Introductory Topics in Asian Languages and Cultures (290-0-20)
Topic
Intro to Contemporary Tibetan Literature
Instructors
Antonio Terrone
847/467-1636
1880 Campus Drive, Kresge Hall #4-439
Office Hours: times vary by quarter, please contact instructor
Meeting Info
Kresge Centennial Hall 2-410: Tues, Thurs 9:30AM - 10:50AM
Overview of class
AY 24-25 This course explores contemporary Tibetan literature with a focus on works produced in and after the 1980s, when Tibet was exposed to the liberal policies of the People's Republic of China. Although Tibet was a civilization characterized by a unique prominence of religious literature produced and consumed in monastic institutions, the nature of literature and literacy has changed in Tibet in the past seventy years, becoming more accessible to the wider public. Tibetan writers have used fiction and poetry in new ways to reflect on life, rapidly changing worldviews, and the significance of the past as well as the present.
This course will introduce students to a number of contemporary Tibetan literary works, mostly secular in nature, including short novels, fiction, nonfiction essays, and poetry in English translation, as well as academic studies and scholarly analysis of relevant subjects.
Learning Objectives
Students will enrich their understanding of a number of issues and themes, including:
- The role of language in defining "Tibetan Literature"
- Tibetan authors' critiques and appreciation of their past
- National Identity in the Diaspora
- Buddhist legacy and its values in present writings
- Social change and literature change
Teaching Method
Lectures and Discussions
Evaluation Method
This course is primarily a reading seminar, hence class attendance and participation are crucial. All students are expected to come to class with completed reading assignments and to contribute actively to class discussions.
Students will submit weekly short response papers that critically discuss the week's readings. Each student will be also required to present once in class and submit a term paper at the end of the course.
Class Materials (Required)
Tsering Döndrup, The Handsome Monk and Other Stories. Columbia University Press, 2019 ISBN 978-0231190237
Tenzin Deckie. Old Demons, New Deities. 21 Short Stories from Tibet. OR Books, 2017 ISBN 978-1944869519
Pema Tseden. Enticement: Stories of Tibet. State University of New York Press, 2018 ISBN 978-1438474267
Class Materials (Suggested)
Tenzin Dickie (ed.) The Penguin Book of Modern Tibetan Essays. Vintage, 2023.
ISBN 9780143462323
Class Attributes
Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline
Literature & Fine Arts Distro Area
Enrollment Requirements
Enrollment Requirements: Reserved for students majoring or minoring in Asian Languages & Cultures or International Studies until the end of preregistration, after which time enrollment will be open to everyone who has taken the prerequisites, if applicable.