Course Name Year Term Period Faculty / Graduate School All Instructors Credits
13313:[2025 Fall]IR18‐GE208 Advanced Topics in Area Studies (R) § 13314:RUIR-2632 Advanced Topics in Area Studies(R) 2025 Fall Tue5 College　Of　International　Relations TAGAWA SHOHEI 2

Campus

KIC

Class Venue

MEIGAKUKAN　MG003

Language

英語

Course Outline and Method

This course investigates the ways in which urban communities have been treated in different academic disciplines. Drawing insights from sociology, human geography, socio-cultural anthropology, and other related disciplines, it examines the structure of knowledge production in urban studies and how those studies have treated case studies from different parts of the globe. In so doing, this course aims to explore a perspective with which to construct a place-specific knowledge about urban communities. By introducing the kind of case studies that demand researchers to look carefully at the scales smaller than sub-national geographical units (local municipalities), it focuses especially on the mundane social phenomena that help construe the everyday realities of residential communities.

* Area Studies aims to comprehensively understand particular geographical areas by analysing local perspectives and distinct features of society, culture, politics, economy, and/or nature of the area. The term “area” in Area Studies refers to a particular geographical or cultural area of the world. It ranges from sub-national locales (e.g. Kyoto) to countries (e.g. Japan) and regions (e.g. East Asia). It is an interdisciplinary field of research, which crosses several major academic disciplines in humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences (e.g., ecology).

【+R-Jugyo】
Information for “+R-Jugyo” will be posted on the “Course News” on manaba+R by September 20. Be sure to check the “Course News” on manaba+R.

Student Attainment Objectives

By the end of the course, the students will be able to:
1. Explain the causes and features that constitute urban communities;
2. Identify the local context and local perspectives that defines particular urban communities;
3. Discuss issues and challenges faced by specific urban communities from a microscopic and comparative perspective.

Recommended Preparatory Course

Course Schedule

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

Production of knowledge about cities and urban communities: Macro-perspective

Right to the city, global south

2

Production of knowledge about cities and urban communities: Micro-perspective

Postcolonial urbanism, rural-urban relation, multi-layered community

3

Rethinking the city and the urban communities

Postcolonial urbanism, rural-urban relation, multi-layered community

4

Comparing cities from different regions

Place-specific knowledge, auto-ethnographic and reflexive understanding of different cultures

5

Lecture: Urban communities of Jakarta, Indonesia

6

Discussion: Bodily technique, corporeality, and the communal identity of place

7

Lecture: Urban communities of Kyoto, Japan

8

Discussion: Architectural environment, materiality, and the communal identity of place

9

Group work: Research question

10

Group work: Literature search

11

Presentation: Research topic and literature reveiw

12

Group work: Research design

13

Group work: Research Plans

14

Writing a report (research proposal)

Class Format

Face-to-face

Recommendations for Private Study

The coursework includes reading, writing, designing research, and other activities as necessary. Students are expected to actively perform those tasks both inside and outside of the class. And, as many of those activities are group-based, students are expected to responsibly engage in the said activities.

Grade Evaluation Method

Kind Percentage Grading Criteria etc.
Final Examination (Written) 0

Report Examination
(A report to be submitted by the unified deadline)		 0

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

(1) Class participation 40%
(2) Group presentations and final report 60%

Grade Evaluation Method （Note）

(1) Class participation:
- Five (5) unjustified absences will result in failure of the course;
- Active participation in group discussions;
- Occasional reading assignments and short writing assignments.

(2) Group presentations and final essay:
- By the end of the term, students are expected to submit a final report (research proposal) of about 1,000 to 1,500 words;
- Final report must include 1. Research question, 2. Literature review, 3. Original hypothesis, 4. Research plan, and 5. Expected outcome;
- Students are expected to give occasional presentations on the progress of their research plans
- Students who commit plagiarism (*) will receive F.

(*) Plagiarism in this course includes: (a) Direct quotation without a citation and quotation marks [“ ”]; (b) Indirect quotation without a citation using a source other than the assigned article

Advice to Students on Study and Research Methods

Textbooks

Textbooks （Frequency of Use, Note）

Reference Books

Reference Books （Frequency of Use, Note）

Readings and handouts will be announced and/or distributed as necessary.

Web Pages for Reference

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

Learning Management System （manaba+R）,Talk with Students

Other Comments

【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/