Last update: April 19, 2024

ARTH 2096 (801) Eurasia: 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.

ARTH 2800 (801) Japanese Art before and after WWII: National Identities in Modernization

This course introduces Japanese art from the early 20th 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 Foujita, Isamu Noguchi, 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.

ARTU 2400 (802)/CLA 1010 (801) COMMUNITY ARTS AND CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT PRACTICE

This course will explore the relationships between collective art-making and community engagement. The class will be introduced to the theories of community art and cultural development practices. We will visit local places to research the arts and communities specific to Setagaya. Then, we will propose and conduct community art projects. By collaborating with Showa Women's University (SWU) and sharing resources with locals, we hope to positively influence the dynamics between the schools and our neighbors. It is important to note that some excursions may be scheduled on Saturdays, Sundays, or holidays. CLA 1010 classes are held exclusively on Thursdays, while ARTU 2400 classes occur on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with a particular focus on actively engaging in community arts initiatives as an artist.

ARTU 3000 (801) ADVANCED ARTIST BOOKS

This course emphasizes the craft and conceptual development of bookmaking as an art form by refining bookbinding skills and further developing personal artistic themes. Throughout the semester students will learn in depth about advanced bookbinding and DIY independent publishing. Students will bind sample books, and experience producing items related to bookmaking such as box-making. llustration processes and some printmaking techniques will be covered, as well as further developing students’ knowledge of historical and contemporary bookmaking practices. As an end goal students will create a conceptual artist’s book or portfolio using processes learned throughout the course.

ARTU 3000 (802) POST-STUDIO PRACTICE

This topical course investigates post-studio practice with an emphasis on time-based, spatial, social and conceptual practices. Traditional notions of the studio became antiquated with the emergence of conceptual art in the 1960s. The role of the studio has been questioned and critiqued by the artists who experimented with other sites for the production and presentation of artworks. Newer forms of practice, including installation and performance, stepped out of the gallery and museum, and incorporate more the world outside, leading to the idea of “post-studio practice.” Today the idea and role of the studio are continually reinvented corresponding to new realities. Offering instruction in the composition of works ranging from time-based and text-based works to performance and installation, this course also looks at ways artists have developed their own practices outside of, or in opposition to, conventional understandings of artistic media. Each student will produce a proposal-based final project and complete several short assignments. The basic course structure includes a critique of student work, hands-on workshops on the use of various digital tools, programs, and sculpture methods. The course will also provide studio time in and outside of class to further develop students’ vision, concerns, and execution of artworks. Basic knowledge of Adobe Creative Suites on a Macintosh platform and prior studio art experience are recommended.

ASST 2000 (750) Japanese Popular Culture: Debates and Controversies

Over the past few decades, Japanese popular culture has attracted unprecedented notice around the world. Manga and anime, of course, but attention is also being paid to Japanese snacks, idols, television dramas, novels, and films—inspiring their fans to learn the Japanese language. In this course we will peer behind the scenes of popular culture while looking at contested creative and political issues that shape it. For example, is the term “otaku” pejorative? How has Japanese music been a battleground for linguistic discussions? Might Pikachu be able to bring regional peace in Asia? Should idols get to date? Does it make sense for the government to invest in kimono exports if the attire is protested abroad as cultural appropriation? Was The Tale of Genji really Japan’s first novel? Do Japanese color words make the country’s roads dangerous? Can comedians joke about the country’s politics on TV? Are “weird Japan” media portrayals an offshoot of the “Cool Japan” phenomenon? Does anime decrease the country’s birthrate? Should game designers adhere to social values of the West? How do words like “ai” or “love” that enter Japan’s lexicon from foreign translation continue to shape domestic culture?

ASST 2000 (801)/SOC 2130 (801) IDEOLOGY AND SOCIAL CHANGE IN JAPAN

Ideology and Social Change in Japan addresses the ideological components of contemporary social and political issues in Japan. The study of ideology involves analysis of conceptual frames of reference, based upon an understanding of cultural values and beliefs as they are articulated through political discourse and embodied in public policy. This course approaches Japanese social change from a comparative perspective, with reference to globalization and its effects on Japanese culture today. Topics addressed will include Japanese nationalism, racial/ethnic minorities and their status in an increasingly diverse society, gender roles & family, the “soft power” politics of youth and popular culture, and economic stratification in the labor market. The course also examines the profound effect that Japan's history of disasters (especially the 3/11 Tohoku disasters: earthquake, tsunami and the Fukushima nuclear crisis) have brought to Japan, and the social and psychological impact of rapid social change in this uniquely post–modern society.

ASST 3000 (801)/POLS 3520 (801) 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. 

ASST 3030 (801)/POLS 3510 (801) JAPAN'S INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Tensions with China, the missile threat from North Korea, concerns about the durability of the alliance with the United States, these are just some of the most pressing issues in Japan's international relations. This course aims to facilitate a deeper understanding of such problems by providing a broad overview of Japan's most important international relationships. Particular emphasis is placed on the country's dealings with the United States, China, the two Koreas, and Russia, though attention is also drawn to relations with other regions and international organisations. In so doing, the topics of the regional balance of power, historical memory, and global trade patterns are all brought to the fore. As the focus of international politics continues to shift towards the Asia-Pacific region, this subject of Japan's place in the world is of ever greater significance.

