In recent years, we have witnessed the rising popularity of the Japanese iconography related to the figures of the ‘samurai’ and the ‘ninja’ in Europe and America as portrayed in films and literature. These figures seem to convey a message of exoticism and mythical fascination related to a period and a tradition that does not belong to our European culture. Nevertheless, is it really what Japanese morality and ethics is about? Or is it, rather, a representation of it?
During the course, we will be considering what ‘ethics’ and ‘morality’ stand for and if they can be described. We will then discuss how, in Japan, ethics and morality have been prescribed thought the case studies of the Shinto categories of ‘pure’ and ‘impure’, the Buddhist and Confucian ideas of ‘morality’ and how they changed in the modern period with the introduction of European philosophy in Japan. Hence, the aim of this course will be to point at the main characteristics of these intellectual traditions and to deepen their understanding in their own context as well as to analyze their representations.
Rooster
donderdag 11-13u
Zie ook: rooster
Onderwijsvorm
seminar
Literatuur
Course reader, available at Studiepunt Letteren, (Lipsius building, Cleveringaplaats 1)
Toetsing
Attendance, participation and webpostings, 20%; review paper (500-600words), 30%; analytical paper (1,000-1,500 words), 50%.
Students will be divided in two groups of 6 sessions each. Every week there will be 1 session for each group with the same reading materials.
Informatie
Chiara Brivio, c.brivio@hum.leidenuniv.nl
NB: Studenten moeten kiezen uit:_
_- BA1-seminar: Representations of Japan in Contemporary Media; – BA1-seminar: Ethics and Morality in Japan; – BA1-seminar: Religie van Japan; – BA1-seminar: Literatuur
STUDENTEN MOETEN ZICH DUS NIET VOOR AL DEZE 4 CURSUSSEN INSCHRIJVEN, maar één cursus kiezen en zich daarvoor inschrijven