Gender in Contemporary Japan

First Semester, Fall 2009

Tamah Nakamura, Ph.D.

Professor

Chikushi Jogakuen University=

Email: tamah@chikujo-u.ac.jp

Course Objectives:

By the end of the course students s= hould be able to:

1) define gender in a way th= at allows for freedom of choice;

2) identify current social i= ssues in Japan from a gender perspective;

3) conce= ptualize the link between gender identity construction and one or seve= ral social issues in Jap= an and in your home country.

Course Requirements:<= /span>

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 &= amp; readings: 25%

Written summary of group presentati= on: 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.)

-Equal Society Law

Osawa, Mari. (2003). Japanese gover= nment approaches to gender equality since the mid-1990s. pape= r presentation, Wayne State University, College o= f Urban, Labor and Metropolitan Affa= irs.

of Social Issues in <= st1:place w:st=3D"on">Japan

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

Keywords: population control polici= es, birth control, women’s employment trends, marriage trends, care of ag= ed, child care leave

Construction of Women’s Identities

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

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

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 &= #8211; 30)

4 chapters from men’s researc= h 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 Chi= ld-Care Leave. Japan Quarterly, 46(1), 83-89.

Employment Opportunity Law

Equal Opportunity Employment Law System and Women

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

Sexual Orientation

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

Preface & Introduction (pp. 1-1= 6)

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 Unpublished=

manuscript, JTW: Kyushu University.

&= nbsp;

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.

&= nbsp;

NGO report on Movement for Anti-Human Trafficking Bill

Tsutsumi, Kaname. 2000. Immigrant women an= d the battered women’s movement in

Jap= an. = (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= 217;s Center

12-4 Kyudai bus

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

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

2001.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> 147-160.

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

Act= ivities Reflecting the World Women’s Movement.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> Journal of Asian

Women’s Studies, 9, 2001.<= /span> 67-76.

Websites:<= /p>
http://www.gender.go.jp/index2.html (Gender Equ= ality Bureau, Cabinet Office)
http://www.jiwe.or.jp [Japan Institute of Worke= r's Evolution (jiwe)]

http://www2.go= l.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://w= ww.un.org/News/Press/docs/2002/wom1323.doc.htm [Commission on status of women]