Last update: April 11, 2023

ARTH 2096 (801) 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 2800 (801) 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.

ARTU 2400 (750) Creative Coding and Generative Art

Creative and artistic coding for beginners. Get to grips with Javascript and Java through the MIT authored artists’ coding languages P5JS and Processing, to create your own generative artworks and understand the fundamentals behind some of the technologies seen at TeamLab as well as interactive design implementations for the web. This course assumes no prior coding knowledge.

ARTU 3000 (801) 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.

ARTU 3000 (802) Post-Studio Practice

This topical course investigates post-studio practice with an emphasis on time-based, spatial, social and conceptual practices. Traditional notions of the studio became antiquated with the emergence of conceptual art in the 1960s. The role of the studio has been questioned and critiqued by the artists who experimented with other sites for the production and presentation of artworks. Newer forms of practice, including installation and performance, stepped out of the gallery and museum, and incorporate more the world outside, leading to the idea of “post-studio practice.” Today the idea and role of the studio are continually reinvented corresponding to new realities. Offering instruction in the composition of works ranging from time-based and text-based works to performance and installation, this course also looks at ways artists have developed their own practices outside of, or in opposition to, conventional understandings of artistic media. Each student will produce a proposal-based final project, and complete several short assignments. The basic course structure includes a critique of student work, hands-on workshops on the use of various digital tools, programs, and sculpture methods. The course will also provide studio time in and outside of class to further develop students’ vision, concerns, and execution of artworks. Basic knowledge of Adobe Creative Suites on a Macintosh platform and prior studio art experience are recommended.

ASST 2000 (750) Special Topics in Asian Studies I: Japanese Popular Culture: Debates and Controversies

Over the past few decades, Japanese popular culture has attracted unprecedented notice around the world. Manga and anime, of course, but attention is also being paid to Japanese snacks, idols, television dramas, novels, and films—inspiring their fans to learn the Japanese language. In this course we will peer behind the scenes of popular culture while looking at contested creative and political issues that shape it. For example, is the term “otaku” pejorative? How has Japanese music been a battleground for linguistic discussions? Might Pikachu be able to bring regional peace in Asia? Should idols get to date? Does it make sense for the government to invest in kimono exports if the attire is protested abroad as cultural appropriation? Was The Tale of Genji really Japan’s first novel? Do Japanese color words make the country’s roads dangerous? Can comedians joke about the country’s politics on TV? Are “weird Japan” media portrayals an offshoot of the “Cool Japan” phenomenon? Does anime decrease the country’s birthrate? Should game designers adhere to social values of the West? How do words like “ai” or “love” that enter Japan’s lexicon from foreign translation continue to shape domestic culture?

ASST 2000 (801)/SOC 2130 (801) Japan Inside-Out: Institute of Contemporary Asian Studies Academic Seminar

From its archaic tradition in which it integrated Chinese culture into its language and religion and into the late 19th century when it opened its doors to the West, Japan has long struggled to maintain its traditions and indigenous culture as it has assimilated foreign elements, alternate modes of thought and different forms of organizational structure into its institutions. These qualities make Japan a fascinating comparative reference point for understanding Western culture, as it challenges fundamental notions of human nature, and shows ways in which seemingly incongruent cultures can come together in novel ways. This allows for reflection on globalization, identity politics, cultural difference and how a historically insular culture can negotiate its international standing when it is often at odds with international norms. This seminar examines selected topics in contemporary Japanese studies. Conceived as a cross-disciplinary Asian Studies course including sociological and cultural anthropological perspectives, the course combines seminar discussions, lectures from TUJ’s research-active area specialists, guest lecturers from across the world, and guided field trips to key locations in Tokyo and beyond.  It builds not only on in-house academic expertise but Tokyo’s premier international English-language public lecture series, the Institute for Contemporary Asian Studies at TUJ. Course topics and readings focus on nationalism, culture, and identity politics; race and ethnicity; popular culture and its global dialectic; manga, anime, and gaming; civil society and political dissent; and Japan’s international relations. The course is bookended by methodological and theoretical classes giving students from any academic field a variety of intellectual tools they can use to interpret what they’re seeing and reading during their stay in Japan. These are drawn in particular from sociology, anthropology, political science, cultural and visual studies, and history. (Note: Field trip activities for this course will be supported by the Institute of Contemporary Asian Studies (free of charge to students enrolled in this class).

ASST 3000 (801)/POLS 3520 (801) 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 (801)/POLS 3510 (801) Japan’s International Relations

The Senkakus, “comfort women”, TPP, and the Ospreys, these are just some of the most pressing issues in Japan’s international relations. This course aims to facilitate a deeper understanding of such problems by providing a broad overview of Japan’s most important international relationships. Particular emphasis is placed on the country’s dealings with the United States, China, the two Koreas, and Russia, though attention is also drawn to relations with other regions and international organisations. In so doing, the topics of the regional balance of power, historical memory, and global trade patterns are all brought to the fore. As the focus of international politics continues to shift towards the Asia-Pacific region, this subject of Japan’s place in the world is becoming of ever greater significance.

