LABORATORY - GAS mod A

This is a 3-year module within the Global Asian Studies (Minor) curriculum. It relies on a combination of lectures, group discussions, and students' individual research.

At the end of the Global Asian Studies – Laboratory (Mod. A), students should be able to demonstrate:
- the necessary skills to collect and interpret data in the field of Global Asian Studies;
- an understanding of the methodologies and techniques they can use to discuss social, legal, political and economic change from both an area studies and global studies perspective;
- an understanding of the basic methodologies and techniques they can use to disseminate their research outcomes;
- the necessary skills to communicate, even in a creative way, information and ideas on and around (global) Asia and its socio-political, religious, economic and legal institutions to an audience consisting of specialists and non-specialists.

Basic knowledge of Asian history, geography, and socio-political, anthropological, religious, and legal institutions.

Lahore, Pakistan. Muniza and Ahmed are going out to celebrate their friends’ wedding. As he puts the window down to breathe the air of the brisk winter evening, Ahmed spots the China-built Orange line Metro bus taking workers back home after a long day at work. Colleagues’ wrongdoings and family members’ constant bickering fill his life. Two of his closest friends have just moved to London and Tokyo. For Muniza, European and American fashion magazines, glamourous ladies’ parties, and listening to K-Pop music present the only escape from life’s pressures. Muniza and Ahmed rub their eyes as all world and regional events and protagonists swim before them. Many other fellow Asians in Beijing, Delhi, Kathmandu, Teheran, Seoul, Osaka, and across Europe share the same life and emotions. But do their daily lives, feelings, and stories matter? Will they leave their mark on history and world politics? Will historians and social scientists ever be interested in them?
Global Asian Studies – Laboratory (Mod. A) is a cross-cuttingly interdisciplinary, hands-on module which focuses on developing basic skills in research methodology and dissemination in the fields of humanities and social sciences. Based on series of case studies, it lifts the curtain on the material and immaterial research and archival ‘stuff’ of which Muniza, Ahmad, and their fellow Asians’ dreams, public and private lives, and political and religious ideas are made. It then goes on to explore their everyday lives and interactions with their families, friends, socio-political, legal and religious institutions, and the wider international society from both an area-studies and global studies perspective.
Individual sessions progressively recreate the research environment of all the private and public spaces Asians inhabit and the texture of their lives as individuals, members of the international community, citizens, employees, and institutional figures. As they address the impact of individuals’ everyday life on global events (and vice versa), they cast the light on the many, different ways of incorporating emotions and material culture in the process of researching Global Asian Studies. They also familiarise students with how to debate and disseminate their research on (and around) Asian countries through social media, podcasts, consultancy work, creative writing, and art exhibitions.

Class notes

50% - Class interaction and individual engagement with each session’s content. At the beginning of the module, each student selects an Asian country and a related research topic. Each week, after each lesson, they post at least three very short pieces of writing and/or images on a shared, class Padlet wall, demonstrating and explaining how the content of each lesson relates to their chosen research topic.

50% - One unessay, that is a creative piece of writing, art, music or any other medium that develops their chosen research topic into a motivated, structured and consistent argument. The unessay should also demonstrate critical and scholarly engagement with the course material. It must be introduced by a written 300-word abstract.
For further information on unessays, see Clark, 2016: http://bit.ly/2qunH8X .

scritto e orale

30 + distinction of laude
Excellent engagement with the course material. The unessay has a clear, nuanced and well-structured argument and displays creativity, underpinning knowledge and sound judgement.

30-28
Meaningful engagement with the course material. The unessay has a clear and convincing argument and displays underpinning knowledge and sound judgement.

27-24
Good engagement with the course material. The unessay has an adequate argument with some evidence of good analytical and creative skills

23-19
Limited engagement with the course material. The unessay has little critical, analytical and creative perspective.

Fail
No engagement with the course material. The unessay lacks structure, creativity and clarity.

Lectures, simulations, role playing, board games.