Fall 2012

Survey of grammar, graded exercises, and readings drawn from Indonesian texts, leading to a mastery of basic language patterns, essential vocabulary, and to achievement of basic reading, writing, and conversational competence. Emphasis on developing communicative skills.

Textbook(s)

Beginning Indonesian Through Self-Instruction Volume II, Lessons 1-15, J. U. Wolff, Cornell SE Asia Program Publications, ISBN: 0877275300

Introduction to the Devanagari writing system, survey of grammar, graded exercises and readings, leading to mastery of grammatical structures, essential vocabulary and achievement of basic reading and writing competence. Emphasis will be on developing communicative skills in both spoken and written language within a cultural framework.

Textbook(s)

Introduction to Hindi Grammar, U. R. Jain, UCB-CSAS Publications, ISBN: 094461325X

Essential Hindi Dictionary: A Teach Yourself Guide, Rupert Snell, McGraw-Hill Higher Education, ISBN: 0071759953

Introduction to the Devanagari writing system, survey of grammar, graded exercises and readings, leading to mastery of grammatical structures, essential vocabulary and achievement of basic reading and writing competence. Emphasis will be on developing communicative skills in both spoken and written language within a cultural framework.

Discussion section

This class will focus on the Newar Buddhist tradition of the Kathmandu Valley of Nepal. While in India itself Buddhism did not survive beyond the fourteenth century, it has persisted among the Newars till the present day in Nepal. This allows for the unique chance to study Indic Mahayana Buddhism (and the manifold forms of tantric practice it includes) “on the ground” as a vibrant and dynamic religious tradition that concretely shapes and structures the lives of people and the culture and society they inhabit, and that in turn is transformed by the adaptation to this culture and society. We will approach the Newar Buddhist tradition and the dynamics of adaptation by examining particular themes such as Buddhist monasticism and its interaction with the laity, the adaptation to the caste system, the cult of stupas and images, festivals of Buddhists deities, life-cycle rites of passage, the tradition’s narrative literature, etc. Particular attention will be paid to the complex relations between Newar Buddhism and the Hindu and the autochthonous religious traditions it coexists with. Another important topic will be the recent introduction of Theravada Buddhism to the Kathmandu Valley, and the impact of Buddhist modernism. The exploration of Newar Buddhism will be tied to other Buddhist and Indic religious traditions and their practice in society. In this way the class will not only make sense of a complex religious field, the Newar tradition of the Kathmandu valley, but also allow for more general insights into Indic Buddhism and how its functions in society. The treatment of the Newar Buddhist tradition will be brought to life by the extensive presentation of visual materials including documentaries, and rare and fascinating video footage. Instead of set books there will be an extensive reader, which will be available on the day that classes start at University Copy on 2425 Channing Way.

Prerequisite: Completion of Elementary Telugu or consent of instructor.

This course is designed to expand the systematic grammar, vocabulary, proficiency in reading, writing and speaking Telugu language. This course gives more cultural, historical and sociological exposure from the study materials like simple poems, selected short stories and news paper, magazine readings. By the end of the course students will be able to read, write, and comprehend the text adequately. And also will be able to gain fair knowledge of Telugu culture and history. This course will provide a solid base for those who are planning to continue advanced studies in Telugu literature, linguistics and culture.

This is not a lecture type course, but interaction type course. Topics are presented by the instructor and exercises are given daily, and there will be final exam. Students are encouraged to read texts regularly, and are expected to actively participate in the learning process.

This seminar examines the role of language and literature in expressing identities across cultures, the place of exile in shaping voice and story, and questions of origins as we go beyond the maxim "lost in translation" to explore what gets found as voices and places are remade. Readings will include  a novel by Michio Takeyama (Harp of Burma), and short stories by Madeleine Thien (Simple Recipes), Rattawut Lapcharoensap (Sightseeing), Merlinda Bobis (White Turtle) and Nam Le (The Boat). We will situate these readings, which journey to and from or transit through, Burma, Indonesia, Japan, Thailand and Vietnam, against essays on creativity, translation and mobility by writers Michael Chabon (Imaginary Homelands) and Siri Hustvedt (Yonder). Success in this course requires a love of story, an interest in elsewhere, an appreciation of the power of voice, and what author Rick Moody defined in a recent Paris Review interview as a "delight in language." Students will be required to complete four short written exercises. Participation in class discussions is required, and attendance in all seminars is mandatory.   This seminar is part of the Connections@Cal initiative.

