COURSE
DESCRIPTIONS
Fall 2010
ASIAN STUDIES PROGRAM
KANSAI GAIDAI UNIVERSITY
CONTENTS
Academic Calendar ················································································· 1
Academic Regulations············································································· 3
Extension of Stay····················································································· 10
Regulations on Cancellation of Classes··················································· 12
Due to Storm or Train Strikes
Japanese Language Courses
Japanese Language Class Policy ····························································· 13
Spoken Japanese Language Courses························································ 16
Reading and Writing Courses·································································· 18
Asian Studies Program
Economics of International Trade and Investment··································· 21
(Dr. Yutaka Horiba)
Principles of Economics and ··································································· 22
Their Applications to the Japanese Economy
(Dr. Yutaka Horiba)
New Horizons in Asian Management ······················································ 24
(Prof. Barden Smedberg)
Risk and Reward: Meeting the Challenges in Asia & Japan ·················· 25
(Prof. Barden Smedberg)
Entrepreneurship in Japan ······································································· 26
(Prof. Mark Tracy)
International Business Transactions························································· 27
(Prof. Mark Tracy)
International Negotiation: Resolving Conflict and Closing the Deal······· 28
(Prof. Mark Tracy)
The Struggle for Justice··········································································· 29
(Prof. Mark Tracy)
Global Business Teams············································································ 31
(Dr. Scott Lind)
The Dynamics of Modern Japan······························································ 32
(Dr. Paul Scott)
Japan-China: The Challenges of Modernization······································ 33
(Dr. Paul Scott)
Pacific Rivalry: The Challenges of Interstate and Regional Relations····· 34
(Dr. Paul Scott)
Peace Development Democratization and Human Rights: ······················ 35
The Asia Challenge
(Dr. Paul Scott)
Introduction to Japanese History ····························································· 36
(Dr. George Hlawatsch)
Japan and Its World to 1860 ···································································· 37
(Dr. George Hlawatsch)
Survey of Japanese Art············································································ 38
(Dr. George Hlawatsch)
Culture and Everyday Life in Japan: ······················································· 39
Japanese Society in Anthropological Perspective
(Dr. Jeffry Hester)
Onna to Otoko: Gender and Sexuality in Japan······································· 41
(Dr. Jeffry Hester)
Popular Culture as Social Practice:·························································· 42
Producing Pleasures, Styles, Identities
(Dr. Jeffry Hester)
Sexuality and Culture in Japan: Desire, Power, and Social Order············ 43
(Dr. Jeffry Hester)
The Body and Communication in Japan·················································· 44
(Dr. Steven Fedorowicz)
Issues in Contemporary Japanese Society and Culture···························· 46
(Dr. Steven Fedorowicz)
Japan and Globalization: A Cultural Approach ······································ 48
(Dr. Steven Fedorowicz)
Visual Anthropology of Japan ································································· 50
(Dr. Steven Fedorowicz)
Intercultural Communication in Japan····················································· 52
(Dr. Scott Lind)
Japanese Popular Media and Culture ····················································· 53
(Dr. Mark Hollstein)
Japan in Western Film and Literature ······················································ 54
(Dr. Mark Hollstein)
Monsters, Ghosts and the Making of Modern Japan································ 56
(Dr. Mark Hollstein)
Japanese Buddhism ················································································· 57
(Prof. Elizabeth Kenney)
Religion in Japan····················································································· 58
(Prof. Elizabeth Kenney)
Shinto······································································································ 59
(Prof. Elizabeth Kenney)
Zen Buddhism ························································································· 60
(Prof. Elizabeth Kenney)
Money, Religion, and Ethics···································································· 61
(Dr. John Shultz)
Pilgrimage: Journeys in Search of Meaning ············································ 62
(Dr. John Shultz)
Cross-Cultural Psychology······································································ 63
(Dr. Reggie Pawle)
Mind in Yoga, Buddhism, and Daoism···················································· 64
(Dr. Reggie Pawle)
The Mystery of Cross-cultural Relationships: ········································· 65
Social and Psychological influences
(Dr. Reggie Pawle)
Anime Method and Meaning··································································· 66
(Dr. Paul Berry)
New Japanese Cinema 1995-2004··························································· 67
(Dr. Paul Berry)
The Relation of Life and Fiction in Modern Japanese Literature············· 68
(Dr. Paul Berry)
From Zen to Paradise Buddhist Art in Japan ··········································· 69
(Prof. Karin Swanson)
Basic Ceramic Techniques······································································· 70
(Mr. Yoshio Inomata)
Intermediate Ceramic Techniques···························································· 72
(Mr. Yoshio Inomata)
Advanced Ceramic Techniques ······························································ 73
(Mr. Yoshio Inomata)
Japanese-Chinese Brush Painting (SUMI-E)··········································· 74
(Ms. Kathleen Scott)
2010 FALL
ACADEMIC CALENDAR
Aug. 28- 31 Arrival Period for New Students
(Sat-Tue) On-campus accommodations become available.
Sep. 1- 3 (Wed-Fri) Orientation and Class Registration
Sep. 4 (Sat) A late registration fee of ￥2,000 will be charged from
this date.
Sep. 4-5(Sat-Sun) Move into Permanent Accommodations
Sep. 6 (Mon) First Day of Classes
Sep. 13 (Mon) A late registration fee of ￥5,000 will be charged from
this date.
Sep. 20 (Mon) Respect-for-the-Aged Day (National Holiday)*
Sep. 21 (Tue) Deadline for Adding Courses
Sep. 23 (Thu) Autumnal Equinox Day (National Holiday)*
Sep. 27 (Mon) Deadline for Dropping Courses
Oct. 11 (Mon) Health and Sports Day (National Holiday)*
Oct. 13 (Wed) All students will receive the "Application for Extension of
Stay" & "Termination Report” Form.
Oct. 22 (Fri) Deadline for the submission of "Application for Extension
of Stay" or "Termination Report” Form
Late October Mid-term Examination
(Exams to be taken during regular class meeting)
Early November International Festival
Nov. 3 (Wed) Cultural Day (National Holiday)*
Nov. 23 (Tue) Labor Thanksgiving Day (National Holiday)*
Dec. 4 (Sat) Deadline for submission of "Contract for the Completion
of an Incomplete"
Dec. 13-17 (Mon-Fri) Final Examination Week
Dec. 17 (Fri) Last day of the semester
Dec. 22 (Wed) Notification of "Approval or Disapproval of Extension
of Stay"
Dec. 22-24 (Wed-Fri) Payment Period for tuition deposit for the spring semester of
2011
Dec. 23 (Thu) Emperor’s Birthday (National Holiday)
Dec. 25 (Sat) Deadline for moving out
All students must move out of accommodations arranged by
Kansai Gaidai by this date.
* No Classes
NOTE: Please be aware that because of the differences in the Japanese academic
calendar
(which begins in late September) and the American calendar (which the Asian Studies
Program observes), from time to time there may be conflicts regarding the use of facilities,
etc.
Academic Regulations
1. Registration
Students are required to register for classes no later than the dates as
indicated in the Academic Calendar. A late fee of ¥2,000 will be charged to
those who register after this deadline. A late fee of ¥5,000 will be charged
to those who register after the first week of classes.
When registering for classes, it is mandatory that you evidence your payment
receipt (or "Loan Application Statement" for those paying by loan), together
with your course registration form.
2. Credits
One semester is fifteen weeks long, and includes a half-week orientation
program.
The required Spoken Japanese course carries 5 semester credits, which means
five 50-minute class periods per week for fifteen weeks.
Japanese Reading & Writing course carries 3 semester credits, which means
three 50-minute class periods per week for fifteen weeks. However,
“Introduction to the Japanese Writing System” is a five-week course and
carries 1 semester credit.
Other non-Japanese language courses carry 3 semester credits and meet for
90-minute twice a week for fifteen weeks.
3. Requirements
Students must register for a minimum of 14 semester credits, while
registering for no more than 17 semester credits. All students must register
for Spoken Japanese.
Students who plan to enroll in our program for one academic year are
strongly advised to register for Japanese Reading & Writing, as well.
No student is permitted to take the Ceramics and Sumi-e courses at the same
time, nor register for an increased load of either one.
4. Changing Courses (Drop/Add)
To change your registration, pick up a PETITION TO CHANGE CURRENT
REGISTRATION FORM at the Center for International Education.
A student may withdraw (drop) from a course (except Spoken Japanese)
without academic penalty during the first three (3) weeks. The final date for
dropping courses is Monday, September 27
Academic Regulations
A student may add course(s) during the first two (2) weeks of the semester.
The final date for adding courses is Tuesday, September 21.
Dropping a course on/before the deadline will leave no record of enrollment
on your transcript. However, if a student fails to meet the deadline and/or
fails to comply with the official procedure, his/her grade will be "F" in the
course.
No petition will be accepted without the signature of the instructor of the
course. It is the student's responsibility to see his/her instructor to secure the
signature.
Not attending a class does not constitute official withdrawal from the course.
5. Audit
Students may register for a course on an audit basis by obtaining permission
from the instructor of the course. Students may not audit Japanese language
courses. Registration on an audit basis will not lead to academic credit, nor
will it appear on the student's transcript.
Change of registration from audit to credit is permitted only during the period
of adding courses.
Change of registration from credit to audit is permitted only during the period
of dropping courses.
No changes will be permitted after the periods specified above.
6. Incomplete
An Incomplete grade will be assigned only when illness or other extenuating
reasons beyond the control of the student prevent the completion of all course
requirements by the end of the semester.
Students who apply for an Incomplete are required to complete a "Contract
for the Completion of the Incomplete" form and submit it to the Center for
International Education. Please note that any contract without the signature
of the course instructor will not be accepted. The completed contract must
be submitted to the Center no later than one week prior to the final
examination week.
An Incomplete may not be assigned for any Japanese language course. In
all other courses, the assignment of an Incomplete must be approved by the
course instructor and the Dean of the Center for International Education.
All Incompletes must be removed within six weeks from the end of the
semester for which the Incomplete was assigned. Notification of removal
will be made by the instructor on the "Removal of Incomplete Grade" form.
Academic Regulations
A grade of "I" which is not removed during the required period and by the
procedure prescribed above will automatically become an "F" on the student's
transcript.
No Incomplete is permissible for students applying to extend their stay at
Kansai Gaidai into the second semester.
7. Academic Warning
An Academic Warning shall be issued during the semester to students who, in
the determination of the instructor, are not making adequate progress in the
course and are in danger of receiving a grade of "D" or "F" unless significant
improvement is shown before the end of the semester. Student performance
will be assessed on the basis of quizzes, reports, mid-term exams, class
attendance, etc. Students receiving an Academic Warning are strongly
encouraged to consult with the instructor concerning steps to be taken to meet
course standards.
8. Repetition of Courses
If a student wishes to enroll in the second semester, a "D" in a Japanese
Language course will require him/her to repeat the course.
9. Independent Study
Independent study is a credit course designed to allow students to investigate
an area of interest not within our course offerings or to research more
extensively than is possible in a regular course. Students applying for
approval of an independent study are expected to have background in the
proposed field of study adequate for pursuing work independently, under the
supervision of a faculty supervisor. Students should make arrangements with
the supervising faculty member before the end of the semester prior to that in
which the independent study is to be undertaken.
Independent study will be permitted under the following conditions:
1) A project that the student wishes to study is not offered in a regular
course.
2) Only those students who have completed one semester at Kansai Gaidai
will be permitted to undertake an Independent Study during their second
semester of residence.
3) Independent study projects cannot be arranged for Japanese language
courses.
4) In principle, a student may receive credit for only one independent study
course in a given semester.
Academic Regulations
5) It is the student's sole responsibility to meet with the instructor who will
supervise the study in the area of his/her interest. Thus we suggest that
the student start making plans and contacting the instructor well in
advance.
6) If there is any reason to believe that credit for an independent study
project may not be accepted by the student's home institution, it is the
student's sole responsibility to contact the proper authorities at that
institution for clarification.
Proposals for Independent Study
1) Independent study requires a thorough description of the work to be
undertaken. Therefore, it is essential to plan well in advance of
registration.
2) Students are required to complete the "Application for Enrollment in
Independent Study Program," in which they should outline the study topic,
specifications of the work to be done, materials to be used, and a
statement of the evaluative criteria to be used by the instructor.
3) The deadline for the application for independent study is Tuesday,
September 7. A complete application, including a signature from your
faculty supervisor, must be submitted no later than September 7. Since
registration for independent study is based on permission from the faculty
and the Dean, students are advised to register for four other courses by the
end of the registration period, and drop one course (if you wish) when
you are granted permission for an independent study course.
Please carefully note that no application for independent study will be
accepted after September 7. (i.e. The add period will not apply to
independent study courses.) Application forms are obtainable at the
office.
10. Examinations
Mid-term examinations will be given during regular class periods as specified
in the course syllabus for each semester. There will be a separate schedule
for final examinations. The specific schedule will be announced early in the
semester. Examinations will not be given outside the regular exam
schedule, and thus will not be changed according to individual student's
convenience.
11. Attendance
Students are expected to attend all class meetings, in which they are enrolled.
Specific attendance requirements will be individually established by
instructors. Excessive absences may result in low grades and subsequent
denial of approval to re-enroll.
Academic Regulations
12. Grading System
The grading scale will be as follows:
A: Highest Level of Attainment B: High Level of Attainment
C: Adequate Level of Attainment D: Minimal Passing Level
F: Failed, No Credit I: Incomplete
W: Withdrawal
W (Withdrawal) may be granted only when a student must withdraw from a
course because of extenuating circumstances. This must be approved by the
Dean of the Center for International Education.
