ANTH 134
Leaving the World Behind: The Literature of Reclusion Spring 2019
Division II Writing Skills
Cross-listed CHIN 134 / COMP 134 / REL 134
This is not the current course catalog

Class Details

Living in a time of political and social turmoil, Confucius told his followers: “When the realm has the Way, show yourself; when it lacks the way, hide.” Reclusion here is a moral choice, justified by the ethical decline of the state. But it could also be a mortal necessity in a period in which government service was a distinctly hazardous pursuit. In other contexts becoming a hermit could instead be figured as aesthetic stance meant to preserve one’s artistic integrity against the dominant claims of society. This course looks at the literature of reclusion—living a life of seclusion from society—in a range of different cultures and periods, from ancient China to contemporary America. With sources that include poems, essays, novels, and films, we will investigate a set of issues surrounding radical seclusion. What different forms does reclusion take? Can one be a hermit without being completely separated from society? What is the relationship between hermits and the state—to what extent does one depend on the other? What are the philosophical and moral implications of eremitism? Is separating oneself from human society an inherently immoral act? What is the relationship between reclusion and technology in the contemporary world? What is the nature of solitude and can it be experienced in a group (for example, in contemporary “intentional communities”)? While most of our work will focus on textual analysis, there will be an experiential component to the course as well. Each student will design and implement their own experiment in (short-term) eremitism.
The Class: Format: tutorial
Limit: 10
Expected: 10
Class#: 3248
Grading: no pass/fail option, no fifth course option
Requirements/Evaluation: tutorial papers, responses, and a final project
Extra Info: may not be taken on a pass/fail basis; not available for the fifth course option
Prerequisites: none
Enrollment Preferences: first-year students, Chinese majors, Religion majors, Anthropology majors
Distributions: Division II Writing Skills
Notes: meets Division 1 requirement if registration is under CHIN or COMP; meets Division 2 requirement if registration is under ANTH or REL WI: Students will write a 5- to 7-page paper every other week for a total of five papers. On weeks in which they are not writing, they will critique their partner's paper. The final project will be a self-designed experiment in reclusion.
This course is cross-listed and the prefixes carry the following divisional credit:
CHIN 134 Division I ANTH 134 Division II COMP 134 Division I REL 134 Division II

Class Grid

Course Catalog Archive Search

TERM/YEAR
TEACHING MODE
SUBJECT
DIVISION



DISTRIBUTION



ENROLLMENT LIMIT
COURSE TYPE
Start Time
End Time
Day(s)