2024 Faculty Courses School of Environment and Society Department of Social and Human Sciences Graduate major in Social and Human Sciences
Graduate Lecture in Science, Technology and Society F1B
- Academic unit or major
- Graduate major in Social and Human Sciences
- Instructor(s)
- Yakup Bektas
- Class Format
- Lecture (Face-to-face)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 3-4 Mon
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- SHS.S444
- Number of credits
- 100
- Course offered
- 2024
- Offered quarter
- 4Q
- Syllabus updated
- Mar 14, 2025
- Language
- English
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
Science, Technology, and the Environment since the Mid-20th Century
This course will evaluate major environmental problems since the mid-20th century, with a special emphasis on Japan, while tracing the growth of environmental awareness and environmentalism worldwide. Concentrating on the relationship between environmental degradation and industrial development, it will examine the threats to the environment and public health posed by certain big businesses. We will discuss debates and political questions surrounding major issues that have shaped the global environmental consciousness. These include Minamata and other industrial pollution cases in Japan, the dangers of pesticides publicized by Rachel Carson's Silent Spring (1962), global warming, and nuclear energy, with a special reference to the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011 and its aftermath.
The course raises students' awareness of environmental problems and their association with science and technology, economic growth, and corporate businesses; and give students opportunities to explore and evaluate these problems critically from multiple angles. It also aims to help students improve their conversational and writing skills.
Course description and aims
To raise awareness of environmental problems and their association with science and technology and big businesses. To be able to understand the subtleties and history of techno-environmental issues and follow public and academic debates about them. To develop friendly attitudes to nature. To motivate to get involved in the protection and preservation of the natural environment. To improve skills in conversation and writing.
Student learning outcomes
実務経験と講義内容との関連 (又は実践的教育内容)
Has been running this and similar courses for many years.
Keywords
technology and the environment; industrial development and environmental degradation; ecologic crisis; environmentalism, Rachel Carson's Silent Spring; Lovelock's Gaia; Anthropocene,
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
Conducted in a seminar format. Class attendance and participation in discussions are essential. Students are expected to: 1) read the assigned reading prior to the class, 2) participate in classroom discussions, 3) write short papers, and 4) attend a field trip (to the Daigo Fukuryu Maru) (negotiable)
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | The Anthropocene: an overview of science, technology, and the environment | View "Endangered Planet" |
| Class 2 | Economic growth and the environment in Japan: Minamata | Read Jun Ui, "Industrial Pollution in Japan" (1992) |
| Class 3 | Minamata and Japan's industrial pollution | Read Keibo Oiwa & Masato Ogata, "Rowing the Eternal Sea: the Story of a Minamata Fisherman"(2001) |
| Class 4 | DDT or the story of a "miracle pesticide," and "Silent Spring" | Read Rachel Carson, "Silent Spring" (19664); View "Rachel Carson's Silent Spring" (1999) |
| Class 5 | "Silent Spring," and Lynn White's thesis on "Ecological Crisis" | Read Lynn White, jr., “Historical Roots of Our Ecologic Crisis,” Science 155 (1967): 1203-7 |
| Class 6 | Global warming and Lovelock's Gaia theory | Read James Lovelock, "The Revenge of Gaia" (2006); View Al Gore, "An Inconvenient Truth" (2006). |
| Class 7 | Local and global implications of Fukushima nuclear disaster (optional) Excursion to the Daigo Fukuryo Maru | View "Inside Japan's Nuclear Meltdown" (PBS, 2012); others |
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)
No textbooks
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Main Readings:Jun Ui (ed.), Industrial Pollution in Japan, 1992; Rachel Carson, Silent Spring, 1962; Lynn White, jr., “Historical Roots of Our Ecologic Crisis,” Science 155 (1967); Keibo Oiwa & Masato Ogata, Rowing the Eternal Sea: the Story of a Minamata Fisherman, 2001; Akio Mishima, Bitter Sea: The Human Cost of Minamata Disease (1992); Masanori Kaji, "Role of experts and public participation in pollution control: the case of itai-itai disease in Japan, " Ethics in Science and Environmental Politics, 12 (2012): 99-111; Sharon B. McGrayne, Prometheans in the Lab, 2001; James Lovelock, The Revenge of Gaia, 2006.
Audio-visual teaching materials include: Endangered Planet 1950-95 (1999); Rachel Carson's Silent Spring [Neil Goodwin, 1999); Al Gore, Inconvenient Truth (2006); Into Eternity (Michael Madson, 2010); Inside Japan’s Nuclear Meltdown (PBS Frontline, 2012)
Evaluation methods and criteria
Evaluation & grading are based on attendance, participation, class performance, and writing assignments (short papers): roughly %80 for attendance and performance, and %20 for writing assignments.
Related courses
- To be suggested later
Prerequisites
None
Contact information (e-mail and phone) Notice : Please replace from ”[at]” to ”@”(half-width character).
Bektas Yakup : bektas.y.aa[at]m.titech.ac.jp
Office hours
One hour after each class. Other times by appointment.