Course Name Year Term Period Faculty / Graduate School All Instructors Credits
12487:[2025 Spring]IR18‐AE108 Introduction to Humanities (RA) § 12488:IR-AS111 Introduction to Geography (RA) § 12489:Introduction to Humanities (RA) § 12490:RUIR-1803 Introduction to Humanities(RA) 2025 Spring Tue2 College　Of　Law,College　Of　Economics,College　Of　Business　Administration,College　Of　Social　Sciences,College　Of　International　Relations,College　Of　Policy　Science,College　Of　Letters,College　of　Image　Arts　and　Sciences,College　of　Comprehensive　Psychology,College　of　Science　and　Engineering,College　of　Information　Science　and　Engineering,College　of　Sport　and　Health　Science　(tentative　name) AVILES ERNULT JOSE RODOLFO 2

Campus

KIC

Class Venue

KOSHINKAN　KS201

Language

英語

Course Outline and Method

This course offers a foundational understanding of the humanities by examining how we interpret and understand the world through media and popular culture. Rather than focusing solely on traditional art forms, we will delve into the diverse range of cultural expressions that shape our lives, including film, television, music, literature, visual arts, digital content, and even everyday practices. Students will be introduced to key theoretical frameworks in the humanities, such as psychoanalysis (exploring the unconscious and symbolic meaning), structuralism (analyzing underlying structures and systems), narratology (examining how stories are told), Marxism (understanding the influence of economic and social forces), feminism (exploring gender and power dynamics), poststructuralism (deconstructing meaning and challenging assumptions), cultural studies (analyzing popular culture in its social context), and postcolonial theory (examining the impact of colonialism and imperialism), among others. Through close reading, critical discussion, and analytical writing, students will learn to apply these theoretical lenses to unpack the complex cultural messages embedded in media texts, fostering a deeper understanding of how culture shapes our perceptions, beliefs, and identities.

【+R-Jugyo】
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Student Attainment Objectives

By the end of this course the students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate a foundational understanding of key theoretical frameworks relevant to the interpretation of media and popular culture,
2. Analyze and interpret a diverse range of media texts
3. Identify and explain the historical and cultural contexts that shape the production and reception of media texts.
4. Develop critical thinking and analytical skills by applying theoretical frameworks to analyze and interpret media texts.
5. Conduct independent research and effectively synthesize information from various sources.
6. Communicate effectively in writing through clear, concise, and well-supported arguments.
7. Engage in thoughtful and respectful discussions about complex and controversial issues related to media and popular culture.

Recommended Preparatory Course

Course Schedule

Lecture/Instructor（When there are multiple instructors) Theme
Keyword, References and Supplementary Information
1

Introduction to Humanities & Cultural Criticism

Syllabus and class' workflow.
What is Humanities?
* Defining Cultural studies and "Popular Culture"
* Key Concepts in Cultural Studies (e.g., representation, text, power, culture)

2

Film as History: Representation and Reality I

* Analyzing film as a historical document.
* Media and the mediatization of history and reality.

3

Film as History: Representation and Reality II

How to analyze films as historical document.
* Case Study: A film that depicts a historical event (e.g., Gladiator, Schindler's List).
*Humanities and literary theory in practice.

4

Narratology and Structuralism: Myth and Archetypes I

*Introduction to the analysis of narratives and myth-structures.
*Joseph Campbell's Monomyth.
*Video game analysis (e.g. The Shadow of the Colossus, Portal, Bioshock)

5

Narratology and Structuralism: Myth and Archetypes II

Film analysis: Star Wars: A New Hope (1977)
*Comparison to other cinematic universes.
*Identification of archetypes and narrative functions.

6

Psychoanalytic Criticism I

How Freudian interpretation works?
*The structure of the mind and the unconscious.
*Freud and language.

7

 Psychoanalytic Criticism II

Film analysis: Suzume no Tojimari (2022).
*The vision of disaster in the collective imaginary of Japan.
*The national collective unconscious.

8

Critical Approaches to Popular Culture I

Feminist, Marxist, and Postcolonial perspectives on cultural analysis.
*Beginnings and basics of Marxism.
*Leninist Marxism.
*The Frankfurt School.

9

Critical Approaches to Popular Culture II

What is Feminism?
The rediscovery of female texts and women's experiences.
* "Constructiveness" of femininity and social experience.
* Waves of Feminism

10

Critical Approaches to Popular Culture III

What is a postcolonial reading?
*E. Said's Orientalism.
* The "Other" as the representation of the non-western.

11

Critical Approaches to Popular Culture IV

TV series analysis: Shogun (2024).
*The portrayal of the non-western on screen.

12

Semiotic Theory

*The Iconic Sign
*The Aesthetic Idiolect
*How to do iconography analysis.

13

Final Presentation I

Final presentations by students on any topic related to course contents.

14

Final Presentation II

Final presentations by students on any topic related to course contents.

+R Jugyo

+R Jugyo

Students will be assigned a "text" as well as a writing assignment to be submitted by Week 8 of the course.

Class Format

In-person classes

Recommendations for Private Study

All students are expected to complete reading of the materials prior to each class.
Copies of reading materials will be provided at the earlier stage of the program.
Additional reading beside the assigned articles can help with your understanding of the course.

Grade Evaluation Method

Kind Percentage Grading Criteria etc.
Final Examination (Written)

Report Examination
(A report to be submitted by the unified deadline)

Exams and/or Reports other than those stated above, and Continuous Assessment　
(Evaluation of Everyday Performance in Class)		 100

In-class writing assignments (summary of and comments on topics discussed in class): 40 %
Final Presentation (case studies selected by students): 40%
Participation in Discussion: 20%

Grade Evaluation Method （Note）

Advice to Students on Study and Research Methods

There is no textbook for the course. Readings for each week will be provided in the class.

Textbooks

Textbooks （Frequency of Use, Note）

Reference Books

Title Author Publisher ISBN Code Comment
Beginning theory: An introduction to literary and cultural theory Peter Barry Manchester University Press 978-1526121790
Fairy Tale as Myth/Myth as Fairy Tale Jack Zipes The University Press of Kentucky 978-0813108346
Analysing Media Texts Marie Gillespie, Jason Toynbee Open University Press 0335218873
Narratives in Popular Culture, Media, and Everyday Life Arthur Asa Berger SAGE Publications 0335218873
Manga: An Anthology of Global and Cultural Perspectives Toni Johnson-Woods A&C Black 0826429386
History goes to the movies: studying history on film Marnie Hughes-Warrington Routledge 9780415328289

Reference Books （Frequency of Use, Note）

Recommended (optional) reading for developing strong base in theory.

Web Pages for Reference

How to Communicate with the Instructor In and Out of Class(Including Instructor Contact Information)

Talk with Students,Other (Separate instructions will be provided)

Other Comments

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