Japanese Literature and Cinema

| JPT 3521 (U01) | Fall 2015 | Masako Kubota |

Course Overview

When taught by Masako Kubota this course offers an overview of Japanese literature and film spanning from 12th century to the contemporary period. Close readings and discussions of representative Japanese authors and directors address socio-culture and philosophical issues in the context of the historical and cultural transformation over the past century.

Major topics include: the advent of Japanese modernity and westernization; invention of tradition; new forms of gendered, racialized, and classed subjectivities, including Ainu oral literature; and post-disaster cultural forms and eco-criticism. Ainu Literature will be introduced by the Ainu Shin’yoshu written by Chiri Yukie.

By examining various genres of Japanese literature and film, the students are expected to develop critical skills of analyzing literary and cinematic texts.

No knowledge of the original language is required.