Culture, Society, and Language in Asia (LANG306)

This is a repeatable unit. However, topics are not repeatable and the unit cannot be undertaken more than once in any one teaching period. Enrolment is subject to unit coordinator (or delegate) approval.

Students must apply for permission to enrol at least three weeks prior to the commencement of the relevant Trimester.

2026 topics

Trimester 1

• Japanese:

Japanese for Everyday Life. Please note: completion of JAPN202 or equivalent will be required for unit coordinator permission for enrolment in this topic.

This subject introduces advanced authentic Japanese written and spoken texts or genres commonly used by native speakers in their daily lives. Students will analyse text structures through genre analysis, enabling them to understand rhetorical moves and accurately reproduce similar texts. These activities will enhance students' sociolinguistic and sociocultural awareness, communication abilities, and independent research skills in discourse analysis. The subject aims to help students feel more confident when travelling or living in Japan.

There are no Chinese or Indonesian topics available in LANG306 in Trimester 1.

Trimester 2

• Chinese:

Social Culture in Chinese Reading I

This subject is designed to help you gain a mastery of China’s inherited cultural values, along with a competitive edge in interacting with Chinese people in high-employment areas such as tourism, cultural activities and business practices.  You’ll develop your knowledge of key Chinese socio-cultural norms with a firm foundation in topics ranging from mannerisms, privacy, humility, inside and outside, implicitness and face through to money, spouse preference and social hierarchy.  You will also sharpen your Chinese reading comprehension and writing skills, and develop a well-rounded understanding of socio-cultural norms in China today. 

• Japanese:

Japanese Popular Culture

This subject explores contemporary Japanese popular culture through the topic areas of anime, manga, popular music, television and the spread of Japanese popular culture abroad.  On successful completion of this subject, you will have some understanding of the role popular culture plays in everyday life in Japan and ways in which ideas and values are communicated through it. This subject will assist you in learning the Japanese language to develop an understanding of Japanese culture.  However, no proficiency in the Japanese language is required and non-language students will be able to gain a foundational knowledge of Japanese popular culture.  You will study excerpts of various authentic examples as well as the academic literature in the field.

There are no Indonesian topics available in LANG306 in Trimester 2.