Quality Points:
A+ (4.0) B+ (3.3) C+ (2.3) D+ (1.3) F (0)
A (4.0) B (3.0) C (2.0) D (1.0) I (0)
A- (3.7) B- (2.7) C- (1.7) D- (0.7)
Grades combine the results of course work, mid-term and/or final
examinations, quizzes, class attendance, and class participation. The
Pass-Fail system or Credit - No Credit system is not used at Kansai Gaidai.
13. Transcript
One copy of the student's transcript will automatically be sent to his/her home
institution free of charge.
Students who wish to have additional copies sent to institutions should make
their requests to the Center for International Education and include ¥500 per
copy.
In all cases, transcripts will be held until all outstanding obligations to Kansai
Gaidai (loans, library books, etc.) have been completely settled.
14. Behavior
If a student acts in such a manner as to bring discredit to Kansai Gaidai (i.e.
violates the laws of Japan), or conducts himself/herself in such a manner as to
infringe upon the rights of other students, faculty, or staff, or through
unacceptable behavior indicates that he/she has no interest in any longer
pursuing studies at Kansai Gaidai (i.e. excessive absences), he/she may be
asked to leave the Asian Studies Program.
Academic Regulations
15. Academic Conduct
The Asian Studies Program takes very seriously any incident of academic
cheating. Cheating is unfair to students who work honestly, and compromises
both the learning and evaluation processes. Academic cheating includes, but
is not limited to, plagiarism (using previously published work without
properly acknowledging the source, including that available on the internet);
submitting work done in collusion with a student or someone else in a
manner not authorized by the instructor; misconduct on an examination;
submission of a paper written for a previous course, or submission of
substantially the same paper in two or more Asian Study Program courses
without consent of the instructor(s) involved; or any other attempt to
dishonestly pass off another’s work as one’s own or otherwise create an
unfair academic advantage.
The penalties for academic cheating may include failure on the assignment,
failure in the course, and refusal of request for extension into a second
semester.
16. ID Card
Each student will be issued a Kansai Gaidai Student Identification Card.
Since this card is indispensable (it is needed to enter the school library, gym,
etc.), you should carry it with you at all times.
Also, various student discount fares are available for commuting, long
distance travels, admission to movie theaters, etc.
If this card is lost or damaged, it must immediately be reported to the Center
for International Education. A new card will be re-issued to you at a cost of
¥3,000.
17. Terminology for Enrollment Status
Students are roughly divided into two categories; participants who have been
recommended from institutions having formal affiliation agreements with
Kansai Gaidai, and participants who have directly applied to Kansai Gaidai.
The latter are classified as Independent Students at Kansai Gaidai.
Those on affiliation programs can be generally divided into three
types; Full-Exchange Students who pay tuition, room and board fees to their
home institutions and thus are not charged any of these fees at Kansai Gaidai
(except for deposits), Tuition-Only Exchange Students, who pay their tuition
to their home institutions and are totally responsible for their room and board
fees at Kansai Gaidai. In these two cases, the academic fees paid to their
home institutions will be used by their counterpart Japanese students. The
third type is Term/Year Abroad Program Participants, who are officially
recommended by affiliated institutions and payments are usually handled
through these institutions. In this case, however, there are no counterpart
Academic Regulations
Japanese students going from Kansai Gaidai to these institutions.
Because the specifics vary somewhat according to the agreement with each
institution, it is strongly advised that you contact the Center for International
Education, should you have any questions regarding payments, registration,
etc.
18. Field Trips
Arranging field trips to manufacturers and other enterprises is very difficult
and usually requires that a list of participants be submitted to the enterprise
well in advance of the date of the trip. Apparently because of security
considerations, all participants listed must be present for the trip and if not,
future field trips may be placed in jeopardy.
Thus, to ensure that future students in the Asian Studies Program will have
the opportunity to participate in similar activities, we ask that you sign the
participation agreement confirming your intentions to participate.
Should you for any reason not participate (after signing the participation
agreement), ¥2,000 from your ¥10,000 deposit will be forfeited.
Extension of Stay
Since all participants are guaranteed admission for one semester only,
students who wish to extend their stay at Kansai Gaidai for a second semester
must apply for extension of stay, and are required to complete the following
procedures. Please note that failure to comply with these procedures may
result in denial of re-admission.
1. Submit to the Center for International Education, a completed
"APPLICATION FOR EXTENSION OF STAY" no later than:
October 22 (Fri)
Information will be available from October 13 (Wed).
2. Approval of extension will depend on overall academic performance
during the previous semester and faculty recommendation. Normally at
least a 2.0 GPA with no F's will be considered the minimum standard for
the approval of extension into a second semester. At least a 3.0 GPA and
strong recommendations from the faculty will be required for the
approval of extension into the third semester.
No "Incomplete" is permissible for students applying for extension.
3. Official Notification: Students will receive official notification of
"APPROVAL OR DISAPPROVAL OF THE APPLICATION" on:
December 22 (Wed)
4. Students whose extension requests are approved must pay the tuition
deposit of ¥200,000 or $2,000 between:
December 22-24 (Wed- Fri)
This money will be credited to your tuition payment to Kansai Gaidai for
the spring 2011 semester. Failure to fulfill this financial obligation will
result in automatic cancellation from the program.
5. Students extending their stay are not required to participate in the fall
semester orientation program. However, it will be the students'
responsibility to officially register for classes by the end of the orientation
period after completing all of the necessary payments to Kansai Gaidai,
and to check their class schedule prior to the academic session.
Extension of Stay
6. Kansai Gaidai will not arrange any accommodations during the summer
break. Therefore, it will be the student’s responsibility to secure
appropriate housing during the summer break.
7. In case of sudden withdrawal from the program, refunds will be based
upon our refund policy as specified in the Asian Studies Program
brochure.
8. Students whose extension requests are not approved must leave their host
families or the Seminar House by:
December 25 (Sat)
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Since visas for all the Asian Studies Program
participants are sponsored by Kansai Gaidai, in accordance with Japanese
immigration laws, if you terminate your relationship with Kansai Gaidai, you
are responsible for securing new sponsorship and changing your visa status.
Furthermore, we are required to report to the Immigration Office that you are
no longer students at Kansai Gaidai, and if you intend to remain in Japan, you
must secure new sponsorship.
Regulations on Cancellation of Classes
Due to storm or Train Strikes
交通ストライキ、台風に伴う授業の取扱について
The following are the regulations on cancellation of classes because of storm
warnings or train strikes:
These regulations apply only in the case of a storm warning (Bofu Keiho or
暴風警報) or a rain storm warning (Bofuu Keiho or 暴風雨警報). Please
note that these regulations will not apply in the case of heavy rain warning
(Oame Keiho or 大雨警報).
大阪府に暴風警報が発令された場合。（大雨警報等は該当しない。）
The same regulations will apply in the case of KEIHAN TRAIN strikes only.
Classes will not be canceled in the case of KEIHAN BUS strikes.
交通ストライキとは、京阪電車の場合のみ。京阪バスがストライ キになっても授
業は休講にならない。
1. If the warning/strike is resolved before 7:00 am,
classes will be held from the first period.
午前７時までに解除の場合は、１限目より授業を行なう。
2. If the warning/strike is resolved between 7:00 am
and 10:00 am, classes will be held from 1:15 pm.
午前 10 時までに解除の場合は, 午後 1 時 15 分の授業から行なう。
3. If the warning/strike is resolved between 10:00 am
and 12:00 pm, classes will be held from 3:00 pm.
午後 12 時までに解除の場合は, 3 時の授業から行なう。
4. If the warning/strike is not resolved by 12:00 pm,
all classes will be canceled.
午後 12 時に解除されていない場合は、終日休講とする。
Japanese Language Courses
Japanese Language Courses
Japanese language courses are divided into two categories: Spoken Japanese and
Reading and Writing Japanese. All students are required to take Spoken Japanese.
Reading and Writing classes are electives. However, all four skills, speaking,
listening, reading and writing must be adequately developed. Therefore, reading
and writing skills are not entirely excluded in the Spoken Japanese classes. The
same applies to the Reading and Writing classes, which include some conversation.
In all the language courses, there will be mid-term and final exams and additional
quizzes in written and/or aural/oral form. Homework assignments will also be
given.
Spoken Japanese Language Courses
Spoken Japanese 1
The first level of Elementary Spoken Japanese for beginners who have no
knowledge of the language or no formal training in the language. Those who
have studied Japanese but have not yet attained a firm grasp of the basic grammar
are also advised to take this course. The course aims at the development of
speaking and listening skills. However, hiragana and katakana will be used
throughout the course. At the end of the course, successful students should be
able to speak simple sentences needed for daily conversation.
Textbook:
Genki I: An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese, The Japan Times
Genki Workbook I, The Japan Times (Lesson 1 to Lesson 9)
Spoken Japanese 2
The second level of Elementary Spoken Japanese. New students must pass a
placement test in order to enroll. Students must show fluency in speaking simple
sentences. At the end of the course, students are expected to be able to adequately
handle everyday conversation in Japanese.
Textbook:
Genki I and II: An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese, The Japan Times
Genki Workbook I and II , The Japan Times (Lesson 10 to Lesson 17)
Spoken Japanese 3
The third level of Elementary Spoken Japanese. New students must pass a
placement test in order to enroll. This course aims to review and reinforce
previous knowledge of Japanese and systematically develop the patterns of
expression needed in various situation commonly encountered in daily Japanese
life. In addition to the textbook, audio-visual materials such as movies will be
used.
Textbook:
Genki II: An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese, The Japan Times
Genki Workbook II, The Japan Times (Lesson 18 to Lesson 23)
Spoken Japanese 4
The first level of Intermediate Spoken Japanese. New students must pass a
placement test in order to enroll. Private study time using audio materials is
strongly recommended. The purpose of the course is to develop the ability to
communicate in various situations commonly encountered at the university level.
In addition to written materials, audio-visual materials such as TV programs and
movies will be used to help students improve both their speaking and listening
comprehension.
Textbook: Materials prepared by the Kansai Gaidai language faculty.
Spoken Japanese 5
The second level of Intermediate Spoken Japanese. The course will lay the
foundation for three to four years of tertiary level study. It will develop
communication skills in spoken Japanese to the point where students can deal with
a wide range of academic topics and with basic facts about Japanese business,
culture and society, etc. Up-to-date audio-visual materials including Japanese TV
programs are used, and the major portion of classes will be spent on oral interaction
such as discussions, presentations, debates or speeches.
Textbook: To be announced in the class. Videotaped materials and handouts
Spoken Japanese 6
This course is an early to intermediate stage of advanced Spoken Japanese for those
who do not have any difficulty in daily conversation. The level is suitable for
students who are at around Level 2 or slightly higher of the Japanese Language
Proficiency Test (of JEES). Approximately half the class will be spent on
discussions, speeches, projects, learning advanced vocabulary and expressions.
The other half of the class will be devoted to lessons with audio-visual materials,
paying special attention to colloquial expressions. This course also aims at
developing communication ability in more serious and academic topics.
Textbook: To be announced in the class.
Spoken Japanese 7B (Spoken Japanese 7A is offered in the fall semester)
This course is the advanced Spoken Japanese for those who have already achieved
proficiency of Japanese Language Proficiency Test Level 1 or its equivalent. The
schedule is designed to prepare students for professional careers where a high level
of Japanese proficiency is required. The course aims at developing a higher level
of competency in listening to and speaking Japanese through discussion, debate
and directed research on various topics. By performing these achieving, students
will gain a deeper understanding of contemporary Japanese culture and society.
Audio-visual materials are used to further develop and refine listening and
speaking skills. Individual projects will be assigned.
Textbook: To be announced in the class
Reading and Writing Courses
Introduction to the Japanese Writing System (1 credit)
The very basic introductory five-week Reading and Writing course. This is not a
separate course, but is integrated in the regular Reading and Writing 1 course.
Hiragana and katakana, and some very basic kanji will be introduced in this
course.
This course is required for students who do not have enough knowledge of
hiragana and katakana to handle the Spoken Japanese language course.
The students in this course may upgrade by switching Reading and Writing (1
credit) to the regular Reading and Writing (3 credits) before the end of the fifth
week.
Regular Reading and Writing Japanese Courses
These courses will be devoted not only to the learning of hiragana, katakana, and
kanji, but also to training in the writing of compositions and to the development of
reading comprehension ability. Various kinds of materials may be used in class.
Mid-term and final exams and quizzes will be given in each course. Homework
assignments will also be given.
Reading and Writing Japanese 1
The first level of Reading and Writing Japanese. The course presupposes no prior
knowledge of written Japanese. Starting with the introduction of hiragana and
katakana, approximately 100 kanji will also be introduced during the semester.
We will read and write Japanese on simple everyday topics such as diaries,
messages, and letters.
Textbook:
Genki I: An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese, The Japan Times
Genki Workbook I, The Japan Times (Lesson 1 to Lesson 9)
Reading and Writing Japanese 2
The second level of Reading and Writing Japanese. Students should be able to
read/write hiragana, katakana and some basic kanji (approximately 100 or more).
Approximately 110 more kanji will be introduced during the semester. We will
read articles in the style of diaries, folktales, personal ads, and so forth. We will
also practice writing on various topics related to the reading materials.
Textbook:
Genki I and II : An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese, The Japan Times
Genki Workbook I and II, The Japan Times (Lesson 10 to Lesson 16)
Reading and Writing Japanese 3
The third level of Reading and Writing Japanese. Students should be able to
read/write approximately 210 kanji. Approximately 110 more kanji will be
introduced during the semester. We will read articles in the style of biography,
letters, diaries, and so forth. We will also practice writing on topics related to the
reading materials.
