J237 Japan Seminar: Political Science 292

This course will examine the study of and writing about Japan by social scientists and journalists. It will survey disciplinary perspectives on Japanese studies from Political Science, Sociology, Anthropology, Economics, and Business Administration. It will also study the media in Japan, and news coverage of Japan by the foreign media. It will include at least one session on the March 2011 earthquake and its aftermath. Given the focus on the social sciences and journalism, it will cover field research techniques appropriate in these fields, especially interviews and ethnographic research. We will invite several outside specialists to the seminar over the course of the semester.This is a 2-unit course. It will meet for 2 hours approximately every other week. The reading load will be light, and students will be expected to write up a short research proposal for their summer field research trip or other project. Graduate students from any department are encouraged to participate. The course is currently slated for Mondays 2-4 PM, but we may be able to shift the time if we find another time that better suits the selected participants.