Asian Studies

This course investigates various economic issues of South and North Korean economics without serious economic theory. The course covers the economic development differences between North and South Korean economies; the history of both economies after WWII,; trade between North and South Korean economy; each country’s export and import; each economy’s labor market, and each economy’s current situation. For a better understanding of Korean economic issues, the course employs economic concepts like GDP, inflation, unemployment, interest rate, and etc. 

This is a seminar course focusing on developing future leaders of domestic and international business. Through seminar-style dialogue with alumni association members, the course is designed for students to deepen their practical understanding of the work and the industry while helping students form their own career views. By interacting with alumni association members, students also have better understanding of Japanese business culture, ethic, and challenges that Japanese companies are facing.  The class is divided into a group of 10-15 people depending on topics discussed. 

"I want to make people laugh, but it's too difficult." "Everyone else is laughing, but I don't find it funny."... Are these difficulties related to "humor" due to personal preference, language ability, or socio-cultural background? This course explores thinking about the Japanese language and culture using funny stories, learning about the differences and commonalities between Japan's and other countries' senses of humor through comparing with other cultures and translation activities. (This course is conducted in Japanese.) 

Eligibility A2.1 level in the CEFR/JF Standard for Japanese-Language Education (N3 in the JLPT). 

Learning Objectives 

-Deepen understanding of the Japanese language, culture, and values. 

-Deepen understanding of the language, culture, and values of the students' home countries and regions. 

-Cooperate with Japanese and international students in group work and group presentations. 

-Improve communication skills in Japanese. 

Our conceptions of Japan are, like those of any country, shaped not only by our firsthand experiences but also by the images we see in the media, talk about with our friends, and hold in our thoughts. This course focuses on common images of Japanese culture and society—including artistic tropes, pervasive ideologies, and stereotypes—from the Meiji Period until contemporary times. Through contextual analysis of historical and contemporary media representations of Japanese culture or society (for example, advertisements and works of art), the course aims to build students’ critical engagement with the images they encounter in their daily lives. Each course positions these images in the context of global exchange, focusing on the interactions between understandings of Japan domestically and abroad. Students will be encouraged to apply the ideas discussed in class to familiar cultural texts, culminating in the production of a video or photo essay that examines a common idea about Japan today.

This course is taught in an omnibus format. Lectures and practical training will be provided on anime and video games. 
 

This course features host directors and producers who work on the front lines of animation production as guest speakers. Video materials are utilized to learn the origins of Japan's unique animation. 

Video games are now a major pillar of Japanese subculture. Thirty years have passed since the first video game, PONG, which started in the United States, achieved commercial success.  This course discusses the history of how American-born video games developed in Japan. 
Next, it looks at the current scale and trends of Japan's game industry, including some of its challenge, as well as how games are made; what kind of tasks are involved; the development process, and different jobs in game development. 

This course surveys the history of modern Japan from the late‐Tokugawa period to the present. The course gives an understanding of major events and analyzes the modern history of Japan in transnational and comparative contexts. It explores a number of common themes of modern global history: nation building, colonialism, total war, and various transformations and social conflicts in the postwar period. Students think critically about diverse historical interpretations and controversies. The course includes a broad range of historical debates and viewpoints.

Through collaborative learning between Japanese and foreign students, this course provides unique aspects of Japanese language and culture from contrastive views. By actively participating in discussions with students from diverse cultural backgrounds, one will deepen their understanding of Japanese language and culture, developing an appreciation of other cultures. In this class, students  will plan and carry out student-led seminars on the theme of how Japanese culture is reflected in the language.

Eligibility A2.2 level in the CEFR/JF Standard for Japanese-Language Education (N3 in the JLPT) 

Learning Objectives 

1. Through collaborative learning between foreign exchange students and Japanese students, enhance one's cross-cultural communication skills, explanatory skills and team building skills.  

2. By discussing some unusual aspects of Japanese language and culture from a contrastive point of view, deepen one's understanding of how Japan’s culture is reflected in its language and develop an appreciation of cultural diversity. 

3. By planning and actively participating in student-led seminars, gain collaborative skills through peer learning. 

This course approaches media and popular culture as a dynamic field of production, consumption, and contestation. After an initial phase of understanding forms of popular culture, the focus is put primarily on case studies from Japan, along with some comparative examples. This coures examines historical and contemporary meaning-making processes in context, introducing academic vocabulary and approaches while providing tools to examine popular culture and media.  There will also be in-class screenings. By the end of the term, students should be able to think cross-culturally, critically, and collaboratively about not only media and popular culture but also everyday life and the world in which we live.

This course will be offered as a companion course to JAPANESE BUDDHISM AND SOCIAL SUFFERING by the same instructor in the second half of the semester. You do not have to take both courses, but it is recommended to do so for a fuller understanding. Buddhism is the largest indigenous religion of Asia and has ancient roots in every country in the region, including majority Muslim ones like Bangladesh and Indonesia. However, in the contemporary age, it is in crisis, principally from the way economic and scientific modernity challenges its worldview and values. Buddhist institutions throughout the region have been responding to this crisis in variety of ways from nationalistic chauvinism, to market and technologically savvy new Buddhist organizations, and also progressive social action movements known as Socially Engaged Buddhism. This course will look at these different responses and attempts by Buddhism to remain relevant in the dynamic social landscape of contemporary Asia, while offering numerous case studies familiar to the instructor’s 25 years of experience throughout the region. 

This course will be offered as a companion course to JAPANESE BUDDHISM AND SOCIAL SUFFERING by the same instructor in the second half of the semester. You do not have to take both courses, but it is recommended to do so for a fuller understanding. Buddhism is the largest indigenous religion of Asia and has ancient roots in every country in the region, including majority Muslim ones like Bangladesh and Indonesia. However, in the contemporary age, it is in crisis, principally from the way economic and scientific modernity challenges its worldview and values. Buddhist institutions throughout the region have been responding to this crisis in variety of ways from nationalistic chauvinism, to market and technologically savvy new Buddhist organizations, and also progressive social action movements known as Socially Engaged Buddhism. This course will look at these different responses and attempts by Buddhism to remain relevant in the dynamic social landscape of contemporary Asia, while offering numerous case studies familiar to the instructor’s 25 years of experience throughout the region.