Marc L.
Moskowitz
Office: HM 209
Tel:
Office Hours: MW 1-2 and by appointment.
E-mail:
moskowit@gwm.sc.edu
Web Page:
http://people.cas.sc.edu/moskowitz
Classroom:
Hamilton 318
Time: MWF 11:15 - 12:05
Course Description
This course will serve as an introduction to Japanese thought and society. This will include a historical overview but will focus on modern-day culture. The course will provide a wide range of topics including aging, economy, family, gender, popular culture, and cultural changes that have occurred in the process of modernization.
Katsu Kokichi. 1988. Musui's Story: The Autobiography of a Tokugawa Samurai, Trans. Teruko Craig. Tucson: The University of Arizona Press.
Kelsky, Karen. 2001. Women on the Verge: Japanese Women, Western Dreams. London: Duke University Press.
Kondo, Dorinne K. 1990. Crafting Selves: Power, Gender, and Discourses of Identity in a Japanese Workplace. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Traphagan, John. 2000. Taming Oblivion: Aging Bodies and the Fear of Senility in Japan. New York: Suny Press.
| Group Presentation | 50 | ||||
| Class Attendance and Participation | 100 | ||||
| Three Papers | 100 each | ||||
| Midterm Exam | 250 | ||||
| Final Exam | 300 | ||||
| Total Possible Points | 1000 | ||||
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Everyone is allowed two absences. I assume that they will be for good reasons so you don’t have to tell me why you miss class. Be careful, though. This does not mean that you have two days to sleep in and then I will give you extra days if you have a doctor’s note – these two days are to cover medical and other emergencies.
Movies and Documentaries
I will show several films in this class. The films may appear on the exams. If you miss class on a day I am showing a film it is your responsibility to get notes from a classmate and/or try to see it. I do not lend my films out. Also, I do not guarantee that you will be able to find all of these films at our library or at the local rental store. I also reserve the right to show a film on a day other than the one it is scheduled for. Therefore, attendance is important in this way as well.
Late Papers
Late papers will be accepted but will also be penalized 10 points for every day that they are late. If they are not turned in during class they will be considered a day late.
Academic Honesty
To protect the majority of students who are honest, anyone who is caught cheating or plagiarizing will flunk the class (not just the assignment) and I will report them to the dean. I have done this before; this is not an empty threat.
Reading Schedule
You should complete the readings before class on the days that they
are assigned.
F 8/24
Introduction—No assigned reading for today
M 8/27
Katsu
Childhood
I Run Away
W 8/29
Katsu Youth
I Run Away Again
Katsu Adult
Years
F 8/31
Katsu Life after Retirement
M 9/3 Labor Day—No class
W
9/5 Documentary—The Japanese Version.
Kondo—Chapter 1. The Eye/I pp3-26 (skip pp 26-48)
F 9/7 Paper 1 Due
Greenfeld—Prologue,
Chapter 1. Izumi: The Money-Drinkers
M 9/10 Ultra Man—Episodes 2 & 3
Kondo—Chapter 2. Industries, Communities, Identities
W 9/12
Kondo—Chapter 3. Disciplined Selves
F 9/14
Greenfeld—Chapter 2. Tats: The Speed Tribes
M 9/17
Paper 2 Due
Speed Racer—Episodes
2 & 3
Kondo—Chapter 4. Circles of Attachment
W 9/19
Kondo—Chapter 5. Adding the Family Flavor
F 9/21
Greenfeld—Chapter 3. Dai: The Motorcycle Thief
M 9/24
Student Presentations
Kondo—Chapter 6. Company as Family?
W 9/26
Student Presentations
Kondo—Chapter 7. The Aesthetics and Politics of Artisanal Identities
F 9/28
Greenfeld—Chapter 4. Choco Bon-Bon and Emi: The
Perfect Tuna.”
