Transdisciplinary studies 21:Design of the future society

Academic unit or major

Humanities and social science courses

Instructor(s)

Asa Ito / Kei Kohagura

Class Format

Lecture (Face-to-face)

Media-enhanced courses

-

Day of week/Period
(Classrooms)

Intensive (IFs off-campus base)

Class

-

Course Code

LAH.T421

Number of credits

100

Course offered

2026

Offered quarter

2Q

Syllabus updated

Mar 5, 2026

Language

Japanese

Syllabus

Course overview and goals

[Course Overview]
This course explores methods for designing spaces that foster dialogue about the future of society.
In the 2026 academic year, we will make use of a new off-campus hub (もしも｜まちと未来の実験室) to be established near the Ookayama Campus, and conduct experiments in community-building that connects the university and the local community through the medium of “books.”
The off-campus hub will feature a shared library—structured as a private library with individual “shelf owners” responsible for selecting and managing the books on their shelves. In this course, students will first develop an understanding of the role of the off-campus hub and the function of the shared library, and then engage in group-based practical work to create and curate their own book shelves.

[Objectives]
Through the process of selecting books to display on their shelves and engaging in discussions with other participants, students will reflect on the role of the university in the Ookayama area and society at large. They will also deepen their thinking about the significance of physical places like the off-campus hub and the role of books as material objects in a future-oriented society.

Course description and aims

To acquire and experiment with perspectives and methods necessary for designing future societies and sustaining community engagement.
Through transdisciplinary dialogue that transcends academic fields and social positions, students will learn approaches for collaboratively creating and articulating a shared vision of the future.

Keywords

Future Society, Design, Creative Thinking, Group Work, Community

Competencies

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

Class flow

This course will be offered in an intensive format on the following dates:

[Schedule]
Friday, July 17: Periods 3–8
Friday, July 24: Periods 1–8

[Campus]
Ookayama Campus

[Classroom]
The class will be held at the IFs off-campus site (もしも).
Please note that it is located outside the main campus.
You can check the location below.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/t64VPjBNN5xvPVFz6

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 required.

Reference books, course materials, etc.

None required. Course materials are provided during class.

Evaluation methods and criteria

Class Participation: 30%
Project Plan: 30%
Individual Report: 40%

Related courses

• none

Prerequisites

No prerequisites.

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

Kei Kohagura (kohagura.k.5bdc[at]m.isct.ac.jp)
Replace [at] with @.

Office hours

Contact the instructor by email.

Other

Intensive winter term lectures are scheduled. Classes will focus on group work.

This is an intensive course. If earning credits for this course is related to your graduation, please keep the following two points in mind and fully understand the risks before registering.
- Intensive courses are conducted over a short period, with multiple classes per day. As such, authorized absences are generally not accepted.
- There is a possibility that grades may not be reported in time for decisions on graduation.