2024 Faculty Courses School of Environment and Society Department of Social and Human Sciences Graduate major in Social and Human Sciences
Graduate Lecture in Culture and Arts F1A
- Academic unit or major
- Graduate major in Social and Human Sciences
- Instructor(s)
- Ryoichi Yamane
- Class Format
- Lecture (Face-to-face)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 7-8 Tue
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- SHS.U443
- Number of credits
- 100
- Course offered
- 2024
- Offered quarter
- 3Q
- Syllabus updated
- Mar 14, 2025
- Language
- Japanese
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
In this course, students will discuss various literary texts published or translated into English during the Cold War period. Each student is expected to read materials related to Cold War culture and give a presentation. The aim of this course is to illuminate how the cultural Cold War has influenced the emotions and thoughts of various peoples.
Course description and aims
At the end of this course students will:
・ acquire the knowledge of various critical theories.
・ learn the skills of both distant reading and close reading.
・ be able to make sophisticated comments on not only artworks, but also socio-political issues.
Keywords
cultural studies, literature, cultural Cold War, gender, population, SF
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
In each session, the assigned student(s) will give a presentation on a text, and the other students will read the text related to the lectures. All participants will read it prior to the class, listen to a presentation and have a further discussion either in Japanese or in English.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Literary theories and the Cold War (New Historicism and Cultural Materialism) | Learn Cold War cultural politics and state your opinion on it |
| Class 2 | Literary Theories (particularly Men and Masculinities Studies, Feminism in the Cold War) | Learn how to use knowledge on gender studies |
| Class 3 | Osamu Dazai and cultural politics of the Cold War | Learn how to analyze the text through the lens of cultural politics. |
| Class 4 | Yukio Mishima and translative Cold War modernism | Learn how to analyze the text through the lens of cultural politics. |
| Class 5 | Kurt Vonnegut and population | Learn how to analyze the text through the lens of cultural politics. |
| Class 6 | Ray Bradbury and speculative fiction | Learn how to analyze the text through the lens of cultural politics. |
| Class 7 | Review and discussion. Submit your essay. | Discuss what the US Cold War cultural politics is all about |
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)
Materials will be provided during class.
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Related books and articles will be mentioned when necessary.
Evaluation methods and criteria
class participation: 50%, Final paper: 50%
Related courses
- SHS.U444 ： Graduate Lecture in Culture and Arts F1B
Prerequisites
Nothing required
Contact information (e-mail and phone) Notice : Please replace from ”[at]” to ”@”(half-width character).
ryamane17[at]gmail.com
Other
N/A