GISDepartment of Global and Interdisciplinary Studies

This course considers various interactions between human being and the surrounding environment, including living forms within it. Such interaction eventually forms various cultures, and those cultures advanced human society in history. However, we have allowed the unprecedented Great Acceleration to occur, while we were enjoying such advancement. In this course, culture is considered as one of the domains as well as base layers of a society, and students are introduced to various culture and its environmental implications, which in turn affects the culture of the society. By looking at the connections to political and economic aspects, resolutions to building a sustainable society will be explored.

Students will be able to
- understand oneself as being shaped by the interaction between the socio-cultural context and resulting environmental changes;
- gain knowledge about the historical background on how the current unsustainable society has been shaped;
- acquire knowledge and insights about environmental implications on which our “sophisticated” lives are based; and
- acquire the basic concept and perspectives for future visioning for achieving sustainable society.

Will be able to gain “DP 1”, “DP 2”, “DP 3”, and “DP 4”.

英語 / English

The course will be conducted in mixture of lecture-based learning and more active involvement of students in class discussions. Students also have the opportunity to work in a group project towards the end of the course. More specific instructions are given in class for group work. Feedback to students' work (on assignments and group work, etc.) is given in class and/or through the Hosei Learning Management System.

あり / Yes

なし / No

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。

1[オンライン/online]：Course guidance

What is environment? What is culture & society?

2[対面/face to face]：Our everyday life and the environment

Conceptual development of environment and history of environmental problems

3[対面/face to face]：Background issues for change 1

Population, economic development and limits to growth

4[対面/face to face]：Background issues for change 2

Urbanization and cultural transformation

5[対面/face to face]：Background issues for change 3

Sustainable development and globalization

6[対面/face to face]：Food culture and its environmental implications

Shrimp, Tuna, and Mushroom, etc.

7[対面/face to face]：Fordism as cultural imperialism

Fordism and consumerism, “Auto-pia,” fast-fashion, etc.

8[対面/face to face]：Counterculture and future visioning

Back-casting and typologies of social futures

9[対面/face to face]：Different cultures

Forest, Ladakh, and green capital and Islamic society

10[対面/face to face]：Social futures I

Transition town, de-growth, and benefits of inconvenience

11[対面/face to face]：Social futures II

Smart cities/Society 5.0 and rural revitalization

12[対面/face to face]：Designing sustainable society I

Group work

13[対面/face to face]：Designing sustainable society II

Student presentation

14[対面/face to face]：Wrap-up of the course

Course review

Reading and other assignments will be given as preparation for classes. Students are also expected to review class materials after each class. Preparatory study and review time for this class are 2 hours each. There will be additional group work for group presentation.

No textbook is specified. Handouts and other relevant materials will be distributed by the instructor.

Giddens, Anthony and Sutton, Phillip W. (2017). Sociology (8th edition), Cambridge: Polity Press.

Mulligan, Martin (2018). An Introduction to Sustainability: Environmental, Social and Personal Perspectives (2nd edition). Oxon and New York: Routledge.

Evaluation will be based on
1. Class participation & attitude (35%)
2. Portfolio of assignment reports and group presentation (30%)
3. Final report (35%).

Students are required to satisfy at least 2/3 of each element to pass. The group project is assessed on an individual basis, which combines your self- and peer evaluation.

n/a

None.