Admission requirements
MA Asian studies students (60 EC, 120 EC or research) will be given priority in enrollment if demand exceeds the available places.
Description
This course investigates how art and art practices have contributed to producing and contesting power in early modern and modern Asia. We will explore the connections and ruptures between early modernity and modernity in different regions of Asia with a focus on three key issues: 1) representing space and place, 2) representing the body, 3) the gaze and the other. We will cover a wide range of visual media such as painting, print, photography, modern and contemporary art. We will consider approaches to analysing these media from the perspective of how they contribute to producing, contesting, resisting, escaping or disguising power relations. In the analysis, we will focus on context (producers, viewers, depicted subjects) and we will practice detailed analysis of selected artworks. This course brings together art from transnational Asian contexts and histories and forges dialogues between pre-modern and modern histories of art, as well as those between art-making, political thought, human-nature interfaces and meta-processes of empire, colonialism, decolonization, displacements and internationalisms.
Course objectives
Students will learn analytical methods in the fields of art history and cultural studies: Students will develop a critical understanding of key terms in art history, such as space, gaze, modernism, and popular visual culture. They will learn to use these terms as critical analytical categories, which they can then apply to their own research projects.
The course fosters historical awareness of the intersections of art and power in Asia by covering both the early modern and modern periods.
Students will develop critical awareness in applying critical terms of art history and cultural studies to the study of art and art practices in early modern and modern Asia: Through secondary readings, students will engage critically with historical developments in applying these terms to the study of early modern and modern Asian art, and they will apply these insights practically by doing their own analysis of selected case studies pertaining to their own research projects and interests.
Timetable
The timetables are available through My Timetable.
Mode of instruction
Seminar
Attendance is compulsory for all sessions. Students must prepare well and contribute to in-class discussion. If a student cannot attend because of illness or misadventure, they should promptly inform the convener. Extra assignments may be set to make up for missed class time, at the convener’s discretion. Absence without notification may result in lower grades or exclusion from assessment components and a failing grade for the course
Assessment method
Assessment and weighing
Attendance (pass/fail)
Group presentations (40%)
Essays (60%): 3 Short Essays of 1,500-2,000 words each on the three key modules of the course, 20% each
Weighing
The final mark for the course is established by determining the weighted average. To pass the course, the weighted average of the partial grades must be 5.5 or higher.
Attendance
Attendance and participation are obligatory for seminars and language courses. Students are required to attend all sessions. The lecturers need to be informed without delay of any classes missed for a good reason (i.e. due to unforeseen circumstances such as illness, family issues, problems with residence permits, the Dutch railways in winter, etc.).
Absence without notification in 3 or more classes without extenuating circumstances will result in a failing attendance grade. The course can still be passed if the average passing grade is sufficient.
Late papers
Students must complete all papers and assignment(s) on time.
Late submissions for all written work for the first or second attempt will result in a deduction of marks as follows:
1-24 hours late = -0.5;
24-48 hours late = -1.0;
48-72 hours late = -1.5;
Submissions more than 72 hours late, including weekends, will receive a failing grade of 1,0 for the assignment.
If students face extenuating circumstances they can request an extension by contacting the Board of Examiners.
Word limits
A mark deduction applies to papers which exceed the world limit or word range specified in the course description. Students who exceed this word limit will receive an automatic penalty of 0.5 mark deduction.
Resit
Resits will be allowed only for the short essays (60% of the course).
Only if the total weighted average is 5.49 or lower and this is the result of one or more of the short essays graded 5.49 or lower, a re-sit of one or more of the short essays is possible (20% each). In that case the convener of the course may decide to assign a new topic. The deadline for this version will be determined by the course convener, after consultation with the student. A re-sit for other course components is not possible.
Inspection and feedback
How and when an exam review will take place will be disclosed together with the publication of the exam results at the latest. If a student requests a review within 30 days after publication of the exam results, an exam review will have to be organized.
Reading list
Readings will be provided through the syllabus on brightspace.
Registration
Enrolment through MyStudyMap is mandatory.
General information about course and exam enrolment is available on the website.
Registration À la carte education, Contract teaching and Exchange
Information for those interested in taking this course in context of À la carte education (without taking examinations), eg. about costs, registration and conditions.
Information for those interested in taking this course in context of Contract teaching (with taking examinations), eg. about costs, registration and conditions.
For the registration of exchange students contact Humanities International Office.
Contact
For substantive questions, contact the lecturer listed in the right information bar.
For questions about enrolment, admission, etc, contact the Education Administration Office: Herta Mohr