| Course Name | Year | Term | Period | Faculty / Graduate School | All Instructors | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13071:[2025 Spring]IR18‐EE333 Topics in Identity (RA) § 13072:RUIR-3522 Topics in Identity(RA) § 13073:IR-ECS202 Gender Analysis of Security and Development (RA) | 2025 | Spring | Mon2 | College Of International Relations | KIM WACHUTKA JACKIE J | 2 |
Campus
Class Venue
Language
Course Outline and Method
Information for “+R-Jugyo” will be posted on the “Course News” on manaba+R by April 1. Be sure to check the “Course News” on manaba+R.
The aim of this class is to solidify students' critical thinking skills, listening comprehension, research, and academic interaction skills. The course will emphasize a combination of practical academic skills for the purpose of liking theoretical content and practical analysis.
Globalization has brought the world together but has also undeniably caused rifts. In the advent of current trends in globalization, we are witnessing dramatic changes in demographics shifts, consequences of industrialization gone over-drive, dire environmental impacts, natural disasters, catastrophes and strategies of prevention and prediction, passionate debates fueled by identity politics, growing diversities of selves and identities, emotional longing and questions of belonging of movements of masses of people, nation, nation-state and various symbolic representations of its own identity within an alternating world order, epidemics, disease, and questions of social contracts, youths and categories of Millennials and Generation Z and their psycho-emotional states born within an ever-changing temporal existence within virtual space, and altering forms of the body, speech, touch, labor and performance. What constitutes social existence, and who belongs or not belong as legitimate participants within society? Whirling in the midst of these conversations and debates, the very basic questions of life, existence, meaning and questioning is becoming ever more crucial in the examination of self and identity and our own personhood. The “self” is an intersection of objective and subjective and dissecting the pieces of self pertains to the minute details of attempting to elucidate personhood as an agent. What incorporates “personhood”? What constitutes this existence? Is autonomous agency possible within the dictations of the social norms and conventions? This course aims to look upon the self in its basic forms of body, sex, mind, spirit, and multiple expressions and performativity.
This course will analyze global trends and individual practice of demographics shifts, consequences of industrialization, environmental impacts, natural disasters, catastrophes and strategies of prevention and prediction, identity politics, diversities of selves and identities, border crossings of masses of people through domestic and international migration and refugee-seeking, nation, nation-state and various symbolic representations, epidemics, disease, and questions of social contracts, youths and psycho-emotional states, temporal existence within virtual space, and altering forms of the body, speech, touch, labor and performance. The aspiration of this course is to examine these questions and consider some of the possible underlying explanations that may help us to better understand ourselves, our communities and societies. We will examine various writings that depict and discuss the theoretical discussions of self and identity, society, community, both international and local. We will then inquire into the categories of nations, nation-states, ethnicity, race, gender, sexuality, difference, stereotypes and discrimination, intersectionality, subversive agency. We will analyze specific countries and the explicit issues that are encountered concerning these categories and consider the complexities of the conversations and debates that is common within globalization.
Student Attainment Objectives
2) Students will hone their listening skills during academic lectures.
3) Students will think critically of important social and political issues.
4) Students will share their findings in the form of an oral presentation, and provide, receive and integrate feedback from their peers.
5) Students will research a specific community, society, group or organization of their choice and present their findings in a detailed manner, utilizing both qualitative and quantitative methods.
6) Students will practice the techniques of reading and gathering various information, writing concise and clear hand-outs and presentation skills.
7) Students will practice their academic skills by highlighting main overall themes, recognizing an overarching theory and defining specific praxis.
Recommended Preparatory Course
Course Schedule
| Lecture/Instructor（When there are multiple instructors) | Theme |
|---|---|
| Keyword, References and Supplementary Information | |
| 1-1 |
+R Jugyo
|
Key themes in contemporary social theory.
|
|
| 2-2 |
Lecture #2 Contradiction of Modernity: Modernity as Iron Cage, Modernity as Moral Bonds
|
Group Discussion
|
|
| 3-3 |
Lecture #3 From “Dialectics of Enlightenment”: Dark-side of the Modern Age to “The Sane Society.”
|
Group Discussion
|
|
| 4-4 | Group Discussion on Group Presentation Topic |
Group Discussion on Group Presentation Topic on a Specific Assigned Reading |
|
| 5-5 |
Lecture #4 Power and Knowledge – “Sociological Imagination” as a Method of Social Critic; Power and Knowledge from a Feminist Standpoint, Matrix of Power and Intersectionality and Politics of Empowerment from Simians, Cyborgs and Women to Black Feminist Thought.
|
Group Discussion
|
|
| 6-6 | Group Presentation on Readings. |
Group Presentation -- 15 min. powerpoint presentation |
|
| 7-7 | Group Presentation on Readings |
Group Presentation -- 15 min. powerpoint presentation |
|
| 8-8 | Group Presentation on Readings |
Group Presentation -- 15 min. powerpoint presentation |
|
| 9-9 |
Lecture #5
|
Group Discussion: How does globalization give rise to new insecurities? |
|
| 10-10 |
Lecture #6
|
Group Discussion
|
|
| 11-11 |
Short Final Test on Class 12 (Review)
|
Final Topic Presentation Discussion and Preparation |
|
| 12-12 |
Short Final Test
|
Final Presentation |
|
| 13-13 | Final Presentation |
Final Presentation |
|
| 14-14 | Final Presentation |
Final Presentation |
Class Format
Recommendations for Private Study
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 | •Active Participation (homework, attendance, discussion forum, pop-quiz on readings, written works) 20%
|
Grade Evaluation Method （Note）
Test will be from assigned readings and lectures. Therefore, class attendance is crucial.
Students must actively participate.
Please follow directions.
All submissions MUST be made through Manaba.
***Missed test cannot be made-up without a legitimate doctor's note.
***Absolutely no late assignments will be accepted.
***All submissions are through Manaba. No submissions through e-mail without instructor's permission.
Advice to Students on Study and Research Methods
Textbooks
Textbooks （Frequency of Use, Note）
Reference Books
| Title | Author | Publisher | ISBN Code | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| An Introduction to Contemporary Social Theory | Anthony Elliott and Charles Lemert | 9780415521376 | ||
| Routledge Handbook of Sexuality Studies | Mark McMelland & Vera Mackie | 9780415639484 | ||
| Globalization | Arjun Appadurai | 4111031006 | ||
| Global Sociology | Cohen, R. & Kennedy, P | 9780230293748 | ||
| Woman, Native, Other | Trinh T. Minh-ha | 9780253205032 | ||
| Remembering women's activism | Vera Mackie & Sharon Cozier De-Rosa | 9781138794894 |
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)
Other Comments
***Course studies and submission of assignments will be conducted via manaba+R.
***“Reading materials” will be uploaded on either Manaba or One-Drive and submissions will be made through the same portals.
*** This is a tentative schedule and changes may occur according to circumstances and levels of students.
*** Attendance will be taken during each class through Manaba. All important submissions such as quizzes, tests, and written works will be explained in full detail through written instructions and in class.
***Works submitted without permission through e-mail will not be accepted.
*** Late submissions are not accepted without legitimate reason.
*** Attendance is extremely important.
URL:https://secure.ritsumei.ac.jp/students/pathways-future/course/curriculum.html/