Explore Multicultural Japan

Catalog description

This immersive summer course offers students a unique opportunity to explore contemporary Japan through the lens of its historically marginalized ethnic communities and firsthand engagement with local communities and cultures. By combining academic inquiry with direct experience, students will deepen their understanding of Japan’s complex social fabric while developing intercultural competence. The course emphasizes the development of key 21st-century skills—critical thinking, communication, and collaboration—through a blend of asynchronous learning and experiential fieldwork. Students will engage in exploring and analyzing traditional and contemporary cultural products, practices, and perspectives to deepen their understanding of Japanese society and culture, while reflecting on similarities and differences with their own.