Last update: November 12, 2018

Art Hist 2096 (801) Connecting European and Asian Art and Culture

Even though we are living in a globalizing world, our common knowledge of cultures other than our own is limited. Since every culture has its own uniqueness, it can often cause misunderstandings during interpretation. Located on the eastern side of Eurasia, Japan can be seen as a reflection of Europe itself in many ways. By comparing the cultures and historical incidents of these parts of Eurasia, they echo resounding similarities. This class connects European and Asian cultures into the singular continental culture of Eurasia - through cross cultural comparisons of significant moments in history and places of significance. Upon completion of this course, you will be able to compare the social and historical contexts of Europe and Japan, while being able to create your own critical analysis's on this area of study. Although, not required, it is recommended to take “Japanese Culture” course before taking this course.

Art Hist 2098 (801) Feminist Art and Theory

The development of feminist movements and theories in the latter half of the 20th century has been and continues to be one of the most critical and productive forces to shape the direction and reception of postwar art. In this course, we will examine various trajectories of Western feminist theory and how they have intersected with feminist art practices and feminist art historiographies. By reading a range of primary and secondary texts, considering relevant artworks, and discussing their contemporary implications, we will consider critically a broad range of feminist practices and take seriously the urgent need to undo habits of classist, heteronormative, misogynist, racist, and sexist thinking. Through the course we will consider topics such as the definitions of sexual difference; performative constructions of gender; distinctions between sex and gender; relations between gender, sex, the look, and the gaze; the division of labor along lines of sexual difference; politics pertaining to representations of the sexed body; intersections between race, sex, and sexuality; relations between feminist and queer theories; those between feminist and postcolonial theories; and how all of these concerns might be put to productive and practical use against a heteronormative, masculinist, patriarchal, and white supremacist society.

Art Hist 2800 (801) Japanese Art Before and After WWII: From Manga to Performance Art

This course introduces Japanese art from the early 20 th century to present day, focusing on traditional aspects of Japanese cultures. Through this course you will study Japan's relationship with modernization and its influence on arts and cultures such as; painting, sculpture, manga, movie, animation, performance art, and more. The artists who will be discussed in these courses will be; Hayao Miyazaki, Osamu Tezuka, Leonard Tsuguharu Fujita, Yasujiro Ozu, Yoko Ono, Yukio Mishima, and Yasumasa Morimura. Special attention will be paid to the historical context of Japan's modernization, World War II, and their influences on Japanese contemporary art. The aim of this course is to help you develop literacy on Japanese modern/contemporary art and culture. Upon completion of this course, you will be able to understand the social and historical context of Japanese art and culture. Enabling you to create your own critical analysis's on this particular field of study. Previous knowledge of Japan's history or art is not required for this course.

As St 2030 (801) Disaster Japan: Earthquake, Tsunami, Nuclear Crisis and the Politics of 3.11

The great East Japan Tohoku Earthquake of March 11, 2011 was among the greatest disasters in history and the direst social crisis in Japan in the post-war era. This course examines the events of 3.11, from the immediate aftermath of the Tsunami, Earthquake and nuclear crisis and the application of crisis management philosophies and procedures, to its influence on Japanese Civil Society, electoral politics and the reinvigoration of the anti-nuclear movement, and volunteerism in participatory politics.

As St 4096 (801) Contemporary Political & Security Relations in Northeast Asia: Japan, China & the Korean Peninsula

With three of the world's leading economies, N.E. Asia plays a significant role in an increasingly globalised environment. In political terms, however, relations among Japan, China, and the two contending states on the Korean Peninsula are often tense and fraught with difficulties. In security terms as well, regional territorial disputes and the real danger of military conflict on the Korean Peninsula - with sabre-rattling over how to deal with a nuclear-armed North Korea - call for timely study and attention. This course utilises International Relations' and Security Studies' approaches to explore current tensions, relations, and prospects for war or peace in the whole of N.E. Asia.

