Japanese Ghost Stories

Catalog description

This course offers a survey of the numinous and supernatural through Japanese fiction, films, drama, comics, and video games from ancient times to the present day. Students will assemble a foundational knowledge of Japanese mythology and folk religion while studying popular narrative traditions representative of their historical eras. By peering into the liminal spaces connecting the living with the dead, students will also develop critical thinking and media literacy through careful investigation into the matters that people of different times and places have perceived as monstrous, alien, and unspeakable. Issues of gender, sexuality, and ethnic minority status will receive special attention as we navigate theories relating to the cultural role and relevance of ghosts. Strong writing skills are recommended, but no prior knowledge of Japan or the Japanese language is required.