ASIAN 211 A: Languages and Cultures of China

The Course Syllabus is as stated below.  Click here for a downloadable pdf. 

ASIAN 211 Languages and Cultures of China:   Autumn 2021 Syllabus

Although the Han Chinese ethnicity makes up the vast majority of its immense population, China is also home to dozens of culturally distinct peoples speaking over 100 different languages.  Some of these ethnic groups, like the Tibetans, Uyghur and Zhuang, number in the millions, while others reside in only a handful of villages.  Their social histories have ranged from mutual influence and integration, to in some cases ongoing conflict and forced assimilation. In this course we will explore the languages and cultures of the many peoples of China, gaining an understanding of their wide range of demographic and ethnic diversity, and investigating some of the complex issues of national, ethnic, religious, linguistic and cultural identity that have arisen from the interactions of these peoples throughout China’s long history.  This course does not require any prior knowledge of China or Chinese languages; there are no prerequisites.

Class                   T / Th  1:30-3:20, THO 135

Instructor            Nathan Loggins          nloggins@uw.edu                                           
office hours:                Thursdays, 3:30-4:30 Gowen Hall 223 (Conference Room)
                                     Fridays, 1:00-2:00 via Zoom (Meeting ID: 337 204 0166)

Text                    Invisible China: A Journey through Ethnic Borderlands by Colin Legerton and Jacob Rawson. 2009. Chicago Review Press.

                           The book is available as an ebook through the UW library system. Other readings are available on Canvas as pdfs.

Web                   Canvas

Grading               Grades will be based on the following requirements.

• Participation 5%
  • Homework assignments               25%
  • Midterm examination                  20%
  • Essays                                         25%
  • Final examination                        25%

Readings             Assigned reading must be completed before class (see the schedule below).

   Responses        You will download Reading Response sheets from Canvas, complete them, and bring them to class to use as a reference during discussion. They are part of your Participation grade.

Participation        You are expected to be present and prepared to participate fully in class discussions.

Homework          Several exercises will be assigned during the quarter to help you learn the course material. Homework is to be turned in by the end of the day on the due date.

Papers                 There will be several brief writing assignments asking you to respond to material from class readings and lectures.

Exams                 For both the midterm and the final there will be no make-up exams given without prior arrangement with the instructor.

Late Policy          Assignments that are up to one class meeting late will lose 10% credit, and up to two meetings late 20% credit. Late assignments will not be accepted after two class meetings without prior approval from the instructor.

Additional Information for all UW students and courses

Religious Accommodations

Washington state law requires that UW develop a policy for accommodation of student absences or significant hardship due to reasons of faith or conscience, or for organized religious activities. The UW’s policy, including more information about how to request an accommodation, is available at https://registrar.washington.edu/staffandfaculty/religious-accommodations-policy/. Accommodations must be requested within the first two weeks of this course using the Religious Accommodations Request form available at: https://registrar.washington.edu/students/religious-accommodations-request/.

Non-Discrimination

  Students in the class are expected to show interpersonal respect at all times, not only to their peers in class, but to any groups of people who may be mentioned within the context of class discussion.  Please be respectful of the views expressed by your classmates, even when you wish to engage in critical discussion, wherein individuals’ opinions may be in disagreement.

Disability Resources

If you have already established accommodations with Disability Resources for Students (DRS), please communicate your approved accommodations to me at your earliest convenience so we can discuss your needs in this course.

If you have not yet established services through DRS, but have a temporary health condition or permanent disability that requires accommodations (conditions include but not limited to; mental health, attention-related, learning, vision, hearing, physical or health impacts), you are welcome to contact DRS at 206-543-8924 or uwdrs@uw.edu or disability.uw.edu. DRS offers resources and coordinates reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities and/or temporary health conditions.  Reasonable accommodations are established through an interactive process between you, your instructor(s) and DRS.  It is the policy and practice of the University of Washington to create inclusive and accessible learning environments consistent with federal and state law.

Student Conduct

The University takes academic integrity very seriously, as do I. Behaving with integrity is part of our responsibility to our shared learning community. If you’re uncertain about whether something is academic misconduct, don’t hesitate to ask me.

Acts of academic misconduct may include but are not limited to:

• Cheating (working collaboratively on quizzes/exams and discussion submissions, sharing answers and previewing quizzes/exams)
• Plagiarism (representing the work of others as your own without giving appropriate credit to the original author(s)–for more information on plagiarism and how to avoid it, see http://depts.washington.edu/pswrite/plag.html)
• Unauthorized collaboration (working with each other on assignments)

Concerns about these or other behaviors prohibited by the Student Conduct Code will be referred for investigation and adjudication by the College of Arts & Sciences.

Students found to have engaged in academic misconduct may receive a zero on the assignment (or other possible outcome).

For more information, see https://www.washington.edu/cssc/for-students/student-code-of-conduct/.

Campus Safety

Call SafeCampus at 206-685-7233 anytime – no matter where you work or study – to anonymously discuss safety and well-being concerns for yourself or others. SafeCampus’s team of caring professionals will provide individualized support, while discussing short- and long-term solutions and connecting you with additional resources when requested.

COVID-19 Precautions at UW

This class is conducted in-person.  Students are expected to participate in class to fully benefit from course activities and meet the course’s learning objectives.  Students should only register for this class if they are able to attend in-person.  To protect their fellow students, faculty, and staff, students who feel ill or exhibit possible COVID symptoms should not come to class. When absent, it is the responsibility of the student to inform the instructor in advance (or as close to the class period as possible in the case of an unexpected absence), and to request appropriate make-up work as per policies established in the syllabus. 

Though we have made fantastic advances in lessening the pandemic, especially after the wide availability of vaccines, it is unfortunately still a significant part of our daily lives, and likely will be for this school year.  All students, and myself, are required to wear a face mask [covering your nose!] indoors at all times.  I am reserving the right not to teach until all students meet this requirement; please don’t be disruptive to class and disrespectful to your peers with regard to this policy.

Further Accommodations

  Please just ask.  Generally most things can be accommodated, with appropriate advance notice.

Course Calendar for ASIAN 211 AUT 2021

Most assignments are due on Sunday of the given week, by 11:59 PM on Canvas.  Exceptions will be handed out in class with a due date indicated.  All readings should be read by class time, so as to generate questions and discussion during lecture.  On the schedule below, they are listed for the day of class they will be discussed. I will post supplementary readings for those interested in learning more about a given topic; you are not required to read them, but highly encouraged. Please read as many Invisible China chapters as you can, to give our guest a warm welcome.

Final Exam:   Friday, December 17^th, 2:30-4:20  THO 135