全学自由研究ゼミナール　(East West Interactions and the Formation of Modern Society)

The last two hundred years have seen an integration of diverse societies with different cultural traditions, histories, and values, into a largely coherent global order / interactive system. However, one characteristic of this global order / interactive system is that its terms have been set overwhelmingly by “The West”. Its common language is English, its preferred political mode of organisation is Democracy, its formal rules are set in terms of International Law. In trying to prepare the student to navigate such a Eurocentrically constructed environment as an individual, this course will start with historically analysing this asymmetry. The myths and realities regarding the modernisation of East Asia, distinctions between different Asian societies / traditions, as well as different Western societies, remarkable individual achievements in promoting mutual understanding, will all be topics for discussion. Discussions will be based on required reading of first-hand sources and cutting-edge research, so preparation could be a little demanding. After some sessions discussing historical topics (and how this history has shaped the modern world), each student will be asked, through individual discussion with the instructor, to identify a particular problem or topic on which they wish to deepen their studies, ideally in a way that can contextualise the various branches of knowledge they will be acquiring in different courses. Reading material for this part of the course will be selected individually in accordance with the student’s interests and linguistic abilities, and a presentation and final paper based on this reading (as well as original research, in cases where necessary) on that topic will be required toward the end of the course. It is hoped that this process will aid the student in constructing an individualised intellectual identity that can be expressed in English.

Classes will take the form of interactive lectures and discussions.

Evaluation will be based on participation (including a presentation), a final paper.

Willingness to engage in discussion in English is perhaps the only requirement. Reading material, as explained above, will be selected in accordance with the participants' interests and linguistic abilities.