Textbook:
Genki II : An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese, The Japan Times
Genki Workbook II, The Japan Times (Lesson 17 to Lesson 23)
Reading and Writing Japanese 4
The fourth level of Reading and Writing Japanese. Students should be able to
recognize approximately 320 kanji. Approximately 270 more kanji will be
introduced during the semester. We will read articles in the style of essays, short
stories, newspaper articles, as well as reading materials prepared for learners of
Japanese. We will also practice writing on topics related to the reading material.
Textbook: To be announced in class.
Reading and Writing Japanese 5
The fifth level of Reading & Writing Japanese. Students should be able to
recognize approximately 600 kanji. Approximately 300 more kanji will be
introduced during the semester. In this course, we will read authentic materials such
as short stories, poems, and newspaper articles, as well as reading materials
prepared for learners of Japanese. We will also practice writing letters using keigo,
short stories, and so forth.
Textbook: To be announced in class.
Reading and Writing Japanese 6
The course is an early to intermediate stage of the advanced Reading and Writing
Japanese. Students should be able to recognize and produce approximately 900
kanji characters. About 500 more characters will be introduced. Authentic
materials such as selected essays, newspaper articles, short stories will be assigned
for reading. Students are required to write term papers in which they should
develop their critical opinions on various issues and concerns presented in the
reading materials.
Textbook: To be announced in class.
Reading and Writing Japanese 7A
(Reading and Writing Japanese 7B is offered in the spring semester)
The advanced Reading and Writing Japanese. Students should be able to
recognize and produce approximately 1,400 kanji. The Joyo Kanji (1,945 kanji)
will be covered during the semester. This course aims at developing academic
writing skills in Japanese in more serious and academic topics. Students are
required to read authentic materials such as novels, essays, editorials, and so forth,
and to write regularly short articles about the topics related to their reading.
Teaching materials: To be announced in class.
The courses in the Asian Studies Program are generally
equivalent to 300- or 400-level upper division (third- and
fourth-year) courses in most other universities, in terms of
level of difficulty and amount of work required. Most of
them are designed to accommodate non-majors. For a few
courses, however, it is recommended that students have some
level of background in the course discipline. Students are
advised to read the course descriptions carefully and consult
with the course instructor should there be any questions
about course level or requirements.
Economics of International Trade and Investment
Dr. Yutaka Horiba
The world that is emerging in the 21st
century is unleashing economic and financial
competition on the global scale in truly historic proportions. The primary motivation of
this course is to provide a rigorous analytical treatment of the cause and consequences of
international trade and investment as well as international monetary and financial
interdependence among nations. The modern economic science provides useful
analytical tools that can be applied for interpreting and understanding some of the
fundamental economic forces at work in international trade and investment, the exchange
rate dynamics, macroeconomic coordination problems among nations, and other pressing
international economic issues. Reference will be made throughout the course to
examples taken from the Japanese economy that illustrate some of the essential
international economic issues and argument at stake, including the impact of the recent
global financial market crisis on the Japanese economy.
Course Topics
Topics covered in the course include the following categories:
● An overview of world trade
● Labor productivity and comparative advantage
● Resource endowments, comparative advantage, and income distribution
● International capital mobility and foreign direct investment
● Trade protectionism and instruments of trade policy
● National income accounting and the balance of payments
● Currency exchange rates and the foreign exchange market
● Open-economy macroeconomic framework and economic policymaking
Prerequisites
At least one year of satisfactory college-level coursework in economics is required.
Readings
The main text used in the course is Paul Krugman and Maurice Obstfeld, International
Economics: Theory and Policy, 8th
ed. (Addison-Wesley, 2009). Additional readings
from other sources will be announced in class, and handouts will be given from time to
time. In order for you to do well in the course, it is important that you keep abreast of
all assigned readings as well as classroom lecture and discussion materials.
Grading
The final grade will be determined on the basis of two in-class exams (25% each), the
final exam (30%), assignments (10%), and classroom participation (10%).
Principles of Economics and
Their Applications to the Japanese Economy
Dr. Yutaka Horiba
Regardless of which country you are from, you undoubtedly have been exposed almost
daily to news of major economic issues and events affecting your country, such as the
direction of the nation’s GDP growth rate, wages, unemployment, the cost of living,
changes in interest rates, international trade and trade conflict, events in the banking
sector, stock market conditions, the housing market situation, the nation’s monetary and
fiscal policy, government debt, aging society and the associated social security problems,
etc. We know they are important, having a profound impact on our current and future
wellbeing. The problems we address in this course are universal in nature and often
complex, and you will quickly realize that there are no simple answers or solutions. But
a series of economic modeling and the analytical tools we develop go a long way toward
shedding light on the fundamental economic issues involved. You will be challenged to
think critically and analytically. We also use various examples selected from the
Japanese economy to illustrate and to illuminate the basic concepts, relations among
variables, and the deductive logic developed throughout the course.
The Japanese economy, characterized as it is by a different set of traditional norms,
values and regulatory constraints relative to any other country, often provides a useful
reference point against which the U.S. and other major economies of the world can be
compared. However, the basic tenet of the course and the examples we draw emphasize
that the Japanese economy is indeed unique, but not so unique as to defy the applicability
of the modern economic analysis. Indeed, the economic science provides a useful
framework and analytical tools that help dispel some of the misconceptions and
misunderstandings that abound regarding the Japanese economy.
Course Topics
Issues and topics covered in the course include the following categories.
• Introduction to economics and economic modeling
• Interdependence and the gains from trade
• Market forces of demand and supply
• Elasticity considerations
• Measuring national income
• Production and growth
• Saving, investment, and the financial system
• The monetary system
• Money growth and inflation
• Open-economy macroeconomics
Prerequisites
Prior completion of one semester of college-level economics (either microeconomics or
macroeconomics) is recommended, but not required.
Grading
The final grade will be determined on the basis of two in-class exams (25% each), the
final exam (30%), assignments (10%), and classroom participation (10%).
Principles of Economics and Their Applications
to the Japanese Economy
Readings
The textbooks used for the course are Gregory Mankiw, Principles of Macroeconomics,
5th
ed. (Thompson South-Western, 2009) and David Flath, The Japanese Economy, 2nd
ed.
(Oxford University Press, 2005). Additional readings and exercises from other sources
will be announced in class, and handouts will be given from time to time. It is critically
important, therefore, that you keep up with all assigned readings, exercises, and
classroom lecture and discussion materials.
New Horizons in Asian Management
Prof. Barden Smedberg, Jr.
The goal of this class is to enable students to formulate business strategies for Asia
Pacific. Asia Pacific is one of the most exciting business regions in the world. In this
class we will open the door to discussions and learning on management structure and
strategic decision making in countries including China, Korea, Malaysia, Thailand,
Singapore, and of course our host country of Japan. Business practices have not only
economic implication but also ethical and social implications. We will explore Asian
business practices, by country, to understand why they were implemented and how they
are adapting to the times. For example, the Chaebol, the Keiretsu, Guanxi, crossshareholdings,
stable shareholdings and the “Ringi” system. We will look at the
industries that are fueling Asia Pacific growth and analyze trends to enable the
formulation of business strategies. Just like the Fortune 500 business world, teams will
be formed (amongst students) and presentations will be created and presented.
Course Topics
• The strategic importance of Asia Pacific
• Formulating strategies in Asia Pacific
• Asia as a market
• Asian business logic
• Asian collectivism and ethical decision making
• Assignment China: Three factors influencing the effectiveness of western
managers
• Managerial perceptions of the business environment: cross-national
comparison of China, Singapore and Malaysia
• Competition in globalizing markets, and the relationships between the
Korean State and corporate power
Grading
25% In class performance: attendance, participation and class preparation
15% Team Presentation 1 of 2: Presentations to maximize learning
15% Team Presentation 2 of 2: Presentations to maximize learning
10% Test 1: Test to monitor and maximize learning growth
10% Test 2: Test to monitor and maximize learning growth
10% Test 3: Test to monitor and maximize learning growth
15% Final: Test to monitor and maximize learning growth
Readings
Weekly reading assignments will be drawn largely form selected chapters in:
Philippe Lasserre and Hellmut Schutte,
Strategies for Asia Pacific: Meeting New Challenges - Third Edition
(Palgrave Macmillan, 2006)
Some readings will be pulled from:
Diana Rosemary Sharp and Harukiyo Hasegawa,
New Horizons in Asian Management: Emerging Issues and Critical Perspectives
(Palgrave Macmillan, 2007)
Risk & Reward in Asia and Japan
Prof. Barden Smedberg, Jr
How do businesses organize and stay organized, what are some tools for analyzing risk
and reward, how is information technology running companies, where are consultants
used and how are companies meeting the challenges of today’s ever changing business
world?
Leveraging case studies, articles and first hand professor insight, we will analyze some of
the most successful businesses in the world like Seven Eleven Japan, Mattel and Coca
Cola Japan. We will also cover a company that attempted to grow too aggressively,
quickly found itself in financial trouble and is no longer with us.
The goal of this course is to bring real life experiences of a Corporate Business Executive
into the classroom. The professor will leverage global program delivery experience
from his decade plus at a Fortune 500 global consulting firm. All student questions are
open game.
Just like the Fortune 500 business world, teams will be formed (amongst students) and
presentations will be created and presented.
Course Topics
• The difference between private firms and public companies
• The importance of growth
• Managing through crisis
• Supply Chain Management (SCM)
• Management Information Systems (MIS)
• Business case usage
• The C-Level suite (CEO, CFO, COO, CIO) - roles and responsibilities
Grading
35%: In class performance: attendance, participation and class preparation
20% Team Presentation: Presentations to maximize learning
10% Test 1: Test to monitor and maximize learning growth
10% Test 2: Test to monitor and maximize learning growth
10% Test 3: Test to monitor and maximize learning growth
15% Final: Test to monitor and maximize learning growth
Readings
Weekly reading assignments will be drawn largely from selected chapters in:
Risk & Reward in Asia & Japan – KGU custom made textbook: Examples include case
studies, news articles and PowerPoint presentations.
Entrepreneurship in Japan
Prof. Mark Tracy
This course will prepare students for the challenges of starting a business in Japan.
Students will learn how to discover and evaluate ideas for new ventures. In addition
to lectures and assigned readings, the students will work on teams that develop a
comprehensive business plan for a new venture in Japan. The combination of lecture
and team projects will give students an opportunity to see the interaction and importance
of market research, legal planning, financial statements and management strategy.
Although these concepts will be generally applicable to the process of starting a business
anywhere in the world, we will also focus on the unique opportunities and challenges
involved in launching a business in Japan. No prior business knowledge or coursework
is required for this class.
Course Topics
Introduction to business terms.
Introduction to entrepreneurship.
The world of business in Japan.
Business plans.
Financial statements.
Marketing research and market reports.
Management strategy.
Venture funding.
Pricing decisions.
Advertising and promotions.
Readings
The readings for this course are drawn from the following sources:
Understanding Financial Statements Sixth Edition Fraser and Ormiston
Understanding Business Sixth Edition Nickels, McHugh, McHugh
Portable MBA in Entrepreneurship Second Edition Bygrave (Editor)
Corporate financial reports.
JETRO Documents
Competitive Advantage Michael Porter.
Grading
Grading is based on a series of equally weighted quizzes and the project reports.
Attendance and team participation will also affect the student’s final grade.
Quizzes 30%
Business Plan 70%
In addition to all other factors, a student's total score may be increased or decreased by
up to 5% based on participation and attendance.
International Business Transactions
Prof. Mark Tracy
It has become almost impossible to read a newspaper, business magazine or
textbook without encountering the idea of a “global market”. In at least one definition of
the term, a global market refers to the transfer of goods, services and capital from a seller
in one country to a buyer in another. In this course, we will examine the practical
aspects of an international transaction and learn how enterprises and individuals structure
deals across nations as well as how they manage the unique regulations and risk involved
in an international deal. We will use a problem-based approach to see how actual deals
are constructed in the global market, with a particular focus on Japan. These deals may
be as apparently simple as importing hats from Ecuador into Japan or as complex as
exporting flat screen television screens from Japan to Holland. In each of these cases,
the market has created a system that allows the smooth flow of goods and services from
one nation to another.
By the end of this course, the student will not only understand the theoretical and
historical background of international business transactions but will also understand how
to plan and execute such a deal from beginning to end. To confirm this knowledge, we
will select a product for import into Japan and complete the transaction.
Course Topics
The history of international business transactions.
The current state of international trade.
Import/Export
Tariffs
The convention on the international sales of goods.
Leters of credit.
Choice of law
Currency risks.
Grading
Grading for this course will be based on the following:
Four equally weighted quizzes 40%
Class participation 10%
Skills test 30%
Research paper 20%
International Negotiation:
Resolving Conflict and Closing the Deal
Prof. Mark Tracy
Every business transaction involves negotiation. Negotiations can involve matters as
simple as the salary and benefits package for your first job or as complex as trade
negotiations between governments. Negotiation is also an important activity in the nonprofit
sector. A human rights organization or charity is likely to be involved in
negotiations with many different entities to accomplish their goals. In the global
environment, understanding the opportunities and challenges involved in transnational
negotiations can often make the difference between success and failure. This course is
designed to introduce the student to fundamental concepts of negotiation as well as
specific challenges, strategies, and opportunities in international negotiations.
