The purpose of this course is to examine how Japan’s transformation into a modern nation was shaped and represented through visual culture. Great emphasis is placed on group work, as students are expected to actively collaborate with peers to analyze visual materials, share perspectives, and co-construct knowledge. Through these interactive and cooperative activities, students will also have the opportunity to enhance their English communication skills and connect with a community of internationally minded peers. この授業では、日本が近代国家へと変化していく過程を、当時の絵画や写真、広告などの「視覚資料」を通して学びます。授業では、オンライン教材やビデオ講義、歴史資料を用いながら、ディスカッションや課題に取り組みます。特にグループワークを重視しており、視覚資料の分析やプレゼンテーションなどを通して、学生同士が協力しながら学びを深めていきます。これらの活動を通して、視覚的リテラシー、歴史的思考力、異文化理解力を養うとともに、英語によるコミュニケーション能力の向上も目指します。国際的な視野を広げたい方や、英語を実践的に使って学びたい方に適した内容となっています。

Is there such a thing called Japanese philosophy? While there is a tendency to think of philosophy as uniquely Western, with some developments having sprouts and branches in Indian and Chinese history, what is not as well-known is that there was an original philosophy that emerged out of 20th Century Japan. What we will look at in this course is one strand of Japanese philosophy: the Kyoto School philosophy (京都学派). The Kyoto School is a name given to a philosophical movement that took place around Kyoto University that both assimilated and challenged the foundational claims within Western philosophy by drawing on its own intellectual heritages and ideas and used them to reformulate religious, political, and moral viewpoints that are unique to the East Asian cultural tradition, and perhaps to the rest of the world, while maintaining a dialogue with its Western counterpart. What makes this school important and relevant to contemporary philosophy is the fact they took a bipedal stance between the East and West. The goal for many of these philosophers was not to advance a particular Eastern philosophical standpoint as such, but to put forth a vision of dialogue among a multiplicity of worlds. In this sense, the Kyoto School appears rather cosmopolitan when compared with other European or American schools of thought at that time. Given the increasingly global context we currently live in, it is becoming certain that we need other philosophical discourses that are not Western grounded to further understand the pressures, diversity, and problems of contemporary life. This course will discuss the major figures, principles, and historical controversies of the Kyoto School philosophy and bring these thinkers into conversation within Western philosophy in order to engage the problems of today’s global world. These thinkers shared cosmopolitan visions of the future, seeking to address issues related to colonialism, social conflict, and self/cultural identity; and if we read these thinkers more hermeneutically, we can find that their work touches on issues that afflict us today as well: issues, such as environmental degradation, military escalation, and excess capitalism. Finally, note that this is part I of a sequence of courses I call “The History of Japanese Philosophy” (with part II focusing on the social philosophy of Japanese history and part III on the Marxist tradition within the history of Japanese thought). Ultimately, what this course aims to do is to have students exercise their analytical and critical thinking skills in English by deploying these authors or texts in the service of demonstrating their relevance to the sustainable development goals that is the center of Global Liberal Arts classes (or students can do the opposite, as an option—to disprove their relevance!). In this course, the students will: a) know who the major figures of the Kyoto School are; b) learn the fundamental arguments proposed by leading Kyoto School thinkers; c) understand and discuss the controversies around the Kyoto School; d) explore the personal, social, and political issues raised by the Kyoto School; e) and theorize the possible connections or relevance the Kyoto School has to contemporary problems or issues related to the sustainable development goals

Is there such a thing called Japanese philosophy? While there is a tendency to think of philosophy as uniquely Western, with some developments having sprouts and branches in Indian and Chinese history, what is not as well-known is that there was an original philosophy that emerged out of 20th Century Japan. What we will look at in this course is one strand of Japanese philosophy: the Kyoto School philosophy (京都学派). The Kyoto School is a name given to a philosophical movement that took place around Kyoto University that both assimilated and challenged the foundational claims within Western philosophy by drawing on its own intellectual heritages and ideas and used them to reformulate religious, political, and moral viewpoints that are unique to the East Asian cultural tradition, and perhaps to the rest of the world, while maintaining a dialogue with its Western counterpart. What makes this school important and relevant to contemporary philosophy is the fact they took a bipedal stance between the East and West. The goal for many of these philosophers was not to advance a particular Eastern philosophical standpoint as such, but to put forth a vision of dialogue among a multiplicity of worlds. In this sense, the Kyoto School appears rather cosmopolitan when compared with other European or American schools of thought at that time. Given the increasingly global context we currently live in, it is becoming certain that we need other philosophical discourses that are not Western grounded to further understand the pressures, diversity, and problems of contemporary life. This course will discuss the major figures, principles, and historical controversies of the Kyoto School philosophy and bring these thinkers into conversation within Western philosophy in order to engage the problems of today’s global world. These thinkers shared cosmopolitan visions of the future, seeking to address issues related to colonialism, social conflict, and self/cultural identity; and if we read these thinkers more hermeneutically, we can find that their work touches on issues that afflict us today as well: issues, such as environmental degradation, military escalation, and excess capitalism. Finally, note that this is part I of a sequence of courses I call “The History of Japanese Philosophy” (with part II focusing on the social philosophy of Japanese history and part III on the Marxist tradition within the history of Japanese thought). Ultimately, what this course aims to do is to have students exercise their analytical and critical thinking skills in English by deploying these authors or texts in the service of demonstrating their relevance to the sustainable development goals that is the center of Global Liberal Arts classes (or students can do the opposite, as an option—to disprove their relevance!). In this course, the students will: a) know who the major figures of the Kyoto School are; b) learn the fundamental arguments proposed by leading Kyoto School thinkers; c) understand and discuss the controversies around the Kyoto School; d) explore the personal, social, and political issues raised by the Kyoto School; e) and theorize the possible connections or relevance the Kyoto School has to contemporary problems or issues related to the sustainable development goals

