Humanities Arts Cultural Stu 0237 - Listening to Japanese Sound Cultures

"Listening" occupies a special place in Japanese cultures. Indications abound in literature, folklore, and everyday practices that listening has been nurtured as multisensory experiences and that it encompasses a wide range of phenomena. Whether it be in the haiku poetry reading, religious ceremony, political protest, or mundane activity, listening enables people to transcend spatiotemporal boundaries, connect with the intangible and the invisible, and engage in the world and life in a deeper philosophical consciousness. This course explores Japanese sound cultures, with special attention to the underlying unique conceptions of "listening": how have people in Japan cultivated distinct sensibilities in listening, and how, in turn, such sensibilities have constituted Japanese sound cultures. No previous training in music is necessary to take this course, but students need to be prepared to do fairly heavy reading and critical unpacking of course materials for each class. Keywords:Japanese cultures, listening, sounds, acoustic sensibilities

Students should expect to spend 8 hours weekly on work and preparation outside of class time.