Capstone: Material Culture in East Asia

(4 Credits)

This capstone seminar explores the cultural history of East Asia—primarily China, with attention to Japan and Korea—through material culture methodology. Rather than relying on traditional textual sources, students will examine how arts and objects reveal historical changes across East Asian societies. The course develops both substantive knowledge and advanced research skills essential for historical scholarship. Students engage with interdisciplinary readings spanning art history, anthropology, and archaeology to understand how material evidence recovers the voices of women, artisans, and other underrepresented historical subjects.