As St 4096 (802) Self, Culture, and Illness in Japan

Who are we? How is our understanding of our ‘self' related to our physical and/ or psychological well-being? And to what extent do our cultural backgrounds affect our conceptions of well-being? This capstone writing course (for Asian Studies major) will aim at answering these questions through critically exploring the cross-cultural conceptions of self, health, and illness with particular focus on Japanese society. The topics to be covered in this course will include anthropological perspectives on conceptions of the self/ personhood, health/ illness/ disease, body/ mind, mental health & therapy, as well as critical perspectives on medical and healing systems. Students registered for this course will read works on these topics and will be encouraged to reflect on their own everyday practices so that they can engage deeply with the topics in the Japanese context and critically assess previous writings. They will also conduct independent research on a topic of their choice for the final research paper (upon consultation with the instructor) and will make a presentation on the topic. In the writing process, students will deepen their skills in choosing bibliographic tools, in finding and evaluating authoritative sources, and organizing and properly formatting a research paper.

FMA 3696 (802) Art Cinema in the 21st Century

This course will examine the aesthetics, politics, and economics of global art cinema since the year 2000. Throughout the course, we will investigate various definitions of the art film and identify prominent features shared by recent art films. We will also discuss and learn about film festivals, audiences, national cinemas, funding mechanisms, distribution, and exhibition. A selection of important recent feature films and documentaries from around the world will be screened, with special attention to (among other countries) China, Japan, Thailand, Romania, Western Europe, Argentina, Chile, the United States, and Canada.

Japanese 1003 (801) Oral Intensive I

A bridge between beginning and intermediate Japanese levels, this course emphasizes vocabulary building and the use of spoken Japanese through situational conversational practice. Tests will be in the forms of listening and reading comprehension and structured interviews. An ability to read and write hiragana and katakana is required, as is a mastery of most basic grammatical rules.

Japanese 2000 (801) Practical Japanese for Study Abroad Students

This course is designed to give Temple Study Abroad Program students the essential conversational and written Japanese necessary to negotiate their time in Japan. Lectures, assignments, field trips, and other activities will be designed with practical, day-to-day life in Japan in mind. This course is not part of the Japanese Language and Literature major, and students pursuing this major or more rigorous study of the language should register for the formal course sequence, beginning with 1001.

Japanese 2003 (801) Oral Intensive II

A bridge between intermediate and advanced Japanese levels, this course focuses on vocabulary acquisition in a variety of conversational situations. Throughout the semester, several vocabulary quizzes and structure tests will be given, while the final exam will be in the form of interviews. Students are required to complete one project involving various communication activities outside the classroom. Note, the course uses different materials and works on different topics every semester and thus is repeatable. Students need prior written permission from the instructor to repeat.

Japanese 3010 (801) Japanese Communication and Culture II

This course is designed to enhance students' understanding of the intersection between language and culture in Japanese society. The course will provide students with opportunities to address questions regarding Japanese communication styles and/or language use which they might have encountered in Japanese speaking communities and to recognize how Japanese language used in real life situations is diverse. The course will cover a wide range of topics that address language use and variations in Japanese society, such as language and gender, honorifics, dialects, the use of English, and so on. Students will be encouraged to share their own observations and thoughts of Japanese language and its speakers in class.

Jour 3701 (801) Journalism and Japan's Geopolitical Impact on the World

Asia's geopolitical impact on world affairs continues to expand in significance and tenure. What role do the press play in informing and deciphering the vast interaction of politics, business and culture? This course aims to introduce students to timely issues through attending real press conferences, discussion and practical journalistic writing. All students taking the course are given free student membership at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan and the Japan National Press Club.

