ASIA320

What are scholars teaching us about Asia today? How do scholars in different fields of Asian Studies approach topics and present their research to an audience in distinct ways? What is Asian Studies, and what are the origins of this discipline? In this advanced seminar, students read recently published scholarship about Asia, representing a variety of scholarly fields and research methods (History, Literature, Religion, Art, Economics, and others). They discuss the subject matter and methodology behind that research with several guest professors. Students work through all the stages of writing their own original research project: generating ideas, narrowing to a topic, making initial inquiry research, evaluating sources, writing a formal proposal, drafting, editing, receiving comments from readers, and revising. This work helps students find the research methodology, writing style, and academic mentors at Bates best suit their research interests. Open to third- and fourth-year students only.