Courses

A historical perspective of processes and interactions among the lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere with humans as a force for change. knowledge of how the Earth system responds to changes in these forcings to mitigate the predicted effects for human civilization. Students will gain a fundamental understanding of the Earth as a dynamic system with emphasis on the underlying biological, physical and chemical processes that control the environment of our planet.

Selected topics in the civilizations of pre-modern East Asia (from ancient times through the T'ang dynasty in China, from ancient times through the medieval period in Japan, and from ancient times through the sixteenth century in Korea), with an emphasis on literary, philosophical, and visual culture. No knowledge of Chinese, Japanese, or Korean is necessary. EAST 230 and 235 are complements of each other and may be taken in either order.

Selected topics in the civilizations of pre-modern Asia (from the Sung dynasty through the twentieth century in China, from the Tokugawa period through the twentieth century in Japan, and from the sixteenth century to the twentieth century in Korea), with an emphasis on literary, philosophical, and visual culture. No knowledge of Chinese, Japanese, or Korean is necessary. EAST 230 and 235 are complements of each other and may be taken in either order

Introduction to representative works of traditional Chinese and Japanese literature, from ancient times through the Yuan dynasty in China and from ancient times through the medieval period in Japan. No knowledge of Chinese or Japanese is necessary.

Introduction to representative works of Chinese and Japanese literature from the Sung dynasty through the twentieth century in China and from the Tokugawa period through the twentieth century in Japan. No knowledge of Chinese or Japanese is necessary.

An introduction to the study of the major religious traditions that originate and survive in South and East Asia: Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism. Certain aspects of Shamanism will be studied as well.

Exploration of the history of the peoples, states, societies in Eastern Europe from the early modern period to World War II. Specific focus will be given to the cultures, religions, and national identities of the peoples who inhabited the territories of present-day Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania and Belarus, including the prominent Jewish minority of Eastern Europe.

An examination of the approximately 40-year era of Communist domination of Eastern Europe, focusing on the means by which Communist regimes were established, their sources of strength and legitimacy, their strategies of rule, and their weaknesses leading to their collapse in 1989-90.

East Side In American Literature

This seminar focuses on the question, Why do cultures change? Taking ethnographic and archaeological examples of foragers, herders, and farmers, the class will examine the relationship between environmental change, human population growth, technological change, the organization of the economy, and the exercise of power.