Identity Construction in East Asian philosophy, literature and films (2025/2026: Semester 2 – Spring)

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Cursusdoel

After completing this course students are able to:
  1. use conceptual tools to recognize and describe different processes of identity construction;
  2. assess Confucian, Buddhist and Daoist and Shinto models of the human being that play a role identity construction in East Asia, and elaborate on them in writing;
  3. apply culturally grounded concepts to understand East Asian identity construction; and be able to discuss their merits and their limits;
  4. reflect on and apply these models and concepts in an interpretation of East Asian fictional works (orally and in writing);
  5. analyse the individual trajectory of identity construction of fictional characters, recognizing the uniqueness of their situation (historical, social, individual)
Relationship between assessment and learning goals
Description of assignment Weight Refers to which course aim?
1. Paper 1
2. Paper 2
3. Discussion boards, peer-feedback, presentations, reflections
posts on readings and being the respondent to a few lectures and presentations		 30 %
30 %
40%

 1,2,3,4,5
1,2,3,4,5
1,2,3,4,5

Vakinhoudelijk

We will examine concepts that play a role in identity construction and self-cultivation in East Asian philosophy, literature and films. Firstly, we will single out these concepts from Chinese and Japanese philosophical texts and from works by social scientists and theorists of culture. Then, we will look at recent East Asian novels and movies, investigating the historical, cultural and social fields that form the context of the interplay of discourses that contribute to identity construction in each unique case.

East Asia, especially China, Korea and Japan, have been historically connected. Korea and Japan were once tributary states of China. They adopted Confucianism, the Chinese bureaucratic administrative system, the Chinese script, and Buddhism. East Asia shares a Confucian value system grounded on relations, e.g. between senior and junior. They also share san jiao (Chinese: ‘the three teachings’): Confucianism, Buddhism, and a third one that focuses especially on the relationship with nature: Daoism (China), Shintoism (Japan) and Shamanism (Korea). These factors, together with various social, political and cultural factors, have contributed significantly to the construction of identities in East Asia.

This course is a good addition to tracks in Philosophy, Literature and Religious Studies.

Format

1. We will closely read Chinese and Japanese philosophical texts and we will explore the paths philosophers advise for self-cultivation. We will introduce culturally-grounded concepts used by anthropologists and philosophers of culture to describe East Asian society and culture and will reflect on their merits and limits, during interactive lectures, preceded by discussions on the online discussion board.

2. There will be (guest) lectures, during which the expert introduces the conceptual tools they deem relevant to interpret the process of identity construction of one or more characters in an East Asian movie or a novel, or of a group of people in a specific area or time. Students will prepare presentations —leading to their final paper— on a work of philosophy, literature, or cinema: they will analyse it, both applying philosophical and culturally-grounded concepts and models, and paying close attention to the concrete fields in which processes of identity construction take place.

Students will work on reflections, presentations, and papers.

Werkvormen

UCU level 3 course

Toetsing

Discussion boards, peer-feedback, presentations, reflections

Verplicht | Weging 40% | ECTS 3

Paper 2

Verplicht | Weging 30% | ECTS 2,25

*midterm FEEDBACK*

Niet verplicht

Paper 1

Verplicht | Weging 30% | ECTS 2,25

Ingangseisen en voorkennis

Ingangseisen

Je moet minimaal 60 punten van het bachelor programma hebben behaald

Voorkennis

Er is geen informatie over benodigde voorkennis bekend.

Voertalen

  • Engels

Competenties

  • Academisch schrijven
  • Debatteren / discoursanalyse
  • Internationale en interculturele oriëntatie
  • Interdisciplinariteit
  • Kritisch lezen
  • Leren In Community’s
  • Onderzoeksvaardigheden
  • Presenteren
  • Samenwerken

Cursusmomenten

Gerelateerde studies

Tentamens

Er is geen tentamenrooster beschikbaar voor deze cursus

Verplicht materiaal

  • READER
    Reader

Aanbevolen materiaal

Er is geen informatie over de aanbevolen literatuur bekend

Coördinator

dr. C. Robbiano c.robbiano@uu.nl

Docenten

dr. C. Robbiano c.robbiano@uu.nl

Inschrijving

Let op: deze cursus is niet toegankelijk voor studenten van andere faculteiten, bijvakkers mogen zich dus niet inschrijven.

Naar OSIRIS-inschrijvingen
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