Contemporary Japanese Society

Course title

04186500

Course description

Since the postwar period, Japanese society has experienced drastic changes on the economic, political, social and cultural stages. This course deals with various documents and data about these changes as well as various opinions about contemporary issues, which would help students to understand how the contemporary Japanese society has been constructed.

Purpose of class

The aim of this course is to help students to understand the way in which the high economic growth had changed Japanese society, and to comprehend the characteristics of structures of Japanese society. Students are expected to gain the ability of examining social contemporary issues from various perspectives and that of finding the solutions.

Goals and objectives

To understand concretely the political, economic, social and cultural transformations of Japanese society in postwar period.
To be able to analyze economic and social changes of Japanese society with the help of statistical data.
To be able to explain about contemporary Japanese social issues together with the historical context.

Language

Japanese

Class schedule

	Class schedule	HW assignments (Including preparation and review of the class.)	Amount of Time Required
1.	Introduction	Read this syllabus carefully.	60minutes
1.	Introduction	Review what you learnt in the class.	120minutes
2.	Historical overview of contemporary Japanese society	Prepare for the next class.	120minutes
2.	Historical overview of contemporary Japanese society	Review what you learnt in the class.	60minutes
3.	Mega-events and economic growth	Prepare for the next class.	120minutes
3.	Mega-events and economic growth	Review what you learnt in the class.	60minutes
4.	Airport constructions and protest campaign	Prepare for the next class.	120minutes
4.	Airport constructions and protest campaign	Review what you learnt in the class.	60minutes
5.	Transformations of industrial structure	Prepare for the next class.	120minutes
5.	Transformations of industrial structure	Review what you learnt in the class.	60minutes
6.	Regional disparities	Prepare for the next class.	120minutes
6.	Regional disparities	Review what you learnt in the class.	60minutes
7.	Consumerism	Prepare for the next class.	120minutes
7.	Consumerism	Review what you learnt in the class.	60minutes
8.	Industrial disasters and pollutions	Prepare for the next class.	120minutes
8.	Industrial disasters and pollutions	Review what you learnt in the class.	60minutes
9.	Business and family	Prepare for the next class.	120minutes
9.	Business and family	Review what you learnt in the class.	60minutes
10.	Women's liberation movements	Prepare for the next class.	120minutes
10.	Women's liberation movements	Review what you learnt in the class.	60minutes
11.	Myth of Japanese homogeneity	Prepare for the next class.	120minutes
11.	Myth of Japanese homogeneity	Review what you learnt in the class.	60minutes
12.	History of Koreans living in Japan	Prepare for the next class.	120minutes
12.	History of Koreans living in Japan	Review what you learnt in the class.	60minutes
13.	(Im)migrants in the globalized society	Prepare for the next class.	120minutes
13.	(Im)migrants in the globalized society	Review what you learnt in the class.	60minutes
14.	Concluding summary / Final exam	Prepare for the final exam.	310minutes
Total.	-	-	2650minutes

Relationship between 'Goals and Objectives' and 'Course Outcomes'

	Minute papers	Exam	Total.
1.	20%	10%	30%
2.	20%	20%	40%
3.	20%	10%	30%
Total.	60%	40%	-

Evaluation method and criteria

A minute paper or a mini-exam is required to submit after every classes (60%) in addition to the final exam(40%). The final score will be determined by the total amount of points obtained (Passing score = 60 %). In case of a poor attendance (less than 2/3 of all classes), the student will get no credit.

Feedback on exams, assignments, etc.