SCOPE (Sustainability Co-Creation Programme)

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ARS300HA
Japanese Rural Society

Oribe GOHARA

Class code etc
Faculty/Graduate school SCOPE (Sustainability Co-Creation Programme)
Attached documents
Year 2024
Class code C3513
Previous Class code
Previous Class title
Term 秋学期授業/Fall
Day/Period 火4/Tue.4
Class Type
Campus 市ヶ谷 / Ichigaya
Classroom name 市BT‐1001
Grade 1~4
Credit(s) 2
Notes
Open Program
Open Program (Notes)
Global Open Program
Interdepartmental class taking system for Academic Achievers
Interdepartmental class taking system for Academic Achievers (Notes)
Class taught by instructors with practical experience
SDGs CP
Urban Design CP
Diversity CP
Learning for the Future CP
Carbon Neutral CP
Chiyoda Campus Consortium
Category 展開科目/Disciplinary & Elective Courses
日本社会とサステイナビリティ/Japan & Sustainability

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Outline and objectives

This is a course to explore Japanese rural society through anthropological perspectives. It focuses on mountain villages as a field site, and aims to examine some of the key topics to learn their characteristics, as
well as their transformations today.
The course consists of two parts: (1) life in mountain villages in Japan,
(2) Their transformations, issues and problems.
Students will gain good understanding of peoples' lives in Japanese rural society, and also examine issues and problems in current rural areas, such as environmental changes, depopulation, and human-animal conflicts. By discussing these themes, we will analyze various environmental, sustainable issues in contemporary Japan.

Goal

Students will gain a good understanding of rural societies of Japan, including their natural environments, subsistence activities, and religious rituals. Students also will be able to critically analyze the issues that rural villages have been facing today, such as depopulation and environmental degradation.

Which item of the diploma policy will be obtained by taking this class?

Among diploma policies,"DP3" is related

Default language used in class

英語 / English

Method(s)(学期の途中で変更になる場合には、別途提示します。 /If the Method(s) is changed, we will announce the details of any changes. )

This class consists of lecture, discussion, group work and students' presentation. Feedback on assignments submitted by students will be provided in class or through the Learning Management System.

Active learning in class (Group discussion, Debate.etc.)

あり / Yes

Fieldwork in class

なし / No

Schedule

授業形態/methods of teaching:対面/face to face

※各回の授業形態は予定です。教員の指示に従ってください。

Week1[対面/face to face]:Introduction

Course introduction

Week2[対面/face to face]:Natural environment

What is the natural environment of mountain villages?

Week3[対面/face to face]:“Satoyama”and landscpae

How do people in mountain villages categorize and use their land? What is “Satoyama”?

Week4[対面/face to face]:Social structure

Social Structure of mountain villages, such as population, social organization,
family structure, socio-economic, cultural, religious aspects of the communities.

week5[対面/face to face]:Art and ritual

What is “Kagura”? Why is the ritual so important socially and culturally?

Week6[対面/face to face]:Subsistence activity 1

How are forestry and hunting are practiced today?

Week7[対面/face to face]:Subsistence activity 2

How is rice cultivation practiced in mountain villages? How did they reclaim the rice fields in mountain areas?

Week8[対面/face to face]:Subsistence activity 3

Why beekeeping and honey making are important subsistence economy in rural villages? How do beekeepers try to maintain their culture?

Week9[対面/face to face]:Environmental change 1

How has the forest policy introduced after the WWⅡ affected to the
ecosystem of mountain villages?

Week10[対面/face to face]:Environmental change 2

What is the current state of wildlife nuisance? What is the relationship
between people and wildlife? How do people practice damage controls?

Week11[対面/face to face]:Environmental change 3

Why are honey-bees declining in rural areas in Japan today? How does
it affect to subsistence activity, and the ecosystem of the region?

Week12[対面/face to face]:Depopulation

Why and how did the depopulation of rural societies occur? How did it affect to mountain villages, and Japan as a whole?

Week13[対面/face to face]:Sustainable Development

How do people attempt to achieve the goal of “environmentally, socio-economically sustainable society” of rural areas? Case studies:
commercialization of honey and “Gibier”meat as local specialties.

Week14[対面/face to face]:Conclusion

Overall discussion

Work to be done outside of class (preparation, etc.)

Preparatory study and review time for this class are 2 hours each. Students need to read suggested readings both to prepare and review for each class. Also, students need to plan carefully for an individual essay and a presentation. Those assignments need activities, such as reading relevant articles and books, searching information, analyzing data, and create PPT slides.

Textbooks

There are no prerequisite textbooks for this class.

References

Relevant literatures are introduced in each class.

Grading criteria

Class participation and discussion 30%
one individual essay 30%
students' presentation 40%

Changes following student comments

N/A

Equipment student needs to prepare

You will need your PC in your group work to prepare for your presentation.

Others

N/A