The Martial Arts of East Asia
East Asian Languages & Culture · 3 hrs Lecture
Offering schedule: contact department
The calendar doesn't say which term this runs in. The sections below show the terms it actually runs in this year.
No prerequisites listed, you can take this course without prior coursework.
Where EALC-2780 counts
Counts toward 2 more as one option among several, not as a course you must take:
Read from the departments' own calendar pages, where 50 of 208 programs are only partly machine-readable, so treat these as a minimum rather than the full list. Confirm with an academic advisor.
Description
In this course, students challenge the portrayal of East Asian martial arts as an ancient, mystical practice by examining the history of martial arts. Students explore how military techniques once intended for war, policing, and control of banditry came to be practiced as methods of moral and physical self-cultivation. The course examines the historical origins of martial arts in China, Japan, and Korea, their evolution, and how they both subverted and served state agendas in the modern era. Lastly, it covers the role of martial arts in contemporary popular culture. This class is an online course requiring a high speed internet connection.
Restrictions
Students may not hold credit for this course and REL-2780.
Cross-listed
From the 2026-27 undergraduate calendar. Always verify details on WebAdvisor or with an academic advisor before registering.