This course aims to introduce students to the amazing world of pop culture in East Asia, covering Korea, Japan, China and Taiwan. Working through a number of topics, students will be shown the various ways in which they can look at pop culture, and use it to learn about East Asian cultures and societies. Topics will include: magazines, advertising, movies, manga/anime, TV dramas, games & gadgets, fashion, pop music/entertainment, and online communities. Some of the topics will take the students back to the early twentieth century, to the early years of modernity, though most lectures will deal with the present.

By the end of the course, the successful learner will have gained:

• an understanding of the defining characteristics of East Asian popular cultures
• experience in discussing popular practical and theoretical paradigms that apply in cultural studies
• learned how to examine the historical, social and cultural environments that produce pop products and use this knowledge to develop their critical thinking, and analytic and research skills
• an understanding of the many fan communities and their relationship to popular culture
• experience in publically presenting their ideas and defending their position

1. Attendance and participation in class discussions (15%);
2. 8 (weekly) literature reviews (20%);
3. Essay 1 (mini-essay, 1750 words, 25%);   
4. Essay 2 presentation (10%);
5. Essay 2 (2500 words, 30%).

NB: Plagiarism in any form will result in deduction of all percentage points for that particular section of the assessment, so for example, if the student plagiarises part of the final essay, the mark given for that essay will be 0% (which will then make up 30% of the final mark). Needless to say: students should be extremely careful NOT to commit plagiarism throughout this course.  

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