Approaches to Understanding Cultures

Tomoko Arikawa

Goal of Class
   Learning Outcomes:
   Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
   I. Understand relevant theories and approaches on culture learning and culture and individuals.
   II. Examine issues on culture and individuals using cases of education and other aspects in Japan.
   III. Analyze issues and problems on intercultural interactions using theories and cases in Japan.
   IV. Propose concrete approaches for better intercultural relationships.

Requirement / Prerequisite
   Interested in learning about culture and approaches in understanding cultures and also motivated to learn and participate actively in class discussions in English.

Course Syllabus
   A two-credit course on the study of culture, mainly from the approaches of Educational Anthropology and relevant fields on Intercultural Interactions. After studying relevant theories and approaches on culture with the focus on culture and individuals, this course examines the issues on culture and learning and the problems in intercultural interactions, using some cases in Japan. The students will come to propose concrete approaches for better intercultural relationships.

Course Calendar
   Course Content:
   Week 1 October 6 Introduction, start thinking about culture
  
   I. Understand relevant theories and approaches on culture and individuals
   Week 2 October 13 Culture
   Week 3 October 20 Culture and Perception, Cognition, Emotion
   Week 4 October 27 Culture, Verbal and Nonverbal Communication
  
   II. Examine issues on culture and learning using cases of education in Japan
   Week 5 November 10 Culture and Learning
   Week 6 November 17 Culture, Self, and Development
   Week 7 November 24 Culture, School, and Daily Life
   Week 8 December 1 Learning in School
  
   III. Analyze issues and problems on intercultural interactions using cases in Japan
   Week 9 December 8 Discrimination, Ethnocentrism
   Week 10 December 15 Minority, Ethnicity
   Week 11 December 22 Globalization, Migration
   Week 12 January 12 Education again
   Week 13 January 19 Intercultural Experience and Learning
  
   IV. Propose concrete approaches for better intercultural relationships
   Week 14 January 26 Students' presentation of their proposals
   Week 15 February 2 Students' presentation of their proposals

Textbooks
   There will be reading assignments for each class.
   Reading lists will be provided in the first class.

Grading Policy
   Assessment:
   1. 30% will be based on Participation (2% for each class). Student is expected to participate actively in discussions of each class. For this purpose, the student who wishes to gain the full point has to be in the classroom when the class starts at 10:30am. Student prepares and brings the worksheet given in the previous week, which will help participating in the discussions in the class. At the end of each class, student writes a brief comment on the class and turns it in. This sheet will also be used to check the attendance. However, the submission of the worksheet only without class attendance will not get any point.
   2. 20% will be based on Essay 1. Student writes a one to two page short essay (typed) about the topic related to issues covered in Section I and Section II, discussing his/her own ideas about selected issues from the readings. Student turns it in by the end of Week 9. The essay turned in later after that class period does not receive a point for the essay.
   3. 40% will be based on Essay 2. In this Essay 2 (typed) student (1) synthesizes the theories and approaches on culture and the issues in intercultural interactions using specific examples, and (2) proposes concrete approaches desirable and/or needed in intercultural interactions and in relating with those others whose backgrounds are different. The student turns it in by the end of Week 14. If the essay is turned in later than at this class period, it does not receive any grade for this Essay 2, except for extraordinary circumstances.
   4. 10% will be based on oral presentation. Student does a brief oral presentation about his/her Essay 2 in the Weeks 14 and 15. * In Essay 1 and 2, the citation must be made clear with the name of the author, title, year, and the page numbers specified. No plagiarism tolerated.