Asian Studies
Combined major and minor offered
The combined major in Asian studies makes it -possible to earn a major in history, government or religious studies that incorporates courses in several departments to ensure an integrative approach to the study of Asia. The combined major appears on transcripts as history/Asian studies, government/Asian studies or religious studies/Asian studies, depending on the disciplinary emphasis a student chooses.
Requirements
For the combined major, students must take a minimum of two foundational courses and five electives from the list below, including at least one course at the 300 or 400 level. They must also fulfill requirements for the -disciplinary major. The history, government and religious studies departments have agreed that their courses listed for Asian studies credit may also count for the departmental major.
For the minor in Asian studies, students must take a minimum of two foundational courses and four electives from the list below, including at least one course at the 300 or 400 level.
Foundational Courses
Anthropology
208. Ancient Civilizations.
238. The Pacific Islands.
Biology
258. Ethnobotany.
Fine Arts
217. Buddhist Art and Ritual
218. Arts of South Asia
Global Studies
222. Asian Political Economy in the Global Age.
Government
105. Introduction to Comparative Politics.
History
105. Early East Asian
Civilization.
106. Modern East Asia.
292. Revolutionary China.
Literature in Translation
226. Introduction to Japanese Drama
Music
244. Musics of South Asia
Performance and Communication Arts
226. Introduction to Japanese Drama
Philosophy
103. Philosophy East and West.
223. Asian Philosophy.
Religious Studies
222. Buddhist
Religious Tradition. or
223. Religious
Life of China.
224. The Islamic Religious Tradition.
226. Religious Life of Japan
Elective Courses
No more than three electives from a single discipline or focusing upon the same country can count as part of the minimum of five. Electives may be taken either at St. Lawrence University or, for students who participate in the Japan Program, at Nanzan University in Nagoya or International Christian University (ICU) in Tokyo, in the China program in Shanghai or in India as part of the New York State Independent College Consortium for Study in India.
Departmental Offerings
Anthropology
208. Ancient Civilizations.
238. The Pacific Islands.
Film Studies
271. Introduction to World Cinema.**
Fine Arts
217. Buddhist Art and Ritual.
218. Arts of South Asia
Global Studies
222. Asian Political Economy in the Global Age.
301. Theories of Global Political Economy.**
346. China in the Modern World System.
Government
273. The Politics
for Human Rights in Asia.
290. Research Seminar:
East Asia.
322. Government and Politics in the People’s Republic of China.
History
105. Early East Asian
Civilization.
106. Modern East Asia.
292. Revolutionary China.
377. Colloquium in Asian
History (topic varies).
475. Seminar in Asian History.
Modern Languages and Literatures
Chinese 101,102. Elementary Chinese.
Japanese 101, 102. Elementary
Japanese.
Japanese 103, 104. Intermediate
Japanese.
224. Modern
Japanese Literature and Film.*
225. Japanese Film and Culture*
226. Japanese
Drama.*
490. Independent
Study.
*Literature in Translation courses
Music
210. Musics of the World**
244. Musics of South Asia
Philosophy
103. Philosophy East
and West: An Introduction.
223. Asian Philosophy.
390. Focus on a Philosopher.**
Psychology
215. Cultural Psychology
Religious Studies
221. Religious
Life of India.
222. Buddhist
Religious Tradition.
223. Religious
Life of China.
224. The Islamic Religious Tradition.
226. Religious
Life of Japan.
277. Introduction to Hinduism.
370. Asian Religions
in the Modern World.
380. Mythology
and Popular Religious Thought in India.
450, 451. Directed
Studies in Religion.
Elective Courses in Japan
Normally, courses taken in Japan are accepted as equivalent to courses at St. Lawrence for fulfillment of the requirements for the combined major in Asian studies. Each student must register for a normal full load at Japanese universities: 14 or more hours per semester at Nanzan University; 12 or more units per term or a total of 36 units for the academic year at ICU. Selected courses other than Japanese language instruction are listed below.
Nanzan University, Nagoya, Japan
Economics
Japanese Business.
Japanese Economy.
Government
Japanese Politics.
History
Japanese History.
Literature
Japanese Literature.
Non-departmental
Japanese Linguistics.
Elementary Translation.
Japanese/English Interactional Language Acquisition.
Japanese Thought.
Japan and Christianity.
Sociology
Japanese Society.
International Christian University, Tokyo, Japan
All courses described by ICU as three-credit courses that focus on Japan or Asia are accepted as equivalent to a course at St. Lawrence for the interdisciplinary major in Asian studies. They will not, however, be counted as a full unit of credit toward graduation. The following is a sample of courses that are normally available; for a complete list, see the Japan Program coordinator.
Anthropology
Japanese Archaeology.
Fine Arts
Japanese Art.
History of Eastern Art.
Economics
Economic Development of Modern Japan.
Business and Society in Japan.
Government
Politics in Japan.
Modern Japanese International Relations.
History
Introductions to Japanese History I and II.
