This course explores the role of law and governance in mediating the human-environment interface. It focuses on the Anthropocene as it confronts law and governance scholars with a unique challenge concerning the need to question, and ultimately re-imagine, international environmental law and governance interventions in the light of a new socio-ecological situation. Through interactive lectures, classroom discussions based upon pre-assigned readings, oral presentations, and the elaboration of a joint mini-project, students not only assess the (mostly unsuccessful and ineffective) regulatory interventions used thus far to mediate the human-environment interface; they also examine the possibility to develop counter-narratives and alternative institutional practices, by drawing on most recent critical legal approaches as well as sociocultural traditions that have been marginalised within international environmental law.

This course explores the role of law and governance in mediating the human-environment interface. It focuses on the Anthropocene as it confronts law and governance scholars with a unique challenge concerning the need to question, and ultimately re-imagine, international environmental law and governance interventions in the light of a new socio-ecological situation. Through interactive lectures, classroom discussions based upon pre-assigned readings, oral presentations, and the elaboration of a joint mini-project, students not only assess the (mostly unsuccessful and ineffective) regulatory interventions used thus far to mediate the human-environment interface; they also examine the possibility to develop counter-narratives and alternative institutional practices, by drawing on most recent critical legal approaches as well as sociocultural traditions that have been marginalised within international environmental law.

This course will examine theories and practices of translation with a focus on East-West cross-cultural, inter-societal dialogue and appropriation. Our inquiry is divided into three categories or distinct bodies of experiences, around which class readings and discussions will be organized: 1) The classical paradigm, which not only addresses the translational approaches to Chinese and Western classics but also the early Chinese translation and assimilation of Buddhist scripts; 2) The massive translation of modern Western literature and thought by Chinese and Japanese reformers since the late 19 th century; and 3) Contemporary Western translation of East Asian, particularly Chinese, literature, cinema, fine art as well intellectual discourses. Our interest is historical, cultural political as well as theoretical. By “theoretical”, we mean not only the technical or philosophical discussions on translation as a translingual endeavor, but also the sociopolitical and cultural-political effort at de-stabilizing and transforming pre-existing moral, legal, social and symbolic orders by “stealing fire from an alien language”.

This course will examine theories and practices of translation with a focus on East-West cross-cultural, inter-societal dialogue and appropriation. Our inquiry is divided into three categories or distinct bodies of experiences, around which class readings and discussions will be organized: 1) The classical paradigm, which not only addresses the translational approaches to Chinese and Western classics but also the early Chinese translation and assimilation of Buddhist scripts; 2) The massive translation of modern Western literature and thought by Chinese and Japanese reformers since the late 19 th century; and 3) Contemporary Western translation of East Asian, particularly Chinese, literature, cinema, fine art as well intellectual discourses. Our interest is historical, cultural political as well as theoretical. By “theoretical”, we mean not only the technical or philosophical discussions on translation as a translingual endeavor, but also the sociopolitical and cultural-political effort at de-stabilizing and transforming pre-existing moral, legal, social and symbolic orders by “stealing fire from an alien language”.

This is a course on visual culture in the 20th and 21st century, with a particular focus on the interplay between media technology, culture and society. This course will also be multidisciplinary in nature, as we reflect on our discursive assumptions in the historical, sociological, anthropological, philosophical disciplines among others. While the readings may primarily cover phenomenon in the United States, participants will be strongly encouraged to think of the specificity of the impact of globalization on media and society in various regions of the world including Japan. The course objectives are the following: -Gain a better understanding of the relationships between society, media, people, institutions and how they function as agents of maintaining the status quo or for fostering change -Learn about the transformative faculties and social implications of quotidian applications of technology -Gain deeper understanding of the academic disciplines Topics will include (but are not limited to): -representation of race, ethnicity and gender and other minorities -regional, transnational and international ecosystems of information technology -artificial intelligence and algorithmic bias -technological advancement and implementation in everyday life and the powers at play

