ANT 2400 Japanese Society and Culture Through Film

This course is an exploration of contemporary Japan from an anthropological perspective using films as a primary medium. Students consider the socio-cultural and historical underpinnings of social institutions such as marriage and family, religion, education, and medicine in Japan. Topics include cute culture, globalization of art forms such as manga and anime, diversity and marginalized populations, sexuality and gender norms, and Japan’s changing demographics.

Credits

4 sh

Offered

• Winter

Notes

Elective in Soc/ANT

1. Students will be able to define key terms and concepts anthropologists use to study and explain Japanese society and culture with reference to scholarly research
2. Students will be able to discuss Japan in terms of diversity with reference to sex and sexuality, gender, race and ethnicity, social class, geography, families and relationships, religion, and aspects of popular culture by applying scholarly research to selected films
3. Students will be able to discuss representations of Japan with reference to power, privilege, ethnocentrism, and exoticism using films and academic sources for reference
4. Students will be able to describe the contributions of anthropological perspectives of Japan to interdisciplinary contexts such as Asian Studies, Global Film and Culture, and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies