Special Lecture on Advanced Topics in Social and Human Sciences FB 2

Academic unit or major

Graduate major in Social and Human Sciences

Instructor(s)

Kei Kohagura

Class Format

Lecture

Media-enhanced courses

-

Day of week/Period
(Classrooms)

Class

2

Course Code

SHS.L420

Number of credits

100

Course offered

2026

Offered quarter

4Q

Syllabus updated

Mar 5, 2026

Language

Japanese

Syllabus

Course overview and goals

Okinawa, while formally part of Japan, underwent a postwar experience distinct from that of mainland Japan, shaped by the Battle of Okinawa and twenty-seven years of U.S. military rule. As a result, it has cultivated cultural and intellectual traditions that differ from those of the Japanese mainland. Long treated as peripheral within Japanese historical studies due to its perceived exceptionalism, Okinawa has in recent years attracted growing attention from scholars in Japan and abroad as an indispensable perspective for understanding Japan’s postwar experience as a whole.

In this course, students will explore postwar Okinawa through close readings of selected texts, learning how to reinterpret contemporary Japanese society through the methodological lens of regional history. Students will give presentations on assigned readings and write a book review based on class discussions. No prior knowledge is required. Course readings will consist of relatively accessible texts, including reportage, fiction, and general-interest books. The reading list is tentative and may be adjusted based on students’ interests.

Course description and aims

（１）Students will acquire the perspectives and methodologies of regional history.
（２）Students will develop the ability to read scholarly texts, identify key arguments, and present them in a clear and shareable form.
（３）Students will situate Japan’s postwar experience in a broader comparative context and engage in dialogue across differences.

Keywords

Modern Japanese History, Postwar History,Regional and Local History, Cold War Studies, Okinawan Studies, Community, Architecture and Society, Cultural Studies, Media and Propaganda

Competencies

• Specialist skills
• Intercultural skills
• Communication skills
• Critical thinking skills
• Practical and/or problem-solving skills

Class flow

・From the second class onward, students will give presentations on the assigned readings (either selected excerpts or the full text).
・After each class, students are required to submit a comment sheet online.
※In their presentations, students should identify key issues that will be important for writing their final book review and facilitate discussion by drawing out comments from other participants.
・As a final assignment, students will submit a book review (approximately 1,200 Japanese characters) on the book for which they were responsible.

Course schedule/Objectives

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)

None

Reference books, course materials, etc.

古波藏契『ポスト島ぐるみの沖縄戦後史』（有志舎、2023年）
宮城悦二郎『占領者の眼：アメリカ人は〈沖繩〉をどう見たか』（那覇出版社、1982年）
新川明『反国家の兇区：沖縄・自立への視点』（社会評論社、1971年）
多田治『沖縄イメージの誕生：青い海のカルチュラル・スタディーズ』（東洋経済新報社、2004年）
下嶋哲朗『白地も赤く百円ライター』（社会評論社、1989年）
菊地史彦『逆格差論、名護市長岸本建男と象設計集団が遺したもの』（論創社、2025年）
藤井誠二『沖縄アンダーグラウンド：売春街を生きた者たち』（講談社、2018年）

Evaluation methods and criteria

Active participation (Google Form submissions): 30%

Presentation on assigned reading: 30%
Evaluation will be based on whether the presentation situates the book in its broader historical and intellectual context, clearly identifies key arguments, and actively encourages participation from other students.

Book review: 40%
The review will be evaluated not only on the quality of analysis but also on how effectively it reflects and incorporates class discussions, including those from the student’s presentation.

Related courses

• CLA.A164 ：
• LAH.T422 ： Transdisciplinary studies 22:Thinking from Minamata disease

Prerequisites

None

Contact information (e-mail and phone) Notice : Please replace from ”[at]” to ”@”(half-width character).

kohagura.k.5bdc[at]m.isct.ac.jp

Office hours

Tuesday–Saturday, 13:00–19:00
Students are welcome to visit during the open hours of Moshimo; however, as I may often be away, an appointment in advance is required.

Other

If you feel unsure about your knowledge of postwar Okinawan history, you are encouraged to watch the film 宝島, directed by 大友啓史, in advance.