ASIA 100What is Asia?

3 credits · Asian Studies · Penn State

What are the factors that bind and define a region? What makes a geographical area, a set of cultures, or a certain group of people into a single entity? Who decides? Asian history provides a view of how a region is formed and reshaped over time. This course will address the question of what makes Asia a region by examining the shared experiences and interlocking histories and cultures of its people. This will entail study of art and architecture, literature, history, religion, philosophy, social structures, economics, and international relations, with particular attention to reading both visual and textual materials. The goals of this class are two-fold; we aim not only to learn something about times and places far removed from our own, but also to encourage thought about what we do when we study Asia. Students in this class will be expected to think critically about assigned texts and make their own interpretations of their meanings.