Last update: March 11, 2019

Am St 2120 (811) Hip-Hop Culture: African Origins to Urban America

This course examines hip-hop culture and its relation to American & African American Culture in general. We will examine the historical origins of hip-hop culture from the Griot oral tradition in Africa up to the current global impact on youth consumption, imitation, appropriation, and customization (in particular, Japanese youth) of trends that have been spawned by the hip-hop culture in the U.S.A. We will also look at how hip-hop culture is a multi-dimensional phenomena and not simply a "style".

Art Hist 2096 (811) 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.

Art Hist 2800 (811) Japanese Graphic Design History

Japanese Graphic Design History explores the rise and development of commercial art and advertising art into graphic design in the Japanese context from the Meiji Restoration to the contemporary moment. This course examines the aesthetic, market-based and sociopolitical milestones that have influenced design while simultaneously exploring the pantheon of both renowned and underexplored Japanese graphic designers. Students will read relevant slices of design theory—the history, criticism and literature—from Asia, Europe and the Americas in order to contextualize Japanese Graphic Design History and the localized developments of Modernism, Postmodernism and the current Neoliberal Era. This course approaches the analysis of graphic design from an all-encompassing perspective, examining the design of everyday commercially designed objects such as matchbooks to posters for cinema and theater to the design of Japanese typefaces to the design of corporate identities. Students will gain a nuanced understanding of why and how our designed world looks the way it does through history-rich talks, graphic design studio visits with famous graphic designers, and trips to graphic design exhibitions. This class is the lone course offered globally that explores the robust history of Japanese Graphic Design in total.

Art Hist 2800 (812) Introduction to Japanese Architectural History

Japan’s architecture and its cityscapes evoke endless fascination: how to understand the Zen teahouse next to the neon Seven-Eleven or an elegant Shinto shrine in the midst of Shibuya Crossing? Japan’s contemporary built environment is a result of a rich and complex history. This class will introduce the student to the history of Japanese architecture and urbanism. We will examine individual buildings and urban landscapes, considering the historic, economic, socio-political, geographic and technological forces that have shaped the built environment of Japan from the earliest structures to the seismic resistant skyscrapers of today. The course will proceed chronologically with a focus on certain themes such as the aesthetics of Zen, issues of craftsmanship, traditional materials and ecology, the legacy of Meiji era “westernization,” and Modernist interpretations of traditional architecture and urban forms. The course will examine the varied international influences on, and of, Japanese architecture, from Imperial China to Frank Lloyd Wright to the many "star" architects (Maki, Ito, SANAA, Ban, Kuma etc.) working internationally today. The course will consist of lectures, group discussion and on-site classes in and around Tokyo.

Art Hist 2800 (813) Japanese Art Before and After WWII: From Manga to Performance Art

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 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 2000 (811)/GSWS 2000 (811) Gender and Sexuality in Asia

This course examines the ways men and women develop sexual identities through their membership in society, with a particular focus on East, South-East, and South Asian societies. We will analyze historical, cultural, social, and political constructions of gender, sexual knowledge, and identity, exploring how the construction of gender and sexuality has changed within each society as well as across the region. We will also examine the overwhelming heterosexual imperative in Asian societies, as well as the pervasive media influence on gender and sexual expressions. The course involves an analysis of sexual scripts, the production and reproduction of these scripts, and the impact of such scripts and media messages on individuals and society. The class will be conducted on a seminar basis involving presentation and discussion of assigned readings. All students will be assigned in rotation a reading for presentation. In each class, students will be required to submit summaries and discussion questions for the reading assignment in question.

As St 2000 (812)/Pol Sci 2000 (811) Democratization in Comparative Perspective – From Authoritarian Decades to the Rule of Law in South Korea (1972 to the present)

The Republic of Korea’s democracy is not only working smoothly, but is an exemplar in E Asia, as witnessed by the non-violent “Candlelight Revolution” in late 2016 that led to the successful impeachment of its president in March, 2017, and the lawful election of President Moon Jae-In in May that year. That was hardly the case in the years of military domination and authoritarian regimes – marked by political trials, torture of detainees, blatant suppression of the press, and more – in the decades of the 1970s & ‘80s. As a Comparative Politics’ case study, our course will walk you through the democratization process by which South Korea’s civil society – students, journalists, workers, religious leaders, and others – courageously stood up for human rights & successfully advocated for representative government. We will hear from guest speakers who were active in that effort, will visit key institutions from those times to the present, and plan to be in Kwangju on the 39th Anniversary of the famed but tragic “Kwangju Uprising” (May 18, 1980). Your instructor was a participant-observer in the democratization movement (1972-1987), invited back by the ROK Govt in recognition of his role therein, and will share insights from a career bridging the passions of those activist years with a Ph.D. – and decades of teaching – in Korean Politics.

