FOLK 302 401 Politics of Culture in Asia

Jay Dautcher
Lecture: Tuesday 1:30-4:30
Contact: dautcher@sas.upenn.edu

Cross-listed: ANTH 320

In this course we examine contemporary forms of expressive culture in Asia in relation to issues of social activism, political mobilization and cultural contestation. Knowledge of Asian Languages is useful but not required. Assignments include weekly readings and short (1+ page) response papers and a semester research project. Theoretical readings and methodological protocols will assist students as they work in teams or individually to produce original documentary research on emerging areas of cultural contestation in Asia, possibly including, but not limited to: (1) alternative music scenes and youth sub- cultures; (2) comic art; (3) on-line computer gaming, cell phone gaming, massively multi-player gaming; (4) war memorial projects; (5) other topics related to textual, material, or performance traditions in Asia chosen by students with instructor consent. The role of web-based research methods and multi-media documentation in social science research will be emphasized. Teams will be required to examine one topic in two or more sites (countries /cities / regions) and to provide comparative, interpretive, critical analysis of their findings.

 
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