KUGF Course Guide 2019

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Module 7Fundamentals for Social Science Studies Global SociologyThe course is an introduction of sociology as an academic discipline of global relevance. This topic is an interdisciplinary social science course with a multi-perspective approach to the study of human society. This explains a global perspective on society grounded in sociological theory and research. It expounds the divisions and dynamics of the global society and its challenges for the future.Discussions will explore and focus from global to local (Japanese) perspective. Related to the global perspective, the course also strives to understand different global issues from a cross-cultural view. The aim of the course is to contribute to a critical understanding of social changes in the contemporary world. These changes are associated with concepts such as modernity, globalization, post-colonialism, cultural and gender identities.2 creditsSpring SemesterCritical Thinking for Social and Global Issues This course provides students with a range of tools and strategies for developing critical thinking skills that can be utilized in both university and everyday settings. The course draws on a range of disciplines to examine truth and knowledge claims by examining logic and reasoning, rhetoric and argumentation, perspective taking, propaganda and the integration and synthesis of ideas. In addition, the course will utilize ideas from enquiry based learning (EBL) to enable students to blend and generate ideas and empiri-cal evidence from many different domains to enable an integrated approach to evaluating, challenging and generating claims. The course will also consider the role of critical thinking in relation to moral and ethical issues. Students will undertake a blend of individual and group-based activities examining truth claims in scholarly and mainstream media materials. The course is interdis-ciplinary in scope and will draw on a range of disciplines including education, psychology and philosophy, and will consider materials drawn from both academic and everyday settings.2 creditsSpring SemesterFall SemesterMethods of Comparative Analysis(ENG and JPN Communication)The use of language appears to be universal in that it makes our daily interaction with others possible. But depending on the languages we use, the ways in which we code our ideas can vary slightly or even greatly. Looking at English and Japanese in comparative terms, we are going to see how their lexical and grammatical items differ. Or putting the relevant expressions in a context, such as the relationships of the conversational participants, we may see similar ways or different ways in which the message is coded into language. The former is related to a semantic analysis of language, and the latter to a pragmatic one. Thus in this course students are expected to get accustomed to some key ideas of semantics and pragmatics while looking at examples from English and Japanese.2 creditsSpring SemesterFall SemesterContemporary Gender StudiesThis course will consider how gender, as a sociological, psychological, and discursive concept is produced and constructed in social contexts and settings. The course will examine the multiform practices by which gender is assigned, negotiated, or contested and is manifest as a ubiquitous element of human social interactions. How gender intersects with a range of other categorizations, discourses, and orientations will be a key focus of the course, with course topics selected as providing an opening for discussion and consideration of how gender may (or may not) be crucial to understandings in particular domains of social inquiry. The course will attempt to consider the study of gender as the doing-of-gender (i.e., gender in situated social practices and interactions) in addition to consider-ations of gender as conceptual or through ideological perspectives. The course will also attempt to place a focus on gender as manifest in Asian, particularly Japanese, cultural settings. The course will be conducted in a seminar format and is designed to be highly interactive.2 creditsSpring SemesterFall SemesterResearch Methods for Social Sciences This course covers a range of conceptual and practical issues relating to designing, implementing and evaluating social science research projects. With a focus on both quantitative and qualitative approaches to social science research, the course will introduce students to a number of basic skills required in interpreting, evaluating and undertaking social science research. It provides students with an introductory understanding of a range of quantita-tive and qualitative analysis methods including statistical analysis and thematic analysis. In addition, a range of quantitative and qualitative data collection methodologies will be examined, includ-ing interviews, focus groups, unstructured observation and ethnog-raphy, participant observation and naturally occurring data collec-tion strategies. The course will provide more detailed coverage and practical workshops on key approaches depending on student interest and experience.2 creditsSpring SemesterFall Semester2 creditsFall SemesterJapanese Computerization and SocietyThis course introduces students to the role of information and communication technologies (ICT) in Japanese society. Students will be able to research their own interests in fields utilizing ICT such as business, entertainment, or education. Topics of study include Japanese companies that utilize ICT, the latest news about technology in Japan, Japanese language computing, Internet, mobile technologies, social media, economics, immigration to Japan, tourism, Japanese culture, and modern society. We will analyze data on ICT in daily life, business and education. We will also examine Japanese attitudes toward technology and communication through various media, including distance and online education. Students will receive guidelines on academic writing for the short semester paper, and for the creation and delivery of presentations. There will be a class Facebook Group and a Website with links to readings on ICT in Japan.Course Guide 201911