Waseda University

This course looks into important roles that the judicial branch in the U.S. and its judges have played in the evolution of the U.S. Constitution. The course first examines theoretical considerations behind the role of the judiciary. Then it looks at how the U.S courts have performed this role, organized around three major themes: 1) the extent to which the ideology of the judges affect their decision-making; 2) the effectiveness of the courts in bringing about social change, and 3) the tensions between the judiciary and the other political branches. This course examines the aforementioned topics through cases that have divided U.S. society and politics-- such as abortion rights, same-sex marriage, gun regulation, racial and gender equality, and the President's power over immigration.
 

 What is culture? What is technology? How are the two related? What is our relationship with each or both? How do we live in a culture surrounded by technological objects, artifacts, structures, and institutions? How does technology change culture, and vice versa?

This course is designed to provide students with the theoretical tools to begin asking questions for themselves and seeking better answers. The course examines key themes in technology studies that involve the social, political, economic, and cultural contexts in which technological artifacts, services, and platforms are produced, distributed, networked, and used. 

This course is designed primarily for non-business majors, offering basic knowledge of international business practices and the theory behind them. It covers a large area of business practices including exporters and importers.  The course aims to understand the basic logics why cross-broder business exists and also the significance behind the documents or procedures for trade practices. The course discusses current topics relating to international trade and business.

This seminar is for students who are interested in political methodology, a subfield of political science focused on the development of quantitative tools for political analysis as well as their innovative applications. Building upon the basic statistical and data analytic skills acquired in Statistics I/II, students deepen their understanding of statistical methods and implementation essential for the quantitative analysis of political data through lectures, computer lab exercises, data examples, and in-depth discussions. 

Students are assumed to have good mastery of the topics covered in Statistics I and II. It is strongly recommended that students review the materials from these courses before the class begins.

This course addresses the following questions: What is the history of Human Rights discourse, and what is the place of Anthropology therein? Should Human Rights be universal or should they be listed or applied with reference to particular cultural worldviews? What critiques of the international human rights regime have been put forth by anthropologists thus far? How can international organizations that promote Human Rights, and state governments that sign on to international human rights legal instruments, benefit from the historical emphasis by the anthropological community on the notion of cultural relativism and respect for diversity? What is the role of NGOs in parallel to Anthropology in these processes? 

The first section of the course includes a revision of the history of International Human Rights Law. The second part addresses the anthropological critique of that body of law and its applications. 

This is a unique culture cluster course which focuses on advancing students’ framework for investigating fundamental questions in culture, language, and law. The course is divided into three sections. The first two sections are devoted to learning various cultural theories in relation to private and public law. The remaining weeks focus on issue analysis. 

This course examines the long-term perspectives of environmental and climate change policies in France and Japan, considering historical developments, current challenges, and future prospects. It engages with a range of sources in French, English, and Japanese to develop a comprehensive understanding of the policies, strategies, and frameworks implemented in the context of environmental and climate change.  The course provides an opportunity to develop one's ability to analyze and compare the approaches and effectiveness of environmental and climate change policies between France and Japan.

This course will be essentially taught in English and, depending on the students' proficiency level in French, will use some or many documents in French. 

The course brielfy introduces ethics and the history of computing and the Internet. It focuses on a number of areas in which computers and information technology impact society, including work, the environment, privacy, freedom of speech, and intellectual property. 

This course provides fundamental knowledge of media history in Japan and Asia from the late 19th century to the early 21st century, discussing the historical process of the transformation of relations between media, governments and peoples. The focus is to promote historical understanding and analysis of media development with influences in political process.

To understand contemporary international society in the wave of globalization, it is no longer enough to follow behavior and interaction of governments. Other actors, such as NGOs, supranational organizations, migrant or indigenous communities, as well as other cultural entities including minorities and individuals, have transnational networks and influences. After defining globalization and methodology, the course sheds light on transnational influence of international migration and cultural exchanges through colonization, decolonization, and structural changes of postwar international politics. The latter half analyzes reasons and solutions for contemporary issues concerning international migration. This course focuses on the Asia-Pacific region with examples from former British colonies and Japanese policies.