2022 Faculty Courses School of Environment and Society Department of Social and Human Sciences Graduate major in Social and Human Sciences
Graduate Methodologies in Politics, Law and Administration F1
- Academic unit or major
- Graduate major in Social and Human Sciences
- Instructor(s)
- Akira Watanabe / Takeshi Nakajima
- Class Format
- Lecture (Livestream)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 1-4 Mon
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- SHS.P462
- Number of credits
- 200
- Course offered
- 2022
- Offered quarter
- 3Q
- Syllabus updated
- Jul 10, 2025
- Language
- Japanese
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
Watanabe: This class is about fieldwork and "life-research balance". I have done research in Mexico and had traveled to the country at least 3 times are year, until the start of the pandemic. Also, I still live in Yamanashi, where I worked for 8 years before I transferred to Titech, because of the pandemic. These experiences and that of online-teaching have led me to think about the importance of the relations between research and life. Last year I learned a lot from my students, and this year, I will also try to create a space where we can learn a lot from each other about this quite important topic.
Nakajima: I have been doing fieldwork in India about 3 years from the 90's to the 2000's. The target is an organization called RSS, which leads political, cultural, and religious movements called "Hindu nationalism" and "Hindu fundamentalism." In India today, BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party), which is supported by RSS, is in charge of the ruling party. Prime Minister Narendra Moody is also a person who is closely related to RSS. I have been studying why the political movement of the right wing is expanding in modern India. In this class, based on my own fieldwork experience in India, I would like to talk about the problems of subject theory and representation of others.
Course description and aims
Students are expected to improve their understanding about fieldwork as a research method, and what it means to do research under these social conditions.
Keywords
Watanabe: fieldwork, life/research balance
Nakajima:daily practice, agency, resistance, , subaltern, orientalism
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
The class meets only during the 3rd quarter, on Monday morning (1-2 and 3-4 periods).
Watanabe: In the first half of the quarter, we invite several guest speakers to understand what is fieldwork. In the latter half of the quarter, students are expected to give presentations about their research (and in case you are willing to do so, to talk about their life-research balance).
Nakajima:I will give a lecture in the first half, and then the participants will have a discussion. Ｉwill send you a resume (or slide material) in advance.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Orientation |
Understand what this class is aiming for |
| Class 2 | Class members introduce themselves to the class |
Class members get to know each other and share their interests |
| Class 3 | Fieldwork and life-research balance (1) |
Understanding two important topics of the class: fieldwork and life-research balance (1) |
| Class 4 | Agency / daily practice / resistance |
Understand the agency and daily practice |
| Class 5 | Fieldwork and life-research balance (2) |
Understanding two important topics of the class: fieldwork and life-research balance (2) |
| Class 6 | Gaze and subject－Gaze and subject |
Understand the gaze of others and the transformation of culture |
| Class 7 | Learn from fieldworker's experience 1 |
Learn from fieldworker's experience |
| Class 8 | Politics and agency - From the case of the slums in Delhi |
Learn from fieldworker's experience |
| Class 9 | Learn from fieldworker's experience 2: Guest session |
Learn from fieldworker's experience |
| Class 10 | Representation of the Weak-Subaltern Studies |
Think about describing the weak |
| Class 11 | Presentations by the students about life/research balance |
Presentations by the students |
| Class 12 | Representation of culture and tradition-Orientalism theory |
Understanding Edward Said's "Orientalism" |
| Class 13 | Presentations by the students about life/research balance |
Presentations by the students |
| Class 14 | Final remarks |
Review of what we have learnt in the class |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend enough time to digest what you have leaned about at class.
Textbook(s)
No assigned text books
Reference books, course materials, etc.
No assigned reference books
Evaluation methods and criteria
Comment sheets (30%) and term paper (70%)
Related courses
- SHS.P441 ： Graduate Lecture in Politics, Law and Administration S1A
- SHS.P442 ： Graduate Lecture in Politics, Law and Administration S1B
- SHS.P443 ： Graduate Lecture in Politics, Law and Administration F1A
- SHS.P444 ： Graduate Lecture in Politics, Law and Administration F1B
- SHS.P461 ： Graduate Methodologies in Politics, Law and Administration S1
- SHS.P681 ： Graduate Project in Politics, Law and Administration S3
- SHS.P682 ： Graduate Project in Politics, Law and Administration F3
Prerequisites
No particular requirement