Course Name Year Term Period Faculty / Graduate School All Instructors Credits
15871:IR18‐FE201 Special Lecture (Core Related Course) (RD) § 15872:IR-EDS201 Special Lecture (Core Related Course) (RD) § 15873:RUIR-2523 Special Lecture (IRGC)(RD) 2022 Spring Tue5 College　Of　International　Relations MOSNEAGA ANA 2

Campus

KIC

Class Venue

KOSHINKAN　KS207

Language

English

Course Outline and Method

How do we perceive and react to something or someone that appears essentially foreign to us? How do such perceptions and reactions influence our thinking and attitude towards those who we define as “others”? This course will contemplate over the process of “othering” through reading Edward Said’s “Orientalism”. The book is considered as a foundation text in the field of culture and area studies, and has influenced how academics practice their intellectual inquiry in many disciplines of social sciences.
Through guided readings of the text, the lectures will centre on understanding Said’s arguments and consider their relevance to interpreting some of the key developments in international relations today. Throughout the course, students will be also prompted to critically reflect on how the arguments from this book could be applied to analyse our own prejudices towards others.

Before registering for this class, please carefully note the course evaluation method (explained in the designated section of the syllabus) and that this course requires substantial amount of reading on complex topics for each class (for details refer to the course schedule section). If you experience difficulties with academic reading and writing on advanced topics in English, it is likely that you will struggle to complete this course.

Student Attainment Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
(a) critically analyse, explain and engage with the accounts and arguments presented in a book considered as one of the classics in culture studies through a thorough reading of Edward Said’s “Orientalism”
(b) identify central dynamics in the process of “othering” as explained in “Orientalism” and relate these to current issues in international relations;
(f) reflect on one’s own perceptions and representations of the things and people that one designates as “foreign” / “other” to oneself;
An important objective of this course is to encourage students to develop their own well-informed opinion about the issues discussed in the text, and how these could be applied to analyse current affairs.

Recommended Preparatory Course

Course Schedule

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

Course introduction

The first lecture will introduce the course aims and the main themes covered in this course.

2

The meanings of Orientalism

“Introduction”

3

Knowledge and power

Chapter 1.1 “Knowing the Oriental”

4

The “Orientalisation” process

Chapter 1.2 “Imaginative Geography and its Representations: Orientalising the Oriental”

5

Islam and Orientalism

Chapter 1.3 “Projects”

6

The role of texts and literature

Chapter 1.4 “Crisis”

7

Orientalist structures

Chapter 2.1 “Redrawn Frontiers, Redefined Issues, Securalised Religion”

8

Cultural filters (part 1)

Pico Iyer (2013) “Where is home?” (video)
https://www.ted.com/talks/pico_iyer_where_is_home

9

Cultural filters (part 2)

Students will review/listen to each other's presentations and provide peer feedback.

10

Superiority and arrogance

Chapter 3.1 “Latent and Manifest Orientalism”

11

The workings of domination

Chapter 3.2 “Style, Expertise, Vision: Orientalism Worldliness”

12

The power of representation

Chapter 3.3 “Modern Anglo-French Orientalism in Fullest Flower”

13

Americanisation of Orientalism?

Chapter 3.4 “The Latest Phase”

14

Essay instructions

This lecture is reserved for reflecting on the essay instructions.

15

Submission of the essays

The final lecture is reserved for the submission of essays.

Class Format

Regardless of the BCP Level*, this course may be conducted entirely through web-based classes (details will be announced closer to the course start date).

When web-based, most classes will be conducted as on-demand sessions; some classes may be conducted as live sessions if deemed necessary by the instructor (in which case, students will be notified in advance via manaba R).
※For more information on Ritsumeikan University's BCP Level, please refer to the following URL, Point No.1 The Ritsumeikan Trust Crisis Response Task Force: http://en.ritsumei.ac.jp/news/detail/?id=475

Recommendations for Private Study

Students will be required to do the designated readings (as written in the Syllabus) before each lecture.

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

① Students will have to submit the following 3 short assignments (one of them in the form of presentation) during class period (35%)

Short Assignment 1:
Deadline: to be announced during the first class
Students will have to complete a short survey after listening to lecture 1 of this course via manaba+R.

Short Assignment 2
Deadline: to be announced during the first class
Format：Upload as MS Word file via manaba+R; use “Arial” font, font size 11. Max. 600 Words.

Topic:
Drawing on your own experience, explain what does “prejudice” means to you. In doing so, you will have to include a concrete example of at least one (or both) of the following points:
- Provide brief description of a situation when you realised that you hold a prejudice towards other(s) and your reflections as to what led you (in terms of background or circumstances) to hold such prejudice(s).
- Provide brief description of a situation when you realised that someone else may be holding a prejudice towards you and explain how you have reacted to such situation.

Short Assignment 3 (Presentation and peer-feedback activity)
Deadline: to be announced during the first class
Format: as a set of narrated MS PPT slides (i.e. voiced over by yourself) via projects on manaba+R; Project group members will review and listen to each other's presentations and provide peer feedback. Detailed instructions will be provided in class.

Topic:
Drawing on the contents of lectures of this course so far, reflect on how your cultural background shapes your thoughts and actions.

--> Short assignments 1~3 will not be individually graded, but only students who have completed all of the 3 short assignments will be allowed to submit the following short essay.

② Short Essay (65 %)
Deadline: to be announced during the first class
Students will have to write a short essay on the topic provided. Detailed instructions on the short essay will be given in class.

Grade Evaluation Method （Note）

Please note that what you write in short assignment 1, 2 and 3 will be visible to other course participants and may be referenced in anonymized form in the following lectures.

Advice to Students on Study and Research Methods

Textbooks

Title Author Publisher ISBN Code Comment
Orientalism Edward W. Said Vintage Books 0-394-74067-X 1979

Textbooks （Frequency of Use, Note）

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)

Learning Management System （manaba+R）

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:http://www.ritsumei.ac.jp//students/pathways-future/course/curriculum.html