Time Schedule:
Laurie J Sears
HSTAS 221
Seattle Campus
Surveys Southeast Asian civilizations at the outset of Western colonial rule; the colonial impact on the traditional societies of Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines; nineteenth- and twentieth-century nationalist and revolutionary movements; emergence of Southeast Asia as a region in the modern world. Offered: jointly with SISSE 221.
Class description
This course is an introduction to several of the countries of Southeast Asia: Indonesia, the Philippines, Cambodia, and Viet Nam. The goal will be to gain a multi-faceted understanding of the human condition in these countries by focusing on politics, religion, gender, film, and literatures. Several broad theoretical themes will be introduced: the representation of Southeast Asian Islam, images of the Vietnam-Cambodian-American Wars in history, literature, and film, and the historical antecedents of contemporary ethnic, religious, and political identities.
Student learning goals
General method of instruction
Lectures, films, discussion and in-class writing.
Recommended preparation
No prerequisites.
Class assignments and grading
There will be lectures and a discussion session each week. Attendance at both is mandatory. There will be a map exercise, 3 in-class writing assignments, 1 6-8 pp. book report comparing several of the assigned books, and final group projects. The Discussion sections will integrate reading assignments with material presented in lectures. The discussion sections are an integral part of the course.
Teaching Assistants will assign grades based on participation in section, in-class writing assignments, participation in group projects, and final book reports.
