ASB16201 Seminar on Modern and Contemporary Japanese Society

Hiroshima University Syllabus

Japanese

Academic Year 2025Year School/Graduate School School of Integrated Arts and Sciences Department of Integrated Arts and Sciences

Lecture Code ASB16201 Subject Classification Specialized Education

Subject Name 日本近現代社会論演習

Subject Name
（Katakana）ニホンキンゲンダイシャカイロンエンシュウ

Subject Name in
English Seminar on Modern and Contemporary Japanese Society

Instructor YOKOYAMA TAKASHI

Instructor
(Katakana) ヨコヤマ　タカシ

Campus Higashi-Hiroshima Semester/Term 3rd-Year,  First Semester,  1Term

Days, Periods, and Classrooms (1T) Tues5-8：IAS K103

Lesson Style Seminar Lesson Style
(More Details) Face-to-face

Credits 2.0 Class Hours/Week 4 Language of Instruction J : Japanese

Course Level 3 : Undergraduate High-Intermediate

Course Area（Area） 23 : Arts and Humanities

Course Area（Discipline） 13 : Area Studies

Eligible Students

Keywords Document Collection, Text Analysis, Logical Thinking, and Discussion Skills

Special Subject for Teacher Education 　 Special Subject 　

Class Status
within Educational
Program
(Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students)
Criterion referenced
Evaluation
(Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students)

Class Objectives
/Class Outline ［Theme: Practical Information Gathering and Analysis for Research］
In this seminar, students will develop research topics based on their interests and learn techniques for gathering and analyzing relevant information. This course is designed to help students who have a vague desire to explore a subject in depth after entering university but are unsure of how to take the first step.
A simple yet effective method is to utilize newspaper databases from Japan's three major newspapers: Yomiuri, Asahi, and Mainichi. In this seminar, students will complete the following tasks:
1. Read at least ten newspaper articles related to keywords relevant to their interests, construct a coherent narrative based on the findings, and explain it in a way that is clearly understandable to others.
2. Use CiNii to locate academic papers related to the articles, then provide a summary and a critical analysis.     3. Discuss their findings and analyses with the instructor and fellow students.

Class Schedule lesson1: Orientation, Deciding Presentation Order
Lessons2–14: Presentations Based on Newspaper Articles and Related Papers, Discussion and Q&A
Lesson15: Summary and Feedback

If the number of participants makes it impossible for some students to give a presentation, those students will be required to submit a report instead.

Text/Reference
Books,etc. Search databases for Yomiuri, Asahi, and Mainichi newspapers, as well as old books, newspapers, and magazines of interest to the participants.

PC or AV used in
Class,etc. Handouts, Visual Materials, moodle

(More Details)

Learning techniques to be incorporated Discussions, Flip Teaching, Post-class Report

Suggestions on
Preparation and
Review lesson1：Please decide what topics you will cover in your session before the lecture begins.
Lessons 2–14: Materials should be shared with participants via Moodle or other platforms before each presentation. All students, not just the presenter, are expected to read the materials in advance and actively participate in discussions.
lesson15：Reflect on the discussions held during the seminar and continue collecting and analyzing sources not limited to newspaper articles.

Requirements There are no special requirements. Participating in this seminar does not require enrollment in a course on Modern Japanese Society.

Grading Method This includes topics for each presentation and reports assigned to students who were unable to present.

Practical Experience

Summary of Practical Experience and Class Contents based on it

Message If you have a topic you wish to explore but are unsure where to start, begin by using a search engine or an academic database and typing in relevant keywords. From there, develop a habit of searching for and reading as many related books and academic papers as possible.

Other

Please fill in the class improvement questionnaire which is carried out on all classes.
Instructors will reflect on your feedback and utilize the information for improving their teaching.

Academic Year	2025Year	School/Graduate School	School of Integrated Arts and Sciences Department of Integrated Arts and Sciences
Lecture Code	ASB16201	Subject Classification	Specialized Education
Subject Name	日本近現代社会論演習
Subject Name （Katakana）	ニホンキンゲンダイシャカイロンエンシュウ
Subject Name in English	Seminar on Modern and Contemporary Japanese Society
Instructor	YOKOYAMA TAKASHI
Instructor (Katakana)	ヨコヤマ　タカシ
Campus	Higashi-Hiroshima	Semester/Term	3rd-Year, First Semester, 1Term
Days, Periods, and Classrooms	(1T) Tues5-8：IAS K103
Lesson Style	Seminar	Lesson Style (More Details)	Face-to-face

Credits	2.0	Class Hours/Week	4	Language of Instruction	J : Japanese
Course Level	3 : Undergraduate High-Intermediate
Course Area（Area）	23 : Arts and Humanities
Course Area（Discipline）	13 : Area Studies
Eligible Students
Keywords	Document Collection, Text Analysis, Logical Thinking, and Discussion Skills
Special Subject for Teacher Education		Special Subject
Class Status within Educational Program (Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students)
Criterion referenced Evaluation (Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students)
Class Objectives /Class Outline	［Theme: Practical Information Gathering and Analysis for Research］ In this seminar, students will develop research topics based on their interests and learn techniques for gathering and analyzing relevant information. This course is designed to help students who have a vague desire to explore a subject in depth after entering university but are unsure of how to take the first step. A simple yet effective method is to utilize newspaper databases from Japan's three major newspapers: Yomiuri, Asahi, and Mainichi. In this seminar, students will complete the following tasks: 1. Read at least ten newspaper articles related to keywords relevant to their interests, construct a coherent narrative based on the findings, and explain it in a way that is clearly understandable to others. 2. Use CiNii to locate academic papers related to the articles, then provide a summary and a critical analysis. 3. Discuss their findings and analyses with the instructor and fellow students.
Class Schedule	lesson1: Orientation, Deciding Presentation Order Lessons2–14: Presentations Based on Newspaper Articles and Related Papers, Discussion and Q&A Lesson15: Summary and Feedback If the number of participants makes it impossible for some students to give a presentation, those students will be required to submit a report instead.
Text/Reference Books,etc.	Search databases for Yomiuri, Asahi, and Mainichi newspapers, as well as old books, newspapers, and magazines of interest to the participants.
PC or AV used in Class,etc.	Handouts, Visual Materials, moodle
(More Details)
Learning techniques to be incorporated	Discussions, Flip Teaching, Post-class Report
Suggestions on Preparation and Review	lesson1：Please decide what topics you will cover in your session before the lecture begins. Lessons 2–14: Materials should be shared with participants via Moodle or other platforms before each presentation. All students, not just the presenter, are expected to read the materials in advance and actively participate in discussions. lesson15：Reflect on the discussions held during the seminar and continue collecting and analyzing sources not limited to newspaper articles.
Requirements	There are no special requirements. Participating in this seminar does not require enrollment in a course on Modern Japanese Society.
Grading Method	This includes topics for each presentation and reports assigned to students who were unable to present.
Practical Experience
Summary of Practical Experience and Class Contents based on it
Message	If you have a topic you wish to explore but are unsure where to start, begin by using a search engine or an academic database and typing in relevant keywords. From there, develop a habit of searching for and reading as many related books and academic papers as possible.
Other
Please fill in the class improvement questionnaire which is carried out on all classes. Instructors will reflect on your feedback and utilize the information for improving their teaching.

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