Japanese Studies

Japanese Studies Students: Bowdoin CollegeJapanese studies offers courses in language, history, political science and culture. Language instruction, ranging from elementary to advanced levels, emphasizes the all-around development of proficiency in listening, speaking, reading and writing. Visit the Language Media Center to learn more. Students are encouraged to integrate their language study with program courses on Japan, from earliest times to the present and in a variety of fields. Serious students are urged to spend time in Japan, generally during their junior year.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Japanese Language Coordinator (Interim):
Vyjayanthi Selinger
Phone: 207-798-4277
vselinge@bowdoin.edu

Faculty

Thomas Conlan, Japanese history
Henry Laurence, Japanese government
Naho Maruta, Japanese language
Mitsuko Numata, Japanese language
Vyjayanthi R. Selinger, Japanese language and literature

Bowdoin Japanese Department Faculty

Conversation Clinic

Japanese Language Conversation Clinic Sign-up » Students can practice speaking Japanese with the Japanese instructors at individualized conversation clinics. Each session is 30 minutes long, and you may sign up for as many as two sessions a week. Students may visit any of the three different instructors so that they have the opportunity to become familiar with different pitches, tones and speech styles.
Japanese Language Conversation Clinic Sign-up »

Japanese language table

Japanese language table - Bowdoin CollegeFor those who feel more comfortable speaking Japanese in a relaxed environment, we have The Japanese Language Table, a weekly dinner for the students and the instructors of Japanese language. It is a wonderful opportunity to practice Japanese and discuss various Japan-related issues with the instructors, classmates and other students in the Japanese program while dining together. Sometimes we have guests who are Japanese speakers so that the students have the opportunity to practice the target language with many different people. Students are strongly encouraged to join the table in Thorne Dining Commons, Hutchinson Room (a room specially reserved for the event) every Wednesday from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. 

Technology

Technology plays essential role in the Japanese courses. Some classroom assignments are both announced and filed via list-serve and e-mail. Students also sign up for conversation clinic online. Beginning at first semester, students learn to use e-mail and to access the Language Media Center at Bowdoin College. At the Language Media Center, students have access to 24 hour Japanese television (NHK International), media files, films and so on. There are also a wide variety of editing tools for those students who are interested in creating video or audio DVDs and CDs. The Media Center staff provides extensive support for any video or audio project you may wish to undertake.

We publish students' works including Quick Time movies of skits performed in class so that the students can share the results of their hard work with their classmates, friends and family.

Skit Presentation

Skit Presentation: Bowdoin College: Japanese ProgramStudents in First and Second Year Japanese prepare skits in small groups and present them at the end of each semester as their final project. They are usually given two weeks to prepare for the 10-15 minute skits. All the scenarios are written by the students under the guidance of the instructors. The students are very creative, and in the past we have had skits with a robot, goblins, a thief, a sumo wrestler, and of course, super hero sensei -- you name it! This year, the students performed their skits on the stage at Smith Auditorium instead of the regular classrooms. We had a blast! See them all in streaming video »

Annual Japan Fair

Annual Japan Fair - Bowdoin CollegeJapan Fair is an annual joint event staged by Bowdoin, Bates and Colby Colleges. At this event, groups of students from each college are divided by proficiency and asked to present a skit. The students have the opportunity to present their language skills before other students and faculty members in Japanese language study from their respective colleges as well as Japanese native speakers representing JASM, the Japan America Society of Maine. The event also includes a dinner and entertainment such as taiko performance by the Bowdoin Taiko Group as well as some Japanese music. This year's event was held at Bowdoin College and we enjoyed many great performances and a wonderful dinner generously supported by Freeman Foundation.

Extra-curricular activities

Taiko Club

Taiko Club: Bowdoin CollegeIf you are interested in Japan-related cultural activities, perhaps Bowdoin Taiko Club would be an interesting place to check out. The club was established in 2002 and has since then grown immensely. They have even performed with the New England Taiko Group at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. To find out more, you can visit Bowdoin Taiko online at: http://studorgs.bowdoin.edu/taiko/.

