Humanities 210 Syllabus - Fall 2006
Cultures & Literatures of Asia - MIC/WIC

CRN #44598 - Tues & Thurs 12:45 - 2:25 pm - Deschutes 1
4 credits - Instructor: Prof. Cora Agatucci
Humanities Department, Central Oregon Community College

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT -
We're moving back to DES 1
effective Tues. 17 Oct. 2006!

URL of this webpage: http://web.cocc.edu/cagatucci/classes/hum210/syllabus.htm

Welcome to Humanities 210!

HUM 210 - Culture and Literature of Asia - MIC/WIC
Introductory study of representative literary texts, films, and related language arts, in English or in translation, of Asian regions and countries, such as China, India and Japan, examined in context of their histories and cultural traditions.  Credits: 4  *NOTE: In Fall 2006 HUM 210, we will also be studying the film Whale Rider (New Zealand) and relevant Maori cultural traditions.

Recommended preparation: Placement in RD 117 and WR 121. That is, students with college entry-level skills in reading, writing, communication & critical thinking are best prepared to succeed in this course.  No previous coursework in literature, film, and/or Asian studies is required, although such background is of course helpful.

HUM 210 Course Learning Outcomes (or Objectives)

A. Build knowledge of language arts and cultures different from one’s own:
1. Identify distinctive cultural characteristics, genres, and periods of selected traditional and modern Asian orature, literature, and film.
2. Situate selected individual Asian texts in their specific national/regional and cultural contexts, and analyze significant ways that these texts reflect or represent those contexts (e.g. cultural values and beliefs, intellectual and creative traditions, historical and biographical backgrounds, social and political realities).
3. Evaluate the limitations and benefits of studying Asian works in cross-cultural translation (i.e. across different languages, writing systems, cultures and creative media).

B. Apply this knowledge to cross-cultural comparative analysis:
4. Identify and analyze significant cross cultural differences and similarities--among different Asian texts and their cultures; between Asian language arts/cultures and one's own; and/or between Asian language arts/cultures and those of other non-Western groups.
5. Examine the effects of individual and culturally-determined factors (such as race, gender, class, nation, biases of information sources, prior cross-cultural experiences) in one’s own and others’ responses to Asian texts and cultures.
6. Identify topics of personal interest, unanswered questions, controversial claims and alternative viewpoints arising from one’s comparative study for further research and investigation.

C. Construct and communicate persuasive cross-cultural interpretations:
7. Formulate responses and interpretations using varied strategies and resources (e.g., active reading/viewing skills; self-reflection, critical and empathetic thinking, oral discussion and writing, multiple perspectives, comparative analysis, interdisciplinary knowledge).
8. Create a persuasive cross-cultural interpretation of an Asian text that integrates ethno-relative perspectives and analytical criteria appropriate to Asian language arts and their cultural contexts.
9. Communicate one’s interpretations in informal and formal writing, using relevant, well-selected evidence from Asian texts and their cultural contexts to support one’s points.
10. Avoid plagiarism by using an acceptable academic style (e.g. MLA) to cite direct quotations, paraphrases (indirect quotations), and summaries taken from primary and secondary sources.