Through a combination of academic study and practical application, students will learn
how to successfully negotiate, implement, and evaluate international business
transactions. Students will learn how different cultures prepare for and engage in
negotiation and what strategies should be used to evaluate and adapt to foreign
negotiation. The final portion of the course will be to explore the idea of a “global
approach” to negotiation and to determine if there are strategies that are appropriate for
every situation, regardless of nationality or culture
Course Topics
The fundamental principles of international negotiation will be taught through a
combination of lecture and assigned readings. After a particular principle has been
introduced, the student will then apply that principle in a negotiation exercise. Some of
the negotiation exercises will be individual assignments while others will be team
assignments. Some of the exercises will involve traditional business transactions while
others may involve political, economic or social transactions. Each exercise will be
designed to mimic scenarios that actually arise in international transactions and to
highlight the application of the relevant principle in the negotiation.
Requirements
There are no prerequisites for this course. Although many of the negotiation exercises
will involve business transactions, it is not necessary for the student to have a
background in business in order to be able to complete the exercise.
Grading
The grade for the course will be based on the following criteria:
1. Three or four quizzes which will constitute 35% of the final grade.
2. Individual and team negotiation exercises which will constitute 20% of the final grade.
3. Self evaluation, which will constitute 25% of the final grade.
4. Class attendance and participation which will constitute 10% of the final grade.
Readings
Negotiation, 5th
edition, Lewicki et. al.
The Struggle for Justice
Prof. Mark Tracy
Rumors about criminal justice systems in Asia are common and often exaggerated.
Newspapers report that Japan is a homogenous crime-free society while they publish
pictures of caning in Singapore. This course will introduce the student to the nature of
crime and criminal justice systems in several Asian countries. The main focus of the
course is on Japanese criminal justice.
Along with other areas of focus, the class will examine how the Japanese criminal justice
works to produce one of the lowest rates of crime in the developed world. We will learn
why Japanese prosecutors win 99.98% of their trials and we will try to discover why the
vast majority of criminal suspects confess.
We will examine the recent reforms of the criminal justice system in Thailand and
measure the effect they have had on crime. After we have explored the intended and
immediate results of the reforms we will try to discover how the system has allowed
extra-judicial killing of thousands of suspects.
Our study of the criminal justice system in China will teach us to place the concept of
criminal justice within the broader perspective of politics and sovereignty. We will
examine those ways in which the system is changing and predict future change. We
will also try to identify the ways in which criminal law is being used to limit the main
threats to political stability in China. Finally we will place the death penalty debate into
a global context by examining the strike hard campaigns and China’s implementation of
the death penalty.
There will be a field trip to watch criminal trials in the Osaka courthouse. Interpreters
will be provided.
Course Topics
1. General Introduction
Introduce the general concepts of criminal law and explain the appropriate terms
involved in the study of comparative criminal justice. Use statistics to highlight the
differences between Japan and the rest of the world.
2. Nation Building
You will be divided into teams and will create a nation and a criminal justice system.
You will explain that nation and its system to your colleagues and turn in a written
summary of the system.
3. Prosecutors in Japan Pages 1-18
4. Defense Attorneys Pages 19-26
5. Suspension of Prosecution Pages 27-37
6. Introduction to Japanese Police Pages 39-58
7. Investigations in Japan Pages 59-75
8. Reforms in Japan Supplementary Material
9. Thailand Supplementary Material
10. Test
11. China Supplementary Material
12. Singapore (If Time Permits)
The Struggle for Justice
Requirements
There are no prerequisites for this course.
Readings
David Johnson The Japanese Way of Justice
L. Craig Parker The Japanese Police System Today
UNAFEI Criminal Justice Profiles of Asia
Grading
There will be three equally weighted tests over the course of the semester.
Global Business Teams
Dr. Scott Lind
As the world continues to become increasingly interconnected, many students will work
in global contexts and will need related competencies. Creating effective work teams is
challenging, even among people from similar backgrounds. Global teams face additional
hurdles related to cultural differences, geographic and time zone separation,
communication styles, differences in decision-making strategies, and role expectations,
to name a few. Globally-competent teams understand that achieving their fullest
potential requires relevant knowledge, skills, and attitudes.
The purpose of this course is to assist students in developing competencies related to
effective teamwork in a global context. Upon completion, students will understand and
be able to navigate cultural differences that impact team performance. To this end,
students will create productive multicultural teams that benefit from shared goals,
positive relations, trust, and empathy. A variety of methods and activities will be used in
class, including discussion, experiential learning tools, simulations, lecture, critical
incident, video critique, and personal reflection.
Course Topics
Team formation and team building
Personal leadership
Goal development
Conflict resolution
Task and relationship orientations
Communication styles
Cultural values
Role expectations
Trust building
Empathy
Readings
Readings will be assigned at the beginning of the semester.
Grading
Exams…………………….…...25%
Projects………………………..35%
Engagements…………………..15%
Participation/Attendance………25%
The Dynamics of Modern Japan
Dr. Paul D. Scott
This upper level history and political science course analyzes the transformation
of Japan from a pre-modern society, isolated from the rest of the world, to a
post-industrial society, interdependent on and successfully competitive with the rest of
the world.
Japan has experienced two seminal events in last hundred years, the Meiji
Restoration and the Allied Occupation, and is in the midst of a third, what we may
tentatively call "Japan As a World Player." The Dynamics of Modern Japan will
critically examine these events in terms of politics, policies and historicity. In addition,
the developments in postwar Japanese politics will be stressed. The formation of the
so-called "1955 System" and its recent collapse will be carefully analyzed.
Course Topics
State building during the Meiji period
The creation of the Imperial system
The development of democratic institutions
The rise of imperialism, The road to Pearl Harbor
The Greater East Asia War and the Pacific War.
The Occupation, The 1955 system
The rise of the Japanese economy
LDP dominance, The bubble and its aftermath
Peace and security matters in Asia
The extractive capability of the State – The weakness of domestic politics
In the past, when possible, members of the Japan Communist Party, Liberal
Democratic Party, working women managers, and buraku liberation leaders have been
guest speakers. Lastly, a highlight of this course is a field trip to a Shiga Prison. This
trip enables us to critically examine Japan’s criminal justice system but also discuss
larger public policy issues.
Readings
James McClain, Modern Japan
Grading
Mid-Term Examination 33%
Final Examination 33%
Research Paper 33%
Japan-China: The Challenges of Modernization
Dr. Paul Scott
Japan-China: Problems in Historical and Cultural Interactions is an upper level
comparative history and politics course that examines a complex relationship. The time
frame begins in the 19th
century and extends to the future proto-scenarios.
Course Topics
Defining the Problem – Comparing and contrasting worldviews.
The dilemmas of modernization.
Japanese Views of China: The majority view.
Japanese Views of China: Minority Views.
Japan’s Imperialism
Discussion Kokoro and Diary of a Madman.
The question of nationalist China: Sun Yat-sen and Jiang Jieshi
The China War, peasant nationalism and the rise of Mao
Occupied Japan, Revolutionary China.
Red-versus expert –Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution
The rise of the Japanese economy and the Dengist gamble.
Toward a Beijing Consensus
Proto-Scenarios for China and Japan.
Readings
Jansen, Japan and China.
Eto, and Jansen., My Thirty-Three Years’ Dream.
Scott, Japan-China : Arao Sei and the Paradox of Cooperation.
Natsume Soseki, Kokoro.
Lu Xun, Selected Essays.
Grading
Grading: There will be two take home examinations each equally weighted at 50%.
Students are expected to attend each class.
Pacific Rivalry:
The Challenges of Interstate and Regional Relations
Dr. Paul Scott
The Asia Pacific Region is host to over-lapping and interlinking rivalries and
challenges whose resolution is uncertain. Moreover, the post 9/11 world has made the
outcome of any so-called Pacific Century problematic at best.
This course seeks to examine the various pressure points existing within the
APR. The approach is traditional is the sense that the four major actors in the region: The
U.S., Japan, China, and Russia, will be examined.
The course is arranged in weekly lecture themes. Readings are from a variety of
sources but your main text is: Pacific Century – The Emergence of Modern Pacific Asia.
Course Topics
Examining the fault lines; Defining power.
The U.S. in Asia – Sentimental Imperialism
The Pacific War and Occupation
Creating Hiroshima’s
U.S. Foreign Policy
The Powell Doctrine and post 9/11
Japan and Road to Pearl Harbor
War and Occupation
Conflicted Pacifism/Reluctant Realism
The growth of the Japanese economy and the new triad of power.
Debating the end of the Washington Consensus
The People’s Republic of China – The Mao Years
The Dengist Gamble
Democratizing Asia?
Toward a model of Pan Pacific Growth
The Koreas – Soft landing/hard Landing
Russia as a Pacific Power
Constructing Proto-Scenarios
Grading
Position paper 1/3
In class Mid-term examination 1/3
In class Final examination 1/3
Position paper: Pacific Rivalry requires a position paper. I expect students to
examine an existing tension in the APR and do three things: 1) describe the nature of
the challenge; 2) analyze what has recently taken place, and 3) predict the outcome.
Readings
The Pacific Century
Subscribing to a daily newspaper is strongly recommended. The Japan Times is the
paper of record.
Peace, Development, Democratization, and Human Rights:
The Asia Challenge
Dr. Paul Scott
This course is designed to explore and discuss the interrelated issues of creating
peace, the utility of force, the dispatch of peacekeeping, the creation of institutions of
justice, and the configuring of human rights. This discussion takes place in a post 9-11
environment.
Participants enrolled in this course are expected not to be passive observers. We will
attempt to define the limits of Japan’s pacifism, the question of Hiroshima, the nature of
the state and society in North Korea, the tragedy of Tibet, the oppression in Burma, the
lack of democratization in China, and the concept of preemption. Moreover, the
continued wars in Afghanistan and Iraq will provide ample room for discussion.
There will be optional field trips to Hiroshima; Osaka Peace Museum; and possibly a trip
to the Shiga Prefectural Prison. In addition there will be guest speakers including:
Mr. Sumida Ichiro on the homeless community, and the buraku issue.
.
Course Topics
Evaluating power.
Defining democracy
Constructing a human rights agenda.
U.S. Foreign Relations―Sentimental Imperialism, The Road to Pearl Harbor
Hiroshima
The Politics of Memory, Constructing the Past
Homelessness in Japan, Japan’s Minority
Peacekeeping
Burma
Prison, Crime and Punishment
Readings
Readings will be assigned from a number of sources including the following:
Peter Van Ness, ed. Debating Human Rights: Critical essays from the U.S. and Asia.
Stuart Harris & Andrew Mack, eds. Asia-Pacific Security; The Economics-Politics Nexus.
Richard Rhodes, The Making of the Atomic Bomb.
Texts
Democracy Peace Development, Johan Galtung and Paul D. Scott
Those Who Dare, Paul D. Scott
Grading
20% mid-term exam
80% written or oral presentation
Introduction to Japanese History
Dr. George O. Hlawatsch
This course will concentrate on the period from pre-history to the early 19th
century, with
a focus on those continuities which extend to the present. Of concern also will be how
present day Japanese regard their history.
Course Topics
1. Origins of the Japanese People
2. Formation of the Yamato State
3. Impact of Chinese Culture
4. Nara: Buddhism and the State
5. The Heian Period: Turning Inward
6. Fujiwara & the Rule of Taste
7. Rise of the Samurai: Kamakura
8. Medieval Society and Culture
9. Sengoku: the Country at War
10. Europe Encounters Japan: The "Christian Century"
11. The Tokugawa Peace
12. Early Modern Society and Economy
Readings
A Short History of Japan, Mason & Caiger, Tuttle
The Gossamer Years, Seidensticker, Tuttle
RECOMMENDED READINGS:
Sources of Japanese History (vol. 1) David J. Lu
Nobility of Failure Ivan Morris, Holt Rinehart & Winston
Sources of Japanese Tradition (vol. 1), Ryusaku Tsunoda, Columbia UP
*Reading assignments in the above and in other works will be made during
the course of the semester.
Grading
One Biographical Essay, a Map Quiz and a Film Review 30%
Mid-Term Examination 30%
Final Examination 40%
Japan and Its World to 1860
Dr. George O. Hlawatsch
Though an island country, Japan has hardly remained in isolation throughout its
history. In the early period, relations with its nearest neighbors, Korea and China, were
of great importance to Japan’s development, and later with the coming of the West in the
sixteenth century, Europe and then America became factors of change.
Nevertheless, as an island country, Japan has usually been able to control its
relations with the “outside,” at least in the traditional period. This course will examine
Japan’s relations with its neighbors and later the West.
Course Topics
1. The Chinese World Order and Early Japan
2. Cultural Exchange and the Silk Road
3. Mongol Invasions of Japan
4. Hideyoshi’s Invasions of Korea
5. The “Christian Century”
6. National Isolation: A Japanese World Order
7. The “Opening of Japan”
Requirements/Prerequisites
This course should appeal to those students who have some background in Japanese
and/or East Asian history. However, those without such background should also find it
useful to initiate their understanding of East Asia.
Readings
Since there are no textbooks that deal specifically with the course topic, readings will be
prepared and assigned from a number of sources, including:
Fairbank, The Chinese World Order
Tsunoda & Goodrich, Japan in the Chinese Dynastic Histories
Sansom, The Western World and Japan
Grading
Mid-Term Examination 30%
Term Paper 30%
Final Examination 40%
Survey of Japanese Art
Dr. George O. Hlawatsch
This course will consist of a series of slide lectures covering the major developments in
Japanese art from the earliest times through the 18th century. Weather permitting, field
trips will be scheduled to view first-hand some of the works introduced during the class
lectures.
