Approaches to Gender Studies

As the foundation course of the Program in Gender and Sexuality Studies, the general frameworks, basic concepts, and historical backgrounds of gender studies will be examined. Based on these understandings, the accumulation and possibilities of gender research and analyses in various disciplines will be described and discussed in order for students to obtain the basic analytical power in dealing with gender analysis in interdisciplinary fields.
 

Gender and International Relations

The course explores the question how gender interacts with "national" security issues (issues such as war and military) and global economy issues (such as trade and economic gap between industrialized and developing nations) in addition to issues such as feminization of poverty, migration, environment and human security.
 

Gender, Sexuality and Critical Theory

This special intensive course will examine theories of gender and sexuality that are crucial for an understanding of contemporary literature and culture.
 

Special Topics in Gender Studies I

This course examines the important specific topics from gender/sexuality perspective at the advanced level. Topics vary according to an instructor's field of specialization.
(Offered Alternate Years)

Special Topics in Gender Studies II

This course examines the important specific topics from gender/sexuality perspective at the advanced level. Topics vary according to an instructor's field of specialization.
(Offered Alternate Years)

Anthropology and Gender Studies

This course will provide an introduction to anthropological approaches to gender studies.
(Offered Alternate Years)

Psychological Anthropology

This course explores the relationship between anthropology, psychology and psychiatry. It examines anthropological debates regarding the socio-cultural construction of mental health and mental illness; the interplay between psychology and culture; and the implications of an interdisciplinary approach in analyzing empirical cases in cross-cultural settings.
(Offered Alternate Years)

Anthropological Studies of Inequality

This course will examine the different ways in which inequality is constructed in different societies, ranging from gender differences, differencies in knowledge and literacy, and differential access to the means of production.
(Offered Alternate Years)

Labor Economics

This course is for studying the basics of recent Labor Economics.
 

Development and Education

This course is an introduction to development and education. The course discusses issues of development and how education has been perceived to play a role in ¡Èdevelopment.¡É The course also looks at empirical evidence and discusses similarities and differences across regions, countries, and societies.
 

Qualitative Research Methods in Education

This course aims to develop student's knowledge and ability of qualitative research methods in the fields of education and communication. It covers various approaches and methods of qualitative research including interview, participant observation, ethnography, life-history analysis,discourse analysis, document analysis, etc.
 

Sociology of Education

This course demonstrates broad areas of sociology of education and underlining theories and practices. The topics include socialization of individuals, social stratification and education, gender and ethnicity, and the function of schooling and educational achievement.
 

Advanced Seminar in Sociology of Education: Education in Asia

This seminar course will introduce and familiarize students with advanced topics related to the interplay between societies and education with a comparative and international perspective. Topics such as ¡Èglobalization¡É will be discussed to enable students to examine the relationship between education and society especially in the Asian region. The seminar theme will vary and include such topics as globalization, democracy and education, education in Asia, etc.
(Offered Alternate Years)

Japanese Education in Comparative Perspective

This course gives an account of the development of mass education in Japanese society and some of its historical transformations. Japanese and Western perspectives are given on current Japanese educational arrangements, and contemporary problems in Japanese education are analyzed.
 

International Law I

Historical evolution, nature, structure and function of international law; contemporary legal issues relating to foreign affairs. The course extends over more than a single prerequisite to younger number.
 

International Organization

The bases of international organization, its historical development from the international public unions of the 19th century to the United Nations and contemporary patterns of international organizations.
 

Law and Society

This course clarifies the various aspects of the transformation of contemporary Japanese law and society by picking up major topics of general theory of sociology of law, law interpretation and sociology of law, state law and customary law, court functioning, law consciousness, market economics and law, and peculiarity and universality of Japanese law.
(Offered Alternate Years)

The Teaching of Japanese as a Foreign Language II

Aims and methods of teaching Japanese as a foreign language: observation, simulation and practice in the ICU Japanese Language Programs. For students preparing to teach Japanese as a foreign language. Open to qualified students on approval of the instructor. The course extends over more than a single prerequisite to younger number.
 

History of English Literature II

A historical survey from the beginnings (Beowulf) to the present.
 

Contemporary English Literature I

An examination of two or more contemporary British novels, against their cultural background.
(Offered Alternate Years)

Realism

Poetry and / or prose between the mid. 19th and early 20th centuries.
(Offered Alternate Years)

Romanticism

Poetry and / or prose of the romantic movement.
(Offered Alternate Years)

Classical Japanese Literature I

Nara and Heian literature: its language, plot construction, style of expression, and characterization.
 

Classical Japanese Literature II

A study of the design contained in all volumes of The Tale of Genji and problems of style and vocabulary peculiar to the period, as well as the general characteristics of the novel. Alternate year reading of volumes from Kiritsubo to Maboroshi.
 

