Immerse yourself in the vibrant and evolving field of visual and media ethnography, where theoretical exploration seamlessly intertwines with hands-on application in photography and filmmaking for scientific research. This comprehensive course delves into the nuanced realms of social documentation and cultural examination across global contexts, fostering a deep appreciation for the synergy between research methodologies and artistic expression. Guiding students through a multifaceted learning journey, this course embarks on "mini-fieldwork" expeditions that unravel within the tapestry of everyday life. Armed with cameras and microphones, students adeptly collect audio-visual data, capturing the essence of human experiences in diverse settings. These candid recordings lay the foundation for the creative process that follows. The subsequent stages of the course center around collaborative engagement. Screenings of the collected "rushes" form the basis for insightful group discussions, affording students the opportunity to dissect, critique, and appreciate the diverse array of audio-visual narratives that emerge. These exchanges enrich perspectives and contribute to the refinement of individual projects. Harnessing the raw materials from their fieldwork, students transition into the role of editors, weaving together captured moments into coherent and evocative narratives. This transformative process not only encapsulates the essence of the subject matter but also reflects the intricate dance between filmmaking and context-specific storytelling. As the course draws to a close, participants will have acquired more than the skills to create compelling ethnographic and transcultural documentary films. They will have gained a profound understanding of filmic composition, montage intricacies, and the art of seamless editing. Through meticulously curated film screenings, theoretical insights will further elucidate the foundational principles that underscore impactful visual storytelling. Ultimately, graduates of this course will emerge as skillful visual ethnographer and filmmaker of thought-provoking ethnographic documentaries. Armed with the ability to leverage their collected audio-visual materials, they will weave narratives that resonate with authenticity. Simultaneously, they will possess the discernment to critically analyze and appreciate the nuances of film construction, propelling them into the ranks of skilled visual storytellers with a comprehensive and holistic understanding of their craft. Learning Goals: By the end of the course, students will have the skills to: •Display a fundamental understanding of theory and methodology in visual and media ethnography. •Competently employ a video camera as a tool for comprehensive fieldwork research. •Proficiently edit ethnographic and documentary films to convey impactful narratives. •Articulate the intricate connections between filmic narratives and distinct socio-cultural milieus. •Thoroughly prepare for supervised editing processes, organize systematic workflows, and infuse personal creativity to elevate storytelling prowess through the video medium.

This seminar aims to discuss the social / historical bases on which a modern legal system might operate in various East Asian societies, and to provide an introduction to some of those problems involving the integration of different legal traditions into a pluralistic yet coherent legal regime. We will focus on the tensions experienced by these societies, involving the importation of what were presented as "universal" values and norms, and the near-universal resistance to these values and norms, such resistance being based on the notions of custom and tradition. While the initial focus will be mainly on the experiences concerning the formation of legal institutions in China and Japan, students will be encouraged to bring in perspectives from other societies as well. The problems discussed will include: the difficulties regarding what exactly can be identified as East Asian legal traditions; how legal regimes were structured through the actions of actors exploiting the plurality of legal traditions; and how the relationship between legal arrangements and the political power-structure played out. Particular attention will also be paid to the issues of colonialism, and the uneasy relationship between Modernisation, Westernisation and Colonisation in these societies. The ability to read source materials written in Chinese and/or Japanese would be of much help, but will not be essential.

This class explores the diverse methodologies and ethical considerations essential for conducting research in the social sciences. The course covers a wide range of topics, including textual and systematic content analysis, qualitative survey design, media ethnography, and research ethics. Students will explore the intricacies of digital databases, media archives, and the basics of web scraping. Advanced techniques in web scraping and social media analytics will be discussed, with particular attention to sentiment analysis and data visualization. The course emphasizes the ethical dimensions of research, ensuring that students are well-equipped to conduct their studies responsibly and effectively. Through a series of lectures and practical workshops, students will gain a thorough understanding of contemporary research methods and their application in the study of information, technology, and society in Asia.

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.

