This course provides a critical and interdisciplinary overview of the major legal and political developments that have shaped - and continue to shape - Japanese society. Drawing on perspectives from political science, law, history, and sociology, the course emphasizes both top-down and bottom-up processes in Japanese governance. It focuses on how law operates within society, particularly through constitutional, criminal, and civil law. However, the aim is not to analyze these laws in isolation, but to explore how they function within the social fabric of Japan. Law is a fundamental aspect of everyday life in all societies: it provides predictability, helps avoid anarchy, and secures cooperation among members of society by prioritizing the common good over individual gain (law as a tool for stability in society). Law is also a tool for action when people or groups feel excluded, discriminated against, or believe they are being treated unjustly (law as a tool for social change). This course examines the central features of Japan's legal system, viewing law as a social institution and exploring its relationship with other societal systems. We will focus on the role of key actors in the legal system and the interplay between social stability, and change. Additionally, the course emphasizes the relationship between law and broader economic, political, and social processes. From the perspective of the sociology of law (or socio-legal studies), we will examine how law serves as both a practical resource for addressing social issues (a tool for change) and a set of shared representations and aspirations (for stability). The course will explore how legal professionals (lawyers, judges, law enforcement officers) and ordinary citizens mobilize and use law. Due to time constraints, we cannot cover every aspect of Japan’s legal system or every actor involved. Instead, we will focus on key topics that illustrate the situational and systemic demands placed on actors within the legal system. At the same time, we will seek to identify patterns in how law interacts with and influences society. Some of the topics we will address include Japan’s exceptional record in economic development, crime control, and its low litigation rate. These topics exemplify why Japan's legal system is so efficient; not only by examining how it functions today, but also by tracing its historical roots and understanding why it evolved in this way. We will also address topics such as the death penalty, wrongful convictions, same-sex marriage, and other areas of social activism where law is used to drive social change. These topics reflect the "reverse side of the coin," where law may not function effectively, and social activism seeks to change the situation. In sum, we will analyze the actual evolution of the rule of law in both the past and present, with an eye on the future of Japan and its place in a globalizing world. Therefore, this course combines methodologies from the sociology of law and legal history. We will also critically assess the limitations of law in Japan, asking which social issues remain unresolved by the legal system. Is Japan’s legal system an example for other countries to follow, or not? Ultimately, the goal is to critically examine both the merits and flaws of Japan's legal system in an informed and balanced manner. By studying how conflicts are resolved, how social order is maintained, how movements for social change emerge, and how legal frameworks operate within Japan’s socio-political context, students will develop a comprehensive understanding of Japan’s legal system from the Meiji era (1868–1945) to the present day. Each class will begin with a methodological introduction, providing students with tools from the sociology of law, followed by the analysis of primary materials (e.g., court decisions, political speeches, legislative texts, personal diaries) and secondary readings that offer academic context.

This course covers important topics in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics by using the formal methods of social choice theory and game theory.

While music is often touted as a “universal language” and thought of in terms of its positive functions—e.g., tool of aesthetic, spiritual, and/or intellectual expressions; formation of personal identities; building relationships and communities; mobilizing spirits and promoting actions; healing and rehabilitation; enhancing ambience and environment—it also involves various forms of inequity, exclusion, and exploitation in its creation, circulation, and consumption. This course examines the issues of diversity, equity, and inclusivity in musical practice and explores what it means to pursue justice in/through music. Through discussions of key concepts and assigned readings, field observations, and group projects, we will explore such topics as: class, race, and gender in musical practice; ability, productivity, and creativity in music; music and representation; advocacy and activism in/through music. Through the course, students will: - learn to think of music as not only as an artistic but also a social practice - understand various forms of exclusion, marginalization, and exploitation that occurs in musical practice - learn about examples of advocacy and activism for social justice in/through music - learn interdisciplinary approaches to the study of music, including American studies, cultural studies, ethnography, ethnomusicology, history, musicology, and sociology - engage music as an embodied social practice and analytically reflect on the experience

While music is often touted as a “universal language” and thought of in terms of its positive functions—e.g., tool of aesthetic, spiritual, and/or intellectual expressions; formation of personal identities; building relationships and communities; mobilizing spirits and promoting actions; healing and rehabilitation; enhancing ambience and environment—it also involves various forms of inequity, exclusion, and exploitation in its creation, circulation, and consumption. This course examines the issues of diversity, equity, and inclusivity in musical practice and explores what it means to pursue justice in/through music. Through discussions of key concepts and assigned readings, field observations, and group projects, we will explore such topics as: class, race, and gender in musical practice; ability, productivity, and creativity in music; music and representation; advocacy and activism in/through music. Through the course, students will: - learn to think of music as not only as an artistic but also a social practice - understand various forms of exclusion, marginalization, and exploitation that occurs in musical practice - learn about examples of advocacy and activism for social justice in/through music - learn interdisciplinary approaches to the study of music, including American studies, cultural studies, ethnography, ethnomusicology, history, musicology, and sociology - engage music as an embodied social practice and analytically reflect on the experience

【注意】この授業は開講日程の都合上、成績が所定の確認日より後に公開される見込みが高いので留意すること。特に2年生は本科目の成績が進学選択が可能となる条件に含まれない見込が高いので、履修にあたっては十分に注意すること。 【注意】開講日程の都合上、この授業を履修する場合は、Sセメスター/ S2ターム開講の他授業を履修することができないので、注意してください（開講日程の異なる集中講義等を除く）。 　Students attending this course cannot take credits for other courses in S semester or S2 term, except for intensive courses whose schedule does not overlap with this course. 　UTSIP Kashiwa is an international internship program provided by the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences （GSFS:新領域創成科学研究科）where Junior Division students can study together with undergraduate students from abroad in laboratories as well as in lectures. The program will be conducted in English.

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 program has continued successfully for over 13 years at the University of Tokyo. Our goal is to provide all 3rd year Science Department students with the opportunity to sharpen and improve their L2 English skills. Much of this course will be focused on the Kunihiro Masao Methodology of Communicative English Training. Students will work intensively in oral communicative reading out loud and a number of other exercises to help reach a “higher plane” of ability skills. Strong emphasis will be placed on speaking, reading and listening. In addition, some TOEFL exercises and UNATE (The United Nations Test of English) and EIKEN drills will be included this year to also help introduce the necessity to challenge these important examinations. Students will be expected and obligated to attend class every week and actively participate.

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.