This course explores modern human rights movements through the lenses of culture, psychology, and law, focusing on non-violent activism. We will examine various case studies to understand how political activists build coalitions, how local groups and individuals resist conflict, and the legal frameworks that support the sustained implementation of human rights. The course is organized around key sociological categories, including political engagement, gender, ethnicity, disability, and nationality. To achieve this, we will analyze historical and contemporary examples from the United States, Japan, Ireland, Uganda, and Israel-Palestine, among others. The course will deal with the following SDGs: 5: Gender Equality 10: Reduced Inequality 16: Peace Justice and Strong Institutions

This course explores modern human rights movements through the lenses of culture, psychology, and law, focusing on non-violent activism. We will examine various case studies to understand how political activists build coalitions, how local groups and individuals resist conflict, and the legal frameworks that support the sustained implementation of human rights. The course is organized around key sociological categories, including political engagement, gender, ethnicity, disability, and nationality. To achieve this, we will analyze historical and contemporary examples from the United States, Japan, Ireland, Uganda, and Israel-Palestine, among others. The course will deal with the following SDGs: 5: Gender Equality 10: Reduced Inequality 16: Peace Justice and Strong Institutions

This course will focus on the dynamics of museum collections in contemporary society. Particular attention will be paid to the meaning and politics of provenance--where the items on display come from and the socio-political-economic background behind that origin. The instructor's specialty is US cultural studies but the class will spend a considerable amount of time talking about museums in Japan. The class combines readings with exploring visits to actual sites.

This course will focus on the dynamics of museum collections in contemporary society. Particular attention will be paid to the meaning and politics of provenance--where the items on display come from and the socio-political-economic background behind that origin. The instructor's specialty is US cultural studies but the class will spend a considerable amount of time talking about museums in Japan. The class combines readings with exploring visits to actual sites.

日露戦争から両大戦間期にかけての日仏交流には、世界の困難な状況のなかでそれを克服しようとする動きも見られた。この授業では、「戦争の世紀」における国際平和を模索する試みが、政治的・外交的な駆け引きだけでなく、ライシテの時代の宗教的な理想とも結びついていたことに着目し、20世紀前半の日仏交流に「世界歴史」の観点からアプローチする。方法論的には、「接続された歴史」（サンジャイ・スブラフマニヤム）や「可能性の歴史」（ドゥルエルモーズとサンガラヴェルー）を参考にした「グローバル・ヒストリー」を意識している。具体的に取りあげるのは、日露戦争と1905年のフランス政教分離法の関係、同法制定に尽力したアリスティッド・ブリアンのライシテ観と協調外交、1920年代前半に駐日大使として日本に派遣されたクローデルの役割、クローデルとともに日仏会館を創設した渋沢栄一の経済思想、渋沢栄一の精神的右腕として知られる姉崎正治の宗教思想などである。それらを通して、国際連盟と民間外交、小国平和志向の思想なども扱うことになると思われる。

This course aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of international politics in East Asia. It covers both specific regional issues, such as the U.S.-China rivalry, the Taiwan issue, the Korean Peninsula issue, and the South China Sea dispute, as well as broader themes, including the historical formation of regional order, Japan’s evolving role, and newly emerging transnational challenges.

This course aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of international politics in East Asia. It covers both specific regional issues, such as the U.S.-China rivalry, the Taiwan issue, the Korean Peninsula issue, and the South China Sea dispute, as well as broader themes, including the historical formation of regional order, Japan’s evolving role, and newly emerging transnational challenges.