This is a course on visual culture in the 20th and 21st century, with a particular focus on the interplay between media technology, culture and society. This course will also be multidisciplinary in nature, as we reflect on our discursive assumptions in the historical, sociological, anthropological, philosophical disciplines among others. While the readings may primarily cover phenomenon in the United States, participants will be strongly encouraged to think of the specificity of the impact of globalization on media and society in various regions of the world including Japan. The course objectives are the following: -Gain a better understanding of the relationships between society, media, people, institutions and how they function as agents of maintaining the status quo or for fostering change -Learn about the transformative faculties and social implications of quotidian applications of technology -Gain deeper understanding of the academic disciplines Topics will include (but are not limited to): -representation of race, ethnicity and gender and other minorities -regional, transnational and international ecosystems of information technology -artificial intelligence and algorithmic bias -technological advancement and implementation in everyday life and the powers at play

Aims 1. To introduce students to the history of the lands that now make up most of Poland, Lithuania, Belarus, and Ukraine, from the sixteenth century until the 1930s. 2. To consider civic and ethno-linguistic concepts of ‘nation’ and ‘nationalism’ within this historical context. 3. To enhance the ability to understand and to appreciate how people have existed, acted and thought in the past in the context of the complexity and diversity of historical situations, events and intellectual outlooks. In particular, students should consider how people in the past have evaluated the times in which they were living. 4. To enhance the ability to use and evaluate texts and other source materials both critically and empathetically, as well as appreciating the limits and challenges of the extant record. The critical evaluation of texts should include an understanding of the questions which historians ask and why they do so. By the end of the course students will have read a wide selection of historical works. 5. To enhance the ability to frame and sustain an argument. Arguments should be structured, coherent, relevant, and concise, and should take into account all aspects of a given problem. Objectives By the end of the course, students should have acquired: 1. Enhanced generic skills: these may be defined as -- (i)self-direction and self-discipline; (ii)independence of mind and initiative; (iii) the ability to work with others and to have respect for the reasoned views of others; (iv)the ability to identify, gather, deploy and organize evidence, data, and information; and familiarity with appropriate means of achieving this; (v)analytical ability and the capacity to consider and solve problems, including complex problems; (vi)structure, clarity and fluency of expression; (vii)intellectual maturity and integrity; (viii)empathy and imaginative insight; (ix)ability to organize time, work, and personal resources to optimal effect. 2. A body of historical knowledge relating to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth to 1795 as well as the territories that formerly constituted it, from the partitions until the 1930s.

Aims 1. To introduce students to the history of the lands that now make up most of Poland, Lithuania, Belarus, and Ukraine, from the sixteenth century until the 1930s. 2. To consider civic and ethno-linguistic concepts of ‘nation’ and ‘nationalism’ within this historical context. 3. To enhance the ability to understand and to appreciate how people have existed, acted and thought in the past in the context of the complexity and diversity of historical situations, events and intellectual outlooks. In particular, students should consider how people in the past have evaluated the times in which they were living. 4. To enhance the ability to use and evaluate texts and other source materials both critically and empathetically, as well as appreciating the limits and challenges of the extant record. The critical evaluation of texts should include an understanding of the questions which historians ask and why they do so. By the end of the course students will have read a wide selection of historical works. 5. To enhance the ability to frame and sustain an argument. Arguments should be structured, coherent, relevant, and concise, and should take into account all aspects of a given problem. Objectives By the end of the course, students should have acquired: 1. Enhanced generic skills: these may be defined as -- (i)self-direction and self-discipline; (ii)independence of mind and initiative; (iii) the ability to work with others and to have respect for the reasoned views of others; (iv)the ability to identify, gather, deploy and organize evidence, data, and information; and familiarity with appropriate means of achieving this; (v)analytical ability and the capacity to consider and solve problems, including complex problems; (vi)structure, clarity and fluency of expression; (vii)intellectual maturity and integrity; (viii)empathy and imaginative insight; (ix)ability to organize time, work, and personal resources to optimal effect. 2. A body of historical knowledge relating to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth to 1795 as well as the territories that formerly constituted it, from the partitions until the 1930s.

This course explores fundamental issues of "law and the environment" from comparative, international/transnational, and socio-legal perspectives. This course aims to understand the basic framework of the environmental rule of law widely shared in a global society. Starting with introducing Japan’s environmental law and experiences, this course sheds light on basic concepts and principles of the environmental rule of law and calls attention to the need to examine how science and risk analysis connect with the law.