Waseda University

Human security is a new approach to security, which sheds light on non-traditional threats, and allows us to explore ways to safeguard people’s vital freedoms from fear and wants. This course will begin by considering what human security means, and how useful the concept is in understanding the contemporary security challenges, and how it intersects with various issue areas on the global security agenda. A specific emphasis will be given the themes of protection and empowerment of vulnerable people caught up in violent conflict and natural disaster. The course will conclude by examining the relevance of the human security approach to theories and practices of peacebuilding and natural disaster management. 

A new approach to security, human security has become more prominent in the global arena during the post-Cold War era.  This course begins by considering what human security means; how useful the concept is in understanding the contemporary security challenges, and how it intersects with various issue areas on the global security agenda. Specific emphasis will be given on the themes of protection and empowerment of vulnerable people caught up in violent conflict. The course concludes by examining the relevance of the human security approach to theories and practices of peacebuilding. 

This course explores what makes Japanese film directors not mere metteur-en-scene (director) but auteurs (authors) by surveying the visual forms and styles of their films as well as analyzing their preferred narrative concerns, contents and themes. It is not difficult to find auteurs in the Japanese cinema world: Mizoguchi Kenji, Ozu Yasujiro, Kurosawa Akira, and Oshima Nagisa are a few of the representative Japanese auteurs who, commanding absolute control over most stages of film-making, managed to create films with superlative characteristics in narrative, theme and visual style. Auteurs are film directors who have imprinted their own signature on their work. By the end of this course, the class is expected to recognize the signature of each auteur.

This course provides an introduction to jazz music and its history. Assigned readings focus on the music’s history; lectures attempt to bring that history to life, using examples from a wide range of sound recordings and film footage. The course devotes particular attention to the complex dynamic between change and continuity as the music developed over the course of the twentieth century, but also explores how jazz influenced and interacted with other musical forms. Although the emphasis will be on American jazz, the course will also consider jazz produced in other cultural contexts, including Japan.

This advanced Japanese course develops Japanese skills in an academic setting. Students are split into groups to engage in activities, discussion, and group work concerning the selected topic. The goal of the class is to help students to acquire academic language skills required in a variety of educational settings. The program offers various theme courses and students may take multiple sections.