Literary Theory and Feminism

Special intensive study of feminist literary theory and analysis. Open only to advanced students by permission of the instructor.
 

Introduction to Cultural Studies

This course examines history and development of cultural studies in different social contexts.
 

Language and Gender

This course introduces general theories and approaches to the study of language and gender. Students will acquire analytic tools for critically examining connections among language and social practice, and then they will apply these techniques in exploring linguistic data collected in communities of their interests.
 

Language in the United States

This study of the origins, development, and characteristics of English in North America will investigate historical, cultural, and social influences on the language. Also addressed will be regional and social dialects, language policy, and the relationship between English and other languages.
 

Contemporary Praxes on Communication Study I

This course will study various phenomena related to communication in Japan. The focus involves description of communicative phenomena in changing society and a scrutiny of those phenomena.
 

Intercultural Communication

Introduction to intercultural communication. This course reviews core theories and research in intercultural communication and examines various issues that arise when encountering different others. In the process, students will gain understanding of the opportunities and challenges involved in intercultural communication.
 

Language Variation

This course will present the fundamentals of examining linguistic variation between and within speech communities in Japan. It will consider regional, social and stylistic differences in the use of language. Students will acquire methods of data collection, analysis and interpretation and engage in field projects by using these techniques.
 

Literacy, Society and Development

Reading and writing are foundations of organized society. This course involves a linguistic comparison of different writing systems around the world, the role of literacy in national and local development and gender issues in literacy around the world.
 

Christian Ethics

Issues of religion and ethics in contemporary America are discussed within the contexts of politics, society and culture.
(Offered Alternate Years)

Advanced Studies in Philosophy I

Special advanced study under supervision in selected areas of philosophy. Open to advanced students with the approval of the instructor.
 

Political Theory

Theorizing contemporary politics, democracy, the state, civil society, identity, and so forth. Emphasis on theories of political institutions, ideologies and types of behaviors.
 

Japanese Politics

This course aims at exploring political as well as historical, sociological, economic, and cultural aspects of the Japanese state and society.
 

Advanced Studies in Political Science III

This course aims to analyze how gender interacts with political and policy processes in Japan. It provides an overview of gender issues in Japanese society, and examines why and how gender issues are integrated into various processes, including voting behavior, party politics, parliamentary politics, and bureaucratic politics.
 

Studies in Community Psychology

A survey of theories, methods, approaches, and issues in community psychology. An emphasis will be placed on "prevention interventions" in various community settings from an ecological perspective while drawing on other related fields (e.g., sociology, anthropology, social welfare, public health). Topics include: Historical development of community psychology in the U.S. and Japan; social change policies and strategies; disease prevention and health promotion; empowerment, community participation, consultation, and self-help approaches; and stress, coping and social support approaches.
(Offered Alternate Years)

Approaches to Sociological Research

This course provides an introductory overview of both qualitative and quantitative methods used in sociological research. Through this course, students learn how sociologists conduct various types of empirical research and how theories are related to research methodologies. .Prerequisite: PRINCIPLES OF SOCIOLOGY, or consultation with instructor prior to registration.
 

Gender and Social Structure

This course will examine social factors causing unequal distribution of social resources, especially focusing on race, ethnicity and gender, in an international perspective.
 

Gender Relations

Gender relations are examined in the field of the family, workplace and sexuality, by comparing societies with different historical and cultural background.
 

Sociology of the Family

A review of theories on family and kinship organizations. Cases in Japan and Western societies will be studied.
 

Qualitative Analysis in Sociology I

This course will train students in qualitative sociological analyses. By examining various types of analyses, students will deepen their understanding of the advantages and the limitations of each analytical approach. Language of instruction differs by year.
 

Qualitative Analysis in Sociology II

This course will provide the theory and practice of interview research. By referring to various sociological literatures, students will learn the methods of data collection, data analyses, and the integration of the data into sociological writings. Language of instruction differs by year.
 

Quantitative Analysis in Sociology I

Through this course students learn the workings of the survey research method and introductory statistical analysis of survey data through the use of a statistical software package.
 

Quantitative Analysis in Sociology II

Through this course students learn how to apply multivariate analytical techniques to survey data. Students also develop an ability to critically examine research articles employing multivariate analyses and to incorporate multivariate analysis results into a research paper.
 

Senior Thesis

Senior students, under the guidance of an advisor, will select a subject related to their major and prepare a senior thesis. The final product should represent the efforts of one year of sustained and rigorous thinking, research, and writing. Required of all students in their senior year.
 

Social Stratification

The structure of modern industrialized society is examined, especially focusing on the stratified structure of society.
 

Sociology of Gender

To understand the concept "gender"(socially constructed knowledge of maleness/femaleness), and to examine theoretical and empirical studies on gender relations in the field of the family, workplace and sexuality.