Literature
Modern Japanese Literature in English Translation.
Non-departmental
Ethnomusicology: Japanese Music.
Philosophy/Religious Studies
Religion and Philosophy in Japan.
Values and Ethics in Japan.
Sociology
Introduction to Japanese Society.
Industrial Sociology.
Social Structure in Japan
Elective Courses in China
Students may study in Shanghai in either the spring or fall semester through the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE). Four courses are required, including language study and three courses taught in English by Chinese professors. The program offers various area studies courses in international affairs, economics and modern Chinese history.
The following is a sample of courses normally available. For a complete list, see the China Program coordinator.
Mandarin Chinese
Beginning, intermediate, advanced as appropriate.
Economics
China’s Economic Reforms.
Government
China’s International Relations.
History
Modern Chinese History and Society.
Sociology
Community Studies and Urban Development in China.
Elective Courses in India
Courses taken in India are designed by Indian and consortium faculty to be equivalent to courses at St. Lawrence. Each student is enrolled in the following four subject areas: Hindi -language, historic India, contemporary issues and independent project.
Combined Major Requirements
History/Asian Studies
History majors who wish to do a combined major with Asian studies must fulfill the regular -history major requirements, though they must take a minimum of nine history courses rather than the standard 10. The nine required history courses must include a research seminar and at least one course each in European history, North American history and Asian history.
Two of the four required electives must be -outside the history department. One of the electives must include a research component.
Government/Asian Studies
Government majors pursuing a combined major in Asian studies must fulfill the regular government major requirements, though they must take a minimum of eight government courses rather than the standard nine. Courses must include Government
103, 105, 290,
one international course and one theory course. Students must also take
three electives, including Government
322 or Special Topics courses on Asia.
Two of the four required electives must be outside the government department. One of the electives must include a research component.
Religious Studies/Asian Studies
Religious studies majors who wish to do a combined major with Asian studies must fulfill the regular religious studies major requirements, though they must take a minimum of nine courses rather than the standard 10.
Two of the four required electives must be outside the religious studies department. One of the electives must include a research component.
Minor Requirements
Students can minor in Asian studies by taking a minimum of two foundational courses and four electives, including at least one course at the 300 or 400 level. Courses should be selected in consultation with the minor advisor. The electives must be from the courses at St. Lawrence University and/or full-credit courses offered in Japan, China or India. Studies must reflect study of more than one Asian country. Students must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 in courses submitted for the minor.
Professors
Alice Pomponio, B.A., SUNY Geneseo; M.A., Ph.D., Bryn Mawr
Professor of Anthropology
Sidney Logan Sondergard, B.A., M.A., Wichita; Ph.D., Southern California
Craig Professor of English
Associate Professors
Yoko Chiba (Modern Languages and Literatures),
B.A., Tsuda, Tokyo; M.A., Dublin; M.A., Ph.D., Toronto
Associate Professor of Modern Languages and Literatures (Japanese)
Anne A. Csete (Coordinator; History), B.A., SUNY Oswego; Ph.D., SUNY
Buffalo
Associate Professor of History
Mark MacWilliams (Religious Studies), B.A., Syracuse; M.A., Indiana;
Ph.D., Chicago
Associate Professor of Religious Studies and Chair of Department
Erin A. McCarthy, B.A., Trent (Canada); M.A., Ph.D., Ottawa (Canada)
Associate Professor of Philosophy and Coordinator of Asian Studies
Assistant Professors
Shinu Abraham (Visiting; Anthropology), B.A., Madras ; M.A., American;
Ph.D., Pennsylvania
Visiting Assistant Professor of Anthropology
Chandreyi Basu (Fine Arts), B.A., Loreto College;
M.A., Jawaharlal Nehru University; Ph.D, Pennsylvania
Assistant Professor of Fine Arts
David R. Henderson (Visiting; Music), B.A., Pomona; M.A., Southern
California; Ph.D., Austin
Visiting Assistant Professor of Music
Grace C. Huang, A.B., Brown; M.A., Ph.D., Chicago
Assistant Professor of Government
Aswini Pai, B.S., Mahatma Gandhi University (India); M.S., Wildlife Institute of India; Ph.D., Ohio
Assistant Professor of Biology
Ganesh Kailas Trichur (Global Studies), B.A., M.A., Delhi University
; Ph.D., Binghamton
Assistant Professor of Global Studies
Ying “Wannie” Wang, B.A., National Cheng-Kung University (Taiwan); M.A., California State; Ed.D., Alliant International
Assistant Professor of Education
Visiting Assistant Professors
Sanjukta Chaudhuri, B.S., Presidency (India); M.B.A., Xavier Institute of Management (India); M.Phil., Ph.D., City University of New York
Visiting Instructor of Economics
Makiko Deguchi, B.A., Wellesley; Ph.D., Boston College
Visiting Assistant Professor of Psychology
Saiyed Nadeemlul Hasnain, M.A., Ph.D., Lucknow University (India)
Visiting Professor of Religious Studies