AMES 3672 - Buddhism
This course provides an overview of the Buddhist religion, from the teachings of the historical Buddha in ancient India to the development of global Buddhism in the 21st century. Topics include: the concepts of early Buddhism; the development of Theravada Buddhism in southeast Asia; Mahayana Buddhism in China, Korea, and Japan; the rise of the Zen movement; Tibetan Buddhism; Buddhism in literature and art; and Buddhism in America. This course satisfies the Liberal Education requirement in Global Perspectives.
Course Details
3 credits. This course is delivered asynchronously online between June 8 - July 5.
Instructor: Morgan Rouzer is a Professor in the Department of Asian & Middle Eastern Studies. Their areas of study include traditional East Asian poetry and poetics (with particular attention to medieval China), Buddhism and its relation to pre-modern and modern literature, and classical Chinese literary traditions in Japan.
For inquiries about the course, please email Professor Rouzer at [email protected] or call (612) 626-1486.
AMES 3766: Hmong Textiles and Identities
This is a lecture, discussion, and project-based learning course on the multi-faceted Hmong identities throughout regions of different countries, time periods, and acculturation processes. The course analyzes authentic materials, texts, and media about the utilization of Artistic Textiles as well as Functional Textiles (clothing) in everyday Hmong life as well as identity frameworks. Hmong textiles and embroideries are key elements to Hmong identities, and directly reflect the diaspora, culture, location, dialect, and practice of each group and sub-group. International Hmong identities are identified and studied in order to critically analyze the foundations of the Hmong American identity. Students learn how to interpret each region's textiles and embroideries and how they represent embroidered language and identities. Although there will be a focus on Asia, this class also focuses on an international Hmong identity which includes the United States and other countries of the Hmong diasporic journey. The class analyzes the role textiles play in today's international Hmong population, Hmong ethnic identity, transformation, advancement, social justice, and commodification. There are no prerequisites for this course, and students are not required to have taken any Hmong language classes. This course satisfies the Liberal Education requirements in Arts/Humanities and Race, Power, and Justice in the United States.
Course Details
3 credits. This course is delivered in person on the Twin Cities campus between May 18 and June 05.
Course Schedule: MTWThF 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Instructor: Bee Vang-Moua is the Director of the Hmong Program in the Department of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies. She has been teaching Hmong at the University of Minnesota for over fifteen years and is also a national Hmong language teacher trainer who advances initiatives in curriculum development and pedagogy. In 2025, she was awarded the Minnesota Teacher of the Year prize by the Minnesota Council on the Teaching of Languages and Cultures for her outstanding instruction, leadership, and advocacy.
For inquiries about the course, please email Prof. Vang-Moua at [email protected].
How Do I Register?
Register for any of these courses on Schedule Builder or One Stop Student Services.