAS LR 285 Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky (in English translation)
• †CAS LR 350 Introduction to Analysis of Russian Prose Texts (HU)
• CAS LR 351 Introduction to Analysis of Russian Poetic Texts
• CAS LR 443 Contemporary Russian Culture
• CAS LR 455 Chekhov
• CAS LR 456 Topics in Twentieth-Century Russian Literature
• CAS PH 418 Marx and Marxism
• CFA MU 645 Music of Igor Stravinsky

Language Courses

First Year

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

Second Year

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

Advanced

• CAS LR 303, 304 Third-Year Russian: Reading, Grammar Review, and Conversation
• CAS LR 309 Style and Composition for Native Speakers of Russian
• CAS LR 403 Advanced Russian Grammar
• CAS LR 404 Advanced Russian Conversation