The rise of Japan, and also new developments in Korea and Vietnam, raise a crucial question about defining civilization. All these societies borrowed extensively from China. None, however, became Chinese. Japan, particularly, followed its own path in terms of its feudal development. Did Japan in turn share enough with China to allow the definition of a common origin? This question of defining civilization in terms of coherence applies to a number of regions, particularly when unusual levels of contact and imitation are involved. Some contend that there continue to be shared impulses between China and Japan which strongly stem from Confucianism. Is there an underlying East Asian civilization despite the incredible differences between the regional members? The challenge is to determine what definitions best fit the facts.

Observation Techniques: Film AnalysisThis week, you will analyze a three- to five-minute segment of a movie or a television episode depicting cultural diversity and gender issues.After watching the movie segment, create a report on your analysis. In your report: Mention the name of the movie. Describe the setting and overall storyline of the movie. Describe the main characters in the observed movie section. Describe the situation that you analyzed and interpret the action of the characters depicting cultural diversity and gender issues. Draw conclusions based on social psychological concepts and theories.