Do you enjoy watching good movies? Are you interested in global environmental issues such as the SDGs? If your answer to both questions is "yes", this course is for you! First, we will explore academic literature in the field of political ecology relevant to sustainability and the SDGs; then, we will put the knowledge gained into practice by watching (good) movies and discussing how the films that we as global citizens consume can help us understand environmental and sustainability issues, and in which ways our own personal perceptions and academic views on nature society links are shaped by the process. Concepts from political ecology that will be covered in the course include environmental justice, ecosystem services, nature contributions to people, ecological economics, de-growth, or ecofeminism, among others. This is a fun, rewarding course both personally and academically. To take this course you do not need to have any specific background (students across any arts & sciences fields are all welcome); yet students are required to take the time to diligently watch all the movies in whole, with a critical, academic eye. While some (initial) films will be chosen by the instructor, as the semester advances, students may propose films to watch and lead the follow-up class discussion about them.

Do you enjoy watching good movies? Are you interested in global environmental issues such as the SDGs? If your answer to both questions is "yes", this course is for you! First, we will explore academic literature in the field of political ecology relevant to sustainability and the SDGs; then, we will put the knowledge gained into practice by watching (good) movies and discussing how the films that we as global citizens consume can help us understand environmental and sustainability issues, and in which ways our own personal perceptions and academic views on nature society links are shaped by the process. Concepts from political ecology that will be covered in the course include environmental justice, ecosystem services, nature contributions to people, ecological economics, de-growth, or ecofeminism, among others. This is a fun, rewarding course both personally and academically. To take this course you do not need to have any specific background (students across any arts & sciences fields are all welcome); yet students are required to take the time to diligently watch all the movies in whole, with a critical, academic eye. While some (initial) films will be chosen by the instructor, as the semester advances, students may propose films to watch and lead the follow-up class discussion about them.

This course introduces students to fundamental themes and issues in development studies. The course allows students to explore a range of critical debates and discussions connected to poverty in less prosperous parts of the world, and is divided into three parts. The first part of the course focuses on theories and approaches by examining how the understanding of development has evolved from the colonial period up to contemporary theories of what constitutes a developed society. Part two looks at key actors in the field of development including the state, national development agencies, global financial institutions and civil society organisations. The third part of the course explores a number of key themes in international development, looking at questions around how debt, health and conflict impact on development. In addition to the acquisition of content knowledge, students will develop their academic English skills in the following areas: listening comprehension; notetaking skills; critical thinking, discussion, intensive and extensive reading, summary writing, research, and presentation.

This course introduces students to fundamental themes and issues in development studies. The course allows students to explore a range of critical debates and discussions connected to poverty in less prosperous parts of the world, and is divided into three parts. The first part of the course focuses on theories and approaches by examining how the understanding of development has evolved from the colonial period up to contemporary theories of what constitutes a developed society. Part two looks at key actors in the field of development including the state, national development agencies, global financial institutions and civil society organisations. The third part of the course explores a number of key themes in international development, looking at questions around how debt, health and conflict impact on development. In addition to the acquisition of content knowledge, students will develop their academic English skills in the following areas: listening comprehension; notetaking skills; critical thinking, discussion, intensive and extensive reading, summary writing, research, and presentation.

In this course, students will examine the dynamics of border disputes in East Asia from the nineteenth century to the present day, with the goal of understanding how nebulous imperial frontiers gradually became linear national boundaries. Students will consider the factors that drove East Asian states to map their borderlands in new ways and negotiate territorial claims. Geopolitical, economic, and cultural contexts will be interwoven into the discussions of contested territories and border conflicts. Themes to be explored include the reconceptualization of imperial borderlands in the late nineteenth century; the impact of cartographic discourses and technologies in advancing border claims; the role of territorial disputes in forging ethnic and national identities among border populations; and an in-depth examination of current border conflicts, in particular the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands dispute between China, Taiwan, and Japan; and the Dokdo/Takeshima Dispute between Japan and South Korea.

In this course, students will examine the dynamics of border disputes in East Asia from the nineteenth century to the present day, with the goal of understanding how nebulous imperial frontiers gradually became linear national boundaries. Students will consider the factors that drove East Asian states to map their borderlands in new ways and negotiate territorial claims. Geopolitical, economic, and cultural contexts will be interwoven into the discussions of contested territories and border conflicts. Themes to be explored include the reconceptualization of imperial borderlands in the late nineteenth century; the impact of cartographic discourses and technologies in advancing border claims; the role of territorial disputes in forging ethnic and national identities among border populations; and an in-depth examination of current border conflicts, in particular the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands dispute between China, Taiwan, and Japan; and the Dokdo/Takeshima Dispute between Japan and South Korea.

This course will introduce the various model organisms that are used in biomedical research and discuss why these particular animals were chosen as models, what kind of research they are used for, and what we can learn from studying them. Ethical issues surrounding the use of animals in research will also be discussed. Students will be expected to read scientific journal articles and participate in class discussions. This class will be taught in English and students will be expected to speak in English and complete assignments in English.

This course will introduce the various model organisms that are used in biomedical research and discuss why these particular animals were chosen as models, what kind of research they are used for, and what we can learn from studying them. Ethical issues surrounding the use of animals in research will also be discussed. Students will be expected to read scientific journal articles and participate in class discussions. This class will be taught in English and students will be expected to speak in English and complete assignments in English.

Please note that you are assessed on a five-level scale of A+, A, B, C, or F/Fail in this course. Intercultural communication is a multidisciplinary area of study, linking together many disciplines including communication, linguistics, sociology, anthropology, education, and business. This course focuses on psychological theories and research on the process of communication between people from different cultures. Throughout the course, students will gain an understanding of different theoretical approaches to intercultural communication, and examples of research generated from these perspectives. Moreover, this course extends beyond theoretical knowledge and aims to equip students with practical communication skills that will benefit their intercultural interactions. In alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals of Global Liberal Arts Courses, students will explore the underlying influence of power, prejudice, and oppression in shaping intergroup relations, and learn how to empathically connect and communicate with individuals from different sociocultural backgrounds. Through writing reflection/application papers, as well as engaging in class/group discussions, students are invited to think critically about initiating systemic changes that advocate for social justice in addition to establishing harmonious intergroup/intercultural relationships. In sum, the course strives to (1) cultivate greater intercultural understanding among students that enables them to navigate cross cultural differences more effectively, and (2) promote intercultural communicative competence that facilitates positive intercultural interactions across various spheres of life.

Please note that you are assessed on a Pass/Fail basis in this course.】 Intercultural communication is a multidisciplinary area of study, linking together many disciplines including communication, linguistics, sociology, anthropology, education, and business. This course focuses on psychological theories and research on the process of communication between people from different cultures. Throughout the course, students will gain an understanding of different theoretical approaches to intercultural communication, and examples of research generated from these perspectives. Moreover, this course extends beyond theoretical knowledge and aims to equip students with practical communication skills that will benefit their intercultural interactions. In alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals of Global Liberal Arts Courses, students will explore the underlying influence of power, prejudice, and oppression in shaping intergroup relations, and learn how to empathically connect and communicate with individuals from different sociocultural backgrounds. Through writing reflection/application papers, as well as engaging in class/group discussions, students are invited to think critically about initiating systemic changes that advocate for social justice in addition to establishing harmonious intergroup/intercultural relationships. In sum, the course strives to (1) cultivate greater intercultural understanding among students that enables them to navigate cross cultural differences more effectively, and (2) promote intercultural communicative competence that facilitates positive intercultural interactions across various spheres of life.