Japan

This course introduces the sociology of work. It is designed to provide an overview while also focusing on selected topics in greater depth. Topics covered include: the nature of work as a social construct; the historical dimension of work in different societies and times; classical theories of Marx, Weber and Durkheim; competing viewpoints of modern organization of work; social stratification of class, gender, race, and ethnicity; unpaid domestic labor; the technical aspects of work; the changing nature of work in the post-industrial knowledge economy, and the meaning of work in contemporary postmodern consumer societies. Please note that this course is reading, writing, and speaking intensive. The instructor also assigns frequent group work, with the expectation of fostering group members to engage in frequent conversation and grasp abstract concepts together.

Anthropology, at its core, is the study of humans and humanity in various times and places, and the ways that they make sense of and engage with their world. This course introduces students to anthropology as a discipline, specifically socio-cultural anthropology, through an exploration of various peoples and cultures and the similarities and differences that make us who we are. The course addresses what it means to be human and how to think anthropologically through the study of different cultures ranging from indigenous peoples across Africa, the Americas, and the Pacific, to modern cultures in Europe, North America, and Japan.

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
1) Develop and demonstrate a basic understanding of anthropology as a discipline, diverse cultures throughout the world, and some key anthropological concepts and methods.
2) Learn to critically read, interpret, and summarize anthropological texts.

3)  Learn how to investigate cultures, including their own, and interpret and analyze them using anthropological concepts.
4) Develop and practice core academic skills, such as critical reading, thought, and analysis, academic writing, and verbal communication.

This course reviews and masters elementary Japanese grammar and sentence patterns and develops a well-balanced lower intermediate level proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Students learn the 50 most important sentence patterns of the intermediate level, master 3000 basic words and 600 to 750 kanji. They read short written passages on various topics that consist of sentence patterns, grammar and new vocabulary, make speeches on topics familiar to them, and write well-organized passages.

This course focuses on the deep cultural learning and personal growth that can result from adjusting to life in another country. It addresses the psychology of adjusting to foreign experiences, including but not exclusive to, how experiences abroad can be either deep or shallow. The course also discusses the impact of living abroad on one’s values and identity. 

The course requires students to conduct an interview with someone about their intercultural experiences, then analyzing and presenting their findings to the group. The course aims to have students garner the most benefit from their intercultural experiences.