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This can be any type of text--secular or religious, written in a book or just repeatedly heard (at church, in school, on the radio or cassette or CD, etc.), set to music or just intoned--but DO MAKE SURE IT IS SOMETHING YOU'LL BE WILLING TO PUT UP WITH FOR THE LENGTH OF THE TERM. Whatever you pick, make sure you know the source--where it is written or recorded, even if you yourself are the author--since I will ask for this (see below). If you find some text that inspires you in one of the course readings, feel free to use it.
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2. Choosing Time, Place & Engaging your Body
You will probably find that you need to link your practice to something that you are already in the habit of doing (e.g., getting out of bed, bathing, starting your car, making coffee) in order to make sure to remember it each day. You may recite the words of your text out loud, very quietly, or even just moving your lips--whatever makes you most comfortable given the setting you are in.
If you are reciting something of which you own a recording, feel free to recite along with that recording; you might even wish to make a recording of your text if you don't have one and then recite along with it, in order to provide an audio prompt. If you are part of a group that meets regularly to recite some text that is the right length, feel free to count this as your practice; but you should makes sure to continue reciting the same text daily if your group meets less frequently, and in such a case your daily practice need not be in the same place as the group meeting..
The action you add to your words could be as simple as putting your hand on your heart or on some object special to you; but might also involve something more extended like lighting a candle, making gestures, taking different poses, or even some continuous movement such as dancing.
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In assessing your practice I will assign a maximum of 25 points for your in-class writing of the text; and a maximum of 25 points for your oral recitation of it (during scheduled officed hours at the end of the term), for a total of 50 points. Note that I cannot give any points for the written or oral exam without the original typed copy of the text turned in at the beginning of the term; if I turn this back to you requesting additional information, make sure you turn it back to me.
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If you do choose this option, I recommend that you either (a) obtain an audio recording of the passage in question or (b) record someone reciting it who knows the language well; it is important to learn such a passage by ear rather than by reading it. Note that you do not have to be able to reproduce the text in the original script of that language; instead you should use approximations in Roman script, and make sure also to provide me with an English translation of the passage.
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Unit 1 & 2 Reflections: Details
Make sure to pick something for which sufficient detail is described in, or can at least be reasonably inferred from, the reading(s) in question, without reference to additional sources. Internet sources are permitted only if they are listed as optional sources on the syllbus or discussed at least a week ahead of the due date with the instructor. While the Asian practice your choose should relate to the practice you have created for yourself, it need not be exactly similar to your own. If in doubt, brainstorm a list of similarities & differences between your own and the Asian practice you are considering, to see whether the comparison required in #3 (see below) will hang together or not.
For the Unit 1 reflection you should complete each of parts #1-3 in order, with each section clearly separated by numbers and/or headings. If you score at least a 90 on that first assignment, for subsequent assignments you may choose to change the order of the three sections, or even to blend them together, as long as you address each one thoroughly and provide clear transitions between them.
Important Note: As with other journal writing, do pursue whatever most fascinates, intrigues, and/or puzzles you about the cultural practice presented in the readings, your own daily recitation, and the terms &/or names you decide to relate to these. On the other hand, do reread and revise your work so that your sentences are focused and logically connected, and your questions and insights clearly communicated. You may find it helpful to move some of your concluding insights to your opening paragraph, and then revise so that everything supports such insight(s).
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1. Summarizing Details of Practice
In summarizing the relevant reading(s), make sure to select descriptions of specific settings, times, actions, objects, words, and participants, rather than simply summarizing every detail that is vaguely related to the activity you are describing. Remember that you must use IAR, primary sources in CP, on-line PPT presentations; you may supplement these with images from videos seen in class and with web sites listed as optional sources on the syllabus, but these should relate clearly to something in the printed sources. If you it difficult to select, or at least infer, sufficient detail from the available sources, you may need to choose a different activity.
Regarding the details of parenthetical page number citations (which you must use even if you don't quote your source directly), consult FAQ #16-18 and ask the instructor or your team members if you are unsure about what to do.
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2. Relating Practice to Terms/Names
Choosing excerpts here is similar to what you do in the team assignments, only here the choice is based on details you yourself have chosen to focus on, and you are working by yourself. The two or three excerpts you choose to illustrate the importance of key terms and/or names, selected from either IAR or the primary sources in the course pack, should refer either to unseen realities about which your chosen activity inspires people to reflect; or else to some detail of the communities or other social contexts in which the activity occurs. You may wish to consult my description of dimensions of culture, which clarifies what I mean by unseen realities, communities, and social institutions and why the connections between these and concrete practices is important.
As in #1, parenthetical page number citations are required even if you don't quote your source directly; consult FAQ #16-18, the instructor &/or your team members.
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3. Comparison with Your Own Practice
This part of the assignment is very much like follow-up tasks on the team assignments, but again here the subject is more personal to you. Make sure to describe your practice in sufficient detail, considering not only the meaning of the words you speak, but also your experience of whatever actions, objects, settings, times, and emotions are involved as you speak them. As part of this, describe honestly whatever insights and/or moods occur to you during the activity; note that absence of insights and less-than-inspiring moods are an important part of this description..
Blend into your description a consideration of the way your practice, as well as the insight (or lack thereof) you experience from it, is both similar to and different from the activities & terms described in #1 & 2. In particular, try to relate what you feel and think about during your own practice with what your speculate Asian individuals might experience during the activity described in #1; and also the way the terms described in #2 relate to ideas or social realities that help you make sense of your own practice.