Textbook(s)

Sightseeing, Rattawut Lapcharoensap, Grove Press, ISBN: 080217880

Harp of Burma, Michio Takeyama, Tuttle Press, ISBN: 0804802327

The Boat, Nam Le, Vintage, ISBN: 0307388190

Simple Recipes, Madeleine Thien, Back Bay Books, ISBN: 0316833169

Gurmukhi script. Survey of grammar. Graded exercises, leading to a mastery of basic language patterns, essential vocabulary, and achievement of basic reading and writing skills.

This class explores the interaction between indigenous South Indian modes of religious expression and those of Brahminical Hinduism from the Sangam age to the present. While placing emphasis on the formation and development of Hindu tradition, with its variety of sectarian developments, this class will also survey the unique expression of Buddhism and Jainism that have flourished in South India. This study will make extensive use of both textual and non-textual sources. By also emphasizing visual culture and performance traditions (art, dance, music and drama) this class will delve into those aspects of South Indian religious life that has most deeply impacted the lives of adherents of these faiths on a day to day basis.

Textbook(s)

Speaking of Siva, Anonymous Author, Trans. A. K. Ramanujan, Penguin, ISBN: 0140442707

The Secret Garland, Archana Venkatesan, Oxford University Press, ISBN: 0195391756

Classical Telugu Poetry: An Anthology, David Shulman & Rao Velcheru Narayana, University of California Press, ISBN: 0520225988

Indonesia is the nation with the world’s largest Muslim population, and Malaysia and the southern Philippines are regions with vibrant Islamic traditions. Islam has been essential in the development of Southeast Asian cultures, literatures, and arts for over seven hundred years, and Southeast Asian Islam is intimately tied to the Islamic world. This upper-division undergraduate course will be an investigation into key discourses on the cultures and politics of Islam in Southeast Asia. We will trace the processes through which Islam entered the Malay world in the 13th century. We will explore the European colonial encounters with Islam in Southeast Asia and the ways that Islam interacted with and resisted colonialism. We will discuss the role of mysticism and Sufi associations, and of reformist movements in the 18th through the 21st centuries. And we will analyze the place of Islam in Southeast Asian arts and literature. We will consider the majority Muslim nations of Indonesia and Malaysia, and will also explore the struggles of Islam as a minority religion in the Philippines and Thailand. Readings will include primary sources in translation, literary texts, ethnographic works, and writings by colonial and local scholars.

Textbook(s)

Land of Five Towers, A. Fuadi, Gramedia, ISBN: 9792275940

Telling Lives, Telling History, S. Rodgers, UC Press, ISBN: 0520085477

This course offers a broad historical and cultural survey of the civilizations of the Indian subcontinent from the earliest period known to archeology to the advent of Islam as a major cultural and political force around the 13th century CE. Attention will be paid to the geography and ethnography of the region, its political history and to the religious, philosophical, literary, scientific and artistic movements that have shaped it and contributed to its development as a unique, diverse and fascinating world civilization.

Lectures, readings and class discussions will center on salient texts, broadly defined, that have characterized major cultural, religious and political formations from the earliest antiquity to the late medieval period.

The course is open to all interested students and is required for those majoring or minoring in South Asian Studies.

