JAP2506 – Anthropological Perspectives on Japan
Course content
This course provides an introduction to anthropological perspectives on Japan. Through reading and discussing recent ethnographic works, we will explore key themes for understanding contemporary Japan. Topics include (among others) changing family life, a hyper-aging society, new technologies, indigenous activism, environmental issues, social inequality, wartime memory, rural depopulation, popular culture, and social isolation.
This course heavily emphasizes in-class discussion of assigned readings and other course materials.
Learning outcome
- Familiarity with scholarly analyses and debates concerning socio-cultural phenomena in contemporary Japan.
- Ability to frame issues in contemporary Japan in the relevant social, historical, and/or political context(s).
- Ability to critique essentialist and/or ahistorical claims concerning Japanese culture and society.
- Competence in utilizing conceptual and theoretical frameworks to develop an analytical argument.
- Awareness of anthropological research methods—their strengths, shortcomings, and ethical implications.
Admission to the course
Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.
If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.
Formal prerequisite knowledge
The course will be taught in English and the readings will all be in English, so proficiency in the English language (with a good working knowledge of academic English) is required.
Recommended previous knowledge
The course JAP1501 – Present-Day Japan provides helpful background information.
Teaching
We will meet for two hours per week over 12 weeks. Each class session will consist of a mixture of lecture and seminar discussion. Active participation in class discussions is strongly emphasized.?Students are expected to come to class having read all of the assigned readings, and prepared with thoughts or questions concerning the material. Preparation for discussion includes identifying puzzling aspects of a text, highlighting passages for further analysis, raising questions for debate, and tying ideas or frameworks to other course material.
Compulsory Activities:
Mandatory attendance: You must attend 80% of the lectures/seminars. In this course you must attend 10 out of 12 seminars/lectures.
In-class quizzes: You must achieve a passing grade on at least 5 out of 7 in-class quizzes.
Students will be given seven in-class quizzes over the course of the term. On days when quizzes are given, they will be completed through Canvas at the start of the seminar. Each quiz will consist of 5 multiple-choice questions and cover the readings assigned for that day. A passing grade consists of at least 3 correct answers. No make-up quizzes will be provided in the case of student absences.
All compulsory activities must be approved in order for you to sit for the exam. It is the student's responsibility to check whether or not the compulsory activities are approved. All approved compulsory activities are valid for one semester.?
Absence from compulsory activities:?
It is important that you familiarize yourself with the rules regarding absence from compulsory activities, to prevent being excluded from teaching and losing your eligibility to take the exam.?
More information on compulsory activities at the University of Oslo:?
Examination
Take-home exam. The examination consists of a take-home exam to be completed over the course of 72 hours. The exam will be based on lectures, readings, and in-class discussions.
You must submit the exam in Inspera - see guides for digital exams.?
You are personally responsible for familiarizing yourself with the requirements and deadlines for the exam.?
All compulsory activities must be completed and approved in order to take the exam.?
You can find more information about the exam on the semester page of the course.?
Use of sources and citations: You should familiarize yourself with the rules that apply to the use of sources and citations /english/studies/examinations/sources-citations/?
If you violate the rules, you may be suspected of cheating/attempted cheating.?/english/studies/examinations/cheating/
Language of examination
The examination text is given in English, and you submit your response in English or Norwegian.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.
More about examinations at UiO
- Use of sources and citations
- Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
- Withdrawal from an exam
- Illness at exams / postponed exams
- Explanation of grades and appeals
- Resitting an exam
- Cheating/attempted cheating
You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.