Writings About Japan: Analyzing Cultural Representations, From Orientalism to Artificial Intelligence

About the lecturer

I received my B.A. from Goshen College (1989) and Ph.D. in American Studies from the College of William and Mary (1999). I was also a Fulbright visiting scholar to U.C. Santa Cruz and the East-West Center (Honolulu). Of the course of my academic career, I have published and presented widely in Japanese and English on the intercultural dynamics of Japan-Pacific-US relations. My comments on contemporary US-Japan cultural issues have been quoted in major news media such as the New York Times, the Washington Post, CNN, BBC World Service and NHK World.

Prof. Yujin Yaguchi

Top

Introduction video

Writings About Japan

Top

Syllabus

1	Subject	Writings About Japan: Analyzing Cultural Representations, From Orientalism to Artificial Intelligence
2	Field	Cultural Studies, East Asian Studies, History
3	Key words	representations, Orientalism, media, gender, power
4	Global Unit	1
5	Lecturer	Yujin Yaguchi
6	Period	June 15 - July 21, 2023
7	Time	Students must attend one synchronous session from each of the following date brackets (=two sessions). Online discussion 1 June 19, 2023; 8:30 - 10:00am June 19, 2023; 5:00 - 6:30pm June 22, 2023; 8:30 - 10:00am June 22, 2023; 5:00 - 6:30pm Online discussion 2 July 17, 2023; 8:30 - 10:00am July 17, 2023; 5:00 - 6:30pm July 20, 2023; 8:30 - 10:00am July 20, 2023; 5:00 - 6:30pm Students can take On-demand contents any time during the course period.
8	Lecture style	On-demand
9	Evaluation Criteria	Excellent (S) 90 –100％; Very good (A) 80–89％; Good (B) 70–79%; Pass (C) 60–69%; Fail (D) 0–59％
10	Evaluation methods	Students will be required to participate in an online discussion based on certain themes designated by the instructor for each lesson. They must respond to each question in the online discussion forum. They must also attend and participate in at least one of each synchronous Online Discussions 1 and 2 for receiving a passing grade (see above for dates—note they are all Japan Standard Time). They will also be required to submit an 8-page (double spaced) paper based on the content of the course. Detailed instructions will be given to the registrants later. Online forum 40%; online synchronous discussion 25%; Final paper 35%.
11	Prerequisites	There is no prerequisite for the course. No prior knowledge is necessary, though students are encouraged to read some of the texts noted in the course content. Students must be willing to take an active interest in new and different ways of thinking about culture and its representations.
12	Contents	Purpose This course explores different ways of representing cultures. Rather than searching for one true way of portraying a culture (i.e. Japan is A or B), it analyzes how culture is written and understood by focusing on how Japan has been represented in English language texts (especially in the U.S). It pays attention to the political, economic, and social dynamics behind such representations to gain a better understanding of the concept of a culture and its usage in the past and today. Description The course will be offered in an on-demand format. Students will be able to view the lecture in segments during a designated period. There will also be a required online non-synchronous forum for students to discuss the course material and content (this will be led by UTokyo teaching assistants). Additionally, there will be live (synchronous) interactive sessions with the instructor--at least two attendances will be required (dates are listed below). Schedule (Some items below are subject to minor alterations.) 1. Introduction: “Writing Culture” of Japan: Cultural Dynamics of Representation. 2. Japan Day by Day: Edward Morse and Orientalism. 3. A Women’s View of Rural Life: Ella Wiswell and John Embree in Suye Mura, Kumamoto. 4. Can You Write About Japan Authoritatively Without Ever Visiting? Ruth Benedict and The Chrysanthemum and the Sword. 5. Portraying Devastation: John Hershey and Hiroshima. 6. Japan as Number One: Ezra Vogel and Japanese Miracle 7. A Mysterious Nation: Lost in Translation and Mystifying of Japanese Culture 8. A Foodie Nation: Jiro Dreams of Sushi and Popularization of Japanese Cuisine 9. Japan, Endless Discoveries: Tourism Narratives about Japan 10. Robots Like Japan, too: Artificial Intelligence and Using Data to Attract Tourists Assignments Students are required to: (1) View 10 segmented lectures carefully. They will be available between June 15 and July 21. Students must view the first five lectures by June 30 and the second five by the week of July 21. (2) participate in an online (written) discussion forum between June 15 and July 21 based on certain themes designated by the instructor. UTokyo teaching assistant will be supervising this forum. There will be due dates for each discussion topic—further details will be given through the online platform. (3) attend at least two in-person real time interactive discussion sessions with the instructor. Sessions will be set in the mornings and evenings to enable students from different time zones to attend. Students must attend one synchronous session from each of the following date brackets (=two sessions). The dates for the first session are (note: these are Japan Standard Time): June 19, 2023; 8:30 - 10:00am June 19, 2023; 5:00 - 6:30pm June 22, 2023; 8:30 - 10:00am June 22, 2023; 5:00 - 6:30pm The dates for the second session are (note: these are Japan Standard Time): July 17, 2023; 8:30 - 10:00am July 17, 2023; 5:00 - 6:30pm July 20, 2023; 8:30 - 10:00am July 20, 2023; 5:00 - 6:30pm (4) submit a 8-page (double spaced) paper based on the content of the course by August 4. Detailed instructions will be given after the registration. Note: this is a one-unit session, consisting of ten lectures. Each "lecture" comprises relatively short video segments, self-assignment, and on-line non-synchronous discussion forum where students are asked to post their ideas and comments.
13	Required readings	None. See, however, below for reference readings.
14	Reference readings	Students are strongly encouraged to read the books mentioned in the content section to gain a better appreciation of the lectures. In particular, the books by Benedict, Hershey, and Vogel are generally readily available, so it would be beneficial for them to take a look in advance. They are also encouraged to view the two films (Lost in Translation and Jiro Dreams of Sushi) and, if possible, other films that depict Japan. In addition, those who are interested in the cultural theory of representation should familiarize themselves with Edward Said's Orientalism, which will be discussed in the first lecture.
15	Notes on Taking the Course	This is an on-demand class that is NOT offered synchronously. There is no need, therefore, for the students to attend at a set time. The lectures and online forum will be available to registrants between June 15 and July 21. Students MUST, however, attend at least one live interactive synchronous session with the instructor during the times noted above.

Top

Contact

UTokyo Global Unit Courses
International Exchange Group, Education and Student Support Department,
The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8652 JAPAN

Please send all inquiries regarding the courses to the following email address:

utokyo-guc.adm(at)gs.mail.u-tokyo.ac.jp *Please change (at) to @