授業科目名 年度 学期 開講曜日・時限 学部・研究科 全担当教員 単位数
12468:[2025 春セメスター]IR18‐AE105 Japan and the West(RA) § 12469:IR-AS108 Japan and the West(RA) § 12470:Japan and the West(RA) § 12471:RUIR-1612 Japan and the West(RA) 2025 春セメスター 月3 法学部,経済学部,経営学部,産業社会学部,国際関係学部,政策科学部,文学部,映像学部,情報理工学部,スポーツ健康科学部 CHADHA Astha 2

キャンパス

衣笠

授業施設

恒心館KS305号教室

授業で利用する言語

英語

授業の概要と方法

The course examines how Japan and the West have historically interacted with each other and how those interactions and mutual perceptions play a role in current geopolitics. The course will cover regional and global politics in the Indo-Pacific focusing on Japan and what Japan considers as the West. Weekly lecture readings will be provided and students are expected to actively participate in class, submit written assignments and prepare a final class presentation on any topic of their choice related to class contents.

【+R-Jugyo】
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 assignment will include watching a video and submitting a written assignment to be submitted by Week 8
This will also be announced in class in Week 1.

受講生の到達目標

Upon successful completion of this course, students will have a better understanding of how to:
- analyze the historical and cultural factors that have shaped Japan's unique identity and its interactions with the West.
- trace the evolution of Japanese-Western relations, including periods of isolation, conflict, and cooperation since WW2
- compare and contrast Japanese and Western values, social norms, and cultural practices.
- analyze Japan's role in international affairs, including its security alliances and foreign policy objectives.
- conceptualize "soft power" and its application in Japanese foreign policy.

事前に履修しておくことが望まれる科目

授業スケジュール

授業回数/
担当教員（複数担当の場合） 		テーマ
キーワード・文献・補足事項等
1

Introduction: Japan and the West

Decoding "Japan" and the "West" as geographical and cultural markers; discussing Orientalism

2

Voyages to the West

Historical interactions between Japan and the West

3

Approaches to Nihonjinron

What is Nihonjinron; how Japan can be approached through the lens of Nihonjinron

4

World War 2 through Japanese perspective

Japan's WW2 experience; representation of the Holocaust in Japanese popular culture

5

Post war Japan and relations with the West

US-Japan relations and Japan-Europe relations after WW2

6

Japan through the West: Differences

How the "West" understands Japan and Japanese culture

+R-Jugyo

Reading and Writing assignment

Watch the assigned video and attempt the writing assignment to be submitted by Week 8

7

Japan and the West: Navigating the nuclear threat

Approaching Gojira and Godzilla; decoding the nuclear imaginaries in japan and the West

8

Cool Japan: Japanese soft power

Understanding "Cool Japan" as Japanese soft diplomacy

9

Approaching Japan through culinary culture

Japan as a tourism hotspot and its culinary culture: Ramen Girl

10

Japanese foreign policy towards the West I

Japan-US relations and approach to security

11

Japanese foreign policy towards the West II

Japan-Europe relations and approach to security

12

Final Presentations I

Final presentations by students

13

Final Presentations II

Final presentations by students

14

Conclusion and wrap-up

Course conclusion, reflection of topics learnt and wrap-up

授業実施形態

In-person classes

授業外学習の指示

Students are expected to read the assigned articles before coming to class.
In class, students will be required to share what they learnt from the topic of the week.
Students' responses will count towards the final grade.
Towards the end of the course, students will be required to do a final presentation on any topic of their choice related to the course contents.

成績評価方法

種別 割合(%) 評価基準等
定期試験（筆記）

レポート試験
（統一締切日を締切とするレポート）

上記以外の試験・レポート、平常点評価
（日常的な授業における取組状況の評価）		 100

Active class participation (30%)
Final class presentations (35%)
Writing assignments (35%)

成績評価方法(備考)

受講および研究に関するアドバイス

No textbooks required to be purchased. Readings will be provided in class.

Class policy on AI usage / academic dishonesty:

1. Students are required to uphold academic honesty in class for all assignments, reports, quizzes, etc.
2. Students’ use of generative AIs, including grammar checkers like Grammarly or translators such as
Google Translate is strictly prohibited. Reports, assignments, or any course-related written work using AI in any measure for text generation, will be treated as plagiarism and graded according to the university rules for plagiarism/academic dishonesty. Additionally, directly copying or using information from electronic tools, or using false information taken directly from generative AI software, such as ChatGPT, will also be treated as academic dishonesty.
3. Students are therefore advised and encouraged to use the Writing Tutorial Program provided by the university and seek help from tutors, rather than relying on AI or software such as for grammar checks.

教科書

教科書(使用頻度、その他補足)

参考書

参考書(使用頻度、その他補足)

参考になるwwwページ

授業内外における学生・教員間のコミュニケーションの方法

学生との直接対話,その他(教員より別途指示）

備考

Readings will be provided in class.
【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/