Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey

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FYSE 1549

Monsters in Japan

From Godzilla to Totoro: Monsters in Japanese Culture
In this course we will examine a series of Japanese monsters (foxes, badgers, demons, vengeful spirits, and others), which populate Japanese myths, tales, folklore, art, and popular culture, in order to understand how the fear of the Other leads to marginalization and demonization and how monsters are created to contain undesirable figures. We will also explore the literary expressions of cultural anxieties generated by lack of understanding or misunderstanding of phenomena, such as the powers of nature and the afterlife, as well as the existential terrors resulting from trauma and war. 3 hrs. sem.
Subject:
First Year Seminar
Department:
First-Year Seminar Program
Division:
Interdisciplinary
Requirements Fulfilled:
CW LIT NOA

Sections in Fall 2023, SA UGs Full Term

Fall 2023

FYSE1549A-F23 Seminar (Milutin)