Final Exam

The final exam questions are

1. Where did the British, Dutch, French, and Japanese have colonies and spheres of influence in Asia, and how did they treat their colonial subjects? (The Triumph of Imperialism, ch. 15)
2. Describe the rise of nationalism in Monsoon Asia: China (ch. 16 and some ch. 18), India (ch. 16, pp. 348ff), and Southeast Asia (ch. 17, pp. 370ff)
3. Trace historical causes of a contemporary issue of your choice.

Note that the second questions is a bit different than we discussed in class. Each question should be answered in 3-4 paragraphs and submitted in TurnItIn via the class Moodle. You may have open book and open notes, but you may not take it with someone else (although I would encourage you all to study together). The exam must be completed before midnight on Wednesday, 12/12.

We have a reservation for lunch at 11:30 on Wednesday at Saffron Indian Bistro in San Carlos. Please make every effort to be there on time. The address is 1143 San Carlos Ave, San Carlos, CA 94070 (just off El Camino Real).

It's been a pleasure exploring Asia with you! Best of luck!

Asia into the 21st Century

Wrapping up this week! If you haven't finished watching both movies in class, please do so on your own. Your reflections are due on Friday through TurnItIn via the Moodle. The links to the YouTube videos can be found on the previous blog post.

And speaking of blog posts, your last chance to blog is today before Midnight.

In Friday's class, we will review what we've covered since the midterm exam, and decide what will be on the final exam. The current plan is to have an open book, open notes exam on-line (timed).

We will have lunch together during our scheduled final exam period meeting (Wednesday, 12/12, 11:00-1:30). Indian food is the plan I believe. Details to follow.

The following questions come from previous years' exams:

• What impact did the Cold War have on the countries of Monsoon Asia?
• How did World War II affect nationalist movements in Asia? 
• How and why were the countries of Monsoon Asia transformed from the period of European imperialism through World War II and the Cold War? [Timeline Questions]
• What do think is the most important issues facing modern Monsoon Asia? Clearly describe the issue and its significance.
• Where did the British, Dutch, French, and Japanese have colonies and spheres of influence in Asia, and how did they treat their colonial subjects? (The Triumph of Imperialism, ch. 15)
• Describe the rise of Southeast Asian nationalism (pp. 370ff) and the impact of the Cold War on Southeast Asian countries. (ch. 19) [Countries: Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Burma, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines]

Please consider with me whether these questions would assess what you have or should have learned in the second half of the semester. We have emphasized different topics than the previous class have, so it's likely that these aren't exactly what we want. For example, smoke happened and we didn't get to the cold war, which, as you may know, was pretty hot in Asia.

Asia After World War II

UPDATED

For Monday's class, please finish Murphey chapter 18 (China under Mao).

In case you have been inspired to start reading Chinese characters, here's a Ted Talk to get you started.

This week we are watching the movie, "To Live." We left off on Monday at minute 41:06 if you'd like to review or catch up.

For Friday's class, please read Murphey chapter 19 on Southeast Asia.

Next week we will watch the movie, "1947: Earth."

For next Monday's class, please read chapter 20 on India since independence.

Japan and the Struggle for Asia

For Monday's class, please read Murphey, chapter 17, and for Wednesday's class, please read Murphey, chapter 18 through page 389. Be sure to be able to answer the relevant review questions at the end of both chapters.

Nationalism and Revolution in India and China

For Monday's class, please read chapter 16 to page 343, and for Wednesday's class, please read the rest of chapter 16. Be prepared to answer the review questions at the end of the chapter.

Colonialism and Spheres of Influence

For Monday's class, please read Murphey, chapter 15, to page 315 (15 pages), and for Wednesday's class, read the remainder of the chapter (15 pages). Please be prepared to answer the review questions at the end of the chapter.

British India

For Monday's class please read Murphey, chapter 14, to page 281 (15 pages), and for Wednesday's class read the remainder of the chapter (16 pages). The topic is British ascendancy and rule in India. Please be prepared to answer the review questions at the end of the chapter.

Movie suggestions:

• Ilo Ilo (Singapore, 2013) [Asian Financial Crisis, Family Life]
• Laksar Pelangi (Indonesia, 2008) [School Kids in the 70s]
• Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (Thailand, 2010) [1960-present, reincarnation] 
• The Vertical Ray of the Sun (Vietnam, 2001) [Women in modern Hanoi]
• Throne of Blood (Japan, 1957) [Samurai Macbeth]
• Kano (Taiwan, 2014) [Baseball in Japanese occupied Taiwan]
• Monsoon Wedding (India, 2001) [Modern India]
• Earth (India, 1998) [India/Pakistan Partition]
• To Live (China, 1994) [Communist China]
• Jodha Akbar (India, 2008) [Mughal India]

Tokugawa Japan

For Monday's class, please read Murphey, chapter 12, on Tokugawa Japan (14 pages), and for Wednesday's class read Murphey, chapter 13, on the increasing contact between Asia and the West (20 pages). Be prepared to answer the chapter review questions.

