Japan

This course reflects on the impact of the environment on the economy, particulary the economic impacts of natural disasters in Japan. The course also discusses how Japanese society has mitigated and prepared against the effects of natural disasters since the mid-19th century.  

This course examines the complex relationships between media and multiple varieties of communities, including national, local, ethnic, and subcultural groups. Through readings from multiple academic fields, the course addresses the media’s potential to change one’s understanding of cultures and how one relates to cultures they see as ‘other,’ as well complicating the divisions between the two. 　 
　 
The first half of the course discusses the role of nations and national cultures in the production, transmission, and consumption of media texts. Then, the course examines the complexities of community in the digital age, focusing on the spread of ideas across national and cultural borders through online participation. 

This course covers the basic theories of behavioral economics and discusses papers published in major journals in recent years in a group-reading style. Utilizing behavioral economics, it analyzes recent trends in development econmics research.

Course prerequisites: Advanced undergraduate or graduate-level microeconomics and econometrics.

This class is designed for students to learn basic Japanese (CEFL, A1 level), focusing on Japanese language necessary for living in Japan. The class aims to help students to: 1) Communicate using basic words and expressions; 2) Convey information about themselves, their experiences, and simple comments in conversation; and 3) Understand basic Japanese syntax, vocabulary, and pronunciation, and gain familiarity with Japanese notation.

This course explores the challenges and dilemmas of globalization, especially with regard to global human mobility; cultural flows and transformation; multiculturalism; ethnic communities; identities; citizenship, social divisions and inequality. While taking a global, comparative approach, this course places special emphasis on Japan and other industrial countries. Through lectures, discussions, and other class activities, the class collectively examines and evaluate key concepts and theories to deepen one's understanding of issues related to transnational sociology. 

This class is designed for students with advanced Japanese proficiency to identify the author's perspective based on the tone of academic texts in Economics. The course provides opportunities for students to develop academic writing and oral communication skills for logically constructing academic arguments. Participants select their own research topic; present seminar-style; prepare summaries and presentation slides, and deliver mini-presentations. 

This course provides opportunities for students to learn Japanese vocabulary, grammar and conversation that are useful in university life. Participants are expected to express what they want to say in basic Japanese; learn about Japanese language culture and values, and expand their world through learning Japanese language. This class offers blended learning: a self-directed learning (SDL) session in which students are required to learn individually using online materials (equivalent to one 100 min period/ week), and a real time session (Zoom) in a classroom with other students (one 100-min period/ week).  

Using New Express Plus: Burmese by Masahiko Katō as the course textbook, this course teaches the fundamentals of spoken Burmese. 

This course focuses on addressing events and challenges that arise when living in a foreign cultural environment. By examining the differences between living in one's home country and living a foreign culture, the course explores effective strategies to adapt to intercultural settings. The class will provide an opportunity for students to introduce their culture; analyze the differences between their culture and Japanese culture, and present their findings. The course aims to provide the skills to live respectfully in any intercultural context, while valuing and respecting the cultures of others.

This course examines the relationship between the Enlightenment and the crisis of the Old Regime in 18th century France. During the decades from the mid-eighteenth century to the French Revolution, the Enlightenment reached its peak, and social, political and cultural changes became evident.  The course deals with not only the writings of several major philosophers but also their life and activities in order to understand the social and political problems with which they were faced at the time.