2021 Faculty Courses Liberal arts and basic science courses Humanities and social science courses
Essence of Humanities and Social Sciences32: Peace Studies
- Academic unit or major
- Humanities and social science courses
- Instructor(s)
- Yuko Shirai
- Class Format
- Lecture
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - Intensive
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- LAH.S506
- Number of credits
- 100
- Course offered
- 2021
- Offered quarter
- 4Q
- Syllabus updated
- Jul 10, 2025
- Language
- English
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
This course explores topics within the broad field of peace studies and introduces real world case studies that focus on issues that are faced by those who pursue peace within our societies. The course begins with an examination of theoretical concepts that form the foundation of peace studies, and expands the issues examined into agriculture, the environment, human-ecology, the history and foundation of agricultural and industrial revolutions, capitalism, hierarchical society, and environmental and food problems. After this each week will focus on specific examples from various countries, some of which the instructor has investigated in the field. The case studies will help students to understand some of the complications faced by leading peaceful societies. Key themes throughout the course include global warming and garbage problems in the Arctic, historical conflicts in Southeast Asia, and the pollution experience of Japan. The case of the poverty reduction policy in Thailand and the involvement of Japan ODA, as well as the concept of systems thinking and approaches provide examples of practical approaches and theoretical tools for solving issues.
This course aims to provide participants with an interdisciplinary viewpoint for encouraging peace in societies. More specifically, the course provides participants with the ability to recognize and investigate problems from multiple perspectives and consider multi-disciplinary solutions, as well as how to put potential solutions into practice in order to achieve the goal of developing peaceful societies. Through having interdisciplinary discussions regarding lessons learned from historical events and contemporary issues around the world, participants will be encouraged to contribute to making a better world.
Course description and aims
Participants will:
(1) Understand theoretical concepts of peace studies;
(2) Analyze historical events and contemporary issues using systems thinking and approaches;
(3) Understand broad issues around the world related to peace studies and analyze these from an interdisciplinary viewpoint;
(4) Analyze issues related to peace studies, present and debate about the issues, and suggest solutions by employing knowledge and information learned during the class.
Keywords
Peace; Human and Environment; Interdisciplinary Viewpoint; System Thinking and Approaches; International Relations
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
Class is scheduled as follows;
Monday 14th Feb: Class 1 (14:20-16:00), Class 2（16:15-17:55）
Tuesday 15th Feb: Class 3 (14:20-16:00), Class 4（16:15-17:55）
Wednesday 16th Feb: Class 5 (14:20-16:00), Class 6（16:15-17:55)
Thursday 17th Feb: Class 7 (14:20-16:00)
The lecture will be provided through online synchronous teaching. The lecturer will be online and lecturing over video via ‘zoom’ and students will be required to be online at the same time to join the class, during the online lecture session. Students are expected to be online at the specific time and attendance will be taken everyday through Google Forms. Group work sessions and presentations are implemented via a function of the "zoom breakout session": during the regular "zoom" lecture, students will go into "breakout session" to work on group work using Google Slides. Once that is complete, the students will rejoin the main "zoom" lecture session and report on the results of their breakout session.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Course Introduction – Thinking of Peace | Introduction to the broad aspects of peace studies and the concept of systems thinking and approaches. Learning the origin of environmental problems and hierarchical society through agrarian and industrial revolutions. |
| Class 2 | Learning from Case Study：Rivers | Analyzing the blessing of nature and risk considering peaceful societies from different livelihood systems in different environments. |
| Class 3 | Learning from Case Study: Global Warming and the Arctic, Impacts of Climate Change on Global Food System | Understand complex interactions among the subject matter through the issue of global warming and the case of the situation in the Arctic, as well as climate change and impacts on global food system. |
| Class 4 | Case Study and Discussion: History of Conflict in Southeast Asia | Understand the complexity of conflict through the case of the civil war in Cambodia and the Vietnam War. |
| Class 5 | Case Study and Discussion: Urban Cities and Remote Areas; Poverty Reduction Policy in Thailand and Japan ODA | Analyze urbanization and related issues through the case of rural villages in Northeast Thailand including their changing economy, culture, family size and household structures. Focus on possible solutions through the case study of the "self-sufficiency economy" theory in Thailand for poverty reduction, and the involvement of Japan ODA. |
| Class 6 | Learning from Case Study：Environment and Agriculture of Japan | Analyzing environmental issues and the food problem by investigating the case study of rapid economic growth in Japan. |
| Class 7 | Wrap Up：What can we do to bring "Peace" into societies?, Guidance for final report writing | Analyzing current or future issues and discussing the solutions for creating a peaceful societies. |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
None required. Some materials will be specified by the instructor during the class.
Reference books, course materials, etc.
None required. Materials used in class can be found on OCW-i.
Evaluation methods and criteria
Critical analysis and discussion by group (30%); Oral presentation (30%); Report (40%). Note: Full attendance and completion of all exercises are compulsory. The instructor may fail a student if he/she repeatedly comes to class late and/or does not participate in a group work.
Related courses
- LAH.S426 ： Essence of Humanities and Social Sciences26:International Relations
Prerequisites
No prerequisites are necessary.
Other
The lecture will be provided through online synchronous teaching. The lecturer will be online and lecturing over video via ‘zoom’ and students will be required to be online at the same time to join the class, during the online lecture session. Students are expected to be online at the specific time and attendance will be taken when each student is online, during the lecture session. Group work sessions and presentations are implemented via a function of the "zoom breakout session": during the regular "zoom" lecture, students will go into "breakout session" to work on group work. Once that is complete, the students will rejoin the main "zoom" lecture session and report on the results of their breakout session.
This course is 500-level course.
Tokyo Techʼs “wedge-shaped style education” enables students to pursue liberal arts education in a phased manner throughout undergraduate and graduate programs. Students are encouraged to take courses in the sequence of 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 levels. As such, masterʼs students entering in September must begin from 400-level liberal arts courses in 3Q and 4Q of the first year, then proceed to 500-level courses. Students can register for 500-level Humanities and Social Science courses six months after their entrance (i.e. students admitted in April can register in 3Q and 4Q, and those admitted in September can register in 1Q and 2Q).