Most American students’ familiarity with the Asian culture is limited to the martial arts and Asian food. Hopefully their interest in the martial arts will encourage a desire to learn about the culture and history of some of these Asian countries: Korea, China and Japan. Therefore, students of all genders are encouraged to register. The central theme of this course is to have students examine the historical and cultural backdrop of these countries and how they influenced the martial arts, and in turn how the martial arts influenced the historical events of various eras in these countries. We will explore the socio-political and cultural context of certain periods of time and its connection to the martial arts. We will also explore and evaluate: What is it about the Eastern Asian culture that lends itself to martial arts?