Lib Arts 2020 (801) International Career Strategies

The aim of this course is to help students develop a professional mindset. It is designed to explore the career competencies and strategies that are necessary to confidently and successfully transition from college life to the workplace or graduate school. Emphasis is placed on developing the skills necessary in an international career. Participants will use these skills throughout their working life as professionals, managers, executives, or entrepreneurs. This is not a lecture course. It is an interactive workshop giving business majors, in particular, a chance to develop and realize their career potential through exploring career options, preparing a strategy to launch a fulfilling career and improving written and oral presentation skills. The course should increase the student's ability to: Present professionally (in writing and in person), realistically assess talent and job potential, think critically and creatively about career options and start an international or domestic career search.

Lib Arts 2030 (801) Technology in International Business

Explore the role of information technology as a business enabler and take a look at management information systems' impact on business models and society. Evaluate the organizational fit and suitability of various technologies and interpret the interaction between information technology, customers, processes, data, human resources, and the overall internal and external environment of international businesses. Understand the ethical challenges of information technology and explain the evolving role of management information systems in the organization, and the role and careers of MIS professionals.

MSP 3890 (801) TUJ Film Festival

TUJ's film festival is a great place for TUJ's filmmakers to gain exposure and awards every year. In this hands-on course you will be judging entries, produce English or Japanese subtitles for the films selected and promote and organize the actual screening event.

MSP 3890 (802) Creating Music for Media

Music for film, documentaries, commercials, tv and radio is one of the most vital parts of creating a final successful product. There is a reason that composing for media is a full time career and in many universities an actual major. The media creator that understands first hand what is entailed in selecting, creating and building the perfect music to enhance the mood, the emotion, the viability of the final creation will be the most successful of producers. To know the difference in tempos, tones, dynamics, instrumentation, styles and moods helps you make original and innovative choices to finish your projects in the most professional way. We will be exploring simple techniques to build tracks, manipulate music using basic editing techniques and digital options, and then eventually begin to create original music even if you are not a studied musician. You will be taught how to analyze how the masters in film composing have created and then begin to follow those step by step formulas without having to knowing any music theory.

Pol Sci 3520 (801)/As St 3000 (802) Korean Politics

This course is about the government and politics in South Korea. We will first take a look at the historical processes from the liberation and division of the Korean peninsula to the democratization and economic development of the South Korea and nuclear and economic challenges of North Korea. We will then survey the political institutions and groups that shape politics and policy making in South Korea. We will analyze how mechanisms of delegation, representation, and accountability work, and what authorities and constraints decision makers possess and face. We will also analyze the politics and political economy of policy reforms by focusing on several areas of policy making. Lastly, we will look at the current state and prospects of Japan-Korea relations with a special attention to the ways in which history and present-day political institutions shape the incentives and thus, behaviors of the major decision makers in each of the respective countries.

Pol Sci 3530 (801) African Politics

Since 1945, the political structures governing Africa have changed perhaps more than in any other continent. At the same time, the success of African countries, cities and people have diverged markedly. How can we explain why this is so? African countries went from being colonies, to democratic republics, to authoritarian regimes, slipping into civil and between-country conflicts and moving back towards democracy. Some countries skipped steps or added steps of their own, while the pace varied across the board. At the same time, what came to be the central theme in African politics—development—remained an elusive ideal to which progress was made in some cases but not others. This class is going to try to demystify what's going on. We'll look at what different people have said, carefully weigh their arguments, and try to understand the rationale and natural logic for what we observe in Africa today. By the end of the semester you will have a clearer picture of contemporary Africa, a firmer understanding of why it came to be so, and where it is heading. This is a research preparation course, and we will also cover the purpose of original research, how to frame a research question and hypothesis, and different methodologies for empirical work.

