MLO 2: Culture
Outcomes:
2.1. Students develop a comprehensive understanding, appreciation, and knowledge of Japanese culture: perspectives (ideas, beliefs, attitudes, values, philosophies), practices (patterns of social interactions) and products (both tangible and intangible, for example, art, history, literature, music).
2.2. Students develop analytical and critical thinking in areas, such as how Japan's cultural background influences modern Japanese life, how to compare their own culture with the Japanese culture, or how Japanese culture relates to other world cultures in an age of global inter-relatedness.
Courses Taken
JAPN309 Japanese Literature in Translation
JAPN310 Japanese Cinema
JAPN311 Social Issues in Japan
Reflective Narrative
I took a majority of my culture courses before I left for Japan, most of which were taught in English. These courses really helped me become more knowledgeable about the Japanese aesthetic by observing a wide variety of traditional art.By presenting my newfound knowledge in English, I was able to develop a deeper understanding of how English-speakers (particularly Americans) view Japanese culture, and learn how to explain concepts in a manageable way. I also learned about Shinto and Buddhist philosophies by studying the architecture and practices of shrines and temples, and the impacts that they have on Japanese daily life. A particular course that resonated with me was JAPN310: Japanese Cinema. I really enjoyed this course because it exposed me to cultural values and products through both classic and modern films. Throughout this course, we watched various genres of Japanese films and analyzed the films in our weekly assignments, including classics directed by Akira Kurosawa, and the original "Godzilla". I learned a lot about how to interpret cinematography and plot from different perspectives, as well as analyze how culture affects specific choices in cinematography, such as subtle colors and minimal dialogue. I was also able to learn more Japanese history through the time setting of each film. Additionally, I also studied translated Japanese literature, which helped me understand the development of many current cultural practices. My favorite era we had focused on was the Heian Period, as a large portion of Japan's art culture was established, and many novels by female authors flourished, such as Murasaki Shikibu's "Tale of Genji" and Sei Shonagon's "Pillow Book". Besides art-focused culture courses, I also took JAPN311: Social Issues in Japan, which exposed me to geographical and societal issues that I had never been exposed to in my prior visits to Japan, including environmental issues, the current education system, gender roles and expectations, and the culture of sex. This course allowed me to have discussions with me peers, and we could better understand how our own cultures influence our understanding of foreign concepts. For our final projects, we had to choose a cultural phenomenon in modern Japan to teach our classmates; I chose to focus my research on "kawaii" culture and how it's used in Japanese daily life and in current media trends internationally, both the presentation and research paper are linked below.
JAPN311 Final PPT | |
File Size: | 797 kb |
File Type: | pptm |
JAPN311 Final Paper | |
File Size: | 36 kb |
File Type: | docx |