East Asian Societies

This course consists of an examination of traditional and contemporary Japanese and Chinese societies. This course emphasis is on the traditional societies and the process of cultural change. Topics will include: the importance of examining past cultural history when interpreting contemporary societies; how patters of social ritual reinforce social relationships; how culture defines social behavior; To provide some understanding about the world’s single largest population group (at over one fifth of the world’s population) and the tremendous cultural differences within the term East Asian.
Prerequisites: EN 102, COM 101