JAPN 407: Japan in Asia
Course Description:
This course examines the history of Japan in Asia, and how this legacy impacts dealings with its Asian neighbors. How is Japan optimizing it's position in Asia and how are these efforts seen by others in the region? How do Japanese cultural exports work to change perceptions of Japan and the Japanese people in countries once colonized by Japan? How is Japan opening up to people from other countries in Asia and where does it fall short as a regional leader? Taught in English.
Narrative:
JAPN 407 fulfilled requirements for MLO 2: Culture.This class focused on both internal issues in Japan, and Japan’s external influence on other countries in Asia.. To do this, there were a good number of reflections per week, a research project and and a group powerpoint. One of the assignments was on a series of issues in Japan such as the Fukushima Daiichi Reactor Incident, the amendment of the Japanese Constitution to allow for an army, and declining birth rate. The group powerpoint had us research about a Southeast Asian, and research the role that Japan plays in it, and the research project was on a social issue in an Asian country other than Japan.
Since this was a 400 level class, class time was spent less on lectures from the professor, and more on the Socratic seminar format in which the teacher, rather than directly telling us information, introduces a topic or issue and guides conversation, letting the students discuss their understanding of a topic and let the discussion flow naturally. To further facilitate leadership and discussion skills for the students, the professor assigns group leader roles to certain students on any given day to a student to lead and guide discussion.
Coming into the class, I really had no idea about any political economic, or social problems in all of Asia. Reading about the developing Southeast Asian countries has made me think about the privilege that I take for granted. Reading about China’s governmental and economic structure has made me glad to live where I live; something I never thought I would say. Learning about other cultures really puts one’s life into perspective and gives us the ability to constructively criticize or praise ideas, opinions, and information that is given to us without believing everything we hear, jumping on the bandwagon of popular opinion or making uneducated assumptions about something we know nothing about.
This course examines the history of Japan in Asia, and how this legacy impacts dealings with its Asian neighbors. How is Japan optimizing it's position in Asia and how are these efforts seen by others in the region? How do Japanese cultural exports work to change perceptions of Japan and the Japanese people in countries once colonized by Japan? How is Japan opening up to people from other countries in Asia and where does it fall short as a regional leader? Taught in English.
Narrative:
JAPN 407 fulfilled requirements for MLO 2: Culture.This class focused on both internal issues in Japan, and Japan’s external influence on other countries in Asia.. To do this, there were a good number of reflections per week, a research project and and a group powerpoint. One of the assignments was on a series of issues in Japan such as the Fukushima Daiichi Reactor Incident, the amendment of the Japanese Constitution to allow for an army, and declining birth rate. The group powerpoint had us research about a Southeast Asian, and research the role that Japan plays in it, and the research project was on a social issue in an Asian country other than Japan.
Since this was a 400 level class, class time was spent less on lectures from the professor, and more on the Socratic seminar format in which the teacher, rather than directly telling us information, introduces a topic or issue and guides conversation, letting the students discuss their understanding of a topic and let the discussion flow naturally. To further facilitate leadership and discussion skills for the students, the professor assigns group leader roles to certain students on any given day to a student to lead and guide discussion.
Coming into the class, I really had no idea about any political economic, or social problems in all of Asia. Reading about the developing Southeast Asian countries has made me think about the privilege that I take for granted. Reading about China’s governmental and economic structure has made me glad to live where I live; something I never thought I would say. Learning about other cultures really puts one’s life into perspective and gives us the ability to constructively criticize or praise ideas, opinions, and information that is given to us without believing everything we hear, jumping on the bandwagon of popular opinion or making uneducated assumptions about something we know nothing about.
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