ASST 4096 (801) 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 (801) Community Arts and Cultural Development Practice (Joint Class with Showa Women’s University)

This course will explore the relationships between collective art-making and community engagement. The class will be introduced to the history and ethics of community art and cultural development practices. We will visit local places to research the arts and communities specific to Setagaya. Then, we will propose and conduct community art projects. By collaborating with SWU and sharing resources with locals, we hope to positively influence dynamics between the schools and our neighbors.

CLA 2020 (801 & 802) 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 (801 & 802) 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.

CLA 2030 (803) Emerging Leaders

In a digitally connect world, understanding the perspective of leaders and followers is key. Throughout this course you should reflect on how you view leadership—both as a member of the team and as a team leader. The emphasis of this course is on application of leadership concepts in the TUJ community and globally. You will meet leaders from various fields, and you will exercise your own leadership in a student-run project. This course assumes that leadership can be learned. Anyone can be a leader at any point in their life. Leadership is not confined to titles and positions. Leadership is a relationship and a commitment.

JPNS 2000 (801) 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 (801) Powering up Your Japanese through Business Case Studies

This Content-Based Instruction (CBI) course adopts the case method, which is utilized in business schools across the United States, to foster not only students’ Japanese language abilities but also their business skills, such as analytical, critical thinking and creative skills. In this course, students engage in learning about business practices of actual global businesses (real-world examples of how companies adjust their business styles and systems when they engage in international business) not only by completing activities that focus on linguistic elements but also by carrying out tasks that elicit communicative interactions that involves reading materials, documentary TV programs, and field trips to companies (their factories/offices). The subject matter (business cases) serves as a way to stimulate students’ interest to learn about 1) various aspects of Japanese culture and society, 2) what’s behind businesses, and 3) the industries in which they wish to be in the future further and motivate them to share their findings with others in Japanese. By completing this course, students will have a deeper understanding of businesses that surround them daily in Japan and the way that they can serve the society when they seek employment in their future.

POLS 4320 (801) Eurasian Politics: The International Affairs of Russia, Central Asia, and the Caucasus

The Soviet Union may be long gone, but the countries that emerged from its collapse in 1991 remain highly significant in international affairs. This course traces the political and economic development of these independent states and highlights their continued difficulties in managing relations amongst themselves and with the world more generally. Inevitably, most attention in this regard goes to Russia. The largest country in the world, Russia dominates the Eurasian landmass and, via its veto in the UN Security Council and enormous nuclear arsenal, it retains a leading role in international politics. In discussing its global standing, this course places particular emphasis on Russia’s status as an “energy superpower”, its perception in the West as an unscrupulous spoiler, and its recent decision to reorient the country towards the Asia-Pacific. A further key topic is Russia’s plan to create a Eurasian Union, a project condemned by the US as “a move to re-Sovietise the region”. Away from Russia, this course has three further areas of focus. The first is Central Asia, where vast natural resources have encouraged the West and China to challenge Russia’s hegemony. The second is the Caucasus where the 2008 Georgia-Russian war and the frozen conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan have left an explosive legacy. Lastly, there is Eurasia’s western fringe where the people of dictatorial Belarus and politically unstable Ukraine struggle to determine whether their future lies with Europe or Russia.

PSY 3620 (801) Intercultural Marriage

This is an introduction to the major social and psychological aspects of Japanese-Western intercultural marriage. A brief historical introduction covers relevant aspects of general Japanese-Western interaction in history, as well as present-day Japanese attitudes towards Westerners (and vice versa). Different phases of reciprocal adjustment will be discussed, as well as the salient social and psychological reasons for potential conflicts in an intercultural marriage. Major factors are: differences in customs and values, male and female role expectations, living conditions, the role of the in-laws, medical matters, language, religion, politics, communication problems, need for friends, finances, social class. When raising their children, interculturally married parents may be challenged by differing attitudes towards being a father and a mother, education; and the children’s feeling that they are “different” from other children. Despite many problems, intercultural marriage can be a tremendous positive challenge, which offers many chances for greater personal growth and deeper human and cultural understanding.

PSY 3620 (802) 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.

PSY 3620 (803) Psychology of Extremism

Extremism comes in many forms and we will consider recent psychological theory and research on extreme attitudes, extremist groups, violent extremism, greed, extreme sports, and moral extremism among other forms and aspects of extremism. We will consider the conditions that promote its growth, and consider how it might be thwarted.  Class meetings will center around  instructor- and student-led discussion of the research and issues, weekly writings, and presentation of an APA Style research proposal to the class at the end of the term.

PSY 4696 (801) Self-Regulation

The topic of this course will be Self-Regulation - an important and overarching psychological construct which is rooted in theories of motivation and has been found to play a significant role in explaining individual differences in human behavior. The course will allow students to examine the influence and application of self-regulation research to different domains including child-development, cognition, academic achievement, learning disabilities, addiction, body image, culture, and counseling, among others. Students will also learn how self-regulation is conceptually defined across the disciplines by examining and responding to scales that assess self-regulation in children and adults. Through reading and evaluating research on self-regulation across multiple domains, students will expand their understanding of the multidimensional nature of self-regulation and will be better prepared to select an area of interest for their capstone research project. To successfully complete their research project, students will be required to extensively read, discuss, and critically evaluate the literature on self-regulation and to adhere to APA Style (7e)’s guidelines for scholarly writing. 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.