- WGST 4619 Women in East Asian History

  • Asian Studies Major/Minor Course
  • WOMEN & GENDER STUDIES

Course Credits: 3

Semesters Offered

  • Fall 2023

Catalog Description

The dominant image of historical women in East Asia is that of victims. They are said to have been victimized by Confucian culture, or long backward attitudes of misogyny, only to be liberated by modern (and decidedly Western) ideal of gender equality. How accurate is this image of victimhood? And how has this image affected us in thinking about women in East Asia today? In this course, we trace the history of women鈥檚 lives and gender relations in China, Korea, and Japan from the early modern period to the present. The course is designed around five questions: 1) Did Confucianism oppress women? 2) What do we learn about the early modern families from stories and records of birth control? 3) Did encounter with the West improve women鈥檚 status in East Asia? 4) How did the recent redress movement illuminate women鈥檚 experience of sexual violence during the WWII? 5) How did Cold War ideological competition influence women鈥檚 lives in East Asia? The course is designed for students without previous knowledge about East Asian history or languages. Course assignments are designed to encourage students to be critical and analytical thinkers as well as active and regular writers.
Student may be dropped from course for non-attendance.

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