Gender in
Contemporary Japan

First
Semester, Fall 2009

Tamah Nakamura, Ph.D.

Professor

Chikushi Jogakuen University

Email:
[email-masked]

Course Objectives:

By the end of the course students should be
able to:

1)
define gender in a way that
allows for freedom of choice;

2)
identify current social issues
in Japan
from a gender perspective;

3)
conceptualize the link between gender identity construction and one or several
social issues in Japan
and in your home country.

Course Requirements:

Weekly scholarly readings

In-class discussion on readings;

Observations  &
group reflections

Final written summary

Note: Students with more than three
absences without official permission will be dropped from the class.

Course Evaluation:

Readings for class: 25%

In-class discussion and attendance: 25%

Group reflections on observations &
readings: 25%

Written summary of group presentation: 25%

Class
1  Introduction – gender issues in Japan

Students’ perspectives

Class
2  What is patriarchy & the gender game

Class
3  Feminism

Video:
Kurihara, Nanako. (1993). Ripples of Change. New York: Women Make
Movies. (57 minutes)

Readings: on western and Japanese feminism (the Gender Knot, etc.)

Class 4  Gender-Equal Society Law

Osawa, Mari. (2003). Japanese government
approaches to gender equality since the mid-1990s. paper
presentation, Wayne State University,
College of Urban, Labor and Metropolitan Affairs.

Class 5  Overview of Social Issues in Japan

Ueno, Chizuko. (1998). The
declining birthrate: Whose problem? Review of Population and Society, 7,
103-128.

Keywords: population control policies,
birth control, women’s employment trends, marriage trends, care of aged,
child care leave

Class 6  Social Construction of Women’s Identities

Bernstein, G. (1991). Recreating
Japanese women, 1600-1945. Berkeley, University of California
Press. Chapter 7 The Meiji State’s Policy Toward
Women, 1890-1910 (pp. 151 – 174)

Video: Killing Us Softly
– advertising for women & girls in USA

Class 7  Social Construction of Men’s Identities

Allison, A. (1994). Nightwork:
Sexuality, pleasure, and corporate masculinity in a Tokyo hostess club. Chicago:
The University of
Chicago Press.

Prelude & Introduction (pp. 1 –
30)

4 chapters from men’s research book

2 videos advertising for men & boys in USA + one more

Class 8   Work Leave and
Family Care

Family Care Leave System (http://www.jiwe.or.jp/english/law/law4_1_3.html)

Ota, Mutsumi. (1992). Dad Takes Child-Care
Leave. Japan Quarterly, 46(1), 83-89.

Class 9  Equal Employment Opportunity
Law

Equal Opportunity Employment Law System and Women

(http://wgordon.web.wesleyan.edu/papers/eeol.htm)

Class
10 Sexual Orientation

Summerhawk, B., McMahill,
C. & McDonald, D. (1998). Queer
Japan.
Norwich, VT:
New Victoria
Publishers.

Preface & Introduction (pp. 1-16)

Caldarera, J. (2002). Life
in the ‘Oshiire’ – Being Gay in Japan. Unpublished

manuscript, JTW: Kyushu University.

Video – Shinjuku Boys: Ore
wa ore dakara [Because I’m me] documentary

Class
11  No class – makup on February fieldstudy

Class
12  Domestic Violence Lawa & Human Traffiking

Fields, Marjory. (2003). Domestic Violence Legal Remedies and Social
Services in Japan

& the USA. Unpublished research report.

NGO report on Movement for
Anti-Human Trafficking Bill

Tsutsumi, Kaname. 2000. Immigrant women and the
battered women’s movement in

Japan. (presentation text).

Class
13 “Comfort Women”

Readings:

Video: International Tribunal in The Hague

Class
14  Group gender presentations

Class
15    Final evaluation & submit final report

Thursday,
February 12, 2007 fieldstudy to Saga Women’s
Center

12-4
Kyudai bus

Nakamura, Tamah, et al. (2001)  Engendering
Self-Development Through Women’s

Discussion of Gender Issues. Journal of Intercultural Communication,  No. 4,

2001.  147-160.

Nakamura, Tamah, et al. (2001). The Role
of Women’s Centers in Japan:
Trends in

Activities
Reflecting the World Women’s Movement.  Journal of Asian

Women’s Studies, 9, 2001. 67-76.

Websites:

http://www.gender.go.jp/index2.html (Gender Equality
Bureau, Cabinet Office)

http://www.jiwe.or.jp [Japan Institute of Worker's
Evolution (jiwe)]

http://www2.gol.com/users/friedman/writings/p1.html
[changing role of wJapanese women]

http://web.kyoto-inet.or.jp/org/wings262/sisetu/sisetu_e.html
[Wing’s Kyoto]

http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2002/wom1323.doc.htm
[Commission on status of women]