Last update: April 18, 2017

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 2098 (811) Art and Queer Theory

This course examines the intersections of queer theory and contemporary art practices from the 1960s to the present. In the 1990s, "queer theory" emerged as an interdisciplinary method of analysis that understands identity to be constructed, contested, fluid, and performatively defined. Taking pleasure in dissonance and marginalization, queerness positions itself actively against fixity and normalcy. Throughout the semester, this course will explore key arguments made in queer theory and how they relate to contemporary art practice. The class will variously explore how the history of art may be "queered" through re-contextualization; how queerness was coded by artists in the pre-Stone Wall era; and how queerness was embraced in the 1980s at the height of the AIDS epidemic and has since been used as a way to create subversive, self-empowering works that challenge established notions regarding art, identity, and politics. The authors we will read will include Sigmund Freud, Judith Butler, Eve Sedgwick, Richard Meyer, and Douglas Crimp. We will consider works by Andy Warhol, Gran Fury, Felix Gonzalez-Torres, Robert Gober, Zoe Leonard, Catherine Opie, and Fierce Pussy. We will use both the texts and artworks to address difficult questions about the relations between art, politics, theory, and practice.

Art Hist 2800 (811)/As St 3000 (814) Japanese Graphic Design History

A survey topic course examining the development of graphic design and the emergence of Modernism in the Japanese context. This class will examine the development of commercial art to graphic design utilizing a variety of readings of history, theory and criticism, lectures, video content, examinations of historical physical ephemera, and in-class discussions. The course will provide students with a working understanding of Japanese graphic design history across typography. Students will participate in field trips that will supplement their developing understanding of history by seeing how past aesthetics influence the contemporary moment, as well as examining historical design work. The course is designed to enhance students' visual vocabularies, as well as examine methodological underpinnings of design, the development of visual styles of form-making, typography, the emergence of modernism in Japan, and to provide a sense of contemporary aesthetics as an accretive culmination of cultural development. Students will examine the roles that graphic designers have played in history, as well as examining notions of design authorship, exploring design writing, giving brief presentations on historical Japanese designers based on personal research, and being introduced to foreign designers and socioeconomic forces which helped to mold Japanese design as a sector of cultural production.

Art Hist 2898 (811)/As St 2096 (811) Contemporary Japanese Art and Visual Culture, from 1945 to the Present

This course examines the development of Japanese art and visual culture in the postwar period. Instead of providing a linear history of formal developments, this course thematically explores some of the major theoretical issues that surround contemporary Japanese art and visual culture. Critical readings will provide social, historical, and political contexts for understanding a broad range of visual cultural practices including art, fashion, design, graphic novels, and films. Through the course we will consider topics such as the question of modernity and the West in Japanese art; underground art and political dissent in the 1960s; the rise of mass culture and design; roles of gender, cuteness, and fantasy; and representations of otherness and the myth of homogeneity.

As St 2000 (811) Manga in Japanese Popular Culture

The rich and varied world of Japanese manga (comics) represents some of the most important cultural production in postwar Japan, and an increasingly important part of global popular culture. This course offers a thematic study of manga as Japanese pop cultural texts, adopting an interdisciplinary approach, drawing from the fields of history, sociology, comic studies and more. In each class, a new genre, theme or creator of manga will be examined to give a valuable insight into key aspects of Japanese culture. Discussion will center on close readings of specific manga, supported by texts. Rotating groups of students will be expected to facilitate discussion. Taking advantage of our location in Tokyo, fieldtrips will be organized for students to experience manga culture. Students will conduct independent research projects on manga, write a final paper and present their findings to class.

As St 3000 (812) Anime in Japanese Popular Culture

The rich and varied world of Japanese anime (animation) represents some of the most important cultural production in postwar Japan, and an increasingly important part of global popular culture. This course offers a thematic study of anime as Japanese pop cultural texts, adopting an interdisciplinary approach. In each class, a new genre, theme or creator of anime will be examined to give a valuable insight into key aspects of Japanese culture. Episodes of TV anime and clips from animated films will be screened and discussed. Rotating groups of students will be expected to facilitate discussion. Taking advantage of our location in Tokyo, fieldtrips will be organized for students to experience anime culture. Students will conduct independent research projects on anime and write a final paper.

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

This course examines the development of Japanese art and visual culture in the postwar period. 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 3900 (811) Institute of Contemporary Asian Studies Honors Seminar

The Institute of Contemporary Asian Studies is TUJ's premier research institute, with research fellows (adjunct, graduate and undergraduate), a public lecture series and special symposium, catering to the international community in Japan. The ICAS lecture series fosters the international mission of Temple University, bringing in scholars, journalists, politicians and diplomats, and noted public intellectuals who address issues such as US/Japan relations, the geo-politics of Asia, Japanese culture, international education and globalization. This course is organized into thematic modules of Japanese culture and history, electoral politics and international relations, stratification, race and ethnicity, gender and sexuality, and Japanese popular culture. TUJ fellows and associates will lecture in-class on thematically-linked topics, and students will also be required to attend the ICAS public lectures throughout the semester. In addition, special fieldtrips and outings are organized, which are tied in to substantive course curriculum content.

As St 4096 (811) The 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. The 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.

Hist 3280 (811) The History of Rock & Roll

In a 1970 Velvet Underground song, Lou Reed sang about Jenny who felt she was living a meaningless existence until "her life was saved by rock and roll." For many musicians and fans, rock'n'roll did indeed save their lives. When and why did this powerful new music emerge? What impact did it have on American society? How and why did this music change over time? We will explore these and other questions during the semester. This course will use a social history framework, so will focus on social, economic, cultural, political, and technological factors, and on the evolution of rock'n'roll. Among issues covered are the creation, distribution, and consumption of the music-including the crucial roles of musicians, DJs, music companies, and fans as well as foes. Also considered are the development of rock aesthetics and criticism, the cultivation of musicians' images, issues of race/gender/class, and the globalization of the music. As we examine rock'n'roll as a social/historical phenomenon we will listen to & study recorded examples to learn about its musical aspects: What are the musical roots of rock'n'roll, and what musics contributed to its early development? What characteristics of musical style have defined rock'n'roll music over the past half-century, and how have these changed through the years? You will learn how to listen to, understand and discuss the musical elements of rock'n'roll.

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) Japanese Sports and Media

TBA.

Lib Arts 2010 (811) University of Oregon Internship Program Seminar

Seminar for participants in the University of Oregon Internship Program.

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 (813) 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 4320 (811) Russian Politics

This course examines the past and present of Russian politics in an effort to help you make sense of the future when it arrives. We will examine aspects of the topic including the institutions, events, personalities, and issues that have shaped the country's domestic and foreign policy.

All politics is local, the US Speaker of the House Tip O'Neill famous said. The Russia brand of politics is unique because, unlike some liberal democracies that display a blend of moralistic behavior and almost cynical pragmatism, many current Russian leaders seem to want to restore the USSR, with all of its oppressive apparatus. Exploiting the country's potential enormous power resources and capitalizing on the upheaval within the EU, NATO and the United States they might succeed.

The goal of this course is to give you a broad overview of the process of policy making in Russia. To this end we will spend a good deal of time discussing the various academic models which seek to explain how political leaders make policy decisions. Along the way we will consider economic, security, and human rights issues. We will look at the Tsarist and Soviet "past" of these issues and (perhaps) make some predictions about "the future" of Russian foreign policy.

Psych 3620 (811) 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 unique cultural aspects of body image in various countries. In addition, we will examine the role of males, family, peers, and the media in development and maintenance of body dissatisfaction. Moreover, potential prevention and intervention techniques will be discussed.