MLO 2: Culture
- Students develop a comprehensive understanding, appreciation and knowledge of Japanese culture: perspectives (ideas, beliefs, attitudes, values, philosophies), practices (patterns of social interactions) and products (both tangible and intangible, for example, art, history, literature, music).
- Students develop analytical and critical thinking in areas such as how Japan’s cultural background influences modern Japanese life, how to compare their own culture with the Japanese culture, or how Japanese culture relates to other world cultures in an age of global inter-relatedness.
This MLO was satisfied by completion of JPN 305, JPN 306, JPN 313, and JPN 314.
- JPN 305: Introduction to Japanese Culture and Civilization
This class functioned as a Japanese history class, covering the most significant events of Japan's lengthy history. Through completion of this class, I gained an understanding of the various historical periods of Japanese history: the Heian Period, the Warring States Period, the 200 year Tokugawa Shogunate, concluding with the Meiji Restoration and Japan's involvement in World War 2 (MLO 2.1). - JPN 306: The Japanese Mind
This class introduced key concepts relating to Japanese society and how Japanese people relate to each other. Concepts such as "bun" - being a part of a larger group and society, as well as dependence on others were discussed in this class. This class focused on meeting the requirements of MLO 2.1, but MLO 2.2 was fulfilled by way of a final paper. - JPN 313: Manga, Anime & Modern Japan
This class explored the history of Japanese animation and the influence it has had on Japan and on the global stage. While it is a form of art, it also serves as a way to tell stories, continuing Japan's rich story-telling history of "kami-shibai", and also creating likeable characters that people of all ages can relate to (MLO 2.1). The influence of Walt Disney and early animation as well as the landmark careers of Osamu Tezuka and Hayao Miyazaki were explored, and many comparisons were made between American "super-hero driven" comics and Japanese comics which tend to feature characters who seem quite normal in comparison (MLO 2.2). Over the course of the class, we submitted "visual feedback sheets", where we made our own short comics and drawings to further express what we had learned in class and in readings, and at the end of the class, we formed groups and wrote our own manga comics. - JPN 314: Japanese Visual Culture and Media
This class focused on the ideology behind past and present Japanese arts, architecture, and traditions such as the tea ceremony. We studied the Buddhist background of many of Japan's visual arts, such as bonsai and rock gardens, as well as the importation of "wabi-sabi", the idea that imperfections enhance the beauty of art (MLO 2.1). Through the course, we presented on the knowledge we had gained through readings and lectures, and synthesized what we learned about the origins of Japanese visual arts.