2024 Faculty Courses Liberal arts and basic science courses Humanities and social science courses
Essence of Humanities and Social Sciences24:History of Social Thought 1
- Academic unit or major
- Humanities and social science courses
- Instructor(s)
- Kenji Hatanaka
- Class Format
- Lecture (HyFlex)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 5-6 Wed
- Class
- 1
- Course Code
- LAH.S502
- Number of credits
- 100
- Course offered
- 2024
- Offered quarter
- 2Q
- Syllabus updated
- Mar 14, 2025
- Language
- Japanese
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
We discuss and examine important topics on the history of social thought.
This course focuses on utopianism in the early modern age in Japan. Students will be able to understand the utopian imagination in the era, and its social and cultural backgrounds.
Course description and aims
At the end of this course, students will be able to:
1) Explain social and cultural characteristics of each era that produced various utopian works.
2) Obtain practical skills required in studying on cultural and intellectual history.
Keywords
utopia, intellectual history
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
This class is delivered as a HyFlex lecture using slides and PDF materials. Small group discussions on related topics will be required.
Please note that 'Essence of Humanities and Social Sciences24: History of Social Thought 2' will be offered in the 4th quarter as an alternative option.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Introduction: Historical Approaches to Utopia | Thomas More, Utopia, 1516. Francis Bacon, New Atlantis, 1627. |
| Class 2 | "Musume": Vincent van Gogh paints "La Mousmé" (1888) | Pierre Loti, Madame Chrysanthème, 1887. |
| Class 3 | "Rinri": Watsuji Tetsuro examines the idea of subjectivity (1920) | Watsuji Tetsuro, Rinri-gaku, 1937. |
| Class 4 | Peer-review activity and discussion | Edit own paper 1 based on the peer-review. |
| Class 5 | utopia and dystopia | |
| Class 6 | "Bunka" Life: Joji dreams of "a simple life" with Naomi (1924) | Tanizaki Junichiro, Chijin-no Ai, 1925. |
| Class 7 | Yamato: Yasuda Yojuro honors "Yamato" as the home of Japanese culture(1932) | Yasuda Yojuro, Taikan Shijin-no Goichininsha, 1938. |
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)
Hand out lecture materials
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Course materials are provided during class.
Evaluation methods and criteria
paper 1: 40%, paper 2(final paper): 60%
Details will be explained in the first class.
Related courses
- LAH.H307 ： Special Lecture: Intellectual History in Japan
- LAH.S420 ： Essence of Humanities and Social Sciences20:Western Thought
Prerequisites
Basic and general knowledge for writing argumentative essays
(or willingness to learn it during the course)
Contact information (e-mail and phone) Notice : Please replace from ”[at]” to ”@”(half-width character).
hatter[at]ila.titech.ac.jp
Office hours
As needed
Other
This course is 500-level course.
Tokyo Tech’s “wedge-shaped style education” enables students to pursue liberal arts education in a phased manner throughout undergraduate and graduate programs.
Students are encouraged to take 100-level to 600-level courses in order. As such, master’s students must begin Humanities and Social Science courses at the 400 level (in 1Q/2Q of the first year for those entering in April, and 3Q/4Q for those entering in September), then proceed to 500-level courses (in 3Q/4Q or later for those entering in April, and 1Q/2Q of the following year or later for those entering in September).
This syllabus is subject to change based on the needs of the class.