Asia-Pacific

Everybody wonders about the future. People wonder if they, their children or even grandchildren will grow up in a safe, peaceful society. The Dystopian genre in fiction introduces a devastating turn on the future of the world in which no sane person would enjoy living in. Cormac McCarthy’s The Road delivers a compelling sense of misery in it’s shattered, dark atmosphere. The book focuses on describing it’s horrific world, developing it’s few characters, and adding warnings, which are all…

Since coming to Japan, my most rewarding experience by far has been the time spent with my host family. From the first moment I came to the decision to study abroad, living with a Japanese host family was always what I wanted to do. Through decided to stay in Japan during this summer, I had a precious chance to become a member of a Japanese family, study Japanese and of course, learn more about the culture, customs and lifestyle in Japan. Thanks to my host family, I could improve my Japanese…

C. What geography challenges have the Japanese faced? How was Japan’s development influenced by its landforms and its climate, and how did nature inspire the Shinto religion in Japan? Also, how was Japanese culture influenced by its closeness to China and Korea? Give examples of how Japan adapted their influences. What challenges has Japan faced? However, one important question would be, how was Japan influenced by China? This essay will be explaining how Japan was influenced by China and…

Over the past decades, America has become the guardian of the world. Being a first World Superpower, the United States is able to reach out and touch people or countries who are dangerous to themselves and more importantly to the U.S and its interest. Everywhere there is any kind of conflict, America has been there to exert its influence and the Middle East is no different. Americans should care about the current state of the Middle East for numerous reasons. Some of the reasons Americans should…

In The Chrysanthemum and the Sword, Ruth Benedict paints a vivid picture of the Japanese thought process and their pattern of behavior. At a time when the United States was grappling with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the author was commissioned by the war department to conduct a study on the Japanese society and culture so as to familiarize the military with its enemy. However, unable to carry out her ethnography project using field work, Benedict uses “culture at a distance”, a sort of…

groups. Among those involved this world system, from the 13th to the 18th century, Asia acted as a vital political, cultural, and economical player and Europe was far from domination…

Essential Questions: How did Europe's geography/advantages lead to its rise as a global power? Europe’s one huge geographical advantage that led to its rise in global power was its variety in geographical features. First, Europe had many different geographical features such as mountains that would provide metals like gold or silver, and it flatlands built for farming. With that Europe is also known as the peninsula of peninsulas, so there is plenty of water around it. This water can provide…

“Asian American” and “Asian American literature” are vague and undefined terms. Many people try to define them, but it seems that there is more than one definition for both. I think Asian Americans are people of Asian descent living in America, but there is a deeper meaning for those who are actually Asian American. I define Asian American literature as literature written by Asian Americans and about Asian Americans. I was born in America, but both my parents are Chinese. That makes me an Asian…

How Cool Were Your Grandparents? Back in the 50’s was quiet different to now a days, here are some facts just to kick start the brain.  The average house in 1950 sold for $14,000  The average annual income in the ‘50s was just under $3,000  Kitchen debuts – Tupperware at home party sales, electric frying pans, nonstick cookware  In 1950 fewer than 1 in 10 American homes owned a TV set. By the end of the decade, 9 out of 10 American homes were tuned in  Gunsmoke first aired on television in…

While Kubo in the Two Strings attempts to enrapture young Americans with the beauty and glory of an animated East-Asian-centric hero’s tale, thus improving both the looking-glass self prescribed by the outward world onto Asian Americans, as well as the presentation of self by Asian Americans onto themselves, the film in actuality perpetuates harmful stereotypes, contaminating the inward and outward perception of Asian Americans in a way identical to those linked with lower self-confidence in…