As St 2030 (811) Japanese Civil Society: Development & Approaches to Current Issues

This course examines key factors influencing the development of civil society in Japan, the main challenges facing Japanese society today and how nonprofit NGOs deal with those issues. After reviewing the how the diverse socio-economic pressures have brought about opportunities and challenges for the development of civil society, the course focuses on approaches, specific issues and organizations using diverse approaches to meet the needs of targeted populations. Through the course we will consider topics such as the needs of marginalized populations, the roles of government and the private sector as well as policy change and implementation. The course will be hands-on and include group work, presentation, discussion and role-play activities. This course is for anyone interested in deepening their knowledge of the work of local nonprofit organizations and current issues facing Japanese society.

As St 3000 (812)/MSP 3590 (811) Exploring Japanese Popular Music

From today's AKB-48 and Hatsune Miku, back through Shonen Knife and the "Johnny's", past Hibari Misora and Kyu Sakamoto, all the way back to Gagaku (court music) and Matsuri Bayashi (festival music), Japanese popular music has long held a place of curiosity and fascination among many in the West. In this course, students and instructor will together evaluate the historical evolution of popular music styles in Japan, engage with current aesthetic trends, analyze Japan as a market for Western pop music, and examine the positioning of Japanese music for export to the West. We will meet and hear from Japanese music industry professionals, engage in weekly comparative analyses of the pop charts in Japan and the US, experience the "indie" scene in the "live houses" of Koenji and Shimokitazawa; visit the Takio Museum, attend a Tsugaru Shamisen performance and lecture, analyze the use of traditional Japanese instruments in contemporary idioms in both Japan and the West, visit the Yamaha corporation for a demonstration and discussion of their Vocaloid software, the key technology underlying the "virtual diva" Hatsune Miku, evaluate the efforts of Sony to export their idol group Perfume to the West, and more.

As St 4096 (811) Cold War in Asia

While the Cold War began in Europe, it was in Asia that it first turned “hot.” Moreover, several factors—especially decolonization, race, and the rise of nationalism—made the Cold War even more complex in Asia compared to Europe. This class will examine the changing nature of the Cold War in Asia from the mid-1940s to the early 1990s. We will pay special attention to the influence of ideologies, economics, perceptions of geopolitical realities, domestic politics, and culture on the policies and actions of key regional players such as the People’s Republic of China, Japan, and Vietnam, as well as the United States, the Soviet Union, and various European powers. That fact that divisions caused by the Cold War in Asia continue to shape the region—note the armistice separating the two Koreas—will also be considered. Students will be introduced to various interpretive frameworks developed by scholars to understand the actions of both state actors and nonstate actors. Analysis of a variety of primary sources will be central to this course. Since this is a writing intensive class, students will have the opportunity to become an expert in a particular aspect of Cold War Asia by selecting a significant topic that interests them and writing a research paper. This key element of the class will be divided into a four step process: proposal, primary source outline, first draft, and final draft.

FMA 3696 (811) History of Japanese Cinema

The history of cinema in Japan is filled with outstanding examples of stylistic innovation and of the creation of art for purposes of social criticism and political protest. In this course, we will study the rich and eventful history of Japanese cinema from the 1920s to the present through the work of some of its major directors, such as Ozu Yasujiro, Mizoguchi Kenji, Kurosawa Akira, Naruse Mikio, and Oshima Nagisa. We will also look at examples of work in such mainstream commercial genres as the samurai film, the contemporary urban crime film, comedy, horror, science-fiction, and anime. We will locate Japanese films in their historical, cultural, and institutional contexts, studying changes in the industrial system of major-studio filmmaking, the role of cinema in reflecting dominant and oppositional cultural positions, and the responses of cinema to social upheavals, the traumas of World War II, the postwar “economic miracle,” and more recent economic and social developments. We will also focus on gender roles in Japanese cinema, on portrayals of Tokyo in Japanese films, and on traditions of Japanese documentary.

Japanese 1003 (811) 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 (811) 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 (811) 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 (811) Kanji III

Kanji or Chinese characters are an integral part of Japanese orthography system, which is considered as a key factor to learners' reading comprehension and vocabulary building. However, Kanji is considered to be difficult and rather time-consuming to acquire especially for learners from alphabetic orthography systems such as English speakers. This course is a continuation of Kanji II and designed to promote students' understanding and mastery of additional 500 Kanji or more at the intermediate level. By mastering additional 500 Kanji, students will acquire the Kanji proficiency equivalent to JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test) N3 or N2, and also improve their reading and writing skills in addition to vocabulary building. In this course, students are expected to apply their understanding of Kanji principles and knowledge to learn intermediate Kanji. They will start learning Kanji representing abstract ideas and Kanji with complex radicals. Also, they will learn two- or three-Kanji combination words rather than individual Kanji as well as synonymous or antonymous expressions. Their progress and mastery will be monitored and tested by regular quizzes throughout the course. As part of learning process, students will be encouraged to try The Kanji Proficiency Test (Kanken) Level 7 to 6 depending on the degree of each student's mastery of Kanji.

Jour 3701 (811) 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 (811) 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 (811) 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.

Pol Sci 3520 (811)/As St 3000 (814) 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 4310 (811)/As St 3030 (811) 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.