M 10/1 Student Presentations
Kondo—Chapter 8. Uchi, Gender and Part-Time Work
W 10/3
Greenfeld—Chapter 5. Keiko: The Early-Breakfast Club
Greenfeld—Chapter 6. Hiro and Yoshihara: The Best and the Brightest
F 10/5
Greenfeld—Chapter 7. Kazu and Hiroko: The Map Maker
M 10/8
Student Presentations
Greenfeld—Chapter 8. Tusk: Twilight of the Idols
Greenfeld—Chapter 9. Ozaki: the True Believer
W 10/10
Greenfeld—Chapter 10. Jackie: the Hostess
Greenfeld—Chapter 11. Moto: Homestay
10/12 No Class—Fall Break
M 10/15
Greenfeld—Chapter 12. Snix: The Otaku
W 10/17 Midterm Exam
F 10/19 Documentary—Geisha
Kelsky—Chapter
1
M 10/22 Student Presentations
Kelsky—Chapter
2
W 10/24 Student Presentations
Kelsky—Chapter
3
F 10/26
Student Presentations
Kelsky—Chapter
4.
M 10/29 Paper 3 Due
Movie—After Life
No reading today, time to catch up.
W 10/31
Traphagan—Chapter 1. Introduction: The Road to Oblivion
F 11/2
Traphagan—Chapter 2. Inaka
M 11/5
Traphagan—Chapter 3. History and Continuity: Household, Community,
and Old Age in Jonai
W 11/7 Student Presentations
Traphagan—Chapter 4. Talking about Age
F 11/9 Documentary—Aging in Japan
Traphagan—Chapter 5. Age Grading around Jonai
M 11/12
Traphagan—Chapter 6. Being a Rojin: Activity and Camaraderie in the
Elder Age Grade
W 11/14
Traphagan—Chapter 7. Boke and the Disembodiment of Social Values:
Mental and Physical Health as Social Responsibility
F 11/16
Traphagan—Chapter 8. Taming Oblivion: Power, Collectivity, and the
Body Politic
M 11/19 Student Presentations
Traphagan—Conclusion. In the Shadow of Obasuteyama
Japan Pop!—Chapter 2. E. Taylor Atkins—Can Japanese
Sing the Blues? "Japanese Jazz" and the Problem of Authenticity.
W 11/21 Thanksgiving Break—No Class
F 11/23 Thanksgiving Break—No Class
M
11/26 Student Presentations
Japan Pop!—Chapter 3. Christine Yano—The Marketing
of Tears: Consuming Emotions in Japanese Popular Song.
Japan Pop!—Chapter 5. Hiro Shimatachi—A Karaoke Perspective
on International Relations.
W
11/28
Japan Pop!—Chapter 6. Mark W. MacWilliams—Japanese
Comic Books and Religion: Osamu Tezuka's Story of the Buddha.
Japan Pop!—Chapter 7. Eri Izawa—The Romantic, Passionate
Japanese in Anime: A Look at the Hidden Japanese Soul.
F
11/30
Japan Pop!—Chapter 9. Maia Tsurumi—Gender Roles
and
Girls' Comics in Japan: The Girls and Guys of Yukan Club.
Japan Pop!—Chapter 10. William Lee—From Sazae-san to
Crayon Shin-chan: Family Anime, Social Change, and Nostalgia in Japan.
M
12/3
Sailor Moon
Japan Pop!—Chapter
11. Hilaria M. Gossmann—New Role
Models for Men and Women? Gender in Japanese TV Dramas
Japan Pop!—Chapter 12. Jason Chun—A
New Kind of Royalty: The Imperial Family and the Media in Postwar Japan.
W
12/5
Japan Pop!—Chapter 13. Mark Schilling—Into the Heartland with
Tora-san.
Japan Pop!—Chapter 14. Anne Allison—Sailor Moon: Japanese
Superheroes for Global Girls.
F 12/7 Last Day of Class
Japan Pop!—Chapter
16. Saya Shiraishi—Doraemon Goes Abroad.
Japan Pop!—Chapter 17. Hiroshi Aoyagi—Pop Idols and the Asian
Identity.
W 12/12 Final Exam—
5:30 p.m.