Course Topics
1. Japanese Arts before Buddhism
2. The Buddhism Impact: Art & Architecture
3. Tempyo Japan: The Classical Tradition
4. Early Heian: Esoteric Arts
5. Fujiwara Arts: Aristocratic Refinement
6. Kamakura: Renaissance & Realism
7. Muromachi Japan: Zen & Art
8. Momoyama: Tea Houses, Castles and Foreigners
9. Early Edo: The Great Decorators
10. Late Edo: The Floating World
Readings
Peter C. Swann, A Concise History of Japanese Art
RECOMMENDED READINGS
Irie & Aoyama, Buddhist Images
H. Paul Varley, Japanese Culture: A Short History
Dale Saunders, Buddhism in Japan
*Suggestions for additional readings will be handed out prior to each lecture
period.
Grading
Mid-term 25%
Final examination 45%
Two short papers on particular pieces
of art of the student’s choosing 30%
*Attendance and class participation will be considered in borderline cases.
Culture and Everyday Life in Japan:
Japanese Society in Anthropological Perspective
Dr. Jeffry T. Hester
This survey course is designed to help students make sense of Japanese society
by exploring key aspects of cultural meaning and patterns of behavior, along with the
institutional contexts that provide coherence as well as make Japan a dynamically
changing society.
We will pursue these aims primarily through the perspective of cultural
anthropology. This discipline's greatest strength, through the method of participantobservation
fieldwork, lies in its focus on the texture of people's everyday lives and
experiences, and its devotion to understanding how behavior and beliefs are shaped by
the cultural and historical contexts in which we live.
Topics to be explored in the course include:
(1) the construction of a Japanese national identity, and nihonjinron;
(2) normative understandings of interpersonal relations;
(3) youth and the educational system;
(4) gender, family and work;
(5) social relations and identity in the urban context;
(6) ritual, festivity and religious practice;
(7) exchange practices and social relationships;
(8) experiences of minorities, including "old- " and "new-comer" foreigners
Throughout the course, we will put our experiences of life in Japan to use in
trying to understand changing patterns of behavior as well as the contradictions and
conflicts that arise as people pursue meaning and satisfaction in their lives.
No background in the social sciences is required, but students should be prepared
to reflect on their own cultural orientations, as well as work to make sense of those of
people in Japan. Some cultural theory will be introduced in the course, primarily from
cultural anthropology, to help provide a comparative framework for understanding Japan.
Grading
Students' performance in the course will be evaluated on the basis of (1) in-class
performance, including attendance, participation in class discussion, preparation of
readings and other assignments, and mid-term and final quizzes (33%); (2) a mid-term
interview report or analysis paper (33%); and (3) a final interview report or analysis
paper (33%).
Students who wish to undertake a field work project or library research paper on a
course-related topic, e.g., in connection with a senior thesis project, may petition the
instructor to substitute a research paper for (2) and (3).
Culture and Everyday Life in Japan:
Japanese Society in Anthropological Perspective
Readings
Students will read selections from a sampling of the "classics" in the
anthropology of Japan (e.g., Benedict, Nakane). The bulk of the reading will be from
more recent, carefully crafted ethnographic work such as that of Tobin, Fukuzawa and
LeTendre on school settings, Ogasawara on gender and work, and Hester on Koreans in
Japan.
Onna to Otoko:
Gender and Sexuality in Japan
Dr. Jeffry T. Hester
This course aims to explore beliefs and practices in Japan related to gender and
sexuality, and how they shape the lives of people in Japan. Through the course, students
will gain the conceptual, historical and cultural background for understanding gender
issues within the context of Japanese society.
In exploring such gender-related phenomena, we will discuss the meanings
underpinning contested ideas of femininity and masculinity, gender roles and the
gendered division of labor in Japan, and issues of sexuality, reproduction, and the body.
A comparative, cross-cultural perspective will be employed throughout the course, and
students will be asked to reflect on their own culturally specific, gendered perspectives
and positions.
Topics to be covered include: (1) the symbolic construction of gender through
language, religion and popular culture images; (2) the historical development of gender
roles in Japan; (3) gender ideology, the politics of reproduction and the state: (4)
socialization of gender roles; (5) family, work, and the gendered division of labor; (6)
changing values and behavior at the intersection of sexuality and gender, including
conjugal relations, commercialized worlds of sex, and commodification of the body; and
(7) issues surrounding gay and lesbian identities and transgender issues in Japan.
Gender and sexuality are contested and dynamic areas of social life in Japan.
Shaping this dynamism include legal changes involving equal employment opportunities
in the workplace, sexual harassment, and the introduction of family and childcare leave
for men; rising ages of marriage and declining rates of reproduction; shifting ideas of
motherhood and fatherhood and the balance of family and work; the challenge to
conventional gender roles by feminism; attempts by the state, in the face of an
intensifying demographic crisis, to reshape gender roles through a "Plan for a Gender
Equal Society," and a backlash from conservative quarters anxious to preserve gender
role distinctions. At the same time, gender-bending and gender-blending have become
mainstays of Japanese popular culture, while sexual and gender minorities make tentative
progress in their struggle for rights and recognition. By the end of the course, students
should have a better understanding of these issues and their linkages, and a sense of their
importance to Japanese society and to the lives of individuals in Japan.
Readings
Students will read a wide range of authors from the literature on gender, culture
and society in Japan from both "native" and foreign scholars and commentators,
including Jennifer Robertson, Yuko Ogasawara, Chizuko Ueno, Anne Allison, Mark
McLelland, Karen Kelsky, Masako Ishii-Kuntz, Emiko Ochiai, Atsuko Kameda and
many others.
Grading
Grading will be based on (1) in-class performance, including participation in class
discussion, preparation of reading and other assignments, and brief quizzes (33%); (2) a
take-home midterm examination (33%); and (3) a take-home final examination (33%). A
research paper may be substituted for (2) and (3) with instructor's approval of a written
proposal.
Popular Culture as Social Practice:
Producing Pleasures, Styles, Identities
Dr. Jeffry T. Hester
The aim of this course is to investigate the relationship between the consumption
of popular cultural products (objects, images, discourses) and social life in Japan, based
mostly on perspectives from cultural anthropology and cultural studies.
Popular culture is intimately involved in the production and circulation of codes
of meaning, forming an ever more significant aspect of what anthropologists call
“culture.” In addition to being a huge commercial sector, popular culture is the site of the
creation of dreams and longings, of styles of adornment, forms of play, social belonging,
and identity. We increasingly know one another, and ourselves, through practices of pop
culture consumption, largely commercially mediated. People’s interactions with popular
culture is not simply passive consumption, but can involve creativity, agency, and
resistance to dominant norms.
In this course, we will critically explore selected topics from the broad field of
popular culture in Japan, with a focus on the relationships between cultural products,
consumption practices, and social norms, practices, and tensions within Japanese society.
We will briefly cover the topic of the historical development of popular cultural industry
in Japan, followed by the recent emergence of a discourse on “cool Japan.” Most of the
course will be devoted to exploring specific fandoms, subcultures or cultural categories
constructed around consumption practices such as otaku, the dôjinshi world and fujoshi
female consumers of male-male eroticism, J-rappers, gyaru, visual-kei fans and the
legendary fans of the Takarazuka Revue. Fans’ creative “play” with norms of gender and
sexuality will be a theme running throughout the course. We will also explore questions
of creativity and self-expression, constructions of “deviance,” and the role of popular
culture in resistance to, or reinscription of, dominant norms.
We will also follow the global circulation of cultural products to and from Japan
as they slip out of the original contexts of production and are adapted to local contexts,
and thereby given new meanings and social effects. Students’ own interests in and
expertise on aspects of popular culture will be utilized to help us make sense of
connections between popular culture consumption practices and other aspects of social
life.
Readings
The bulk of our readings address recent specific Japanese popular cultural
phenomena, as discussed in the writings of Anne Allison, Ian Condry on J-rap, S.
Kinsella on kawaii, L. Miller on gyaru, plus explorations of yaoi, youth fashion, etc.
Grading
Students’ grades will be assessed based upon (1) in-class performance,1
including: regular attendance, preparation of readings, participation in class
discussion, and in-class group presentation (33%); (2) mini ethnographic projects: fan
interview report and site report (33%); and (3) a popular culture consumption
reflection essay, and a final in-class exam (33%).
Sexuality and Culture in Japan:
Desire, Power and Social Order
Dr. Jeffry T. Hester
In Japan today, young people are increasingly sexually active, the number of
cases of HIV and sexually transmitted diseases are rising, the media is saturated with
representations of sex as a risk-free, pleasant pastime, and serious sex education for
young people in schools has been virtually suspended. At the same time, voices from
small but dynamic movements built around lesbian, gay, transgender and queer identities
are increasingly making their presence felt in the public arena. Sexuality is a contested
and dynamically changing field in Japan. In this course, we will explore this topic with
the aim of building a framework for understanding the complex currents of this aspect of
human life in Japan.
Sexuality is often understood, and experienced, as among the most private and
personal aspects of human life. But like other areas of human action, sexuality is shaped
within society, and varies cross-culturally and historically. The content of our erotic
desires, how we act upon them, the norms that regulate them and the consequences of
breaching such norms are deeply shaped by social context. Beliefs and practices
surrounding sexuality are thoroughly linked to legal, political and economic systems,
religious beliefs, and ideas about gender and the body.
In investigating these linkages, major themes will include the intersection of
sexuality and gender; the competing roles of the state and the market in the regulation of
sexuality; transnational aspects of sexuality; and the changing conditions for sexual and
gender minorities.
Topics will include sex education in Japanese schools and recent controversies
over sex education policy and practice; contraceptive practice and abortion; changing
aspects of mating, romance and marriage in the Japanese value system and lifecourse:
international romance and marriage; the exploitation and commodification of bodies,
from karayuki-san, to military sex slaves ("comfort women") to enjo kôsai ("assisted
dating" with teenagers) and recent transnational trafficking in women; mizu shôbai (the
after-dark "water trades") and eroticized servicing by hostesses and hosts: sexual images
in popular culture; and lesbian, gay, transgender and other minority sexual and gender
identities and practices.
Readings
The English-language literature on sexuality-related issues in Japan has
blossomed over the past decade or so. In addition to classic work by Ella Lury Wiswell
and the 1970s research by S. Coleman, the course will be informed by the work of such
authors as A. Allison, S. Früstück, M. McLelland, J. Robertson, K. Kelsky, and C. Ueno.
In addition, several films related to course themes will be screened.
Grading
Grading will be based on (1) in-class performance, including participation in class
discussion, preparation of reading and other assignments, and brief quizzes (33%); (2)
reaction papers on sets of readings and films screened in class (33%); and (3) a takehome
final examination (33%). A research paper may be substituted for (2) and (3) with
instructor's approval of a written proposal.
The Body and Communication in Japan
Dr. Steven C. Fedorowicz
Gestures, sign languages, postures and perceptions of the body are not universal.
So-called nonverbal communication, associations between the body and linguistic
meaning differ from culture to culture. A hand-shape in one country can be very
offensive in another. The image of an attractive body in one country can be very different
from that of another country and thus convey very different intentional and unintentional
messages. This class will explore these issues in the Japanese context. Lectures, in-class
discussions, activities and readings will deal with gestures and facial expressions that
play important roles in interpersonal communication, rituals and entertainment. Japanese
Sign Language and its importance to Deaf culture will be a major focus. Finally, the body
itself, images of the body and how the body is modified and decorated will also be
explored. Objectives of this course are 1) exploring the relationship between gesture and
language, 2) gaining a better understanding of the role of the body in communication,
and 3) improving cross-cultural communication skills.
Course Topics
1. Japanese Sign Language and Deaf Culture
2. Japanese gestures
3. Emotion and facial expressions
4. Japanese theatre and dance
5. Japanese martial arts
6. Mudra, gestures and dance in Japanese religion
7. Jan-ken and hand games
8. Japanese perceptions of the body and ideal body types
9. Molding the body – fad diets and exercise
10. Portrayals of the body in advertising and the media
11. Ornamenting the body – fashion
12. Ornamenting the body – tattoos and body pierces
Readings
Weekly reading assignments will be drawn largely from:
Adam Kendon, Gesture (Annual Review of Anthropology 1997. 26: 109-128).
David F. Armstrong, William C. Stokoe and Sherman E. Wilcox, Gesture and the Nature
of Language (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995).
Desmond Morris, Bodytalk: The Meaning of Human Gestures (New York: Crown Trade,
1996).
David Matsumoto, Unmasking Japan: Myths and Realities about the Emotions of the
Japanese (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1996).
Laura Spielvogel, Working Out in Japan: Shaping the Female Body in Tokyo Fitness
Clubs (Durham: Duke University Press, 2003).
The Body and Communication
in Japan
Harlan Lane, Robert Hoffman and Ben Bahan, A Journey into the Deaf-World (San
Diego: Dawn Sign Press, 1996).
Japanese Federation of the Deaf Institute for Sign Language Studies, An English
Dictionary of Basic Japanese Signs (Tokyo: Japanese Federation of the Deaf, 1991).
Grading
Students will be evaluated as follows:
1. Class attendance, participation and activities (30%)
2. Midterm take-home exam (35%)
3. Final take-home exam (35%).
With the approval of the instructor, a research paper may be substituted for the take-home
exams.