　この講義では、今日「東アジア」と呼ばれる地域の政治社会の成り立ちや国際関係の曲折、そしてナショナリズムの成立を扱うことにより、今日に至るまでの各国・各地域それぞれの国家建設、近代化、対外関係をめぐる問題点への理解を促進する。そして、いわゆる「歴史認識」をめぐる問題や民族問題など、他者への認識に由来する問題がどのような背景から生じたのかを、前近代からの非常に長い政治史や社会的構造・思想史を踏まえて理解出来るようになることを目指す。 　世界を見回すと、どの文明圏・文化的世界でも異なるアイデンティティーの衝突が起こってきたが、とりわけ今日「東アジア」「北東アジア」と呼ばれる地域では歴史的に、漢字・儒学による文明を共有するほど、アイデンティティ上の対立が生み出されてきた。このことは、文明の共有が個別のアイデンティティ上の対立を和らげることにつながるという見方からすると奇異に見えるかも知れないが、この違いは、文明の構造が階層的か水平的かによって起こる。そこで、階層的な文明のもとでは、自他の関係がどのようなものであり、その結果生まれる歴史世界の動態の特徴はどのようなものであるのかを理解する必要がある。 　一般的に、「東アジア」と呼ばれる地域においては漢字・儒学を中心とする文明の影響が広がり、「中華世界」「天下秩序」と称される秩序が展開されていたとされる。しかし、それは常に理念型通りに展開していたわけではないし、外部から流入した仏教やイスラームなど諸宗教、そして西洋近代の論理との間で様々な反応が生じてきた。それが今日の「東アジア」各国の政治史・思想史的展開にも大きな影響を与えている。 　とりわけ、古い中国の文明世界は外部からの強い圧迫を受けつつ限界に達し、様々な抵抗と模索が繰り広げられてきた。しかし近年、中国は自らの経済的成功と「社会の安定」を通じて、今こそ再び中国の文明的な力が復活し、西洋近代ではなく「中国の智慧」が全世界の秩序を整え、真正の「人類運命共同体」を構築しうると主張している。そして、1970年代末以来の「開かれた」中国の雰囲気を一変させて思想統制を強め、毛沢東を超える (？) 長期政権を狙う習近平政権は、かつての王朝体制を批判する中から展開されてきた近現代史の中で相対化されてきたはずの「大一統」という表現をためらいなく復活させて強調する。そのうえで習近平政権は、かつて自らを圧迫した欧米日との全面的に対抗しながらグローバル社会を牽引しようとする姿勢を見せつつあるだけでなく、「中国共産党の正しい指導」の結果実現した「発展」の果実を享受しながら、その恩恵に感謝せず外部の文明・文化になびく人々への敵意をあらわにしている。 　したがって、近年注目を集めてきた新疆ウイグル自治区の問題や香港問題と新型コロナウイルス期の混乱、そして中国と外部世界との摩擦は、実はすべて連続したものである。そして、このような中国の論理が全世界の政治と経済にいよいよ甚大な影響を及ぼしつつある。 　かくして「東アジア」の歴史を取り巻く問題、あるいは「歴史を誰が、どう解釈するのか」という問題は、日本の国益およびグローバルな問題と直結している。近現代中国、様々な少数民族、日本、琉球=沖縄、韓国、北朝鮮、台湾、香港それぞれの論理を的確に知っておかなければ、日本周辺において容易には消えない対立の構図を俯瞰し、的確に対応することは出来ない時代となった。このような考えに基づいて、「東アジア」の政治社会の歴史的成り立ちをめぐる学生の皆さんの理解を促進したい。 　また最近は、グローバル社会の動揺と変容も著しい中、「東アジア」を取り巻く問題の展開もいよいよ急となっており、しばしば短期的で時事的な関心が高まりがちである。しかし、そのような短期的な問題・課題の中にも、必ず歴史的な連続・不連続の要因が作用している。そこでこの講義では、折に触れて最新の時事的な問題をも紹介しつつ、それらを捉えるための歴史的・思想的なポイントを解説する。学生の皆さんが、様々な問題について現在と過去の相互運動・相互対話を通じて把握できるように務めることとしたい。

• Demonstrate a clear grasp of the core concepts, such as globalisation, Anthropocene, planetarity or earth, and contending definitions of them. • Distinguish between the economic, political, cultural, sociological, philosophical and ethical dimensions of these notions and articulate an analytic understanding of how they interact. • Analyse and identify the ways in which human and non-human actors attempt to reverse or modify ongoing global and planetary processes. • Appreciate the normative dimension of the state of the earth and what it takes to change it. • Critically engage different philosophical arguments about the ethical desirability of possible futures.

Media Design is an exciting and relatively new discipline within the wider context of design. In it researchers and practitioners are interested in exploring new ways to use and deploy digital media technologies to have function, communicate information or present artwork. Designers from a Media Design background often work on or with web design, e-books, data-bases, big data visualisation, smartphone applications, film, animations, digital imaging, art installations, technology products and many other artefacts and systems. Such designers create their ideas utilising digital or electronic formats and the intention is often that the work is created from scratch to be accessed on a digital platform. This course is a first step introduction to Media Design, it is not intended to be a comprehensive class but rather a short and intense introduction to some processes and skills and you may wish to continue your exploration of this discipline in other classes or studies. This is not a heavy lecture based course but rather a seminar, discussion, and hands-on practical class where you will do a lot of learning by doing. You will be working in teams a lot and each week there will be a subject to discuss, learn and try.

This seminar is a practical introduction to anthropological methods such as participant observation and qualitative interviews. The bulk of the semester will be devoted to working through James P. Spradley’s Participant Observation and The Ethnographic Interview. From these texts, students will learn the practical skills that they need to conduct fieldwork. Students will apply these skills in identifying a field site, opening it and conducting participant observation and ethnographic interviews. They will write up field notes and bring them to class to present to their peers, who will ask questions and make suggestions about the content. Students will learn to code their notes, identify nodes and work through data to formulate and advance solid, grounded arguments.

This graduate-level seminar provides a comprehensive exploration of contemporary media and communication studies, emphasizing the intricate relationship between theory and practice in our rapidly evolving digital landscape. The course navigates key paradigms in media and cultural studies, from classic frameworks to cutting-edge concepts, equipping students with a robust theoretical foundation while encouraging critical engagement with real-world media phenomena. Through in-depth readings, lively discussions, and applied analysis, students will develop the critical thinking skills necessary to interrogate complex media texts, platforms, and practices using a range of theoretical approaches. By bridging the gap between abstract ideas and concrete media practices, the course prepares students to understand the historical development and current state of media and communication studies, apply theoretical frameworks to emerging technologies, and develop original research questions that contribute to the field. This seminar serves as a foundation for fostering the ability to engage in informed discussions about the role of media in shaping society, culture, and individual experiences. Students will emerge from the course well-equipped to analyze and interpret the complex media ecosystems that characterize our contemporary world, laying the groundwork for advanced research and analysis in the field.

In this seminar we practice foundational ways of thinking about the complex relationship between digital technology and society, with a focus on recent developments in software such as AI and automated decision-making and their underlying technical infrastructures. How do artificial intelligence and the pervasive use of algorithms affect culture and society? How is the need for rare earths to drive chip production connected to geopolitical shifts and conflicts? The seminar combines readings of recent studies in software studies and science and technology studies with hands-on exercises.