ASF29001 Seminar in Studies on Community and Environment

Hiroshima University Syllabus

Japanese

Academic Year 2026Year School/Graduate School School of Integrated Arts and Sciences Department of Integrated Arts and Sciences

Lecture Code ASF29001 Subject Classification Specialized Education

Subject Name 地域環境社会論演習

Subject Name
（Katakana）チイキカンキョウシャカイロンエンシュウ

Subject Name in
English Seminar in Studies on Community and Environment

Instructor FUKUDA SATOSHI

Instructor
(Katakana) フクダ　サトシ

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

Days, Periods, and Classrooms (1T) Thur5-8：IAS K202

Lesson Style Seminar Lesson Style
(More Details) Face-to-face, Online (simultaneous interactive), Online (on-demand)

Lecture, Seminar

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

Course Level 3 : Undergraduate High-Intermediate

Course Area（Area） 24 : Social Sciences

Course Area（Discipline） 05 : Sociology

Eligible Students

Keywords Disappearance and regeneration of rural small communities; mountain village society; Chūgoku Mountains; academic knowledge, local knowledge, and practical knowledge

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) Integrated Arts and Sciences
（Knowledge and Understanding）
・The knowledge and understanding  to fully recognize the mutual relations and their importance among individual academic diciplines.
（Abilities and Skills）
・The abilities and skills to summarize one's own research in reports or academic papers, and to deliver presentations at a seminar or research meetings, and to answer questions.
（Comprehensive Abilities）
・The ability to conduct research proactively by combining knowledge,  understanding, and skills for the tasks, based on flexible creativity and imagination.

Class Objectives
/Class Outline This course explores the theme of the disappearance and regeneration of mountain village society and aims to achieve the following:
1. To acquire fundamental knowledge of Japanese mountain village society through close reading of academic literature.
2. To deepen understanding of mountain village culture through dialogue with guest speakers.
3. To examine the disappearance of rural small communities from sociological and interdisciplinary perspectives.
4. To understand the social realities of mountain village life and the processes of social regeneration.
5. To explore new ways of combining and reconnecting academic knowledge with local and practical knowledge.

Class Schedule The course begins with an examination of the history, present conditions, and major research issues concerning Japanese mountain village society, particularly in the Chūgoku Mountains and Hikimi Town, Masuda City, Shimane Prefecture.
Students will then listen to the “voices” of local people (guest speakers) who have supported their communities in the Chūgoku region and reflect on their experiences and practices.
Finally, through group work and discussion, students will consider the challenges facing mountain village society and society as a whole, responses to what is being lost, and the limitations and possibilities of academic knowledge.

1. Guidance
2. Key Concepts and Introduction to Literature and Materials
3. Literature and Research Trends
4. Preparatory Study
5. Guest Lecture
6. Discussion
7. Group Work
8. Interim Summary I
9. Literature and Research Trends
10. Preparatory Study
11. Guest Lecture
12. Discussion
13. Group Work
14. Interim Summary II
15. Final Synthesis

Text/Reference
Books,etc. No required textbook. Reference materials will be introduced as needed.

PC or AV used in
Class,etc. Handouts, Visual Materials, Microsoft Forms, Other (see [More Details]), moodle

(More Details) Pictures

Learning techniques to be incorporated Discussions, Post-class Report

Suggestions on
Preparation and
Review Reading the materials and literature introduced in the course will help deepen your understanding of the class and support the development of your own ideas.

Requirements

Grading Method Oral presentation and discussion (30%), Short reports（40％）, Final report（30％）

Practical Experience

Summary of Practical Experience and Class Contents based on it

Message

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	2026Year	School/Graduate School	School of Integrated Arts and Sciences Department of Integrated Arts and Sciences
Lecture Code	ASF29001	Subject Classification	Specialized Education
Subject Name	地域環境社会論演習
Subject Name （Katakana）	チイキカンキョウシャカイロンエンシュウ
Subject Name in English	Seminar in Studies on Community and Environment
Instructor	FUKUDA SATOSHI
Instructor (Katakana)	フクダ　サトシ
Campus	Higashi-Hiroshima	Semester/Term	3rd-Year, First Semester, 1Term
Days, Periods, and Classrooms	(1T) Thur5-8：IAS K202
Lesson Style	Seminar	Lesson Style (More Details)	Face-to-face, Online (simultaneous interactive), Online (on-demand)
Lecture, Seminar
Credits	2.0	Class Hours/Week	4	Language of Instruction	J : Japanese
Course Level	3 : Undergraduate High-Intermediate
Course Area（Area）	24 : Social Sciences
Course Area（Discipline）	05 : Sociology
Eligible Students
Keywords	Disappearance and regeneration of rural small communities; mountain village society; Chūgoku Mountains; academic knowledge, local knowledge, and practical knowledge
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)	Integrated Arts and Sciences （Knowledge and Understanding）・The knowledge and understanding to fully recognize the mutual relations and their importance among individual academic diciplines. （Abilities and Skills）・The abilities and skills to summarize one's own research in reports or academic papers, and to deliver presentations at a seminar or research meetings, and to answer questions. （Comprehensive Abilities）・The ability to conduct research proactively by combining knowledge, understanding, and skills for the tasks, based on flexible creativity and imagination.
Class Objectives /Class Outline	This course explores the theme of the disappearance and regeneration of mountain village society and aims to achieve the following: 1. To acquire fundamental knowledge of Japanese mountain village society through close reading of academic literature. 2. To deepen understanding of mountain village culture through dialogue with guest speakers. 3. To examine the disappearance of rural small communities from sociological and interdisciplinary perspectives. 4. To understand the social realities of mountain village life and the processes of social regeneration. 5. To explore new ways of combining and reconnecting academic knowledge with local and practical knowledge.
Class Schedule	The course begins with an examination of the history, present conditions, and major research issues concerning Japanese mountain village society, particularly in the Chūgoku Mountains and Hikimi Town, Masuda City, Shimane Prefecture. Students will then listen to the “voices” of local people (guest speakers) who have supported their communities in the Chūgoku region and reflect on their experiences and practices. Finally, through group work and discussion, students will consider the challenges facing mountain village society and society as a whole, responses to what is being lost, and the limitations and possibilities of academic knowledge. 1. Guidance 2. Key Concepts and Introduction to Literature and Materials 3. Literature and Research Trends 4. Preparatory Study 5. Guest Lecture 6. Discussion 7. Group Work 8. Interim Summary I 9. Literature and Research Trends 10. Preparatory Study 11. Guest Lecture 12. Discussion 13. Group Work 14. Interim Summary II 15. Final Synthesis
Text/Reference Books,etc.	No required textbook. Reference materials will be introduced as needed.
PC or AV used in Class,etc.	Handouts, Visual Materials, Microsoft Forms, Other (see [More Details]), moodle
(More Details)	Pictures
Learning techniques to be incorporated	Discussions, Post-class Report
Suggestions on Preparation and Review	Reading the materials and literature introduced in the course will help deepen your understanding of the class and support the development of your own ideas.
Requirements
Grading Method	Oral presentation and discussion (30%), Short reports（40％）, Final report（30％）
Practical Experience
Summary of Practical Experience and Class Contents based on it
Message
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.

Back to syllabus main page