Introduction to Theory of Global Coexistence; Graduate sub-course, CSCD, Osaka University

Professor in charge

Mitsuho Ikeda, Center for the Study of Communication-Design (CSCD), Osaka University.

Course Aim (Apr. - July, 2009)

1. To learn about the different ways in which Japanese society is coping with globalization.

2. To learn about the various ethnic minorities in contemporary Japan.

3. To learn about the diversity of gender and sexuality and the possibilities they offer for designing a society based on coexistence of differences.

Conditions for registering and attending the course

Graduate students who register and complete this course will be completing 2 units from the 6 compulsory units required for the completion of the Graduate School Program “Coexistence in a Global World” (offered by Global Collaboration Center (GLOCOL)) starting from the academic year of 2009.

Course content

This course consists of three Sections. Each section provides basic information and framework for discussing issues regarding coexistence in the global world. The Sections are also interlinked. Section 1 looks at how Japanese society is coping with globalization in actual practice in the fields of law, health, education and policy-making (public administration). Section 2 pays attention to the various ethnic groups in contemporary Japan and discusses the possibilities of their coexistence. Section 3 considers how diversity in gender and sexuality offers possibilities of constructing social relationships which allow for coexistence of differences.

Section 1: Globalization and Contemporary Japanese Society

1. Legal practices for society based on coexistence of differences

2. Clinical and public health practices for society based on coexistence of differences

3. Educational practices for society based on coexistence of differences

4. Policy-making (public administration) practices for society based on coexistence of differences

5. Discussion/workshop

Section 2: Ethnic minorities in Japan

6. Indigenous peoples: Indigenous peoples’ movements of the world and Ainu peoples’ movements

7. Hisabetsu-Burakumin and Zainichi-Korian (Korean residents in Japan): History of discrimination and future agendas

8. Gaikoku-Jin (“Foreigners”): Diversification of Japanese society

9. U.S. Armed Forces: A powerful minority

10. Discussion/workshop

Section 3: Diversity of gender and sexuality

11. Gender and multiculturalism: Diversity within the category “woman” (1)

12. Gender and multiculturalism: Diversity within the category “woman” (2)

13. Care community in contemporary Japan: The labor of Southeast Asian women

14. Diversity of sexuality: gay and lesbian movements, gender identity disorder

15. Discussion/workshop

Textbook:

Han Kyung koo and Kuwayama Takami (eds) 2008, How to Live in the Age of Globalization: Lessons for International Understanding (Japanese), Heibonsha Ltd.

Reading list will be specified per section.

Evaluation

Evaluation will be based on workshop report for each section, attendance, and contribution to classroom discussions.

Note

Staff of CSCD mentioned above as well as staff of GLOCOL (Siqinfu, Yumiko Tokita-Tanabe, Gyo Miyahara) will be teaching the classes.

Keyword

Globalization, coexistence, diversity, practice, ethnic minority, gender, sexuality

Message to students

The classes will take up multiple approaches, including providing discussion material from textbooks, presenting up-to-date materials, critical reading of media reports, group discussion based on case studies, problem-based learning, and e-learning using websites.

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in Japanese (click here)