Pol Sci 4320 (801) Eurasian Politics: The International Affairs of Russia, Central Asia, and the Caucasus

The Soviet Union may be long gone, but the countries that emerged from its collapse in 1991 remain highly significant in international affairs. This course traces the political and economic development of these independent states and highlights their continued difficulties in managing relations amongst themselves and with the world more generally. Inevitably, most attention in this regard goes to Russia. The largest country in the world, Russia dominates the Eurasian landmass and, via its veto in the UN Security Council and enormous nuclear arsenal, it retains a leading role in international politics. In discussing its global standing, this course places particular emphasis on Russia's status as an "energy superpower", its perception in the West as an unscrupulous spoiler, and its recent decision to reorient the country towards the Asia-Pacific. A further key topic is Russia's plan to create a Eurasian Union, a project condemned by the US as "a move to re-Sovietise the region". Away from Russia, this course has three further areas of focus. The first is Central Asia, where vast natural resources have encouraged the West and China to challenge Russia's hegemony. The second is the Caucasus where the 2008 Georgia-Russian war and the frozen conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan have left an explosive legacy. Lastly, there is Eurasia's western fringe where the people of dictatorial Belarus and politically unstable Ukraine struggle to determine whether their future lies with Europe or Russia.

Pol Sci 4896 (801) Contentious Politics and Social Movements

This seminar examines how ordinary citizens attempt to influence political decision-making in national and global politics. Citizens may organize street demonstrations, join political strikes, occupy buildings, and start hunger strikes. They also can use more contentious and violent forms of protest and resistance such as insurgencies and armed rebellions. In this seminar, students will study different modes of protest, passive or active, collective or individual, through a discussion of theories of contentious politics and social movements. Students will be exposed to various case studies ranging from revolutions in the 20th century to the Arab Spring in the 21st century. By the end of the semester, students will write a research paper on a specific case of contentious politics or social movements.

Pol Sci 4896 (802) Foreign Policy Analysis

Whether ordering military strikes, funding opposition groups, or seeking to sign new trade deals, foreign policy decisions are some of the most momentous choices facing national leaders. However, what are the processes that cause decision makers to select one course of action over another? This is the key subject matter of Foreign Policy Analysis. This course introduces students to this sub-discipline of International Relations. It teaches them the field's history, as well as its main theories and distinctive “levels of analysis” approach. Having learned these basics in the abstract, students are then required to apply the methods of Foreign Policy Analysis to specific case studies to determine which causal factors were most important in the making of each decision. The case studies selected cover a range of time periods and geographical regions, including the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Vietnam War, the atomic bombings of Japan, the 2003 invasion of Iraq, North Korean nuclear brinkmanship, and Russia' s annexation of Crimea.

Psych 3620 (801) Body Image Disturbances Among Females in Contemporary Societies

In contemporary societies such as the US and Japan, increasing numbers of young females are suffering from negative body image. In this topics seminar, we will learn about body image and body dissatisfaction, how it develops and what it leads to, and unique cultural aspects of body image in various countries. In addition, we will examine the role of males, family, peers, and the media in development and maintenance of body dissatisfaction. Moreover, potential prevention and intervention techniques will be discussed.

Psych 3620 (802) Clinical Sexology in the Japanese Context

This course introduces the topic of clinical sexology offering discussion about various sexuality phenomena, which shape the contemporary Japanese society. Modern Japan is facing dramatic changes regarding sexual expressions, gender roles and expectations, as well as sexual behaviors, which challenge the time-honored stereotypes about feminine and masculine sexuality in Japan. This course also offers a comprehensive analysis of Japanese sexuality from clinical, psychological, social and cultural perspective, and it introduces cross-cultural models of clinical interventions, applicable in the Japanese context. In addition, the clinical and counseling tools applicable in cross-cultural sexology will be discussed in order to offer the students an opportunity to enrich their psychological studies.

Psych 4696 (801) The Power of Belief

In this capstone course we will explore the omnipresence of belief throughout psychology by examining what beliefs are and how they have been studied throughout the fields of psychology. Reading-centered discussions will facilitate development of your question and subsequent research. You will independently conduct a literature review and propose an empirical research study to attempt to answer your research question while contemplating practical implications of your answer for humans or societies of the world today.