Anime Club

While there is not yet an official Anime Club at Bowdoin, there are multiple groups of students who regularly gather to enjoy Japanimation. The college owns some anime DVDs, but many of the films come from the students' own personal collections or from Bart and Greg's DVD Explosion, everyone's favorite DVD rental shop in downtown Brunswick (They have the most extensive Japanese film collection - better than most DVD stores in big cities!). The Japanese Language Table would be a good place to talk about your personal interests such as Japanimation. You can find a number of students who are quite knowledgeable on this subject.

Study Abroad Opportunity

Recommended Programs

Each year, several students choose to accelerate their language skills and knowledge in Japan Studies such as history and culture by participating in study away programs in Japan. The recommended programs include: Associate Kyoto Program, Nanzan University in Nagoya and Kyoto Consortium for Japanese Studies (KCJS). A number of students have participated in the summer intensive language programs at the Japan Center for Michigan Universities in Shiga and the Hokkaido International Foundation Program. Students are encouraged to meet with the Japanese Language Coordinator to determine which program is best suited for their own interests and skill levels.

Study-away Scholarships and Internship Opportunities for Students of Japanese
A list of scholarships available to students intending to study in Japan on summer, semester-long and year-long programs.
The list includes internship search engines as well as job opportunities available to students who are graduating.

Courses Outside Japan Studies

Many study abroad programs today offer courses beyond Japan studies, which makes it easier for non majors to study away during the academic year. Currently, a student with double majors in Asian Studies and Computer Science is participating in a year-long Japanese language program at Nanzan University while taking some computer science courses. In the fall, five students will be studying in Japan while taking history, anthropology, psychology and economics courses.

Japanese Language Courses Japanese Language

Anyone interested in studying Japanese at Bowdoin should be able to find a course suitable for his/her level since we offer a full range of language instruction: from beginner to advanced.

Elementary Japanese I

An introductory course in modern Japanese language. In addition to mastering the basics of grammar, emphasis is placed on active functional communication in the language, reading, and listening comprehension. Context-oriented conversation drills are complemented by audio materials. The two kana syllabaries and 60 commonly used kanji are introduced.  Textbook used: Genki I (Lessons 1-6), Japan Times.

Elementary Japanese II

A continuation of the fundamentals of Japanese grammar structures and further acquisition of spoken communication skills, listening comprehension, and proficiency in reading and writing. An additional 90 kanji are introduced. Textbook used: Genki I (Lessons 7-12), Japan Times.

Intermediate Japanese I

An intermediate course in modern Japanese language, with introduction of advanced grammatical structures, vocabulary, and characters. Continuing emphasis on acquisition of well-balanced language skills based on an understanding of the actual use of the language in the Japanese socio-cultural context. An additional 100 kanji are introduced. Textbook used: Genki II (Lessons 13-18), Japan Times.

Intermediate Japanese II

A continuation of Intermediate Japanese I with the introduction of more advanced grammatical structures, vocabulary, and characters. Textbook used: Genki II (Lessons 19-23), Japan Times.

Advanced Intermediate Japanese I

Increases students' proficiency in both spoken and written modern Japanese. A variety of written and audiovisual materials are used to consolidate and expand mastery of more advanced grammatical structures and vocabulary. Includes oral presentation, discussion, and composition in Japanese.
Textbook used:   ニューアプローチ中級日本語　基礎編　AGPアジア語 文出版 

Advanced Intermediate Japanese II

A continuation and progression of materials used in Advanced Intermediate Japanese I.
Textbook used: ニューアプローチ中級日本語　基礎編　AGPアジア語 文出版 

Advanced Japanese I

Designed to develop mastery of the spoken and written language. Materials from various sources such as literature, newspapers and cultural journals as well as TV programs and films are used. Assigned work includes written compositions and oral presentations.

Advanced Japanese II

A continuation of Advanced Japanese I. Continued efforts to develop oral and written fluency in informal and formal situations. Reading of contemporary texts of literature, business, and social topics.

