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.