- 関西学院大学 国際教育・協力センター
- Study Abroad at KGU
- KGU Short Programs
- KGU Summer School
Courses & Syllabus
Course Information
Group A
- Contemporary Japanese and American Politics and Society
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Credits: 3 credits / Offered by: Southern Methodist University
- Women, Gender, and Sexuality in Asian History
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Credits: 3 credits / Offered by: Nazareth University
- Walking in Japan:A Study in Urban Design
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Credits: 3 credits / Offered by: Presbyterian College
Group B
- Humanity and Global Environmental Change
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Credits: 3 credits / Offered by: Southern Methodist University
- Japan-U.S. Media and Pop Culture Remix：Special topics in Communication and Media Studies
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Credits: 3 credits / Offered by: Stetson University
- Japanese Economy and Business
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Credits: 3 credits / Offered by: Kwansei Gakuin University
Contemporary Japanese and American Politics and Society
Credits: 3 credits / Offered by: Southern Methodist University
This course offers a general introduction to the major historical, political, and social trends of contemporary Japan that affect the future of Japan, East Asia, and the world including the United States. Unlike the courses that merely focus on economic development, political institutions, and elite politics, this course focuses on popular attitudes and culture, political participation, and the government's response in the globalized world.
Women, Gender, and Sexuality in Asian History
Credits: 3 credits / Offered by: Nazareth University
In Asian history, Acehnese sultanas negotiated with Dutch traders, geishas and courtesans became world-famous poets, Chinese and Indian eunuchs led armies and treasure fleets, vengeful daughters assassinated Chinese warlords, hijras and devadasis leveraged their devotion to carve out spaces in temples and ritual life, radical feminists denounced patriarchies and imperialism, Filipino cigarette manufacturers unionized and secured paid maternity leave, and Japanese mothers educated their children in Confucian classics. This thematic course explores their stories and many more, but it also examines how gendered discourses regarding parenting, masculinity, femininity, and sexuality were imagined, crafted, and challenged in Asian history from earliest times to the present. We will cover topics such as labor and equity, widow-immolation and agency, eunuchs and impotence, Orientalism and fetishization, gender dysphoria and euphoria, foot binding, anarcho-feminism, gender identity and expression, abortion and legal regimes, sexual identity, and much more. We will also take advantage of our location in the greater Kansai area by taking short field trips, conducting interviews with local students and community-members, and undertaking research projects on local activists.
Walking in Japan:A Study in Urban Design
Credits: 3 credits / Offered by: Presbyterian College
Most people believe that safe places for walking should be a right, not a privilege. But the vast majority of urban infrastructure around the world does not prioritize walking infrastructure; instead, it tends to prioritize and encourage driving, even when the majority of the population does not drive a car. In this course, we will study principles of walking design. We will observe evolving infrastructure in cities around the globe. And finally, we will get out and walk around Nishinomiya, assessing how well this city is implementing the design principles of walkability.
Humanity and Global Environmental Change
Credits: 3 credits / Offered by: Southern Methodist University
Through the course's readings, activities, assignments, and discussions, the students will gain knowledge and practice in anthropological approaches to issues such as conservation, ecology, climate change, water, waste, environmental justice, indigenous knowledge, energy, and environmental change. They will be able to: Articulate how humans experience and shape environment. Explain how "nature" is cultural and constructed. Explore how humans value the environment. Discuss the impact of globalization on cultural ecologies. Discuss major issues in anthropology and environment, such as water, energy, food, and waste. Understand how anthropologists study and critique socio-environmental issues. Understand anthropological perspectives on climate change. Be introduced to gender, indigenous, and social theory related to environment. Participate in citizen science and new movements in environmental monitoring.
Japan-U.S. Media and Pop Culture Remix：Special topics in Communication and Media Studies
Credits: 3 credits / Offered by:Stetson University
This course explores the dynamic intersections between Japanese and U.S. media and pop culture, focusing on how global flows of influence shape genres, aesthetics, and audience experiences. From horror films like Ringu and Get Out, to kaiju and superhero spectacles, anime and Disney/Pixar animation, dystopian survival narratives, video games and music, we will examine how media genres evolve through transnational exchange, shape media identities, and reflect cultural anxieties. While some of these topics may be more familiar than others, all will serve as entry points for thinking critically about media as a cultural force. In this journey, we will draw on the frameworks of cultural studies and globalization, exploring concepts such as the role of pop culture in everyday life, cultural hybridity, genre conventions, audience reception, commodification, cultural and media imperialism, and individual and collective identities.
Japanese Economy and Business
Credits: 3 credits / Offered by: Kwansei Gakuin University
The purpose of this course is to give students an overview of the Japanese economy and business practices in Japan. Starting with the development of the Japanese economy from 1945 until today, this seminar first gives an overview of the changes that occurred during that time, investigates to what extent the Japanese employment system has transformed, and discusses recent developments in the Japanese labor market. In the second part of this course, students will learn about Japanese management by using real-world case studies, which will help them to develop cross-cultural communication and management skills that are beneficial for their future careers.