Finally, if this comparative description of your practice contrasts Eastern and Western culture in a general way, please clarify whether by "Western" you mean (a) contemporary American culture OR (b) mediterannean & European cultures of the ancient and medieval periods. Note that it is not necessary to discuss East & West generally in order to be thorough in completing this third part of the assignment.
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Your diagram or doodle should use symbols, images, and/or short words and phrases rather than sentences. Arrange symbols and images in spatial relation to one another on the page, in order to show visually the relationship of key details and ideas described in your prose. If you think the connection between your diagram and your prose may not be apparent (ask a friend or team member), it is best to add a brief prose explanation.
IMPORTANT: digital images &/or graphics must be integrated into your own original layout, which incorporates other symbols, words, and/or phrases of your choice. Images and graphics simply pasted into your reflection will receive only minimal credit.
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In assigning a point value to your reflections (out of 100 points) I will first check, to begin with, the extent to which you have addressed the three items listed above, with each item being valued equally (i.e., 30 possible points + 10 for the diagram). More importantly, though, I will consider the creativity, honesty, & insight reflected in your writing; as well as the care with which you choose your words and organize your sentences and paragraphs.
Details regarding style and format for the papers, as discussed in connection with previous reflections, may be reviewed by reading FAQ #14-19.
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Depending on your choice of activities & terms to compare (#1 & 2), your reflection will either reflect common cultural features observed in more than one region of Asia, or highlight stark differences between those regions. If you wish to focus on similarities, you should draw both your examples from only one of the following groupings; select examples from two different groupings if you want to highlight contrasts between the regions named in each grouping:
(a)
Units 1 &
3a: South & SE Asia, including Tibet & Shri Lanka
(b) Units 2 &
3b: East Asia, including Vietnam, Korea & Japan
(c) Buddhist examples from all three units.
As with the unit reflections, you may choose to address each of the three elements of the reflection clearly separated by a number and/or heading, or you may blend them together.
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1. Summarizing & Comparing of Practice Details
Since you are considering two activities from different units rather than one, you will need to describe each activity as succinctly as possible; you may wish to describe the two in tandem, highlighting either similar or contrasting elements. As with previous reflections, you must rely on IAR, primary sources in CP, and/or on-line PPT presentations, focusing on specific actions, objects, words, settings, participants, and times to whatever extent these are stated in or can be infered from your sources. Again you may wish to consult my description of practice under dimensions of culture, as needed.
Remember that you must use cite page numbers even if you don't quote your source directly; consult FAQ #16-18 and/or your team members if you are still unclear about formatting these.
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2. Relating Practice to Terms/Names
Once again this is like selecting excerpts for a team assignment. As before the excerpts you select from IAR or the primary sources should illustrate the importance of terms and/names related either to unseen realities about which your chosen practices inspire people to reflect, or to some detail of the social contexts in which such practices occur. In this case, however, the terms or names you choose should either be broad enough to enough apply to the different regions of Asia from which your examples are drawn (especially if you are comparing similar activities from different regions); or, if you are highlighting contrasts between examples, those names and terms should pertain to EITHER unseen realities OR social institutions, to make sure you are not comparing apples and oranges when considering the contrasting examples. Once again you may wish to consult my description of dimensions of culture, whether or not you have done so before, to get clear on the connection between the unseen, practice, and social reality.
As always, page numbers are required even if you don't quote your source directly; consult FAQ #16-18 &/or your team members if needed.
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3. Comparison with Your Own Practice
The comparative description of your practice here is a bit more complex than before because you have already compared two practices in #1, either as a comparable or contrasting pair. Here you are adding one more item to the comparison, for which as in previous reflections you must highlight both similarities & differences. This is like the wider comparisons I ask you to think about in the final team assignment for each unit.
As before, however, you must include a concrete description of your practice: not only the meaning of the words you speak, but also your experience of whatever actions, objects, settings, times, and emotions are involved as you speak them, and the insights (or lack thereof) and moods (however un-inspiring) that occur to you. As usual, try to relate what you feel and think about during your own practice with what your speculate Asian individuals might experience during the activity described in #1; and also the way the terms described in #2 relate to ideas or social realities that help you make sense of your own practice.
Remember too that, if your comparison contrasts Eastern and Western culture in a general way (though this is not in any way necessary), you clarify whether by "Western" you mean (a) contemporary American culture OR (b) mediterannean & European cultures of the ancient and medieval periods.
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As usual, your diagram or doodle should use symbols, images, and/or short words and phrases rather than sentences. Remember to add a brief explanation if the connection between your diagram and your prose is not apparent. As before, digital images &/or graphics must be integrated into your own original layout, which incorporates other symbols, words, and/or phrases of your choice, in order to recieve more than minimal credit.
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As before, in assigning a point value to your final reflection (out of 100 points) I will first check, as with the previous journal submissions, the extent to which you have addressed the three items listed above, with each item being valued equally (i.e., 30 possible points + 10 for the diagram). But I will pay more attention, once again, to the creativity, honesty, & insight reflected in your writing; as well as the care with which you choose your words and organize your sentences and paragraphs.
Details regarding style and format for the papers, as discussed in connection with previous reflections, may be reviewed by reading FAQ #14-19.
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