Last update: December 19, 2022

ANTH 2310 (811)/ASST 2000 (811) Diversity in Japan

Japan is often characterized as a “homogenous” and “unique” society with persistent gender gaps and a lack of accommodation for people with disabilities, while known as one of the most Westernized, developed countries in Asia.  What roles have ideas of race and ethnicity played in the construction of Japan’s national identity, and how have they evolved in relation to Asian and Western others? How have Japan’s racial/ethnic minorities negotiated their identities against its mono-racial/mono-ethnic “myth”? How have gender ideologies been sustained, challenged, and/or practiced in families, education, workplaces, or popular culture in Japan? What have been the experiences of children and people with disabilities and/or special needs in Japanese education and larger society, and to what extent has Japan become an inclusive society for all? This course will examine these questions through historically contextualizing Japan’s present state surrounding issues of race/ethnicity, gender/sexuality, and disability, shedding light on ways in which these categories and issues have been interconnected through perspectives of intersectionality. We will explore ways in which diversity has been represented/articulated, masked, problematized, and/or negotiated in various oral and textual discourses, from policies, popular culture representations, to personal narratives in Japan.

 

ARTH 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.

 

ARTH 2660 (811) The Family in Japanese Film from Melodrama to Anime

This course considers the history of postwar Japanese cinema through its representations of the family. One of the major recurring subjects of Japanese film history, the family will be examined through critical texts addressing changing attitudes and sociopolitical contexts regarding such issues as modernization, nostalgia, postmodernism, gender, and sexuality. The course will consider films of various genres including classic melodrama, new wave, experimental narrative, documentary, and anime produced by a range of directors including Yasujiro Ozu, Nagisa Oshima, Toshio Matsumoto, Juzo Itami, Yoshimitsu Morita, and Hayao Miyazaki.

 

ARTH 2800 (811) 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 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.

 

ARTH 2800 (812) 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.

 

ARTU 3000 (811) 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. lllustration 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.

 

ASST 2000 (812)/SOC 2130 (811) Risk Culture: The Politics Of Pandemics, Natural Disasters And Nuclear Energy

As a global viral pandemic is transforming the world, the ways in which cultures institutionalize what constitutes acceptable parameters of risk has become increasingly evident. The COVID-19 pandemic is a transformative crisis, but it is only one instance of a larger process of how we calibrate perceived threat and attempt to impose a sense of normalcy in an increasingly precarious world. In Japan this was especially evident in the Tohoku disasters of 2011, when the largest earthquake ever recorded in Japan, a tsunami that took almost 20,000 lives and 3 nuclear reactors in meltdown in the Fukushima nuclear crisis grew to become the most expensive conjoined disasters in world history. This course examines major disasters such as the Chernobyl, Three Mile Island and Fukushima nuclear accidents, global climate change and its associated effects (the Katrina Hurricane in New Orleans, flooding, wildfires, impact on vulnerable populations) and episodic but impactful disasters such as the Challenger Space Shuttle Explosion and the British Petroleum Deep Water Horizon oil spill as case studies to illustrate how risk is socially constructed and politically contended, and makes its way through public policy into institutional structures to profoundly affect our lives.

 

ASST 2030 (750) 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 marginalised 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.

 

ASST 3000 (811)/POLS 3520 (811) 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 (811)/POLS 4310 (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.

 

ASST 4096 (811) 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 1010 (750) Entrepreneurship & Creativity

This practical course introduces students to the first steps necessary in developing artistic, creative or social projects. Specifically, this course helps develop skills in communication, critical thinking, and lifelong learning. By analyzing the ideas and works of artists, economists, and psychologists through the testimonials and advice of successful entrepreneurs and coaches, students will gain a clearer understanding of abstract concepts such as “success” and “passion.” Students will be asked to provide feedback and support to other students in their own endeavors and submit self-reflection assignments. Students will conceptualize and work on a final project in consultation with the instructor that will give students the beginning of their own artistic, creative, or social project upon completion of the course.

