AST-470 Seminar in Asian Studies

The seminar will explore the relationship between power, culture, and representations of past and present. Using case studies from 19^th century European empires (primarily British, but also French) and their overseas Asian or African colonies, we will investigate the heyday of imperialism and its limitations. The course will call into question the dichotomy of “colonizer” and “colonized” by looking at imperial experiences and legacies for those located both in sites of colonial rule and in the imperial center. We will examine the impact of colonialism on constructions of culture and cultural change. Finally, we will discuss these changes and if/how they survive in our current geopolitical world. 4 credits.