Founded 1960 Seminar Number 445 The Modern Japan Seminar is concerned with the history, politics, society, and culture of Japan from the late nineteenth century to the present. It emphasizes interdisciplinary dialogue among historians, anthropologists, sociologists, literary critics and other scholars from the New York area institutions. The seminar meets regularly to discuss a paper […]
Read MoreThe City
Founded 1962 Seminar Number 459A This seminar undertakes a wide-ranging consideration of the city—its history, functions, problems, and glories. Sessions are devoted to urban cultural and social history, and to the meaning of physical form and landscape of both American and world-wide cities. The heterogeneous nature of the seminar’s membership is reflected in the variety […]
Read MoreLiterary Theory
Founded 2005 Seminar Number 711 This seminar has had a long and distinguished history at Columbia. Originally called Theory of Literature (469), it was revived under its current title in 2006 with a view to pursuing the relations between literature, philosophy, and the politics that pervades our cultural production and its study. For some time […]
Read MoreGlobalization, Labor, and Popular Struggles
Founded 1998 Seminar Number 671 The seminar seeks to clarify the boundaries of what might be broadly understood as labor politics and the labor movement by examining theoretical and historical developments in order to clarify what has been learned and what needs to be learned in the current world-historical moment of global capitalist reorganization. Included […]
Read MoreFull Employment, Social Welfare, and Equity
Founded 1987 Seminar Number 613 The seminar focuses on the analytical and policy issues related to full employment, social welfare, and equity. These include crossnational perspectives, primarily in other industrialized economies. The purpose is to identify and clarify the more difficult and central intellectual questions which relate to and affect the national commitment and capability […]
Read MoreSouth Asia
Founded 1964 Seminar Number 477 The University Seminar on South Asia seeks to broaden and deepen understanding about the region of South Asia by providing a forum to discuss ongoing research as well as special topics related to the complex and multiple societies of South Asia both past and present. Drawing together scholars from many […]
Read MoreModern East Asia: China
Founded 1957 Seminar Number 443 This seminar is concerned with the politics, society, culture, and international relations of China from the early nineteenth century to the present. Its broader purpose is to explore the evolution of Chinese civilization over the past century of revolution and rapid social change. Papers—work in progress—are circulated to members and […]
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