Survey of pre-modern Japanese literature, with readings in English Translation: 14th to 19th centuries.

Survey of pre-modern Japanese literature, with readings in English translation: Court literature, to 1330.

A survey of the literary treatment of erotic or amorous love in the Japanese tradition from the 7th to the 20th centuries. It is both a chronological introduction to the literary tradition and also an investigation of Japanese conceptions of love. The development of images of love in western literature has been analyzed in relation to the actions of the Christian church of the 12th century, resulting in a polarity between pure love and physical lust. In Japan we see a quite different development responding to Shinto, Buddhist and Confucian world-views, to changing social and political organization, and to advances in technology. The raw materials of the course are English language translations of Japanese literature and art from the major genres and periods between the 8th and 19th centuries.

Survey of modern Japanese literature with readings in English translation: Meiji to World War Two.

Introduction to Japanese sociolinguistics: questionnaire studies, variation analysis, ethnography of communication, conversation analysis, interactional sociolinguistics, and language and social interaction.

This course focuses on the work of Haruki Murakami (1949-), the most popular and widely read novelist working in Japan today, and a major literary figure worldwide. We will read a substantial amount of Murakami's writings, all in English translation, beginning with his short stories, and covering his major novels. We will explore the major themes of Murakami's writings and develop a comprehensive view of his development as a writer. At the same time we will locate Murakami in the context of modern Japanese and world literature, and discuss his relationship with modern American literature, and his work as a translator and writer of non-fiction.

This course explores Japanese society employing anthropological methods. Topics include politics, social structure, gender, sociolinguistics, education, religion, and popular culture. The main theme of this course is to learn how to distinguish between images and realities.

This course provides an introduction to the phonetics and phonology of Japanese. Some related topics in morphology are also covered. Students develop a sophisticated understanding of some of the problems encountered by non-native speakers learning Japanese.

Reading and discussion in Japanese of a variety of advanced-level materials, including newspaper articles, short stories, and poetry.

Reading and discussion in Japanese of a variety of advanced-level materials, including newspaper articles, short stories, and poetry.