Course syllabus

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ASIAN 701AB: East Asia: Civilisation, Tradition and Globalisation

ASIAN 701A: SEMESTER 1 (15 points)

ASIAN701B: SEMIESTER 2 (15 points)

 

 
Course Convenor:

Dr. Rumi Sakamoto   r.sakamoto@auckland.ac.nz 

Office: Arts 2, 207-435 

 

Teacher: 

Hilary Chung h.chung@auckland.ac.nz

Paul Clark paul.clark@auckland.ac.nz

Harumi Minagara h.minagawa@auckland.ac.nz

Mark Mullins m.mullins@auckland.ac.nz                                                                 

Stephen Noakes  s.noakes@auckland.ac.nz                       

Rumi Sakamoto r.sakamoto@auckland.ac.nz

Changzoo Song ch.song@auckland.ac.nz

 

Course delivery format:

2 hours seminar per a week (Timetable and room details can be viewed on Student Services Online)

 

 Summary of Course Description:              

This is a core course for Asian Studies, which introduces students to an interdisciplinary study of East Asia through different approaches. It aims to equip students with critical analytical skills for area studies, with particular reference to East Asia. It is also designed to give students an opportunity to consider East Asia as a historically, geographically, culturally and politically connected region. It will expose students to issues concerning regions and cultures beyond their immediate research interests, which may be limited to a single nation-state. Throughout the year we will have a number of guest lecturers, who will present their own research and engage in discussion with students. In most weeks, students present weekly readings and lead seminars. We will also dedicate some time to formulating individual research questions and designing individual research through presentations of your research essay outline and feedback from the others in the class. This course supports your major research that you are undertaking such as BA(Hons) dissertations and MA thesis proposal by providing you with an opportunity to discuss and present your materials outside immediate supervision and share your research with other students.

Assessments:

100% Coursework:

ASIAN701A

Participation: 10%

Class presentation: 20%

Critical review #1 (2,500 words): 35% Due 4pm Friday 6th April

Critical review #2 (2,500 words): 35% Due 4pm Friday 18 May

  1. Participation. Includes class presentations and discussion. Each student also prepares:
  • One-paragraph summary (around 50-100 words) of the main point of the weekly readings. Please focus on the topic and the main argument.

 

  • Two discussion questions (no yes-no question please!) generated from the readings to stimulate class discussion.

 

Please type both summary and discussion questions on a single A4 sheet and submit at the end of the class. Please include the date, your name and ID, the author and the title of the article. If you fail to submit a summary and/or discussion questions, your participation mark will be reduced.

  1. Class presentation. A student will lead a seminar in the second hour of each guest lecturer session. The presenter presents the week’s assigned reading and leads a discussion. For your presentation please prepare a 20-minute presentation of an assigned article/chapter. You need to summarise the main points and offer your perspectives, taking into consideration guest lecture that precedes your session. You may refer to a few other writings to supplement your readings if you choose to do so. The focus, however, should be on the assigned reading itself and your critical engagement with it.
  • Please also submit a copy of your PPT at the end of your presentation, printed as a ‘handout’ (6 slides per sheet).

Marks will be determined in consultation with the guest lecturer of the week. If you do more than one presentation, the best mark out of all your presentations will become your formal mark 

  1. Critical reviews (2,000 words each) x 2: choose an academic journal article in the field relevant to your discipline/area/research you are thinking of doing in ASIAN701B, and write a critical review.  Consider:

 

  • What is the research question?
  • What is the objective?
  • What methods are used to answer the research question? Are they appropriate?
  • How is the data interpreted?
  • What is the main argument? How does it engage with other research on the same topic?
  • Does it provide sufficient/appropriate evidence to support the argument?
  • What are the strength and weakness/limitation?
  • What original contribution does it make, and how important is it?
  • How is this article related to your research topic/field?

 

ASIAN701B

Participation: 10%

Research essay proposal (2,000 words): 30%

Research essay (4,000 words): 60%

  1. Participation. Includes class presentations and discussion. Each student also prepares:
  • One-paragraph summary (around 50-100 words) of the main point of the weekly readings. Please focus on the topic and gist of the main argument.
  • Two discussion questions (no yes-no question please!) generated from the readings to stimulate class discussion.

 

Please type both summary and discussion questions on a single A4 sheet and submit at the end of the class. Please include the date, your name and ID, the author and the title of the article. If you fail to submit a summary and/or discussion questions, your participation mark will be reduced.

 

  1. Proposal with tentative introduction and bibliography (1,500 words proposal plus a bibliography; total 2000 words)
  2. Research Essay (4,000 words)

Students to formulate their own question in consultation with the course instructor. It must demonstrate:

  • Knowledge of relevant literature
  • Ability to create a sustained argument supported with the effective use of evidence.
  • Critical thinking
  • Analysis and interpretation at a level of sophistication expected of PG students
  • Confident, scholarly style of writing, including meticulous references and bibliography
  • Ability to handle resources in original Asian languages
  • Choice of theory and methodology adequate for the topic

 

 

 Workload and deadlines for submission of coursework:           

The University of Auckland's expectation is that students spend 10 hours per week on a 15-point course, including time in class and personal study. Students should manage their academic workload and other commitments accordingly. Deadlines for coursework are set by course convenors and will be advertised in course material. You should submit your work on time. In extreme circumstances, such as illness, you may seek an extension but you may be required to provide supporting information before the assignment is due. Late assignments without a pre-approved extension may be penalised by loss of marks – check course information for details.

Course summary:

Date Details Due