Course Name Year Term Period Faculty / Graduate School All Instructors Credits
12491:[2025 Fall]IR18‐AE108 Introduction to Humanities (RB) § 12492:IR-AS111 Introduction to Geography (RB) § 12493:Introduction to Humanities (RB) § 12494:RUIR-1803 Introduction to Humanities(RB) 2025 Fall Tue3 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

MEIGAKUKAN　MG001

Language

英語

Course Outline and Method

Introduction to humanities deals with interpretation of media and popular culture. The course features psychoanalysis, structuralism, narratology, Marxism as perspectives of textual interpretation among others.

【+R-Jugyo】
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Student Attainment Objectives

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

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

* Analyzing film as a historical document.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

3

Film as History: Representation and Reality

How to analyze films as historical document.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

*Introduction to the analysis of narratives and myth-structures.
*Joseph Campbell's Monomyth.

5

Narratology and Structuralism: Myth and Archetypes

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

6

Psychoanalytic Criticism

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

7

 Psychoanalytic Criticism

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

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

9

Critical Approaches to Popular Culture

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

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

11

Critical Approaches to Popular Culture

Film analysis: Aladdin (1992).
*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

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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