ASST 3030 (802)/POLS 4310 (801) CHINESE FOREIGN POLICY

What does the rise of China mean for international society? What are the major challenges for China's relations with major powers in the world? What factors drive or constrain Chinese foreign policy? These questions are of significant importance for our understanding of international relations. This course explores modern Chinese foreign policy in a historical and sociological perspective. It aims to help students understand the domestic and international contexts of Chinese foreign relations by examining a variety of aspects, such as the history of modern Chinese foreign policy (from mid-19th century to the present), the institutions and process of Chinese foreign policy making, political culture and Chinese foreign relations, China and major powers (the US, Japan, EU, and Russia), and China's role in global governance. As a 4000-level research seminar, beside building up the knowledge about Chinese foreign policy, students are expected to participate in class discussion and develop their research interests on specific topics in this field.

ASST 4096 (750) The Japanese Occupation of Southeast Asia

A focus on Japan's occupation of Southeast Asia between 1942 and 1945 and related topics. Designed primarily for history majors, this course emphasizes research and writing skills. Seminar presentations and a research paper are required.

ASST 4096 (801) Environmental History of Modern East Asia

In this writing intensive course, we will explore the changing relationships between human beings and “nature” in East Asia from the late-sixteenth century to the present day. Even for students with a strong background in early modern and modern East Asian history will find that the historical terrain we will look at will appear different. This is because the methods we are going to use in this course are different that what are used in a typical history course. Using many different disciplinary perspectives, this class will take a look at the historical interactions between the human world (culture) and the nonhuman world (nature). You will find that distinguishing between where culture begins and where nature ends can be quite difficult. Some of the questions that we will be thinking about as we move along are: How has the land and ocean limited or enabled human settlement and development of Japan, China, and Korea? How have human relationships with terrestrial and maritime worlds changed over time? How do the relationships differ from place-to-place? Who – or what – has flourished or suffered as human beings have altered the world around them? How have valuations of “nature” changed over time?

CLA 2020 (801 & 802) 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.

CLA 2030 (801, 802, & 804) 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.

CLA 2030 (803) EMERGING LEADERS

In a digitally connect world, understanding the perspective of leaders and followers is key. Throughout this course you should reflect on how you view leadership—both as a member of the team and as a team leader. The emphasis of this course is on application of leadership concepts in the TUJ community and globally. You will meet leaders from various fields, and you will exercise your own leadership in a student-run project. This course assumes that leadership can be learned. Anyone can be a leader at any point in their life. Leadership is not confined to titles and positions. Leadership is a relationship and a commitment.

JPNS 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.

JPNS 3000 (750) INTRODUCTION TO TRANSLATING JAPANESE TO/FROM ENGLISH FOR NON-NATIVE SPEAKERS OF JAPANESE

This introductory translation course is designed for advanced learners of Japanese whose language proficiency level falls somewhere between JLPT Level 2 and Level 1 or equivalent. In this course, students will be provided with translation exercises whose themes are categorized to be non-academic materials. “Non-academic” in this course ranges from magazine articles, comics, advertisements, and instructional manuals to movie/animation subtitles. These non-academic genres are omnipresent in our daily life in Japan, which require our in-depth understanding of complex nuances of the Japanese language. The ultimate goal of this course, therefore, is to deepen as well as to broaden students’ understanding of Japanese language structures and shades of meanings by translating and exploring different genres.

POLS 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 was made evident by Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. This course traces the political and economic development of the post-Soviet states and highlights their continued difficulties in managing relations amongst themselves and with the world more generally. Inevitably, most attention in this course goes to Russia and Ukraine, but time is also spent studying political developments in Central Asia and the Caucasus.

PSY 3620 (801) Intercultural Marriage

This is an introduction to the major social and psychological aspects of Japanese-Western intercultural marriage. A brief historical introduction covers relevant aspects of general Japanese-Western interaction in history, as well as present-day Japanese attitudes towards Westerners (and vice versa). Different phases of reciprocal adjustment will be discussed, as well as the salient social and psychological reasons for potential conflicts in an intercultural marriage. Major factors are: differences in customs and values, male and female role expectations, living conditions, the role of the in-laws, medical matters, language, religion, politics, communication problems, need for friends, finances, and social class. When raising their children, interculturally married parents may be challenged by differing attitudes towards being a father and a mother, education; and the children’s feeling that they are “different” from other children. Despite many problems, intercultural marriage can be a tremendous positive challenge, which offers many chances for greater personal growth and deeper human and cultural understanding.

PSY 3620 (802) 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 the unique cultural aspects of body image in various countries. In addition, we will examine the role of males, family, peers, and the media in the development and maintenance of body dissatisfaction. Moreover, potential prevention and intervention techniques will be discussed.