Admission requirements
Admission to the MA Asian Studies (research) or another relevant Research MA. Other interested students are kindly referred to the regular MA course.
Description
This course investigates how sound is featured in academic and political discourses about heritage in Asia. It asks what else we can learn about Asia if we pay attention to which sonic phenomena count as heritage and which are excluded from this category. Drawing from cultural anthropology, sound studies, critical heritage studies and ethnomusicology, we will explore ethnographic case studies from different Asian sound worlds using a multisensory approach. Key topics will include music, ethnicity, and national heritage; the politics of sound in publics spaces; environmental changes and the loss of sonic knowledge; the sound of religious events; the voice as a racialized political technology; and the postcolonial legacies of contemporary soundscapes.
Course objectives
Understand the importance of sound in the study of Asian cultures and societies;
Become familiar with different cultural approaches to sonic phenomena;
Learn how to approach academic discussions on sound and heritage through various disciplines;
Develop and support academic arguments based on close interpretation of texts;
Report on original research into a topic related to this seminar in verbal and written form.
Timetable
The timetables are available through My Timetable.
Mode of instruction
Seminar.
Assessment method
Academic integrity
Students should familiarize themselves with the notion of academic integrity and the ways in which this plays out in their own work. A good place to start is this page. Plagiarism will not be tolerated. Students may not substantially reuse texts they have previously submitted in this or other courses. Minor overlap with previous work is allowed as long as it is duly noted in citation. For information on plagiarism (in the context of academic writing at large), see clips 4-5-6 in this series of video clips.
Students must submit their assignment(s) to Brightspace through Turnitin, so they can be checked for plagiarism. Submission via email is not accepted.
ChatGPT: What is possible and what is allowed? Dos and Don'ts.
Assessment and weighing
| Partial assessment | Weighing |
|---|---|
| Participation (Attendance + Assignments) | 40 % |
| Commitment (Close listening discussion) | 20% |
| Original research (Research paper 4,000 words) | 40% |
The final mark for the course is established by (i) determination of the weighted average combined with (ii) the additional requirement that all elements must receive a passing grade (5.50 (= .6.0) or higher).
Resit
There are no resits for the participation and commitment elements. Two deadlines will be provided for the submission of the paper.
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
Articles and excerpts available on Brightspace or through a Course Reserve Shelf.
For the Research MA students additional reading will be determined by the convener at a later stage taking into account the students’ fields of interest. Extra sessions will be organized to discuss this extra literature.
Registration
Enrolment through MyStudyMap is mandatory.
General information about course and exam enrolment is available on the website.
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