Robert Hymes

Professor Hymes is a knowledgeable and intelligent scholar, arguably one of the brightest I've encountered. However, he also comes across as somewhat arrogant. Be prepared for hour-long monologues, especially when the discussion touches on topics of his interest. If you hold differing opinions and try to engage further, you may find yourself intentionally ignored. This created a rather tense atmosphere, making the experience less than pleasant. Outside the classroom, he is generally approachable, but it’s not unusual to wait one or two weeks for a brief 30-minute office hour appointment. The class itself was not particularly enjoyable—topics felt scattered, the syllabus has remained unchanged for at least five years, and there was little focus on teaching specific approaches or methodologies. I would only recommend taking this class if you absolutely need it to graduate with a BA in EALAC. Overall, it wasn’t a very positive experience for me.

Professor Hymes is very intelligent, but he's also super arrogant and if he's having a bad day...be careful. He rambles on and on in class; he's smart and likes to shows off. To be fair, he's is a relatively good listener (unlike many other Profs. at this institution) and won't shoot you down if you're sorting out your thoughts outloud during class discussions. But, nonetheless, he's not a "A" grader and watch your grammar (he HATES grammatical errors). I don't think his new promotion to Chair of EALAC has helped...it has just made him more pompous and hard to approach.

Prof. Hymes is definately a knowledgeable professor who knows his stuff extremely well. His lectures are to the point, sometimes peppered with amusing remarks, but overall the same, which can get monotonous. However, he gives way too much reading each week, and though you soon learn to do the bare minimum (or just not do it at all), you find out for the midterm and the final that you'll need to read at least something. Discussion sessions are required and lacking, though it depends on your TA and the other students. Overall a pretty good class that can get dry.

I would suggest students be prepared to ask questions and interject a bit more confidently in the online platform to pose questions of the professor and other students in the class. 1 Columbia University: Arts & Sciences Spring 2021 Course: HSEAGR8883_001_2021_1-TPC-MIDDLEPERIOD-CHINESEHIST : HSEAGR8883_001_2021_1 - TPC-MIDDLE PERIOD-CHINESE HIST Instructor: Robert Hymes

For an East Asian studies major or concentrator, this course is excellent in gaining a nuanced understanding of the region! It is also an excellent place to make friends who are interested in the same topics. 1 Columbia University: Arts & Sciences Fall 2023 Course: EAASUN3990_001_2023_3-APPROACHESTOEASIANSTUDIES : EAASUN3990_001_2023_3 - APPROACHES TO E ASIAN STUDIES Instructor: Robert Hymes

Prof. Hymes is a very friendly guy. When it comes to the realities of the academic world, he tells it like it is and brings many years of experience with the life and politics of the mind into his discussion groups. Doesn't hurt that he isn't too rigid about extensions and such things -- he really has the students' sanity at heart. However, the same easygoing passivity that makes him fun to work with can make you want to claw someone's eyes out. He may need a few weeks of prodding before making pretentious grad students stop going off on hour-long diatribes in an undergrad class. Be ready for lengthy monologues about the question at hand; Prof. Hymes' digressions will keep you involved in the conversation, but maybe not so clear of the topic. I'd definitely recommend him. But if you need to get in touch outside of class, talk to him in person -- he tends to forget about emails.

I took this class to fulfill the first half of my major cultures requirement. It's overall mediocre. Prof. Hymes is a really nice guy who definitely knows his stuff, but when it comes down to it...this class is filled with alot of dry history. There's sooooo much reading. If you dont do the reading, discussion sections and lecture can be confusing and boring. The reading, most of it, is pretty relevant on the exams. Be prepared for alot of work.

Would recommend on the basis of the student's academic interests and the professor teaching the class 1 Columbia University: Arts & Sciences Fall 2022 Course: EAASUN3990_001_2022_3-APPROACHESTOEASIANSTUDIES : EAASUN3990_001_2022_3 - APPROACHES TO E ASIAN STUDIES Instructor: Robert Hymes

This teacher has received rave reviews, but for some reason, I really didn't enjoy his class. I found his lectures for the most part boring and spent most of the time spacing out in class. This class is not particularly hard, just boring, which can make it hard to do as well as you want. I do that Hymes is a great person though. He really cares about his students.

Professor Hymes is brilliant and enthusiastic; he's so genial and unassuming that it's easy to forget how much he knows and how much work he puts into preparing his lectures and his extensive and very helpful web materials. There are two drawbacks to this class: one, the reading load is murderous, and two, there is an incredible amount of information to learn, much of it dry history. With some creativity and skimming, you can get away with reading considerably less than he asks, but don't take this class if you're not willing to stomach almost six thousand years of "and then Emperor X took over the north, and then this tribe took over the north, and then this river shifted, and then these people revolted..." My discussion section was largely a waste of time, but you really don't need the TAs' help. Professor Hymes is incredibly accessible and will often write a long, informative, interesting, detailed response to a student's e-mailed question and then send it to everyone in the class.