JPNB38 Visiting Professor's Course

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2022
Extent and Intensity
0/0/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Taught in person.
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Miloš Debnár, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Jiří Matela, M.A., Ph.D. (alternate examiner)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Jiří Matela, M.A., Ph.D.
Department of Japanese Studies – Asia Studies Centre – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Mgr. Jiří Matela, M.A., Ph.D.
Supplier department: Department of Japanese Studies – Asia Studies Centre – Faculty of Arts
Timetable
Tue 19. 4. 10:00–11:40 B2.23, 14:00–15:40 B2.43, 18:00–19:40 B2.13, Wed 20. 4. 10:00–11:40 B2.13, 14:00–15:40 B2.24, Thu 21. 4. 8:00–9:40 B2.33, 12:00–13:40 B2.44, 16:00–17:40 B2.34, Fri 22. 4. 10:00–13:40 K32
Prerequisites
JPN111 Japanese language I - theory
Communicative knowledge of English. Basic understanding of Japanese culture and society.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
Title of the course: Contemporary migration in Japan
This course aims to introduce main issues related to contemporary migration to Japan and integration. Demographic prognosis and increasing globalization of Japan clearly suggest that accepting higher number of immigrants should be one of priorities for policy makers. While Japan and its political elites are strongly opposed to open door policy especially towards low-skilled migrants, yet the numbers of foreign nationals living in Japan has been steadily increasing since 1990s.What are the factors behind this increase? Where these migrants come from and how are they being integrated into Japanese society? What are the factors inhibiting more open-door policies and integration? What are the problems migrants face in Japan? The course will cover a relatively wide array of issues related to migration; we will deal with historical minorities, contemporary migration in various forms as well as issues related to integration or racism.
Learning outcomes
After finishing the course the student should be able to:
- understand current migration issues in Japan and be able to understand it in the wider context of the Japanese society and its changes;
- explain general overview of migration, the situation of migrants, and issues related to migration in Japan today as well as explain the historical background and development of the contemporary migration to Japan;
- understand theories and concepts that explain contemporary migration and integration, particularly in the context of Japan and Asia.
Syllabus
  • 1. Introductory lesson
  • 2. Early modern Japan and migration: secluded or multiethnic?
  • 3. From the post-war to globalization
  • 4. Essential but shuned: low-skilled migrantion to Japan
  • 5. High-skilled migrants: needed or not?
  • 6. International marriages and student migration
  • 7. Who is a migrants? White Western migrants in Japan
  • 8. ntegration of the migrants and tabunka kyosei
  • 9. Multiculturalism, essentialism and race
  • 10. Covid-19 pandemic and migration/migrants in Japan
  • 11. Wrap-up: Japan as a country of immigration?
Literature
    recommended literature
  • Liu-Farrer, Gracia. 2020. Immigrant Japan: Mobility and Belonging in an Ethno-Nationalist Society. Cornell Univ. Press.
    not specified
  • Debnar, Milos. 2016. Migration, Whiteness, and Cosmopolitanism: Europeans in Japan. Palgrave McMillan.
  • Douglass, M. & G. S. Roberts. 1999. Japan and Global Migration: Foreign Workers and the Advent of a Multicultural Society. Routledge.
  • Ishikawa, Yoshitaka. 2015. International Migrants in Japan. Kyoto Univ. Press.
Teaching methods
Each class will consist of a lecture using PPT presentations and discussions on relevant topics. Students will be also required to prepare for class meetings by completing reading assignments. The list of all reading assignments, as well as explanation on how to access the necessary materials, will be provided by the lecturer on the first meeting. In the cases that face-to-face meetings are not possible, classes will be conducted online through MS Teams.
Assessment methods
Active participation and regular attendance of class meetings is required for completing the course. Students are required to come prepared for classes and active participation in class and discussion are essential part of the course. Unexcused absences will lower your final grade. There will 4 short tests during the course and a final report (about 2000 words in legth) to be subbmitted by the end of the term.

Evaluation:
1. Attendance and class participation 25%
2. Short tests 35%
3. Final report/test 40%

A total score of 60% from all assigments is required to succesfully pass the course.
Language of instruction
English
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2019, Spring 2021, Spring 2023, Autumn 2023, Autumn 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2022, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2022/JPNB38