M is for Midterm

In preparation for the midterm exam, please make a suggestion for an essay question in the comments below. The question should be broad and thematic. The answer to the question should be found in the textbook, and preferably drawn from more than one chapter.

UPDATED 10/15/18
The midterm will be made up of a map quiz and the following two essays:

1. What influence did India and China each have on Southeast Asia? (please be very specific)
2. What is the significance of the monsoon for the region we are studying? (socially, culturally, commercially, historically, politically, agriculturally, etc.)

M is for Mongol, Mughal, Ming, and Manchu

For Monday's class, please read Murphey, chapter 10, on Mughal India and Central Asia (20 pages), for Wednesday's class read Murphey, chapter 11, just to p. 216 (15 pages) on the last dynasties of China, and for Friday's class read the rest of chapter 11. Be prepared to answer the chapter review questions.

Heads up! Next week we will review and have the midterm exam on chapters 1-11.

Japan and Korea

We will continue discussion of China on Monday. Please read Murphey, chapter 9 (22 pages), for Wednesday and be prepared to answer the review questions on page 176f.

And check out this amazing site from the Asian Art Museum--you'll be glad you did.

Southeast Asian Civilization

For this coming week, please read Murphey, chapter 7, on Southeast Asian civilization (15 pages) by Monday and Murphey, chapter 8, for more on Chinese civilization (20 pages) by Wednesday. Blog posts are due by midnight on Wednesday.

If you didn't get to see the video on the engineering history of the Chinese empire, or didn't get enough of it, you can find it here on YouTube.

Chinese & Indian Civilizations

For this coming week, please read Murphey, chapter 5, on Chinese civilization (22 pages) by Monday and Murphey, chapter 6, for more on Indian civilization (14 pages) by Wednesday.

Blog posts are due by midnight on Wednesday.

As noted in class today, there are some nice opportunities for extra credit. The Mid-Autumn Festival will be celebrated in San Francisco this Sunday. The Asian Art Museum in SF has loads of interesting exhibits, including a new one on contemporary painting from Mithila, an ancient cultural region of India (see image below). The museum is free on the first Sunday of every month.

If you have suggestions and recommendations for things to do, please leave a note in the comments.

Traditional Societies (pre-1900)

The readings for this coming week are Murphey, Chapter 3 (20 pages), due on Monday before class, and Murphey, Chapter 4 (15 pages), due before class on Wednesday.

Blog posts are due by midnight on Wednesday.

“The Living Chinese”
Exhibited under the auspices of P.T. Barnum, proprietor of American and Chinese museums New York and Barnum’s Museum Philadelphia.
From L to R: Miss Pwam-Ye-Koo, aged 17 years a young lady with feet 2-1/2 inches long.  Miss Lum-Akum, aged 23 years her maid servant. Miss Amoon, aged 7 years, Master Mun-Chung, aged 5 years, son and daughter of the professor. Mr. Aleet-Mong, aged 18 years an interpreter.  Mr. Soo-Chune, aged 32 years, professor of Music. 
Library of Congress, control number 2002708598 

Asian Religions

UPDATED/CORRECTED:

As I mentioned in class today, the next reading is short, but it is foundational for everything we do going forward, so please take time to read it carefully and thoughtfully. Some of you still don't have the textbook, so I have scanned a copy of Chapter 2 and posted it on the moodle for our class.

Have an excellent long weekend--see you Wednesday!

Welcome to Monsoon Asia

Your first dangerous assignment is to create your own dedicated Asian Studies blog, preferably with blogger.com, and send me the URL (e.g., http://xx.blogger.com).

If you don't already have the textbook, please get one ASAP. You can order it from wherever you prefer as long as you get the correct edition of Murphey (ISBN-13: 9780205168552). For example, a quick Google search of the ISBN shows that Barnes & Noble has a particularly good deal on the textbook right now. If you find a better deal, please let us know in the comments below. Resist the urge to use the e-text version (we have an electronics-free classroom).

I will post the Intro and first chapter on the campus portal to tide you over. There will be no excuse for not reading the introduction and first chapter of Murphey, pp. 1-26, before Wednesday's class. Please make sure that you can answer the review questions on pages 8 and 26.