Issues in Contemporary Japanese Society and Culture
Dr. Steven C. Fedorowicz
This course, as the name suggests, will focus on Japanese society and culture right now,
addressing education, cultural diversity, gender, globalization, politics, economics and
popular culture from an anthropological perspective. Course content changes every
semester based on current social problems, cultural trends and student preference. In
other words, this course combines current issues along with anthropological theory so
that students can better understand the happenings around them during their study abroad
experience in Japan. Students have the responsibility of reading and presenting
information on assigned articles in a seminar/discussion based setting. Objectives of this
course include developing the ability to conceptualize and discuss important topical
issues in Japanese society and culture in a critical fashion. For this upper level course, a
background in anthropology, sociology and/or Japanese cultural studies is useful
although not required.
Course Topics
1. Japanese Stereotypes of Society and Culture
2. Cultural Diversity and Minorities
3. Japanese Globalization and Glocalization
4. Regional Differences in Manners and Customs (especially Kansai vs. Kanto)
5. Declining Birthrates and an Aging Society
6. Japanese Education and Cram Schools
7. Hikikomori
8. Changing Gender Roles
9. Abortion and Sexual Politics
10. HIV/AIDS in Japan
11. Japanese Nationalism
12. Sanctioned Violence in Japan
13. Sumo, Baseball and Sports in Japan
14. Homelessness and Poverty
Readings
Readings for specific issues and case studies will be drawn largely from the latest
available journal articles and monographs. Some of these can be found on-line at Japan
Focus (http://japanfocus.org/). Introductory/overview readings include:
Yoshio Sugimoto, An Introduction to Japanese Society, Second Edition, (Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 2003).
Takami Kuwayama, Native Anthropology: The Japanese Challenge to Western Academic
Hegemony (Melbourne: Trans Pacific Press, 2004).
Theodore C. Bestor, Patricia G. Steinhoff and Victoria Lynn Bestore, eds., Doing
Fieldwork in Japan (Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 2003).
Issues in Contemporary Japanese
Society and Culture
Grading
Students will be evaluated as follows:
1) Attendance, participation and class activities - 30%
2) In class presentations and reaction essays - 40%
3) Midterm and Final Quiz (15% each) - 30%
With the permission of the Instructor, an ethnographic paper/presentation can be
substituted for other course requirements. Please talk with the Instructor as soon as
possible if you are interested in this option.
Japan and Globalization: A Cultural Approach
Dr. Steven C. Fedorowicz
In today’s world, it is widely held that global scale culture supercedes governments and
political boundaries; economy is paramount. The new buzz-word to explain this
phenomenon is “globalization.” But what does this supposedly new concept really entail?
Globalization is about movement and interaction: people, culture, technology, goods and
services, money, religion and ideologies are moving through porous borders causing
immediate and intense contact. This cultural contact affects everyone in the global village
albeit in vastly different ways. Globalization is an uneven process in terms of the spread
of new technologies and communication. Where does Japan and Japanese culture fit
within globalization? It is easy to see global influences inside of Japan: McDonald’s,
Starbucks and fancy European brand names are everywhere. But Japanese culture has
long been moving out and influencing other areas of the globe as well. This course will
investigate globalization from an anthropological perspective focusing on the important
and interesting movements and interactions between Japan and the rest of the world.
Course Topics
1. Culture, Culture Scale and Globalization
2. Modernization and Development
3. Global Influences into Japan
4. Japanese Influences into the Globe
5. Third Culture Kids
6. Sushi and Japanese Cuisine
7. Fast Food in Japan
8. Japanese and American Baseball
9. Foreign Sumo Wrestlers
10. Hello Kitty and the Culture of Cuteness
11. Japanese Pop Culture
12. Japanese Migration
13. Foreigners in Japan
14. International Exchange Students
Readings
Weekly reading assignments will be drawn largely from:
Jonathon Xavier Inda and Renato Rosaldo, The Anthropology of Globalization: A Reader
(Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 2002).
Koichi Iwabuchi, Recentering Globalization: Popular Culture and Japanese
Transnationalism (Durham: Duke University Press, 2003).
Roger Goodman, Ceri Peach, Ayumi Takenake and Paul White, eds., Global Japan: The
Experience of Japan’s New Immigrant and Overseas Communities (London: Routledge
Curzen, 2003).
Japan and Globalization:
A Cultural Approach
Harumi Befu and Sylvie Guichard-Anguis, eds., Globalizing Japan: Ethnography of the
Japanese Presence in Asia, Europe and America (London: Routledge Curzen, 2001).
Robert Whiting, The Meaning of Ichiro: The New Wave From Japan and the
Transformation of Our National Pastime (New York: Warner Books, 2004).
Grading
1. Class attendance, participation and activities (30%)
2. Midterm take-home exam (35%)
3. Final take-home exam (35%)
With the approval of the instructor, a research paper may be substituted for the take-home
exams.
Visual Anthropology of Japan
Dr. Steven C. Fedorowicz
We have often heard the phrases “the camera never lies,” “seeing is believing” and “a
picture is worth a thousand words.” Visual anthropology, in part, deals with the
presentation and representation of culture through the use of film, video, still
photography, art and other graphic media. How does one visually represent a culture?
Culture has often been likened to an iceberg; we can only see the tip and perhaps the
most important aspects are submerged and difficult to see. Visual anthropology strives to
visualize the invisible – knowledge, values, morals, beliefs, perceptions, capabilities and
private spaces. In this course, ethnographic films, photography and internet blogs
focusing on Japan will be examined, analyzed and evaluated in terms of providing
understanding of Japanese culture. Who constructs such visual images, for what purpose
and in what context will also be of concern. While the focus of the course will be on the
issues and consequences of visual representation, methodology and techniques will also
be discussed. The major component of the course is a photo journal blog; students will
have the opportunity to research, photograph and post on such themes as Japanese
traditional culture, popular culture, education, art, entertainment, sports, religion, gender,
politics and globalization.
Course Topics
1. What is the Nature of Cultural Description?
2. Images and Perspectives of Japanese Culture
3. Gathering Data: Visual Fieldwork in Japan
4. Ethics of Doing Visual Research and Fieldwork in Japan
5. The Visual Representation of Culture
6. Treatments and Study Guides: Planning and Practicing Visual Methods
7. Documentaries, Video and the Ethnographic Film
8. Photography and Photoethnography
9. Electronic Representations and Anthropological Blogs on the Internet
10. Collaboration, Open Access, Creative Commons
11. Visual Representations in the Media and Popular Culture
12. Visual Imagery in Japanese Culture
Readings
Representative readings include:
Marcus Banks, Visual Methods in Social Research (London: Sage Publications, 2001).
Ilisa Barbash and Lucian Taylor, Cross-Cultural Filmmaking (Berkeley: University of
California Press, 1997).
T.C. Bestor, P.G. Steinhoff and V.C. Bestor, eds., Doing Fieldwork in Japan (Honolulu:
University of Hawaii Press, 2003).
Susan Sontag, On Photography (New York: Penguin Books, 1973).
Visual Anthropology of Japan
Grading
1. Class Attendance, Participation and Activities (30%)
2. Midterm Quiz (10%)
3. Final Quiz (10%)
4. Photo journal blog (50%)
With the permission of the Instructor, a visual anthropology project such as a short
ethnographic film or research paper may be substituted for other course requirements.
Please talk with the Instructor as soon as possible if you are interested in this option.
Intercultural Communication in Japan
Dr. Scott L. Lind
Communicating in an international context requires an understanding of factors
that affect interaction between people from diverse cultural perspectives. The ability to
look beyond cultural differences in order to recognize and appreciate the motivations of
others is an important early step in developing communicative competence in a foreign
language. Study of intercultural communication theory and research is critical to the
success, relational development, and satisfaction of students who strive to maximize their
language and cultural learning while in Japan.
This course is a practical introduction to theory and research in the field of
intercultural communication as applied to a Japanese context. The primary course
content focuses on perceptions, behaviors, values, and cultural patterns of human
interaction, thereby assisting students in developing a clearer understanding of their own
communicative perspectives as related to life in Japan. A variety of methods and
activities, including class discussion, groupwork, lecture, cultural enactment, video
critique, story telling, critical incident, written reflection, and in-class engagement, will
be used to help students to develop intercultural communication competence.
Course Topics
Communication
Definitions of culture
Development of shared goals
Intercultural competence
Approaches to learning
Cultural adjustment
Perceptions and expectations
Identity
Cultural values
In-group and out-group relations
Language and culture
Nonverbal communication and culture
Ethnocentrism, stereotypes, and racism
Readings
Readings will be drawn from a variety of academic writings in the field of intercultural
communication.
Grading
Examinations .................................................30%
Written assignments/Engagements................10%
Participation/Attendance................................30%
Presentations..................................................30%
Japanese Popular Media and Culture
Dr. Mark Hollstein
This course focuses on three central elements of Japanese popular media—manga, anime,
and television drama. However, a variety of other media—such as pop music, theatre and
live-action film—will be discussed as they relate to these three main topics. The course
will begin with a look at the historical development of manga and anime and their
relationship with traditional Japanese popular culture. Next we will examine the rise of
modern manga and anime in the postwar period by focusing on their development from
works aimed primarily at children to thematically divers media that include mature works
of social criticism. Of particular interest will be how these works both reflect and shape
the debate over Japan’s postwar identity. We will then examine the means of production,
distribution and consumption of manga and anime in Japan. Our attention will then turn
to television dramas in Japan. We will examine their relationship with manga and anime
while discussing how they deal with and influence a variety of current social issues. The
course will finish with a look at the popularity of all three media (manga, anime and TV
dramas) abroad and how they are influencing foreign understandings and attitudes about
Japan.
Readings
Assigned readings will be drawn from a variety of works including: F. Schodt,
Dreamland Japan: Writings on Modern Manga, S. Napier, Anime: From Akira to Howl’s
Moving Castle; K. Iwabuchi, ed., Feeling Asian Modernities: Transnational
Consumption of Japanese TV Dramas.
Grading
Midterm Exam: 25 percent
Final Exam: 25 percent
Two short writing assignments: 40 percent (20 percent each)
Class attendance and participation: 10 percent
Japan in Western Film and Literature
Dr. Mark Hollstein
Why come all the way to Japan and take a course on how foreigners see the Japanese?
The answer is simple. Whether you make interpreting Japan an academic, journalistic, or
artistic career, or just answer questions from friends and family about your experiences
here, someday you will be called upon to explain Japan to non-Japanese. This course will
help you understand how those who have gone before you have both succeeded and
failed at this task from 1853 to the present day. A central concern of this course is why
filmmakers and authors have emphasized, exaggerated, distorted or ignored various
aspects of Japanese culture to meet the expectations of their audiences, and the way in
which images of Japan, constructed in response to specific historical situations are often
recycled to justify or explain later situations. We will also consider how changes in
Western class, gender and race relations have influenced media images of the Japanese
Other. By the end of this course, you should have both a good understanding of modern
Japanese history and a clearer idea of how group identity is created and used. You will
also be a more aware and critical media consumer.
Course Topics
(Some films will be viewed in their entirety, other by selected scenes)
The Topsy-Turvy Alien Japan
Authors: Percival Lowell, Walt Whitman, Rudyard Kipling
Films: The Barbarian and the Geisha; Lost in Translation
Japanese as Artists, Mystics
Authors: Lafcadio Hearn
Films: Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Mikado; Topsy-Turvy; Enlightenment
Guaranteed
Japanese as Villains and Enemies
Films: The Cheat; Broken Blossoms; Know Your Enemy, Japan; Why We Fight,
The Battle of China; Bugs Bunny Nips the Nips; Popeye’s You're a Sap Mr. Jap
Japanese as Victims
Authors: Marguerite Duras, Jeanne Wakatsuki Huston, John Hersey
Films: Come See the Paradise; Hiroshima Mon Amour
Western Images of Postwar Japanese Women
Authors: James Michener
Films: My Geisha; Sayonara
Japanese as Corporate Samurai
Authors: Ian Fleming, Michael Crichton, Amelie Nothomb
Films: Black Rain; Rising Sun; Fear and Trembling
Readings
In addition to sections of original works of literature, some readings will be drawn from
sources such as: I. Littlewood, The Idea of Japan, Western Images, Western Myths; G.
Marchetti, Romance and the Yellow Peril; J. Dower, War Without Mercy.
Japan in Western Film and Literature
Grading
Midterm Exam 25%
Final Exam 25%
Two Short Essays 40% (20% each)
Attendance and Participation 10%
Monsters, Ghosts and the Making of Modern Japan
Dr. Mark Hollstein
The Japanese popular imagination has always been haunted by a myriad of monsters,
ghost, demons, and goblins. Whether it was the trickster kitsune of ancient folklore,
scenes of torment awaiting sinners in Buddhist Hell scrolls, or the shinigami of modern
manga like Death Note, Japan’s many supernatural beings have always both frightened
and entertained. But these are by no means the only two roles that such creatures have
played in Japanese history. In this class we will study the many ways that monsters and
ghosts have symbolized and personified the issues, problems, hopes and fears that have
shaped modern Japan. We will begin by looking at the importance of the horrific and
grotesque in the creation of Japanese popular culture in the 17th
century. We will then
discuss how 19th century Meiji modernizers created the scientific study of
“monsterology” to debunk peasant superstition and to redirect supernatural belief toward
a divine emperor. At the same time, artists like Kawanabe Kyōsai, and writers like
Akutagawa Ryūnosuke used monsters and ghosts to both resist and satirize
modernization. We will also look at how the Western observer Lafcadio Hearn used
Japanese ghost stories to feed a foreign appetite for images of a mysterious Orient.
