Food connects people; it is a vehicle for lives, and a facet of humanity. Investigating the social phenomena of Japanese food culture, students engage in active learning activities to stimulate discussions on the global context including cultural expressions, innovation, equity, and community. They also design a product to illustrate their reflective inquiry in further developing their culture and linguistic competency. Prerequisite: JAPN 3010.

This course is a seminar devoted to exploring the Japanese poetic tradition from the eighth century onwards that culminated in the development of haiku through representative texts and genres, including waka and renga. No prior knowledge of Japanese language or literature is required.

This seminar examines how films from Japan visually raise different cultural and social issues, and how they relate to the universal human condition. With an understanding that films involve so many different disciplines, this seminar examines contemporary Japan via comparativist and cross-cultural perspectives by paying careful attention to the effects of the imagistic and visual power that only films can offer.

A seminar focusing on influential medieval and early-modern narratives such as the Tale of Heike in which the notion of the samurai first developed. No prerequisites. Satisfies the non-Western and Second-Writing requirements.

New course in the subject of Chinese literature in translation

New course in Japanese.

The class aims to broadly consider issues like diaspora identities, the relationships between nationality and culture, and the rise of World Literature, through the work of writers and artists with Japanese roots who spend all or part of their lives outside of Japan. All materials will be in English translation. No prerequisites. No prior knowledge of Japanese culture or the Japanese language is required.

Chinese science fiction has roots in traditional literature and translated Western science fiction, reappeared in various forms throughout the 20th century, and rapidly developed in the 21st century, with growing worldwide impact. This course explores Chinese science fiction, with excursions into aspects of Chinese culture that have shaped it, as well as aspects of global science fiction that have impacted it, and theories of world literature relevant to its global reception and circulation.

This course will offer the students the opportunities to develop advanced reading proficiency in modern Korean language. The course will deal with advanced reading material, mostly from authentic writings in various genres and styles, such as newspaper editorials, columns, essays, T.V. news clips, short stories, and other expository and literary writings. Prerequisite: Must have earned a grade of C or above in KOR 3020, OR have equivalent background approved by instructor through placement evaluation. Contact the Korean language program director Prof. Yoon Hwa Choi (yc8z@virginia.edu) for information about the placement evaluation.

This course uses modern Chinese literary texts to introduce students to the special skills and problems associated with translation. Activities include: familiarization with key theoretical issues in translation studies, dictionary training, assessing and comparing existing translations, group work, draft revision, and quizzes on reading assignments. Prerequisite: CHIN 4020 or equivalent level. Some familiarity with Chinese literature preferred.