Japan as Anthropological Object

Japan in Today’s World Program, Semester 1= , Fall 2009-Winter 2010

Adjusting to Japan—Course Syllabus

Class meets: Wednesdays, Period 3, 1:00-2:30 p.= m., 404 International Student Center

Instructor: Jordan Pollack, 2^nd Flo= or, International Student Center

Office hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2:00-4:00 = p.m., or by appointment

Office phone: 642-2153, Mobile phone: 08056027368

Email: pollackj@isc.kyushu-u.ac.jp or pollackj@gmail.com

Course Overview and Goal

This orientational course, intended= for students with little or no prior experience in Japan, introduces you to some= of the more important requirements for effective functioning in various everyd= ay contexts. Lectures, readings, discussions, and assignments will develop your awareness of many of the und= erstandings, attitudes, and communicative skills that are needed for social competency, = and we will consider these in light of broader cultural patterns and principles. The objective is = to equip you with insights and strategies for successful interaction.

Procedure, Requirements, and Evaluation

Each class meeting will consist of = two segments. In the first, you will be asked to= share your reflections on written scenarios or readings distributed in class the previous week. In segment two= , you will be requested to discuss your observations of some aspect of everyday life a= ssigned for “in-the-street” study the week before. I will put to you leading question= s to provoke and guide discussion, as needed, and offer brief lectures and suppl= ementary comments when appropriate.

Your final course grade will reflec= t effort in four areas: writing of wee= kly reflections, writing of weekly observations, keeping a personal journal, and participation in class discussions. More specifically,

1)&n= bsp; You are required weekly to consider, and to write about (250 words will do), one or more typical, if contrived, scenarios, or other cultural readings, each of which presents an adjustment challenge or insight. Reflect on how a given matter should or could be handled, in light of your knowledg= e of Japanese norms or those of your own culture, or react to (evaluate, compare, etc.) the norm or rule or practice introduced. Reflections must be emailed to me = for review by no later than noon of the Tuesday preceding scheduled cla= ss discussion, using pollackj@gmail.com. As mentioned, you must be prepared to discuss your thoughts in class.

2)&n= bsp; You are required each wee= k to spend time systematically observing, much as an ethnographer would, an assigned a= spect of everyday Japanese life, and to write up your findings for discussion in = the next class. Your written obse= rvations (only 250 words or so is expected), as with your reflections above, should = be emailed to me for review, using pollackj@gmail.com, by 12:00 a.m. of the Tuesday before the class when we consider the topic. Observation method= s will be suggested at the time of topic assignment.

3)&n= bsp; You are required to start= , if you have not already done so, and maintain a journal, writing (minimally) weekly or (ideally) daily entries. The content and length of each entry I leave up to you, but the expectation is that you will add regularly comments on anything that has captured your attention (surprised you, piqued your curiosity, triggered yo= ur critical sense), however briefly, as you proceed through the coming months.= I will ask you to show me your jou= rnal from time to time, and to provide a reflection or two on what, if anything,= you have learned about yourself and/or Japan through the exercise.

4)&n= bsp; You are required to parti= cipate actively in discussions as described above. This requirement presupposes anothe= r—that you attend all or most classes.

Pedagogical note: I regard verbal participation in c= lass as an essential aspect of effective learning. Studies show that people understan= d and remember far more of what they are asked to make clear to others, as through presentations and sustained conversation, than what they simply read, hear,= or see—hence the emphases above. Formulating alternative ways to express ideas, for the purpose of he= lping others to grasp them, is the best way, it turns out, to strengthen your own= command of those ideas.

Your written scenario and reading r= eflections will comprise 25% of your final grade; the written observations, 25%; your journal work, 20%; and your discussion participation, 30%. My evaluation of your performance = in the course will take account of differences between students in English language proficiency. Very generally, = I am looking for evidence, as exhibited in your class comments and writing, that= you have taken seriously the various assignments and have given them careful and sustained consideration.

Note: It is possible, by doing additional work, to earn a third credit for this course, which would involve writing additional, extended reflections on several topics to be assigned later in the semester and to be handed in at = the last class meeting, February 3.

(Tentative) Schedule of Topics for Consideration and Discussion <= /p>

The topics listed below, along with= others too numerous to mention, are to be discussed on the day of class as indicat= ed. Relevant readings and observational assignments will be provided one week before the scheduled discussion date.=

October 7 &n= bsp; = ; Course introduction

October 14 &n= bsp; = ; Food: cooking (ryōri), implement= s (ohashi), dining out, shopping

October 21 &= nbsp; Dress: Western and Japanese (wafuku-yō= ;fuku), Harajuku and Cool

Biz styles, uniforms

October 28 &n= bsp; = ; Social place (uchi-soto), privacy (omote-ura), wrapping, personal spa= ce (hedataru-najimu), private/public (= honne-tatemae)

November 4, 11 Seasonalit= y (kisetsu), monochronic and polychr= onic time, intervals

(ma), ritual calendar (matsuri)

=

November 18   &= nbsp;           No class—Kyudai holiday

November 25           &= nbsp;   Formalism (do), bowing (ojigi), business card (= meishi) exchange,

home-visiting etiquette (washitsu, yōshitsu); seating, eating= , and

drinking manners

December 2   &n= bsp;            = ; Group consciousness (shudan ishiki), harmony (wa), empathy
(omoiari), human feelings (ninjo), obligations (giri), reciprocity (go-on), gift-exch= ange (omiyage)

December 9           &n= bsp;     Loyalty and honor (bushido), verticalit= y, seniority (sempai-kohai),

ranki= ng (kata-gaki), paternalism (onjo-shugi), dependence (amae), sincerity (makoto)

December 16           &= nbsp;   Attitude (kokorogamae), patience, determination (gambari),

endurance (gaman), dissatisfaction (ki ga sumanai)=

December 23, 30         No class—winter break

January 6           &nb= sp;          Modesty (kenkyo), apologies, honorific language (keigo), avoiding

shame (haji), comp= liance (sunao)

January 13            &= nbsp;       Silence (chinmoku), belly art (haragei), restraint (enryo-sasshi)

compo= sure, suppression of self (jibun ga nai), ambiguity (aimai), responsiveness (aizuchi)

January 20    &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;   The introduction (shokaijo), go-bet= weens (chukai-sha), guarantors (hoshonin), laying groundwork (nemawashi), verbal agreements (yakusoku), trust (shinyo)

January 27   &n= bsp;            = ;    Simplicity/elegance (wabi-sabi), sensitivity to nat= ure (mono no aware), chicness (iki)

February 3           &n= bsp;       Selfhood, incompatibility (iwakan), superiority/inferiority (ichiban

to biri<= span lang=3DEN-US>); third credit reflections due