| Course Name | Year | Term | Period | Faculty / Graduate School | All Instructors | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12706:[2025 Spring]IR18‐CB102 Academic Skills II (Advanced+) (RB) § 12707:RUIR-1102 Academic Skills II (Advanced+)(RB) | 2025 | Spring | Wed3,Fri3 | College Of International Relations | KIM WACHUTKA JACKIE J | 4 |
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 Academic Skills is to familiarize students with theories, historical developments and current issues in the field of international relations while developing their reading and critical thinking skills. The course will emphasize a combination of practical academic skills for the purpose of gathering primary and extensive secondary data within the framework of theoretical content and analysis.
With this as the main foundation of this course, we will consider the following:
The questions of self and identity, whether it is a conscious or unconscious effort to define, explain, or narrate, have affected every individual at one point or another in his or her lifetime. Many perhaps may argue that these questions are embedded within our minds, almost like an encoded message that dictates our actions, behaviors and thoughts throughout our daily lives. How do we make decisions as individuals within a society? More specifically, where do we stand within the society? Or rather, how are we formed and patterned as social beings? Examining these questions and inquiring about the categories that have been scripted for us as members of society may elucidate the “selves” and “identities” that we have consciously or unconsciously constructed. What are the dynamics of human relations within the society? How “individual” are we within our collective groups, communities, societies and nations? Or are we imply prisoners within the chains of an unavoidable social interdependency? Are actions to contest the power and dominant authority of the socially, politically, and culturally powerful a way to claim individual agency? If so, in what ways are such contestations possible?
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. We will then inquire into the categories of nation, ethnicity, race, gender, sexuality, difference, stereotypes and discrimination. We will then analyze specific countries and the explicit issues that are encountered concerning these categories and consider the complexities of the conversations and debates that surround them.
Within this course, the students will actively select readings and present their thoughts through a verbal and written format. With each reading and presentation, the students must prepare an academic handout resume and power-point and be prepared to answer follow-up questions from the audience. By the end of the semester, the students will have researched upon a specific community, society, group or organization of their choice and present their findings in a detailed manner.
Student Attainment Objectives
2) Students will be able to utilize these obtained theories in order to formulate a hypothesis and design an academic research methodology to analyze a group of people, for example, ethnic, sexual, class and other minorities and their positionality in their community, society, and nation. The students will also familiarize themselves with the dynamics of institutions, community organizations, and grassroots civic groups and their activism that reflect local and regional aims, as well as a common international global agenda.
3) Students will be able to present their findings through an academically researched paper utilizing the in-class readings, as well as independently researched books, on-line journals, and multi-site periodicals. They will be able to deliver a detailed analysis of the subject and demonstrate their own interpretation or assessment of the collected data.
4) Students will practice their academic writing skills by paying close attention to: a) highlighting the main overall thesis statement b) following a specific, organized table of contents c) writing succinct sentences d) emphasizing topic-focused paragraphs e) making efforts toward smooth paragraph transitions f) understanding the importance of accurate citations of sources g) building a reference/bibliography page following the APA style 7th edition.
Recommended Preparatory Course
Course Schedule
| Lecture/Instructor（When there are multiple instructors) | Theme |
|---|---|
| Keyword, References and Supplementary Information | |
| 1-1 |
+R Jugyo
|
Questions of self, identity and society |
|
| 2-2 |
-Share the one page introduction of yourself (No specific word count). This is a free-style format.
|
Questions of self, identity and society
|
|
| 3-3 |
-Reading from Kidd and Teagle (2014) Culture and Identity.
|
Culture, society and the individual, APA style Review
|
|
| 4-4 |
-Watch Visual clip
|
Symbolizing, structure, agency, society |
|
| 5-5 | -Notebook Entry #5: Research theme brainstorming |
Race, ethnicity, nation, stereotype, gender, migration, immigration |
|
| 6-6 |
-Overall class discussion and Final Research Explanation
|
Choosing a research topic |
|
| 7-7 |
-Gathering materials for Final Research Proposal. Write an effective thesis statement: What is the big question? What is the answer? -
|
Research Proposal, thesis statement |
|
| 8-8 |
-Researching books, journals, on-line periodicals, newspaper articles, organizations.
|
Researching for sources, bibliography
|
|
| 9-9 |
Writing the first-draft
|
Organizing research paper |
|
| 10-10 |
Writing the first draft
|
Organizing research paper |
|
| 11-11 |
-Final research paper preparation
|
Research paper elements, preparing an APA style presentation |
|
| 12-12 |
-Final Research Paper DRAFT Due
|
Final Presentation |
|
| 13-13 | Final Research Presentation |
Final Presentation |
|
| 14-14 |
Final Research Presentation
|
Final Presentation
|
Class Format
College of IR Student Page：https://ct.ritsumei.ac.jp/ct/course_1728150
Study Support Site：https://www.ritsumei.ac.jp/pathways-future/eng/
(*)To check the class format for the first class of the course, you will need to apply for the “early use request function.” Refer to the Registration Guidebook AY 2023 for details. Please be careful that applying for the early use request does not sign you up for the course. You will need to register for courses during the designated period separately.
Recommendations for Private Study
Writing Center Tutorial
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVI2CcLo68g
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 | •Assignments 30% [Group APA Style PowerPoint, Research Proposal, Annotated Bibliography, Final Paper First Draft, other written works, reading quizzes, active verbal participation etc.]
|
Grade Evaluation Method （Note）
Advice to Students on Study and Research Methods
Textbooks
Textbooks （Frequency of Use, Note）
Reference Books
| Title | Author | Publisher | ISBN Code | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Culture and Identity | Kidd, W. & Teagle, A. | Palgrave Macmillan | 978023028102-8 | |
| Sociology and You | Shepard, J. & Greene, R. | McGraw-Hill | 9780078285769 | |
| Questioning Identity: Gender, Class, Nation | Woodward, K | Routledge | 0415222877 | |
| Global Sociology | Cohen, R. & Kennedy, P | Palgrave Macmillan | 9780230293748 | |
| Sociology: Pop Culture to Social Structure | Brym, R. & Lie, J. | Wadsworth Cengage Learning | 9781111833862 | |
| Multiculturalism: A Very Short Introduction | Rattansi, Ali | Oxford | 9780199546039 | |
| The Ethnicity Reader: Nationalism, multiculturalism and Migration | Guibernau, M. & Rex, J. | Polity | 9780745647012 | |
| International Relations: Perspectives and Controversies | Shimko, K. | Wadsworth, Cengage Learning | 9780495797968 | |
| Introduction to Contemporary Social Theory | Elliott, A & Lemert, C. | Routledge | 9780495797968 |
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 through in-class and Manaba. All important submissions such as Notebooks and Final Project will be explained in full detail though written instructions and in-class.
URL:https://secure.ritsumei.ac.jp/students/pathways-future/course/curriculum.html/