Of course, this class will also examine modern uses of monsters and ghosts. We will
begin with the yōkai manga of Mizuki Shigeru that helped provide continuity with the
past in a postwar Japan that had been torn from its traditions. We will discuss the
political origins of Godzilla and read manga by authors such as Hino Hideshi and Umezu
Kazuo who used horror to express their anxieties about the state of Japanese society in
the 1960s, 70s and 80s. The course will finish with a look at recent Japanese TV and
movie monsters from adult horror films like The Ring to popular children’s animation
like Pokemon. Our main concerns will be what such media say about Japan today, and
how their popularity abroad shapes foreign preceptions of the country. By the end of this
course, students will have learned a great deal about Japanese monsters, myths and
ledgends. They will also have a much deeper appreciation of Japanese history, society,
media and culture.
Readings
Readings assignments will be drawn from an number of sources including:
Pandemonium and Parade: Japanese Monsters and the Culture of Yōkai, by Michael D.
Foster; Civilization and Monsters: Spirits of Modernity in Meiji Japan, by Gerald Figal.
The Fantastic in Modern Japanese Literature: The Subversion of Modernity, by Susan J.
Napier.
Grading
Midterm exam: 25%
Final Exam: 25%
Final Paper 30%
Brief Class Presentation
On Monster of your Choice: 10%
Attendance/Participation: 10%
Japanese Buddhism
Prof. Elizabeth Kenney
This course presents an overview of Japanese Buddhism: various conceptions of
salvation, everyday rituals, social issues. We will discuss the important doctrines
connected with the major denominations of Japanese Buddhism: Shingon, Nichiren, Pure
Land, and Zen.
In addition, issues and trends in Buddhism today will be explored, partly through films
and literature. As we shall see, contemporary Japanese Buddhism is criticized as nothing
but a funeral business, while vibrant new Buddhist organizations like Soka Gakkai
challenge the traditional roles of priests and temples.
Along the way, we will reflect on our own presuppositions and projections about what
Buddhism is or should be. Is Buddhism a tolerant, humanistic philosophy of
self-awareness and compassion? Is it a religion of magic and ritual?
Course Topics
Buddhist fundamentals: karma, reincarnation, nirvana
Zen: nothing to gain
Shingon Buddhism: Enlightened just as we are
Pure Land Buddhism: Salvation from above
Nichiren and the Lotus Sutra
Buddhist deities: Amida, Kannon, Jizo
The Heart Sutra
Buddhism and discrimination
Buddhism and war
Film: Fancy Dance
Film: Enlightenment Guaranteed
Short novel: He’s Leaving Home
Some topics will be chosen according to the interests of the class
Grading
Tests 40%
7-page paper 40%
participation 20%
Religion in Japan
Prof. Elizabeth R. Kenney
This course is an introduction to the most important types of religious expression in
Japan: ancestor worship, Shinto, Buddhism, and the New Religions. We consider
Christianity in Japan for just one very interesting class. We focus on contemporary
beliefs and practices, especially religion that is encountered every day in Japan. Various
approaches to the interpretation of religious phenomena will be discussed. This course
is open to students at all levels.
Field-trips: Tenri (headquarters of Tenrikyo); Fushimi Inari Shrine; a Zen temple
(optional).
Course Topics
1. Ancestor Worship and Household Rites for the Dead
2. The Nature of the Sacred in Shinto Thought
3. Foxes and Other Gods
4. The Emperor and Religion
5. Everyday Activities in Shinto Shrines
6. New Religions: Tenrikyo, Soka Gakkai and Aum
7. Buddhist Heavens and Hells
8. Rites for Aborted Fetuses
9. "The Evil Go Easily to Heaven": Shinran and Pure Land Buddhism
10. Jizo, the Buddhist Savior
11. Christians and Ancestors
Grading
Interview write-up Required
Mid-term examination 25%
Quiz 15%
7-page paper 50%
Regular class attendance 10%
Shinto
Prof. Elizabeth Kenney
Japan is the place to study Shinto. Mythology and manga, animism and anime. Shinto,
the ancient religion of Japan, is still today a palpable influence on the Japanese cultural
imagination. Shinto is visible everywhere, and there are few Japanese people who do not
have some contact with Shinto during their lives, many of them on a regular basis. We
will look at Shinto from as many perspectives as possible: religious, philosophical,
anthropological, and political.
Course Topics
Shinto gods: foxes and other creatures
Shinto mythology
Shamanism
Monsters and the imagination
What does Shinto say about the afterlife?
Happy gods with a dark side: Ebisu and Daikoku-ten
Shrines and everyday life
Shinto in popular culture: anime, manga, video games
The Emperor: priest, god, rice deity, silkworm god
Yasukuni Shrine: politics and soldier spirits
Shinto priests: who are they and what do they do?
Tokugawa Shinto philosophy
Insects that might not be bugs
Creative Shinto
Readings
Readings will include: primary source material, such as Shinto mythology and the
writings of Shinto thinkers; secondary articles of high scholarly quality.
Grading
2 tests 50%
field report 30%
participation 20%
Zen Buddhism
Prof. Elizabeth R. Kenney
This course presents an overview of Zen Buddhism, with a focus on fundamental
existential and religious questions. Buddhism, like any religion, provides answers to the
“big questions” of human existence: How did human life first occur? Why do tragedies
happen? Are humans different from animals? What happens after death? Zen also asks
some of its own questions: Is ordinary life in any way incomplete? Can a dog become a
Buddha? What is the point of meditation?
This course is open to students at all levels.
Field Trip: Meditation at a Zen temple.
Course Topics
1. Sakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism
2. The Buddhist Universe
3. Buddhist Notions of Karma and Suffering
4. The Traditional Path to Enlightenment
5. Bodhidharma (Daruma), the Legendary Patriarch of Zenx
6. Zen and War
7. Sudden Enlightenment vs. Gradual Enlightenment
8. Lin-chi, Strange Words, and Wild Deeds
9. Koans in Zen Practice
10. Dogen, the Preeminent Figure in Japanese Zen
11. Popular Zen during the Tokugawa Period
12. Zen in the World Today
Readings
This course emphasizes reading the texts that are important for Buddhism and Zen (that
is, sacred scriptures, collections of Zen stories, and the writings of eminent Zen monks).
Grading
Mid-Term Examination 25%
Quiz 15%
7-page paper 50%
Class participation 10%
Money, Religion, and Ethics
Dr. John Shultz
Money and religion occupy the concerns of people more than anything else as they
attempt to survive and thrive in this world and as they prepare for the next. But when and
where do otherworldly concerns align with the quest for the currency that supplies thisworldly
needs and desires? Where do they collide head on? Is money inseparably tied to
that which is evil, or is it the fruit of good karma and a life well lived? What religious
ethical perspectives should international business people be aware of? Do traditional
Japanese religious or ethical principles offer meaningful guidance to managers in the
global marketplace? How are the complexities of modern economies interpreted by
religious traditions whose founders lived, taught, and prophesized in much simpler
times? By approaching questions such as these, this course is designed to give students a
firm grasp of key issues in religious ethics with respect to money, wealth, and their
acquisition. In order to highlight Asian points of view, the course will concentrate
especially on Islamic and Buddhist perspectives.
Course Topics
Money's Form and Character Through History
Money and Wealth in Sacred Scriptures
Usury: Collecting Interest and Morality
Socialism and Religious Thought
Islamic Finance
Buddhist Economics
Socially Responsible Investing
Requirements
There are no prerequisites for this course. In order to provide a well rounded outlook,
students from all academic backgrounds are encourage to enroll.
Readings
Readings will include a variety of materials including the writings of religious
practitioners, selections from textbooks on ethics, academic papers, and news articles.
Grading
Participation/Reading Quizzes 20%
Mid-term Examination 30%
Group Project and Presentation 30%
Summary Paper 20%
Pilgrimage: Journeys in Search of Meaning
Dr. John Shultz
Romantic, dangerous, emotional, exotic, humbling, empowering, penitent, and wondrous
are all descriptions that come to mind when considering the great pilgrimages of the
world. The act of traveling to sacred locations represents one of the oldest and most
important forms of religious expression. Yet despite its ubiquity, pilgrimage is a
decidedly complex phenomenon. Pilgrims sharing the same holy space can have widely
differing religious views. Traditional religious authority can be undermined, and new
authorities can emerge. Moreover, as is often the case in Japan, pilgrimage practices can
displace other forms of religiosity to become independent forms of spirituality.
This course is designed to introduce students to global pilgrimage traditions with a
special concentration on the rich heritage of sacred travel in Japan. In doing so, we will
examine in detail what is meant by the term "pilgrimage" and its related terms in
Japanese. Students will practically engage theoretical perspectives by pursuing
independent research in which they are encouraged to explore a pilgrimage tradition or
sacred location with a research method of their choice. For many, this will allow them to
discover important pilgrimage locations located throughout the Kansai area, some even
quite near to the Kansai Gaidai campus.
Course Topics
What is Pilgrimage?
Sacred Journeys of Europe and the Middle East
Pilgrimage in South Asia and China
"The Journey to the West": China's Great Pilgrimage Epic
Foundations of Pilgrimage Traditions in Japan
Shugendō: Mountain Ascetics and Sacred Peaks
Pilgrimage Centered on the Bodhisattva Kannon
The Pilgrimage to the 88-places of Shikoku
Virtual and Secular Pilgrimage
Requirements
There are no prerequisites for this course, and students from all academic backgrounds
may enroll.
Readings
Readings will include a range of materials including academic writings, literature, and
first-person pilgrimage accounts.
Grading
Participation/Reading Quizzes 20%
Mid Term Exam 25%
Final Exam 25%
Final Research Project and Class Presentation 30%
Cross-Cultural Psychology
Dr. Reggie Pawle
Our psychology is interwoven with the society within which we live. How we
understand ourselves and how we function psychologically is culturally based. Our
thinking, our emotions, our actions – all these are greatly influenced culturally. As
societies become more and more interactive, knowledge and sensitivity to similarities
and differences of the psychologies of people around the world increases in importance.
Cross-cultural psychology is a comparative study of psychologies of different cultures.
This course focuses on studies of comparisons of two parts of psychology. The first is
research of important aspects of psychological functioning: sense of self, values, thinking,
perception, emotions, development, and relationships. The second is issues that are
important for clinical psychology: theoretical foundations in the West and in Asia,
cultural issues, dreams, and pain. Case studies and role plays will be part of the clinical
study. For more information, see Dr. Pawle’s website: www.reggiepawle.net.
Course Topics
Self and identity: Collective or Individual? We-self or I-self?
Cross-cultural research in values
Cross-cultural cognitive research
Cross-cultural emotion research
Psychological development theories: Winnicott and Tantric Yoga
Comparisons of Western and Asian clinical theoretical foundations: Psychoanalytic,
Jungian, Existential, Buddhism, Daoism, Confucian
Gestalt therapy and dreams
Approaches to pain – Logotherapy and Buddhist psychology
Readings
Heine, Stephen. (2007). Cultural Psychology. New York: W.W. Norton and Company.
Hofstede, Geert, & Hofstede, Gert Jan. (2005). Cultures and Organizations: Software of
the Mind. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Kakar, Sudhir. (1991). Shamans, Mystics, and Doctors. Chicago, Illinois, USA:
University of Chicago Press.
Mathers, D., Miller, M., and Osamu, A. (eds). (2009). Self and No-Self: Continuing the
Dialogue between Buddhism and Psychotherapy. London: Routledge.
Nisbett, Richard. (2003). The Geography of Thought: How Asians and Westerners Think
Differently … And Why. New York: Free Press.
Roland, Alan. (1988). In Search of Self in India and Japan: Toward a Cross-Cultural
Psychology. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
Grading
5% Self Picture Assignment
20% Midterm exam
20% Values Comparison Assignment
30% Presentation and paper
25% Take-home final exam
Mind in Yoga, Buddhism, and Daoism
Dr. Reggie Pawle
The understanding of mind in the Asian traditions of yoga, Buddhism, and Daoism has
both differences and similarities with the Western psychological tradition. The functions
of mind that are developed, the understanding of mental illness and mental health, and
how to cultivate a fully alive person all have traditional yoga, Buddhist, and Daoist
understandings. Understanding the approaches of these three traditions broadens and
compliments Western psychology. This course will focus on both the theoretical and
practical foundations and their applications in modern psychological practices. The first
part of the course is the foundations and the second part is the modern applications.
Comparisons and connections will be made with Western psychology. Each class will be
a combination of study and practices, so students need to be willing to participate in
exercises in each class. Experiential exercises will include yoga practices, Buddhist
meditation practice, Chi Gung exercises, Zen koan practice, mandala drawing, Morita
exercises, Naikan exercises, breathing practices, and sensory awareness practice.
Course Topics
Understanding of mind
Mental illness and mental health
Self-cultivation practices
Historical practitioners
Traditional texts
Modern psychotherapeutic applications
Jung and Eastern practices
Body and breath practices
Mindfulness and energy practices
Readings
Feuerstein, G. (1979). The Yoga Sutra of Patanjali. Rochester, Vermont, USA: Inner
Traditions International.
Kakar, S. (1991). Shamans, mystics, and doctors. Chicago, Illinois, USA: University of
Chicago Press.
Kawai, H. (1996). Buddhism and the art of psychotherapy. College Station, Texas, USA:
Texas A&M University Press.
Kohn, L. (2009). Introducing Daoism. London: Routledge.
Mathers, D., Miller, M., and Osamu, A. (eds.). (2009). Self and no-self: Continuing the
dialogue between Buddhism and psychotherapy. London: Routledge.
