2023 Faculty Courses Liberal arts and basic science courses English language courses
English Language and Cultures 14
- Academic unit or major
- English language courses
- Instructor(s)
- Ryoichi Yamane
- Class Format
- Exercise (Face-to-face)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 5-6 Thu (M-112(H117))
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- LAE.E482
- Number of credits
- 010
- Course offered
- 2023
- Offered quarter
- 2Q
- Syllabus updated
- Jul 8, 2025
- Language
- Japanese
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
Students in this course will closely read contents of Encounter, a literary magazine for US cultural Cold War, understand their historical backgrounds, and discuss the possible significance of the literary texts.
In this quarter, this course will focus on the year of 1968, the period of students revolts and civil rights movement.
The purpose of this course is not only to acquire cultural knowledge on them, but also improve skills to account for what the texts are all about.
Course description and aims
At the end of this course students will be able to:
-acquire skills to analyze the U.S. literature
-learn the historical background of the literary texts
-explain in their own words what is significant about the texts
Keywords
American literature and culture, close reading, discussion
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
The instructor will require students to (1) closely read the short stories or essays, (2) briefly investigate their historical backgrounds, (3) discuss some social issues related to the literary texts, and (4) present their own opinions in writing.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Course introduction: US cultural Cold War and Japan, Osamu Dazai and Sakutaro Hagiwara. | To be able to account for Japan's relationship with US cultural Cold War |
| Class 2 | Louis Halle, "Lessons of the Nuclear Age." | Close reading, summarizing, and criticizing |
| Class 3 | Collin Clark, "Campus Crises." | Close reading, summarizing, and criticizing |
| Class 4 | Alan Sillitoe, "Mimic (a story)." | Close reading, summarizing, and criticizing |
| Class 5 | Anna Kavan, "Julla and the Bazooka (a story)." | Close reading, summarizing, and criticizing |
| Class 6 | Jorge Luis Borges, "The Intruder (a story)." | Close reading, summarizing, and criticizing |
| Class 7 | Review and final presentation | To be able to criticize US cultural Cold War and its ideology |
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)
Handouts will be provided in class.
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Announced in class if necessary
Evaluation methods and criteria
Activities in class: 20% Assignments: 30% Final exam: 50%
Related courses
- LAE.E481 ： English Language and Cultures 13
Prerequisites
None
Other
It is recommended that students take this course in sequence with Seminar: Language and Culture(English) 13.
Attendance at the first class is compulsory for students planning to take this course.