Advanced Reading Independent Study

Students who have reached the level beyond Advanced Japanese II may take Independent Study in Japanese with permission from a sponsoring faculty member. Focus of the course depends on the students' interest, sponsoring professor's field, etc.

Japan-related Courses

In addition to a full range of Japanese language courses, you can take other Japan related courses in the fields of literature, history, political science, art and music. The following is a list of courses offered in the past or planned for 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 academic years.

The Origins of Japanese Culture and Civilization

How do a culture, a state, and a society develop? Designed to introduce the culture and history of Japan by exploring how "Japan" came into existence, and to chart how patterns of Japanese civilization shifted through time. We try to reconstruct the tenor of life through translations of primary sources, and gain a greater appreciation of the unique and lasting cultural and political monuments of Japanese civilization. (History)

Japan and the World

Seminar. Explores Japan's relations with China, Korea, and Europe in pre-modern and modern contexts. Also explores larger issues of state identity and culture in East Asia. (History)

The Emergence of Modern Japan

What constitutes a modern state? How durable are cultures and civilizations? Examines the patterns of culture in a state that managed to expel European missionaries in the seventeenth century, and came to embrace all things Western as being "civilized" in the mid-nineteenth century. Compares the unique and vibrant culture of Tokugawa Japan with the rapid program of industrialization in the late nineteenth century, which resulted in imperialism, international wars, and ultimately, the postwar recovery. (History)

Living in the Sixteenth Century

Examines the nature of state and society in an age of turmoil. Studies patterns of allegiances, ways of waging war, codes of conduct and the social matrix of sixteenth-century Japan, based on primary and secondary sources. Kurosawa's masterpiece Kage Musha provides the thematic foundation for this course. (History).

The Warrior Culture of Japan

Explores the "rise" of the warrior culture of Japan. In addition to providing a better understanding of the judicial and military underpinnings of Japan's military "rule" and the nature of medieval Japanese warfare, shows how warriors have been perceived as a dominant force in Japanese history.  Culminates in an extended research paper. (History)

Kingship in Comparative Perspective

What makes a king? How does one characterize or define sovereign authority and to what degree is this culturally specific? This seminar explores the nature of kingship through a comparative perspective, contrasting Buddhist and Confucian notions of kingship and sovereignty.  The focus is on Asia (South Asia, China and Japan), although further insight will be provided through comparisons with medieval Europe. (History)

The Fantastic and Demonic in Japanese Literature

From possessing spirits and serpentine creatures to hungry ghosts and spectral visions, Japanese literary history is alive with supernatural beings. Our study will range from the earliest times to modernity, examining these motifs in both historical and theoretical contexts. The readings will pose the following broad questions: How do representations of the supernatural function in both creation myths of the ancient past and the rational narratives of the modern nation? What is the relationship between liminal beings and a society's notion of purity? How may we understand the uncanny return of dead spirits in medieval Japanese drama? How does the construction of demonic female sexuality vary between medieval and modern Japan?  This course will draw on various genres of representation, from legends and novels to drama, paintings and cinema.   Students will gain an understanding not only of the different representations of these fantastic beings in Japanese literature, but will also develop an appreciation of the hold that these creatures from the "other" side maintain over our cultural and social imagination. (Literature)

Japanese Politics and Society

Comprehensive overview of modern Japanese politics in historical, social, and cultural context. Analyzes the electoral dominance of the Liberal Democratic Party, the nature of democratic politics, and the rise and fall of the economy. Other topics include the status of women and ethnic minorities, education, war guilt, nationalism, and the role of the media. (Government)

East Asian Politics: Introductory Seminar

Surveys the diverse political, social, and economic arrangements across East Asia. Main focus on China, Japan, and North and South Korea. Examines the relationships between democracy, economic change, and human rights. Other questions: What are "Asian values"? What is the role of Confucianism in political and economic life? How are economic and political developments affecting traditional social institutions such as families, and how is the status of women changing? (Government)

