This course aims at improving students'holistic English ability (i.e., speaking, writing, reading, and listening abilities) through engaging with various reading materials. In class, we will read various articles that deal with social, environmental, and political problems such as women's issues, racism, globalization, and so forth. Students are expected to read a weekly assignment and to organize their opinions or questions before the class so that we can exchange ideas and opinions.
1) Introduction
2) Japanese social problems: education
3) Japanese social problems: politics
4) Japanese social problems: foreign affairs
5) Japanese social problems: employment
6) Environmental problems:water, soil, air pollution
7) Environmental problems: slum and homeless
8) Environmental problems: population expansion
9) Mid-term exam
10) International problems: South and North gap
11) International problems: globalization
12) International problems: copyrights
13) International problems: ODA and NGO
14) International problesm: development
15) Term exam
