2026 (Current Year) Faculty Courses School of Environment and Society Department of Social and Human Sciences Graduate major in Social and Human Sciences
Graduate Lecture in Politics, Law and Administration S1B
- Academic unit or major
- Graduate major in Social and Human Sciences
- Instructor(s)
- Kengo Kogure
- Class Format
- Lecture (Face-to-face)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 5-6 Wed (W9-201(W921))
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- SHS.P442
- Number of credits
- 100
- Course offered
- 2026
- Offered quarter
- 2Q
- Syllabus updated
- Mar 13, 2026
- Language
- Japanese
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
This course examines the historical development of economic theory to understand the social context within which economics has formed and evolved. While economics is often defined as the study of the movement of people, goods, and money, its focus and logical structure have diversified in response to the social issues of each era. This lecture centers on the formation and overview of classical economics, which forms the foundation of economics, and then surveys its subsequent development into Marxian economics, the German Historical School, and Institutional Economics.
The aim of this lecture is to understand, through studying the history of economic research, why economics did not converge into a single system like the natural sciences but instead came to possess diverse theories. It also seeks to cultivate a perspective for examining the relationship between economic theory and real society.
Course description and aims
1) Learn the genealogy of political economy and economics
2) Cultivate critical thinking to systematically understand modern economy and society
Keywords
Capitalism, Mercantilism, Physiocracy, Classical Political Economy, Marx
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
The lecture will be conducted using slides and handouts. Students are required to submit a comment paper for each class, and questions or comments will be addressed at the beginning of the following class. Some video materials will also be used. Depending on the number of participants and their level of understanding, active learning methods such as group work may be introduced. Details of the assignment will be announced during the first lecture.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Introduction (Course description, class flow, assessment methods, etc.; “What is Economics(Political Economy)?”) |
Understand the tutorial of the course and gain an overview of economics(Political Economy) as a whole. |
| Class 2 | Mercantilism and Physiocracy |
Chs. 1,2 of textbook |
| Class 3 | Classical Political Economy (1): A. Smith |
Sects. 1,2 of Ch. 3 of textbook |
| Class 4 | Classical Political Economy (2): D. Ricardo |
Sects. 3,4 of Ch. 3 of textbook |
| Class 5 | Theory of Capitalism of K. Marx |
Sects. 1,2 of Ch. 6 of textbook |
| Class 6 | German Historical School and Institutional Economics |
Ch. 4 of textbook |
| Class 7 | Final examination and summary (“Learning Political Economy”) |
Take the final examination and re-evaluate contemporary socio-economic issues from new perspectives gained in the course. |
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)
Makoto Itoh. (2015). Learning from Economics. Tokyo: Heibonsha. ISBN 9784582857689
Reference books, course materials, etc.
TBA
Evaluation methods and criteria
Comment papers (20%), short assignments (20%), final examination (60%).
Related courses
- LAH.S109 ： Economics A
- LAH.S209 ： Economics B
- LAH.S310 ： Economics C
- LAH.S407 ： Essence of Humanities and Social Sciences7:Economics
Prerequisites
High-level Japanese literacy