Advanced Seminar in Japanese Politics

Analyzes the political, social, and cultural underpinnings of modern politics, and asks how democracy works in Japan compared with other countries. Explores how Japan has achieved stunning material prosperity while maintaining the best healthcare and education systems in the world, high levels of income equality, and low levels of crime. Students are also instructed in conducting independent research on topics of their own choosing. (Government)

Stories and Scrolls

Introduces and examines lessons, legends, myths, and ideal worlds pictured in handscroll paintings of China and Japan. Considers how later viewers reinterpreted these artworks using text sometimes inscribed on the actual scrolls. Students play the roles of artist and audience by creating their own scrolls and composing colophons. Still, emphasis is placed on analyzing images and texts, researching, and writing clearly and intelligently about art. Materials for the course draw on web resources and the library's Special Collections. (Art History)

Introduction to Asian Art and Architecture

A selected survey of art and architecture, primarily in South and East Asia from the Neolithic period to the modern era. Material ranges from ceramics and bronze vessels to temples and icons to narrative painting and public buildings. Considers individual works and sites in stylistic terms and within religious, political, and social contexts. (Art History)

Buddhist Art in Asia.

Examines the complex art and architecture of the Buddhist religion in Asia. Students gain understanding of the basic teachings of Buddhism in order to understand the religious context of art objects and architectural sites. Begins with the time of Ashoka (272-31 b.c.e.) in India and continues through medieval and modern East and Southeast Asia.  Considers how local conditions cultural, social, and political shape religious expression. (Art History)

The Impact of the "Exotic"

After hearing the music of Javanese Gamelan, Claude Debussy wrote that it "contained every nuance, even the ones we have no names for.  There tonic and dominant have become empty shadows of use only to stupid children."  Explores how the musical techniques of non-Western cultures have affected composition of twentieth- and  twenty-first-century Western concert music.  Studies theories and structures of music found in China, India, Indonesia, Japan, and Sub-Saharan Africa. Source materials feature composers such as Britten, Cage, Chen, Debussy, Glass, Harrison, Levinson, Ligeti, Messiaen, Reich, Scriabin, Sheng, and Takemitsu. (Music)

Gender and Family in East Asia

Family and gender are central to the organization of East Asian societies, both historically and today. This course uses comparative perspectives to examine issues related to family and gender in China, Japan, and Korea. In the context of the enormous changes experienced in East Asia in recent decades, we will explore the place of Confucian influences in these societies, the different roles of the state and economy, and the ways that gender and family have been shaped by and shaped those changes. (Sociology / Gender & Women's Studies )

Confession and Story-telling: Fictions of the Self in Modern Japanese Fiction

Examines the "rhetoric of confession" in Japanese literature. We will read major Japanese literary works from the twentieth century  to ask the following questions. Why is first-person fiction attractive to story-tellers? When, how, and why does the "I" tell his/her story? How is the inward turn in narrative tied to modern ideas of the self and its relationship to society? What place does the reader occupy in such fiction? No previous knowledge of Japanese history or language is required.

Literature of World War II and the Atomic Bomb in Japan: History, Memory, and Empire

A study of Japan’s coming to terms with its imperialist past. Literary representations of Japan’s war in East Asia are particularly interesting because of the curious mixture of remembering and forgetting that mark its pages. Post-war fiction delves deep into what it meant for the Japanese people to fight a losing war, to be bombed by a nuclear weapon, to face surrender, and to experience Occupation. The course will shed light on the pacifist discourse that emerges in Atomic Bomb Literature and the simultaneous critique directed towards the Emperor System and wartime military leadership. We will also examine what is suppressed in these narratives—Japan’s history of colonialism and sexual slavery—by analyzing writings from the colonies (China, Korea, and Taiwan). Students will tackle the highly political nature of remembering in Japan and how it has been used to articulate race, gender and national identity in post-war Japan. Writers we will read include the Nobel prize-winning author Ôe Kenzaburô, Ôoka Shôhei, Kojima Nobuo, Shimao Toshio, Hayashi Kyoko, and East Asian literati like Yu Dafu, Lu Heruo, Ding Ling, and Wu Zhou Liu