Textbook(s)

India: A Brief History of a Civilization, Thomas R. Trautmann, Oxford University Press, ISBN: 0199736324

Sources of Indian Tradition, Vol. 1, A. Embree, Columbia University Press, ISBN: 0231066511

A second-year course in Vietnamese vocabulary and syntax with intensive drills on short colloquial expressions and auditory recognition of speech patterns. First semester course stresses phraseology, sentence building, rules of composition and development of students' communicative skills. By the end of the second semester students will learn to speak and write simple compositions on the more abstract, intellectual topics such as history, arts and folklore. Students will also be introduced to Vietnamese literature and sample readings from modern and contemporary Vietnamese writers.

Textbook(s)

Chung ta noi - Conversational Vietnamese, Le Pham Thuy Kim & Nguyen Kim Oanh, University of Washington Press, ISBN: 0295980893

In this seminar we will examine contemporary Southeast Asian society and culture through the lens of contemporary Southeast Asian films, three each from Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines. In discussions about the films in class we will seek to understand how these films mirror modern and traditional aspects of the societies in which they were produced. We will also consider the films as examples of current world cinema and vehicles of storytelling. In their four-page papers for each section of the course, students will address the above broad issues (referencing class discussions when appropriate) in relation to their own experiences and opinions, focusing either on one film or comparing two or three from the same country. Students should plan to participate actively and consistently in class discussions, remembering that class participation makes up 25% of the grade in the course. Previous knowledge of or personal experience with Southeast Asian societies and cultures, and if possible Southeast Asian film, is desired but not required. Students with no previous knowledge of Southeast Asia who have experience watching and discussing a wide range of films from other countries with a critical eye are also welcome.  This seminar is part of the Connections@Cal initiative.

Urdu course which is intended for students who have completed two semesters of Urdu or who have equivalent proficiency in Urdu. All four skills, speaking, listening, reading and writing, will be taught. Sentence structure and grammar construction will be presented through example/models, however, necessary/brief explanation will also be give.

A systematic introduction to the grammar, sentence patterns, and essential vocabulary of modern standard Filipino. Emphasis is placed on extensive practice in idiomatic Filipino conversation, with additional practice in reading and writing Filipino.

Textbook(s)

Tagalog for Beginners, Joi Barrios, Tuttle Publishing, ISBN: 0804841268

This seminar covers various aspects of Indonesian and Malay language and literature, history and the development of the literature, including classical and modern literatures of Indonesia and the Malay world, and oral narratives.   For Fall 2012 we will explore the mythic imaginary as it is expressed in oral, classical and modern texts. 

Introductory to Thai (Thai 1A) is designed for students who has no, or very little, knowledge on  speaking, reading, or writing Thai. Heritage students who speak Thai well, but wish to learn how to read and write, will be advised to come to the first class to pick up alphabet sheets and instruction for self-study, then join next semester's class  (Thai 1B)

Initially,  students will rely on romanized phonetic system as a crutch. The first few weeks will focus on learning to read adequately so as to abandon transliteration system as soon as possible. The goal for this class is for students to be able to speak. Simple conversation drills occur throughout the course. Students will learn greetings, small talks, and asking questions. There will be opportunity for frequent practice with native Thai speakers.  The second half of the course will focus on laying solid foundation for basic sentence structure, and building more vocabulary words. By the end of the class, students should be able to construct simple conversation independent of a script, and able to read first grade text book.

Textbook(s)

Everyday Thai for Beginners, Wiworn Kesavatana-Dohrs, Silkworm Press, ISBN: 9749575970

A systematic introduction to the grammar, sentence patterns, and essential vocabulary of modern standard Filipino. Emphasis is placed on extensive practice in idiomatic Filipino conversation, with additional practice in reading and writing Filipino.

Textbook(s)

Tagalog for Beginners, Joi Barrios, Tuttle Publishing, ISBN: 0804841268

The goal of this course is to enable students to increase their proficiency in Filipino to at least the intermediate-high level of the national ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines. While speaking and listening comprehension will be stressed, training in reading and writing Filipino will be an integral part of instruction. Films and video/audio materials will supplement written texts.

