2022 Faculty Courses School of Environment and Society Department of Social and Human Sciences Graduate major in Social and Human Sciences
Graduate Methodologies in Culture and Arts S1
- Academic unit or major
- Graduate major in Social and Human Sciences
- Instructor(s)
- Anwei Liu / Xiaomei Zhan
- Class Format
- Lecture (Livestream)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 5-6 Thu
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- SHS.U461
- Number of credits
- 200
- Course offered
- 2022
- Offered quarter
- 1-2Q
- Syllabus updated
- Jul 10, 2025
- Language
- Japanese
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
This course will be divided into two parts. The major subjects of the part one(1Q) include an outline of comparative literature studies –theory and practice, some case studies of Chinese and Japanese writers such as Lu Xun, Akutagawa Ryunosuke, Zhou Zuoren, Nagai Kafu and Mori Ogai. This course will examines some distinguishing features of their criticism and the interaction between them by analyzing their essays. Part two(2Q) include an outline of the methodology of comparative art studies, introduction about representative Works, and concrete analysis about the persons and cases about art interchange between Japan and China.
This course aims to establish a base on which students can understand the methodology of comparative literature and comparative art studies, acquire the knowledge of comparative literature and comparative art studies.
Course description and aims
By the end of the part one(1Q) of this lecture, students should be able to understand what comparative literature study means, grasp the methodology of the literature criticism, develop a keen appreciation of literary works..By the end of the part two(2Q),students should be able to grasp the methodology of comparative art studies, and acquire knowledge to appreciate pictures.
Keywords
Ecriture, Roland Barthes, structuralism, Lu Xun, Akutagawa Ryunosuke, Zhou Zuoren, Nagai Kafu,Mori Ogai.
comparative art studies, Suiboku-ga,ink painting, Mokkei, Shosho Hakkei, Eight views of the Xiao and the Xiang in China, Tessai Tomioka, nude, modern Chinese art.
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
At the beginning of every class, the point of the class and the context of the works will be explained, in the latter part, students are required to read the lecture materials, and take part in the class discussion.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | What is comparative literature studies An outline of criticism theory | Read “The Modern Comparative Literature”by Kamei shunsuke |
| Class 2 | Explication of a paper(1)Lu Xun and Japanese writers | Lu Xun’s “Diary of a Madman” |
| Class 3 | Explication of a paper(2) Lu Xun and Japanese writers | The history of Modern Japanese Literature |
| Class 4 | Explication of a paper(3)Zhou Zuoren’s essays and Nagai Kafu | Nagai Kafu’s essays “A fly in Winter” |
| Class 5 | Explication of a paper(4) Zhou Zuoren’s essays and Nagai Kafu | Nagai Kafu’s essays “Ame shosho” |
| Class 6 | Explication of a paper(5) Zhou Zuoren’s essays and Nagai Kafu | On the light literature of the late Edo period |
| Class 7 | Analysis of Mori Ogai’s story(1)On ”The Silent Tower” | “Rat Hill” |
| Class 8 | Analysis of Mori Ogai’s story(2) On ”The Silent Tower” Summary and discussion | ”The Silent Tower” |
| Class 9 | What is comparative art studies,An outline of the methodology of comparative art studies. | |
| Class 10 | Introduction about representative works of comparative art studies. | |
| Class 11 | ) Mokkei’s works,which became the model of the Japanese ink painting. | |
| Class 12 | Transformation in Japan of “Shosho Hakkei-zu(Eight views of the Xiao and the Xiang in China)” | |
| Class 13 | Representation of China in the work of Tessai Tomioka. | |
| Class 14 | A value collision among Western,Japan and China over the disturbance of nude. | |
| Class 15 | Japanese element in the modern Chinese art and “China” which Japanese painters draw. |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
Hand out lecture materials
Reference books, course materials, etc.
“The Sorrow of the Oriental People-Zhou Zuoren and Japan”by Liu Anwei
Evaluation methods and criteria
Final paper
Related courses
- SHS.U441 ： Graduate Lecture in Culture and Arts S1A
- SHS.U442 ： Graduate Lecture in Culture and Arts S1B
Prerequisites
Students are requested to have a basic knowledge of the modern Japanese literature