Course Name Year Term Period Faculty / Graduate School All Instructors Credits
13285:[2025 Fall]IR18‐GE202 Japanese Society (RB) § 13286:IR-FS202 Japanese Society (RB) § 13287:RUIR-2615 Japanese Society(RB) 2025 Fall Wed5 College　Of　International　Relations RAJKAI ZSOMBOR TIBOR 2

Campus

KIC

Class Venue

MEIGAKUKAN　MG003

Language

英語

Course Outline and Method

【+R-Jugyo】
Information for “+R-Jugyo” will be posted on the “Course News” on manaba+R by the class during Week 2 as supplementary content for the classes in Weeks 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. Be sure to check the “Course News” on manaba+R.

This course introduces students to the study of contemporary Japanese society. The course is divided into two main parts (topics related to modern Japan's social history, as well as major social issues in contemporary Japan), and it aims to offer a general introduction to the transition of Japanese society from traditional to modern, along with an insight into Japan's contemporary social conditions. In doing so, the course addresses topics such as social modernisation, demographic conditions, social stratification, social welfare, family, employment, education, immigration, and the contested futures of Japan during globalisation.

Student Attainment Objectives

1. The students will acquire a broad-based understanding of the characteristics of modern Japanese society, and they will also obtain a basic insight into fundamental academic dilemmas regarding contemporary Japan.
2. The students will learn a set of fundamental concepts and theories related to the field of sociology that will help them deepen their knowledge on sociocultural studies.

Recommended Preparatory Course

Course Schedule

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

Orientation

course briefing

2

Social History of Modern Japan 1

demographic conditions

3

Social History of Modern Japan 2

pre-war Japan: transition to a modern society

4

Social History of Modern Japan 3

 the "Meiji Dream"

5

Social History of Modern Japan 4

pre-war Japan: roots of urbanisation, salaryman-isation,"gakureki shakai (education-based society)" etc. (the Taisho period)

6

Social History of Modern Japan 5

post-war Japan: major transformations after World War II

7

Contemporary Social Problems

the 1990s (collapse of the bubble economy and social anomie), and the 2000s (ageing, youth, hikikomori, unemployment etc.)

8

Demographic Transition

demographic time bomb

9

Family

the traditional Japanese 'Ie', modern family, changes to the modern family, familialistic social welfare system

10

Job Employment

job market, life employment, transition to neo-liberalism

11

Education

education patterns in contemporary Japan

12

Towards an Unequal Society?

"kakusa shakai", 'middle-class consciousness', social stratification

13

Immigration and the Future of Japan

immigration policy, globalisation

14

Summary; Submission of the Term Report and the Essay-Type Test Paper

course review

Class Format

This course generally adheres to an in-class, face-to-face format, except for the first, introductory class (Week 1), which is presented in an on-demand web format.

Recommendations for Private Study

It is strongly recommended that students should do preliminary preparations for each lecture, as well as that they should carefully read and study at home the materials distributed in each lecture so that they can constantly follow the course content. Students who fail to do so usually give a poor performance in the final test and term report assignment.

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

The following assignments are provided to the students as an opportunity to practice and reflect on the learning outcome.

First, there is a reading and writing assignment prior to the related lectures each week, based on guidelines specified by the instructor.

Second, the students are asked to write an essay-type test paper (1,000 words) on a specific subject related to the content of the course.

Third, the students are asked to write a term report (2,000 words) on a freely chosen subject related to the course.

The assignments are weighted as follows:
Class participation: 20%.
Writing assignment: 20%.
Essay-type test paper: 30%.
Term report: 30%.

Grade Evaluation Method （Note）

The course policy regardihng the use of AI tools will be announced in the first, introductory class of the course (Week 1).

Advice to Students on Study and Research Methods

It is strongly recommended that - besides carefully reading the distributed class materials - students should also make efforts in taking notes of the provided class materials. Taking notes is an active learning tool that is complementary to passive learning tools such as 'listening' or 'reading'.

Textbooks

Textbooks （Frequency of Use, Note）

Class materials will be distributed one week before each lecture.

Reference Books

Reference Books （Frequency of Use, Note）

Web Pages for Reference

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

Talk with Students

Other Comments

A detailed notification will be given about each week’s assignments in advance.
【科目ナンバリング・カリキュラムマップはこちらから/Click here to see the Curriculum-Map and Course-Numbering】
URL:https://secure.ritsumei.ac.jp/students/pathways-future/course/curriculum.html/