This course is for students with no previous knowledge of spoken or written Khmer language. Students will learn how to converse in polite standard Khmer in a variety of topical areas: greetings and pleasantries, talking about family, friends and personal background, food and eating. The goal of the course is for students to be able to "survive" in spoken Khmer in modern Cambodia, and to begin to be able to express their needs and feelings in Khmer and to discuss their lives and personal interests. A large amount of the material learned will be memorized questions and responses. These will be practiced in the classroom in performative, task-based activities. From day one, students will also be introduced to the Khmer writing system, and how it interacts with the spoken language. By the end of the course, students will know the alphabet, be able to spell simple words, recognize a wide range of common sight words, and be able to compose simple texts in Khmer and read a few simple stories.

This course is for students who can already converse about the educated topics described for Khmer 100A-B at a basic level, and who have already mastered the basics of the Khmer writing system and can write simple academic papers in Khmer and read moderately complex folk tales and articles on topics such as history and news articles. Students will learn to discuss, read and write about the same topics covered in Khmer 1A, but at a much deeper and more sophisticated level: religion, traditional culture, and the language of public information. Students will study several complex Khmer folk tales and legends in depth, and also study the language used in public service announcements dealing with important social issues. Classes will involve both discussions of readings and task-based group activities in which information from a variety of sources must be synthesized and critically analyzed.

Readings from the Sanskrit epics and puranas; introduction to the kavya style of classical Sanskrit poetry; readings in the sastras. Prerequisites: 100B.

Textbook(s)

A Higher Sanskrit Grammar, Moreshwar Ramchandra Kale, South Asia Books, ISBN: 8120801776

Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary, V. S. Apte, South Asia Books, ISBN: 8120805674

Sanskrit-English Dictionary, M. Monier-Williams, South Asia Books, ISBN: 8120800656

Introduction to Middle Indic. An intensive study of texts in one or more of the Prakrit dialects, Pali, or Apabhramsa.

Reading and composition based on 10 classic works of Indian literature ranging from the ancient Sanskrit epics to modern novels by Indian and western authors. Weekly composition on texts and topics read and discussed in class. Satisfies the first half of the Reading and Composition requirement.

Textbook(s)

The Mahabharata, C. V. Narasimhan, Columbia University Press, ISBN: 0231110553

The Ramayana, R. K. Narayan, Penguin, ISBN: 0143039679

Splitting the Difference: Gender and Myth in Ancient Greece and India, Wendy Doniger, University of Chicago Press, ISBN: 0226156419

The Baburnama: Memoirs of Babur, Prince and Emperor, W. M. Thackston Jr., Random House, ISBN: 035761373

The Craft of Research, Wayne Booth, University of Chicago Press, ISBN: 0226065669

The grammar of modern Tamil will be covered followed by readings in simple texts. Practice will also be given in spoken Tamil.

The Cōḻa dynasty (9th -- 13th c.), whose kings rose from their early origins in the Kaveri river delta to become the foremost lords of peninsular India, ruled over the most celebrated empire in south Indian history.  This course examines the texts and textual culture that articulated Cōḻa rule: in Tamil, from the narration of an ancient past in the Tamil poetry of the early centuries CE to the twelfth-century Tamil masterpieces that today stand as the core of the literary tradition; in Sanskrit, from the early genealogic panegyrics to the Śaiva texts centered around the great temple center of Chidambaram.  Textuality is to be construed broadly, with proper concern for Cōḻas' vast inscriptional record and patronage of the visual arts, and particular attention will be paid to issues of language choice and vernacularization.   No Tamil or Sanskrit required, but students with facility in these languages will be encouraged to discuss the primary sources in conjunction with the supplied translations.

This course may also be taken as S,SEASN 250 Section 4 (CCN 83361) with less emphasis on Tamil texts.

Focus on reading, writing and speaking Punjabi more fluently in formal and informal contexts. Selected readings vary every semester. These form the starting point to stimulate students' own writings which include a long interview with a Punjabi elder from the wider community. These may be recorded in the students' own voices and form a contribution to the ongoing "Punjabi Voices" project. Review of grammar provided as needed in addition to the introduction of more complex grammatical structures. Grading based on performance in class and final presentation, weekly quizzes, two midterms, and a final.