 

CLA 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.

 

CLA 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.

JPNS 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.

 

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.

 

JPNS 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.

 

KINS 1001 (811) Cardiovascular Fitness for a Healthy Lifestyle

“Cardiovascular Fitness for a Healthy Lifestyle” is a course focused on the promotion of health through physical activity. Physical activity is defined as any bodily movement that results in energy expenditure. Through activities designed for the development and maintenance of the circulatory and respiratory systems aerobic capacity, participants engage in activities that increase muscular strength and flexibility through exercise. Additionally, participants will acquire information on developing and assessing aerobic fitness and the benefits of regular exercises on combating cardiovascular risk factors.

 

PSY 1110 (811) What’s Happening in Japan - From Foundation of Mental health to Career

To learn about the similarities and differences of mental health across different counties is essential for developing a better understanding of mental health. In this course, a wide range of topics related to mental health will be covered with a focus on what is happening in Japan. This includes the history of mental care in Japan, the Japanese mentality, striking issues, unique treatment, and career in Japan as a clinical psychologist/non- psychologist. Main activity of this course will be peer discussion and a final group presentation. Peer discussion will require you to share your opinions with classmates and take part in active discussions after each lecture. These discussions will help develop your thoughts and attitude toward each topic. In the final group presentation, you will present a topic with your group about a topic of your choice related to Japanese mental health.

 

PSY 3620 (811) Gender Studies in Psychology

In this course we are going to explore gender-related issues from the psychological perspective in the global context with special emphasis on gender issues in the Japanese context. This course will focus on the situation of women and men, as well as LGBTIQ+ community in different societies and Japan, highlighting the modern situation and future predictions in relation to family dynamics, gender equality, reproductive health/rights issues, maternal mortality, violence and sex abuse against women, male identity crisis, alternative expressions of gender including genderless identity, sexuality, sex work and human trafficking, all of which have tremendous and very significant impact on the status of women and men in different contexts of modern life and society. The important factor in this course is the analysis of psychological phenomena related to gender issues, which offers an added value for students and broadens the course content, and as a result the psychological models and theories offer students a comprehensive integration of gender studies in psychology, including anthropological, sociological and feminist discourse.

 

PSY 3620 (812) ADHD in the Cross-Cultural Context

In this seminar, lectures, discussions, and assignments focus on the nature, assessment, and treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in cross-cultural context. Through current scientific literature, students will learn not only the primary symptoms of ADHD, but also associated problems, comorbid disorders, and differential manifestations of symptoms at different developmental ages and across cultures. Furthermore, we will investigate different types of assessment methods and evidence-based treatments of ADHD.

 

PSY 4696 (811) The Power of Belief

You will explore the omnipresence of belief throughout psychology first by examining what beliefs are and then the class will review how they are studied in various fields of psychology through reading-centered, student-led discussions as you develop your research question (RQ). The course project will be one of the following choices:  (1) an extensive and thorough literature review exploring your RQ; (2) a research proposal including a literature review and empirical research design, or  (3) an empirical report (for this option you need have a fully developed proposal prior to the start of class as a starting point;  you may need to develop it further for this Capstone).  To optimize your writing development you will review and critically evaluate your writing according to APA Style (7e)’s guidelines for effective scholarly writing about research. To complete your studies at TUJ, you will create a Senior Portfolio representing the best and most meaningful works and accomplishments from your TUJ experiences.  Finally, and for the Senior Portfolio, you will develop or update your  curriculum vitae (CV) and résumé and prepare a checklist for requesting letters of recommendation in the future. NOTES: (1) The instructor recommends that you have completed all your 3000-level Psych courses before taking Capstone, including at least 2 advanced (3000-level) courses and the required elective:  Internship or Collaborative Research. (2) You can use a fully developed research proposal from a previous course as the starting point for conducting an empirical study culminating in the empirical research report project option; discuss this option with the instructor at the start of the course.