English

This course explores the debates and social research evidence around personal relationships in contemporary society. The course mainly draws on sociological and anthropological scholarship. Students learn about the interplay between intimate life and social organization, to understand better how wider social forces shape the most personal of experiences. Drawing on scholarship from across the globe, the course explores how intimacy and love differ across the cultural, socio-economic, and political contexts in which individuals live. The course explores different kinds of intimate relationships, whether romantic, family, or friendship based. Sexuality is explored as a practice of intimacy. 

This course is part of the Laurea Magistrale program. The course is intended for advanced level students only. Enrollment is by consent of the instructor. This course offers a study of the history and development of mass communication. The main topics are the development and growth of media from the past to the present; the role of media under various political systems and the influence of communication on national building; and the relationship between media and politics within different historical environments, in order to understand the importance of media to mass communication both past and present. Particular attention is given to several case studies to explain the role of media in the states propaganda.

This course examines important historical, cultural, and social influences on language in the United States. We begin with an historical introduction to the English language in the United States, and then turn to other language varieties, such as Native American languages and languages of major immigrant communities (e.g., Spanish, Asian languages). We will also survey major forms of language variation, including regional dialects (e.g., Southern American English), social dialects, and other forms of socially patterned variation (e.g., youth language and slang). Furthermore, we will examine important controversies such as bilingual education and African American Vernacular English, as well as discuss topics such as language policy, language rights, and recent efforts to restrict and revitalize minority languages. Throughout the course, we will try to not only study language in the United States, but will also explore what this particular setting can reveal about issues of language and society in other contexts around the world.

This course will require students to engage in critical thinking, synthesizing information from a wide range of sources (e.g., textbook, academic journals, videos) on a wide range of topics pertaining to the language situation in the United States and participate actively in class activities (e.g., discussions, debates). Students will also engage in an independent research project, the results of which they will present both orally and in written form.

This course analyzes Kim Jong Un’s summit diplomacy with South Korea and the United States as an approach to simultaneously pursue security and economic development. North Korea`s nuclear diplomacy with regard to the United States will be the core part of this course. The first half of the course focuses on Kremlinology, leadership analysis, and the succession of the Kim dynasty. In the latter half, historical reviews on North Korea`s foreign policy during the Cold War period as well as post-Cold War period will demonstrate how North Korea`s threat perception influences its provocative foreign policy. Then, the course moves to discuss influences of surrounding countries, namely, China, Japan, and Russia. Lastly, class discussions will be held on the future of North Korea, unification, and inter-Korean relations.

The first part of the course focuses on the foundations of public economics. The course introduces classical theories concerning equity, efficiency, and the rationales for government intervention in the economy. Students discuss market failure in the context of public goods and externalities, including environmental policy. They also discuss problems of public choice and political economics, and the implications of recent research in behavioral economics for policymaking. Students also study modern empirical methods that are used to evaluate the causal effects of public policies. The second part of the fall term considers social insurance policies, including unemployment insurance, disability insurance, retirement pensions, and public health insurance. Students study the economic rationale for government intervention in social insurance and the optimal type and extent of interventions, and they relate this to empirical evidence on the causal effects of changes in social insurance policies. In the spring term, the course is devoted to tax and transfer programs. The course begins by examining the incentive effects of taxes and transfers on labor supply, and then goes on to consider migration, tax avoidance, and tax evasion. As inequality is a key input to tax and transfer policy, we critically examine the measurement of and trends over time in income and wealth inequality in various countries. We look at the effect of taxation on economic efficiency and explore the optimal taxation of commodities and income. Finally, we consider questions of tax administration and apply them in a developing country context.

Why do we need social security? Will the private sector be able to provide them? This course emphasizes the criteria of efficiency and equity, as government plays an important role in performing the function of income redistribution through the social securities. The course also studies the theories and practices of social securities related to income distribution and redistribution. Hence, this course also tries to analyze social security from the viewpoints of welfare economics. In Japan, social security is composed of social insurance and social welfare. There was a huge increase of social security expenditures in Japan with the aging of society following the drastic increase of issuances of national bonds in the early 1990s. We discuss Japanese current systems of social securities, including annuity pensions, health care, and other social welfare programs.

This includes an opportunity to intern with organizations across industries, including tech firms, non-profit and community-based social enterprises, retail brands, legal services, and more. 

This course provides an overview of the Japanese legal system, enabling students to research, analyze and understand the basic structure of Japanese law. Students will examine various legal problems, expanding their critical thinking skills.

This course focuses on ethical and philosophical approaches to democracy. It introduces students to major theories of democracy, as well as major critiques of democracy. 

This course provides methodologies and tools for the adaptation of water resource systems with respect to climate change and climate variability. The course provides a fundamental understanding of the physical processes behind climate change and its effects on the hydrological cycle.  Course topics include the climate of the world, global circulation patterns, climate variability, basic meteorology, rain-generating processes, downscaling in time and space, changes in rainfall patterns, extreme events, disaster risk reduction, sea level change and its consequences on near-shore constructions, urban hydrology, maintaining quality drinking water in a changing climate, and problems unique to arid areas and developing countries.