K0122 Issues of Youth in Contemporary Japan

【JPN YOUTH ISSUES】

2 credits (Elective)

Fall 2014

INSTRUCTOR: Scott BAILEY

EMAIL: sbailey@dia.ed.jp

Course Description

This course examines the complex and varied set of issues facing young people in

Japan today. We will cover issues like education in Japan, family issues, youth and

their identity, problems of employment and the global economy, new social media,

political activism, gender issues, and the near future of Japan. Students should be

prepared to be active participants in the classroom, as there will be class discussions of

the readings every meeting, as well as student presentations. There will also be a

research paper on one aspect of an issue involving Japan’s youth.

Course Objectives

The objective of this course is for students to gain a better understanding of the issues

facing young people in Japan today, and to gain better insight into the socioeconomic

challenges that will face people living in Japan in the next few decades.

Students will also develop their skills in reading, writing, researching, presenting, and

discussion through this course.

Course Requirements and Assignments Attendance:

Class attendance is required and is calculated as part of your grade, it is not optional.

Readings, Participation:

You are required to do the readings for every class. There will be 1 or more “lead

readers” assigned for each class. The lead reader is responsible for making a brief

reaction statement (minimum 2-3 minutes) on that day’s reading, then preparing a list

of at least 10 discussion questions to distribute to all of the class members at the

beginning of the lesson. There will be a discussion on the readings nearly every class,

so you need to be well prepared to participate every class. Good participation is

defined as demonstrating that you have read the material and have thought about it

before offering your opinion or questions for discussion.

Presentation:

There will be one required group presentation this term (see the schedule for when).

You are to meet with your group members prior to that lesson to coordinate this

presentation.

Research paper:

You will need to choose one topic to compose a research paper. The paper will need to

document sources using an appropriate manual of style and be a minimum of 1500

words. More information on this paper will be distributed in class.

Evaluation Criteria & Grading

Grading for the course will be determined as follows:

1. Attendance and Participation 30%

2. “Lead reader” assessment 10%

3. Group presentation assessment 20%

4. Research paper 40%

Additional Information: CLASSROOM POLICIES

1. Be on time and be prepared for every lesson.

2. Let me know if you have an emergency and will not be able to come to class.

3. Please turn off your mobile phones. It is inappropriate to go outside to make calls or

to send or read text messages during class.

4. No sleeping in class.

5. Plagiarism and Cheating

Doshisha University does not tolerate plagiarism, cheating, or helping others to cheat.

These actions will result in an automatic “F” in the course. Plagiarism is defined as

misrepresenting the work of others (whether published or not) as your own. It may be

inadvertent or intentional. Any facts, statistics, quotations, or paraphrasing of any

information that is not common knowledge should be cited.

Course Materials

Brinton, Mary C. Lost in Transition: Youth, Work, and Instability in Modern Japan,

Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2010 (text)

Mathews, Gordon and Bruce White. Japan’s Changing Generations: Are Young

People Creating a New Society? New York, Routledge, 2012 (text)

Sugimoto, Yoshio. An Introduction to Japanese Society, Cambridge, Cambridge

University Press, 2010 (text)

Goodman, Roger. A Sociology of Japanese Youth: From Returnees to NEETS, New

York, Routledge, 2012 (reference)

Kingston, Jeff. Contemporary Japan: History, Politics, and Social Change since the

1980s, Chichester, Wiley-Blackwell, 2012 (reference)

Zielinzieger, Michael. Shutting Out the Sun: How Japan Created its Own Lost

Generation, New York, Vintage, 2007 (reference)

Additional news articles to be announced in class from both Japanese and international

media sources.

Course Schedule

Week 1

Topic: Introduction to the topic and the course, go over the requirements of the course;

assign lead readers for each class’s readings

Assignment: none

Week 2

Topic: The Lost Generation and Generational Issues in Japan

Assignment: Read Mary C. Brinton, Lost in Transition chapter 1 “The Lost Generation”

pp. 1-33

Week 3

Topic: Generational Issues in Japan

Assignment: Mathews and White, Japan’s Changing Generations chapter 1 “The

Generation Gap in Japanese Society since the 1960s” pp. 15-30 (by Tetsuo Sakurai)

AND “Why are Young People so Passive?” pp. 31-46 (by Satoshi Kotani)

Week 4

Topic: Institutions and Young People in Japan: Background Study

Assignment: Read Mary C. Brinton, Lost in Transition chapter 2 “The Historical Roots

of Japanese School-Work Institutions” pp. 34-62.

Week 5

Topic: Education in Japan: Contemporary Issues

Assignment: Read Mathews and White, Japan’s Changing Generations chapter 6

“Guiding Japan’s University Students through the Generation Gap” (by Brian

McVeigh)

Week 6

Topic: Employment in Japan: Background Study

Assignment: Read Mary C. Brinton, Lost in Transition chapter 4 “Unraveling

School-Employer Relationships” pp. 98-119

AND Jeff Kingston, Contemporary Japan chapter 5 “Jobs at Risk” pp. 84-100

Week 7

Topic: Employment in Japan: Contemporary Issues

Assignment: Read Mary C. Brinton, Lost in Transition chapter 5 “Networks of

Advantage and Disadvantage for New Graduates” pp. 119-147

AND Mathews and White, Japan’s Changing Generations chapter 7 “Seeking a career,

finding a job: how young people enter and resist the Japanese world of work” pp.

121-136

Week 8

Topic: Demographics, Families, and Japan’s Future

Assignment: Read Jeff Kingston, Contemporary Japan chapter 3 “Defusing the

Demographic Time Bomb” pp. 41-65

AND chapter 4 of Contemporary Japan “Families at Risk” pp. 66-83

Week 9

Topic: Traditional Gender Roles and Young People in Japan

Assignment: Read Mathews and White, Japan’s Changing Generations chapter 8

“Mothers and their unmarried daughters: an intimate look at generational change” pp.

137-154 (by Lynne Nakano and Moeko Wagatsuma)

AND current news articles (to be announced in class in advance)

Week 10

Topic: The Family and Youth in Japan

Assignment: Read Sugimoto, An Introduction to Japanese Society chapter 6 “Gender

Stratification and the Family System” pp. 156-188

200 word abstract and bibliography due for research paper today

Week 11

Topic: Globalization and Japan’s Young People

Assignment: Read Goodman, A Sociology of Japanese Youth chapter 2 “From Pitiful

to Privileged? The Fifty Year Story of the Changing Perception and Status of Japan’s

Returnee Children” pp. 30-53 (by Roger Goodman)

Week 12

Topic: Individual Presentations

Assignment: Meet with your presentation groups to prepare your group presentation

(more information to be distributed in class)

Week 13

Topic: Globalization and Japan’s Young People

Assignment: Read Mary C. Brinton, Lost in Transition chapter 5 “Narratives of the

New Mobility” pp. 148-165

AND current news articles (to be announced in class in advance)

Week 14

Topic: The Future of Japan’s Youth

Assignment: Read Mary C. Brinton, Lost in Transition chapter 6 “The Future of the

Lost Generation” pp. 166-188.

Week 15

Wrap-up discussion

Research Paper Due in Class Today

Note: This syllabus will be subject to changes and/or revisions