2022 Faculty Courses Liberal arts and basic science courses Humanities and social science courses
Cultural Anthropology B
- Academic unit or major
- Humanities and social science courses
- Instructor(s)
- Rieko Tanaka
- Class Format
- Exercise (Livestream)
- Media-enhanced courses
- Courses specified
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 1-2 Mon (W621) / 1-2 Thu (W621)
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- LAH.H203
- Number of credits
- 020
- Course offered
- 2022
- Offered quarter
- 4Q
- Syllabus updated
- Jul 10, 2025
- Language
- Japanese
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
In this class, we will have a rethink about today's social issues from various performances (music, video, performances, essays, etc.) in the world. Specific themes are virtual reality, withdrawal, identity, minority, inequality, friction, discrimination, social institutions, food safety, and the environment. Theoretically, we will consider a wide range of each case with reference to global studies based on cultural anthropology and the theory of intercultural communication.
Course description and aims
1. To acquire the basic stance of global studies and intercultural communication theory.
2. To understand the problematic system over contemporary cultural studies.
3. To be able to deepen understanding of the diversity of culture and identity and express one's own opinion.
Keywords
Cultural anthropology, social issues, performance, media, experience
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
This class is conducted online using Zoom. The class consists of lectures, group work, information sharing, and discussion in writing using the chat feature. Students can ask questions at any time using chat. Students are expected to submit a reflection paper weekly with Google Form.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Hamburger Empire |
Food Safety and Globalization |
| Class 2 | Lumiere! |
Technology and aesthetics to look at "now and here" |
| Class 3 | Dali's Dream |
A Connected World and Me |
| Class 4 | World from the perspective of Hikikomori |
What are dreams / reality and reality? |
| Class 5 | Wandering Landscape |
"Global Scape" and contemporary world |
| Class 6 | Illusion of "us" |
Traditions and communities created |
| Class 7 | Nation Connection |
Collective unconscious |
| Class 8 | People living in the border area |
borders, people and nations |
| Class 9 | Looking at ethnicity |
Who is the actor? |
| Class 10 | Living |
Minority biopolitics |
| Class 11 | When social issues occur |
Disparity, friction, resistance |
| Class 12 | At the end of deterritorialization |
Hybridity theory |
| Class 13 | Looking at the world |
De-anthropocentricity / naturalism |
| Class 14 | Review and looking forward: sense and experience |
About the distance between me and the world |
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.
Reference books, course materials, etc.
N/A
Evaluation methods and criteria
Attendance (40%), response papers and exercises during the lectures (20%), midterm and final exams (40%).
Those failing to attend more than 2/3 of the lectures will fail the class.
Related courses
- LAH.H103 ： Cultural Anthropology A
- LAH.H303 ： Cultural Anthropology C
Prerequisites
No prerequisites. Active participation in the course is expected.