japan

Explorations in Japanese Contemporary Culture

Program

Courses

Faculty

Housing

Estimated Costs

Calendar

Eligibility

Deadline

PROGRAM

Explorations in Japanese Contemporary Culture is a six-week, six-credit interdisciplinary program which explores the many and diverse dimensions of Japanese contemporary culture. Based at Temple University, Japan Campus, the program is designed for upper-level undergraduate and graduate students interested in Japan, Asian studies, media studies, journalism, and international and/or inter-cultural communication.

This program is geared towards students’ own personal and professional interests.
Participants will examine specific examples of Japanese entertainment — music, television, comic books—film, fashion, theater, journalism and other cultural activities in Tokyo life today. The course begins with an examination and discussion of some of the debates about what “culture” means today, its national character in Japan and its changing shape in a modern global environment. Each student, in consultation with the faculty member, develops an individual or small group project designed to investigate “in the field” one aspect of Tokyo “culture.” These journalistic inquiries might focus on such topics as Japanese boy bands and their fans, the fashion culture of Harajuku, manga (comic books) clubs, or the representation of female politicians in the popular press. The specific nature of the final product depends on students’ professional interests.  For example, a future print journalist might produce an in-depth report, a photographer a photo essay, or a broadcast student a short documentary.

COURSES

The six-week program consists of one six-credit course. Undergraduate students enroll in Journalism 3751: Foreign Studies in Journalism, for six credits. Graduate students enroll in Journalism 5890: Seminar in Communications Abroad for six graduate credits.

For students who would like to earn Asian studies credit, Journalism 3751 is cross-listed with Asian Studies 2000: Special Topics in Asian Studies I (3 cr) and Asian Studies 3000: Special Topics in Asian Studies II (3 cr).

The goals of this course are two-fold. One is to increase students’ familiarity with
“ethnographic” techniques employed by academic researchers, journalists, writers and documentary-makers — to name a few — to explore in-depth various cultures or subcultures. The other is to increase familiarity with Japanese popular culture, its origins, its nature and its position on the larger global popular cultural scene. More specifically, students learn to use the tools of ethnography ranging from collecting cultural artifacts and writing detailed fieldnotes to participant observation and in-depth interviewing.

Students also review what others have written about Japan, its culture, its history and its media. Finally, participants will be required to employ the ethnographic tools learned in class to conduct an analysis of some aspect of Japanese popular culture and draw conclusions in the form of a final project accompanied by a paper.

The course is structured around lectures, guest lectures, class discussions, workshops during which various media texts are analyzed, and field trips illustrating topics discussed in class. Field trips take place in the afternoon, after assigned class time, to such places as museums and media studios. Students are asked to write a short reflection on each field trip answering questions provided in class. These reflections are included in the research portfolio.

FACULTY

The program is directed and taught by Professor Fabienne Darling-Wolf.  Dr.
Darling-Wolf teaches courses in international communication, media ethics, gender issues, mass media theory and qualitative methods in the Department of Journalism and the Mass Media and Communications Doctoral Program at Temple University.

Her research broadly focuses on processes of globalization and trans-national cultural influence, with a particular interest in representations of race, gender and national identity in the Japanese media ranging from newspapers and television to popular music and magazines.

HOUSING

Students may choose to take advantage of housing arranged by Temple University or to make their own housing arrangements. More detailed housing information describing the housing facilities and amenities is provided to all accepted students in one of the pre-departure Web postings.

ESTIMATED 2009 COSTS

Notes:

All estimated costs are subject to change. They should be used as a guideline only. Accepted students will receive updated, detailed cost information as soon as it is available after the application deadline.

*The Japan Fee includes housing and orientation activities. Please note that this fee is based on last year’s fee and will be updated.

In addition to the items above, students should budget money for health insurance, local travel in and around Tokyo, any personal travel outside of Tokyo, and any additional personal expenses.

2009 CALENDAR (Summer I)

Dates are tentative and subject to change

ELIGIBILITY

Please see General Summer Information for program eligibility and application requirements that apply to all programs.

Application Deadline: February 15

Announcement: For summer 2009 study, applications will be accepted through February 20.

For further information, please contact Dr. Fabienne Darling-Wolf, Temple University,
Department of Journalism, 215-204-2077, fabienne.darling-wolf@temple.edu.