This course is devoted to a study of selected literary texts set in various regions of Southeast Asia. The readings will include works by foreign authors who lived and traveled in Southeast Asia and translations of works by Southeast Asian writers. These texts will be used to make comparisons and observations with which to characterize coloniality, nationalism, and postcoloniality. This course satisfies the first half of the Reading and Composition requirement.

This course is devoted to a study of selected literary texts set in various regions of Southeast Asia. The readings will include works by foreign authors who lived and traveled in Southeast Asia and translations of works by Southeast Asian writers. These texts will be used to make comparisons and observations with which to characterize coloniality, nationalism, and postcoloniality. This course satisfies the first half of the Reading and Composition requirement.

This class will focus on the Newar Buddhist tradition of the Kathmandu Valley of Nepal. While in India itself Buddhism did not survive beyond the fourteenth century, it has persisted among the Newars till the present day in Nepal. This allows for the unique chance to study Indic Mahayana Buddhism (and the manifold forms of tantric practice it includes) “on the ground” as a vibrant and dynamic religious tradition that concretely shapes and structures the lives of people and the culture and society they inhabit, and that in turn is transformed by the adaptation to this culture and society. We will approach the Newar Buddhist tradition and the dynamics of adaptation by examining particular themes such as Buddhist monasticism and its interaction with the laity, the adaptation to the caste system, the cult of stupas and images, festivals of Buddhists deities, life-cycle rites of passage, the tradition’s narrative literature, etc. Particular attention will be paid to the complex relations between Newar Buddhism and the Hindu and the autochthonous religious traditions it coexists with. Another important topic will be the recent introduction of Theravada Buddhism to the Kathmandu Valley, and the impact of Buddhist modernism. The exploration of Newar Buddhism will be tied to other Buddhist and Indic religious traditions and their practice in society. In this way the class will not only make sense of a complex religious field, the Newar tradition of the Kathmandu valley, but also allow for more general insights into Indic Buddhism and how its functions in society. The treatment of the Newar Buddhist tradition will be brought to life by the extensive presentation of visual materials including documentaries, and rare and fascinating video footage. Instead of set books there will be an extensive reader, which will be available on the day that classes start at University Copy on 2425 Channing Way.

Gender, Sexuality and Colonialism in Southeast Asia

This graduate seminar introduces students to foundational approaches to the study of gender and sexuality, as applied to three distinct countries in modern mainland Southeast Asia whose study will enhance awareness of comparative cultural and colonial studies. Core coursework involves close reading of recent scholarship on gender, sexuality and colonialism in Burma (governed as part of British India), Cambodia (a French Protectorate) and Siam/Thailand (never colonized). Through these readings, we will critically examine the intersection between emergent and contingent colonial and national categories of gender, sexuality and race.  The major course assignment, a research essay, allows all course participants the opportunity to apply concepts and theories discussed in the course to the country of their primary research interest, whether in South or Southeast Asia.

The course focuses on Philippine history through literature and performance during the indigenous or precolonial period (pre-16th century), the Spanish and American colonial periods, and contemporary times.  This includes:  traditional forms (rituals, poetry, songs, dances) that give insights to belief systems and economic, political and social life during the indigenous period; performance and literary forms that were instruments both of colonial conquest and anti-colonial movements;  and theater and literature that participated in discourses on agrarian issues, labor, Martial law and militarism, gender rights, academic freedom, and human rights.

Prerequisites: Thai 100B or equivalent.

In this third-year course, students will learn to read and listen to authentic materials from a variety of contemporary sources including print, web, and broadcast media, and short stories. Students will explore the Thai cultural psyche in order to gain a deeper understanding of cultural values and constructs, their historical development, and the dialectical forces of the old and the new. Students will be required to engage in critical analysis and debate.

Gurmukhi script. Survey of grammar. Graded exercises, leading to a mastery of basic language patterns, essential vocabulary, and achievement of basic reading and writing skills.