Grading
20% Yoga and Buddhism comparison assignment
25% Midterm exam
30% Self-cultivation project
25% Take-home final exam
The Mystery of Cross-cultural Relationships:
Social and Psychological influences
Dr. Reggie Pawle
Human beings are everywhere drawn together, yet not fully understanding each other
abounds. Human relationships are challenging and rewarding in any social context, and
when they become cross-cultural, they become even more so. There are no ultimate
answers in this adventure. Rather, the approach of this course is to explore together
various psychological and social influences that are particularly important considerations
in cross-cultural relationships. This exploration will be in two parts: cross-cultural
friendship relationships and cross-cultural romantic relationships. The focus will be on
both social and psychological factors. The hope is that students will make experiential
connections between the factors studied and their actual lived cross-cultural experience in
relationships. Attention is given to people from “individualistic” cultures learning about
“collective” cultures and vice versa. This is a participatory course, so students should be
willing to interact with other students in an examination of relationship factors in their
own cross-cultural experience. For a class-by-class description, see Dr. Pawle’s website:
www.reggiepawle.net.
Course Topics
Acculturation and adaptation Communication
Cross-cultural friendship relationships Negotiating conflicts
Cross-cultural romantic relationships Values
Historical roots of love Need-free Love
Cultural considerations regarding sexuality Dependent Love
Issues in cross-cultural relationships Working it out
Readings
Bennett, Milton. (ed.). (1998). Basic Concepts of Intercultural Communication.
Yarmouth, Maine, USA: Intercultural Press.
Doi, Takeo. (1971). The Anatomy of Dependence. Tokyo: Kodansha International.
Heine, Stephen. (2007). Cultural Psychology. New York: W.W. Norton and Company.
Pirazzi, Chris, & Vasant, Vitida. (2004). Thailand Fever: A Road Map for Thai-Western
Relationships. Bangkok: Paiboon Poomsan Publishing.
Romano, Dugan. (2001). Intercultural Marriage: Promises and Pitfalls. Yarmouth,
Maine, USA: Intercultural Press.
Shelling, G., & Fraser-Smith, J. (2008). In Love but Worlds Apart: Insights, Questions,
and Tips for the Intercultural Couple. Bloomington, Indiana, USA: Authorhouse.
Yalom, Irvin. (1980). Existential Psychotherapy. New York: Basic Books.
Grading
15% Discussion Report – Values and Communication
20% Midterm Exam
30% Group Role Play and Individual Report
25% Final Paper
10% Homework assignments
Anime: Method and Meaning
Dr. Paul Berry
Japanese animation, known as anime, has established a world-wide reputation as a
unique form of animation. This course surveys selected aspects of theatrical anime with
some consideration of anime serials. The nature of animation as a whole and the special
qualities of anime will be examined in the context of viewing a number of anime films. A
series of papers will be assigned on different themes concerning the production and
narratives of the anime viewed in class. Questions regarding gender, politics, culture,
sexuality, identity, and representation will be discussed in connection with the ongoing
development of the medium.
The following works will be viewed:
Angel's Egg (Tenshi no tamago), Oshii Mamoru, 1985 71”
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Miyazaki Hayao, 1984 11”
Grave of the Fireflies (Hotaru no haka), Takahata Isao, 1988 89”
Heisei Tanuki Wars (Heisei Tanuki Gassen Pon Poko), Takahata, 1994 119”
Mononoke hime, Miyazaki Hayao, 1997 134”
Millenium Actress (Sennen joyu), Kon Satoshi, 2001 87”
A Tree of Palme (Parumu no ki ), Nakamura Takashi, 2002 130”
Mind Game, Yuasa Masaaki, 2004 103”
Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence, Oshii Mamoru, 2004 100”
Paprika, Kon Satoshi, 2006 90”
Tekkon Kinkreet, Michael Arias, 2006 111”
Recent serial anime selections.
Readings
Paul Wells, Understanding Animation
Susan Napier, Anime
Brian Ruh, Stray Dog of Anime -- Mamoru Oshii
Patrick Drazen, Anime Explosion
Shamus Culhane, Animation from Script to Screen
Jerry Beck, The Animated Movie Book
Grading
4 papers (one long, three short) 85%
Class participation 15%
New Japanese Cinema 1995-2004
Dr. Paul Berry
Japanese films have had a wide international audience since Kurosawa’s 1950
prize-winning film Rashomon. Although recent films from Japan have again been
capturing attention at international film festivals, only a small fraction of the popular
films of Japan have been seen by foreign audiences. This course examines a wide range
of recent films - some much discussed in the West, others little known - that represent a
variety of the most popular genres and directors active today. Readings and lectures will
introduce not only the director’s work but the cultural and literary backgrounds of the
individual films. Genres include love stories, suspense, period drama, horror, anime, and
fantasy. Some aspects of film and cultural studies will augment the analysis and
appreciation of works.
This course does not assume a background in film studies.
Film List
Iwai Shunji 1963-, Swallowtail, 1996
Oshima Nagisa 1932-, Gohatto (Taboo, 1999)
Miyazaki Hayao 1941-, Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi (Spirited Away, 2002)
Oshii Mamoru 1951-, Kokaku kidotai (Ghost in the Shell, 1995)
Takahata Shuta, Hotel Venus, 2004
Nakae Isamu 1963-, Reisei to jonetsu no aida (Twixt Calm and Passion, 2001)
Takenaka Naoto 1956-, Tokyo biyori (Fine Weather in Tokyo, 1997)
Kitano Takeshi 1948-, Hanabi (Fireworks, 1997)
Kurosawa Kiyoshi 1955-, Kairo (Pulse, 2001)
Higuchinsky 1965-, Uzumaki, (Spiral, 2000)
Tsukamoto Shin’ya 1960-, Soseiji (Gemini, 1999)
Koreeda Hirokazu 1962-, Wonderful Life (Afterlife, 1998)
Readings
Readings include background information on the directors, cast, and films. Additional
readings on film studies and popular culture will be used to develop interpretive
approaches to the films.
Grading
Three short papers comparing groups of films. 45 %
A final paper of roughly 10 pages. 40%
Class participation 15%
The Relation of Life and Fiction in Modern Japanese Literature
Dr. Paul Berry
Japanese culture is often regarded as a complexly structured society that contains
extremes of beauty and discipline, openness and secrecy, and religious fervor and secular
passion. Sometimes these impressions seem to be the stereotypes created in the West, yet
they may also include national themes stressed within Japan. In order to see beyond the
cliches of Japan, this course examines major aspects of modern Japanese culture through
the relationship of life to literature. The interest in employing the author’s personal
experience as the basis for serious fiction has been one of the key practices of writers in
modern Japan. This multidisciplinary approach will discuss a variety of novels, essays,
and related films to reveal varied aspects of identity, art, and politics that are important
routes to understanding twentieth-century Japan through its literature.
Lectures and discussions will range widely over a number of topics including the
relation of sexuality and identity, questions of national image, imagination and realism,
representations of Hiroshima in fiction and film, and the popularity of science
fiction/disaster films in Japan. This course assumes no special background in Japanese
studies and is open to students at all levels.
Readings
Tanizaki Jun'ichiro, The Key and In Praise of Shadows
Uno Chiyo, Confessions of Love
Kawabata Yasunari, Thousand Cranes
*Mishima Yukio, Kinkaku-ji and Sun and Steel
Enchi Fumiko, Masks
*Oe Kenzaburo, A Quiet Life
*Ibuse Masuji, Black Rain
Tsushima Yuko, short stories
Yoshimoto Banana, N.P.
*Murakami Haruki, A Wild Sheep Chase, selections from Underground
*Murakami Ryu, Coin Locker Babies
Plus essays from several sources including:
J. Treat, ed. Contemporary Japan and Popular Culture
K. Ito, Vision's of Desire: Tanizaki's Fictional Worlds
P. Dale, The Myth of Japanese Uniqueness
*indicates novels not in reading packet
Films
A Quiet Life (Shizukana seikatsu) Itami Juzo (drama based on Oe’s family)
Three US films on Hiroshima (edited)
Valley of Winds Naushika, Miyazaki Hayao (SF fantasy-apocalypse)
Grading
Journal essays on works studied in class: 40%
10-page research paper 45%
Class participation and discussion 15%
From Zen to Paradise: Buddhist Art in Japan
Prof. Karin L. Swanson
This is an introductory-level course designed to maximize the experience of
looking at Buddhist art in Japan. Often, after visiting “must-see” famous temples, a
visitor with little or no background in Japanese art or Buddhist imagery, comes away
having gained very little. The goal of this class is to prepare first for group trips to
temples in the Kansai area, and near the end of the semester, a visit on your own.
The class is organized so that you learn first about Buddhism as a religion,
especially focusing on the earliest Buddhist arts: those of India and China. Following this
brief introduction, we will learn how and why Buddhism came to Japan, and what kind
of art was first made and used here. Continuing in a chronological order, from the
beginnings of Buddhism in Japan in the 6th
century, we will see how this religious art
changed and developed throughout Japanese history, often influenced by political and
social changes.
Throughout the course, changes in Buddhist art will be explored not only from
the standpoint of stylistic changes, but more importantly, how the choice of images
reflected popular sects and prevalent religious ideas of that particular age.
There will be field trips in the course of the semester, each done on a weekend day.
Readings
A reading packet will be available in the CIE office. In addition, handouts will be
provided by the instructor in the course of the semester. Many illustrated books will also
be on reserve in the library.
Grading
Tests 50%
Final Paper 35%
Attendance/Participation 15%
Basic Ceramic Techniques
Mr. Yoshio Inomata
The object of this course is to establish a basic mastery of traditional Japanese
techniques through actual practice, with the emphasis on wheel throwing. The course
will also include, from time to time, a consideration of distinctive regional techniques,
and the special characteristics of some modern Japanese pottery, presented in the context
of studio practice.
A practice fee of ¥10,000 per semester, payable in advance, will be charged to all
students accepted for enrollment in the course. Enrollment will be limited to 35
students. This course requires 8 hours studio practice per week, and it will be arranged
around your other classes.
Recommended Reading:
Penny Simpson, Japanese Pottery Handbook
In addition, a number of illustrated volumes in Japanese and English will be put on
non-circulating reserve in the library, for general reference.
Course Procedures:
Instruction will begin with clay wedging and proceed to building and slab construction,
and the basic throwing techniques for cups and bowls. Various glaze compositions and
glazing methods will be introduced at an appropriate point along with a consideration of
certain decorative devices such as stamping, inlay and brushwork.
Evaluation:
Grades will be based on the level of technical skill achieved during the semester, and on
the quality of finished pieced submitted for possible inclusion in a final exhibition of
student works. This overall rating of technical proficiency will constitute sixty percent
of the final grade. Regular attendance is regarded as essential, and more than ten
percent absence could result in a failing grade. Attendance will count for twenty
percent of the final grade. The final twenty percent will be a rating of student effort
and participation.
Basic Ceramic Techniques
Note:
Payment of materials fee must be completed before registration. Otherwise you cannot
be enrolled in the course nor permitted to attend the class.
In case of dropping the course, the refund of the materials fee will be based upon the
following schedule:
1) During orientation 100%
2) During the first week 90%
3) During the second week 80%
4) During the third week 70%
5) After the third week 0%
Intermediate Ceramic Techniques
Mr. Yoshio Inomata
The objective of this course is to advance the techniques mastered in the "Basic
Ceramic Techniques". Main items to master in this course include: various sets of
ceramics works (i.e. multiples of same-sized works), large pots, large dishes, large
bowls, and so on.
Students in this class will also pursue decorative techniques introduced in the
previous semester, and try to combine them.
The schedule of studio practice will be the same as "Basic Ceramic Techniques".
Students eligible to apply to take this class are: 1) those who have finished "Basic
Ceramic Techniques" at Kansai Gaidai, or 2) those who have more than one year
experience with ceramics. (See the instructor before registration, as he gives permission
based upon the student's skill with the potter's wheel.)
Material Fee: ¥10,000.-
Advanced Ceramics Techniques
Mr. Yoshio Inomata
The objective of this course is to perfect the technique which is the most suitable for
each student. The course also gives students the opportunity to mix glazes as well as to
work on their original techniques.
The schedule of studio practice will be the same as "Basic Ceramic
Techniques".
In order to apply to take this course, students must obtain permission from the instructor.
They must have finished "Intermediate Ceramic Techniques" at Kansai Gaidai, or have
more than two-year experience with ceramic. (See the instructor before registration in
order to obtain permission. His judgment is based upon the ceramic techniques and the
basic knowledge of ceramics.)
Material Fee: ¥10,000.-
Japanese-Chinese Brush Painting
(SUMI-E)
Ms. Kathleen Scott
This studio course is designed to introduce students to the basic techniques of
Japanese-Chinese monochromatic ink painting. Material specific to this medium are
introduced and include various papers, inks, and brushes. During the first half of the
semester, traditional flower motifs (bamboo, orchid, plum, and chrysanthemum) are used
as points of departure. The latter half of the course is devoted to the compositional
principles and brush techniques involved in Japanese-Chinese landscape painting,
(J., sansui-ga).
Five hours of studio time are supplemented by a minimum of three hours of individual
work. Students are required to display one of their final works in an exhibition at the
end of the semester.
Classes meet three times a week, and one of these meetings is considered the primary
teaching day. New material is introduced and techniques applied. Due to the
importance of this first teaching day, in order to enroll in sumi-e, students must be able
to arrange their schedules to fit into one of the teaching blocs. The remaining schedule
will be arranged according to priorities.
Notes:
-No prior painting experience is required.
-As with all studio courses, attendance is mandatory.
-Class enrollment is limited to 35 students.
-Payment of the ¥10,000 materials fee must be completed before registration. In
the event this course is dropped, the following refund policy will be enacted:
1) During orientation 100%
2) During the first week of school 50%
3) During the second week 0%
-This course is worth 3 semester units of credit.