Syllabus for "21st Century Japanese Society from the Standpoint of Gender"

FY2013 University-wide Educational Program: "21st Century Japanese Society from the Standpoint of Gender"

Course objectives

What is gender?　 What is femininity and masculinity?In addition to discussing the importance of gender equality that will create a society in which people can excel regardless of their gender, the program will look through the prism of gender at education, work, konkatsu (marriage hunting), raising children, and the stagnant Japanese economy in order to discuss policies that will create a better Japanese society in the 21st century. The course will have plenty of time for dialogue, and will have group projects that will be presented in front of the class. Comparisons will be made with other developed countries, and historical changes in gender in Japan will be investigated to observe the unique nature of gender in modern Japanese society.

Course details

1.Gender and a gender-equal society
2.What is gender?
3.Gender and the labor market
4.Gender and love/marriage
5.Gender and social policy
6.Realizing a gender-equal society (presentation of group projects)
7.Biology and gender (1)
8.Biology and gender (2)
9.Modernization and gender in Japan (1): Education and gender
10.Modernization and gender in Japan (2): War and gender　　
11.Modernization and gender in Japan (3): Labor and gender
12.In the immediate aftermath of war: Seeking a gender-equal society
13.Taking another look at existing laws and systems (presentation of group projects)
14.Discussion/summary of program
15.Final examination
　 * 1 to 7 will be by Tsukamura, 2 to 6 by Saegusa, 9 to 13 and 15 by Sakakibara, and 14 will be taught jointly by the three.

Grading

40%: Attendance, participation in discussions and group projects; 60% Final exam

Textbooks:

None. Handouts etc. will be provided

References

1) Yumiko Ehara and Masahiro Yamada "Gender no shakan gaku nyumon (Introduction to the sociology of gender)" Iwanami Shoten, 2008
2) Masahiro Yamada "Konkatsu Gensho no shakaigaku (The sociology of the konkatsu (marriage-hunting) phenomenon)" Toyo Keizai Shinbunsha, 2010
3) Yuko Suzuki, ed. "Yamakawa Kikue hyoronshuu (Essays by Kikue Yamakawa)", Iwanami Bunko, 1990
4) ) Isako Matsumoto, Tokuko Kanai, ed. "Turning gender into a science in order to realize a gender-equal society", Nakanishiya Shuppan, 2004