Saitama University
SUMMER PROGRAM 2022
Course Syllabus
P.2

P.8

Exploring the History of Urban Japan

P.4

Contemporary Art and Design in Asia and Japan

P.6

Animation Studies

Global Agenda and International Development in theJapanese Perspective

2

Exploring the History of Urban Japan
Kiener, Johannes
Credit(s) : 2

Monday and Wednesday 3-4period[SF0003]

Designate ClassThis course is primarily for students of the Summer Program.
The instruction for distance-learning will be provided on WebClass.
Please make yourself familiar with it before the first class!

Related Courses

All other courses of the Summer Program

ThemeA Short History of Urbanization in Japan

Learning Objectives

This course has three major objectives:
1) Providing basic knowledge about the history of cities and theirdevelopment in Japan.
2) Learning about factors that drive urbanization and the different formsof cities they create.
3) Learning about the major characteristics of Japanese cities.

Keyword(s)cities, urban planning, urban geography, history, Japan

Course Overview

In this course, students learn about the development and characteristics
of cities in Japan. It discusses their emergence and change from anhistorical perspective, while drawing on examples of several cities fromall over Japan. The course starts with early urban settlements like theHeijō-kyō at the beginning of the 8th century. It follows the developmentof cities showing for instance the emerging of large urban centers during
the Edo-period, or of the first complex urban planning system at thebeginning of the 20th century, until reaching issues cities are confronted
with today. The focus lies, especially on institutions and policies thatcreated and formed cities in Japan, providing a wide knowledge thatenables to better understand urban issues and ongoing debates about
their further development.

Course Format

This course is a lecture in which students are expected to watch thevideos provided on WebClass and do the assignments.

Weekly Syllabus

Class 1: Introduction & Cities in the classical era 1
Class 2: Cities in the classical era 2 & Cities in the medieval era 1
Class 3: Cities in the medieval era 2 & Cities in the early modern era 1
Class 4: Cities in the early modern era 2 & Report 1
Class 5: Cities in the early modern era 3 & Cities in the modern era 1
Class 6: Cities in the modern era 2 & Cities in the modern era 3
Class 7: Contemporary cities 1 & Contemporary cities 2Class 8: Contemporary cities 3 & Report 2

Exploring the History of Urban JapanKiener, Johannes

Grading3

Students will be evaluated during the semester based on assignments.
These are comments, which are written directly after class, and shortreports, which are written over the course of one week.
Comments: Account for 40% of the final grade and are required in class
1-3 and class 5-7
Short reports: Account for 60% of the final grade and are required inweek 4 and 8 (some time is available to write the short reports)

Grading Standard

In accordance with the Regulations Concerning Accreditation of Credit
Acquisition of Saitama University, the following evaluation will be madeaccording to how much the student has achieved the attainment
objectives of the class.
”Exceeded the achievement target and excelled in particular": GP = 4”Exceeded the achievement target": GP=3,Satisfactory": GP=2
”Minimal achievement”: GP=1
”Not meeting the achievement goal": GP = 0.
GPs of 1.5, 2.5, and 3.5 may also be given.

Textbook(s)Note : Handouts and videos can be downloaded from WebClass. They
contain the whole information discussed in class and necessary for theassignments.

Reference Book(s)Note : Suggestions for further reading can be found on the handouts.

Message to Students

Like most aspects of life, also the glittering façades of modern Japanesecities are shaped by their past, being the result of a more than 1300 yearlong history. The study of historical cities provides us the tools to get a
deeper understanding of today’s urban landscapes, the living
environment of the majority of Japan’s population, and issues associatedwith it.

E-mailjohannes@mail.saitama-u.ac.jp

4Contemporary Art and Design in Asia and Japan
Zara-Papp Zilia
Credit(s) : 2

Monday and Wednesday 1-2period[SF0007]

Designate ClassThis is an online Summer Program course, open to global participation.
Due to the differences in time zones of the participants, lectures will beprovided in an on-demand/pre-recorded format. There will also beclasses in real time for discussions, presentations, guest lectures orwork-shops. Guest lectures from Japanese, Australian and European
academics will be incorporated in the program.

Related Courses

Learning about visual arts and visual expression modes in the modern tocontemporary periods in the Asia-Pacific and Japan - choosing
individual research topics

Prerequisites

None

Learning Objectives

Exposure to art concepts and art works from diverse regions of Japan,
Asia, Australia and Oceania

Keyword(s)Contemporary Art, Media, Japan, Asia, Australia, Oceania

Course Format

Lecture and presentations. Hand-outs will be prepared, readings will beassigned, individual research to be conducted.

Weekly Syllabus

1-2 . Introduction and overview
Media theory, art historical concepts and curatorial practices
3-4. Japanese influence in Western Art
Western influences in Japanese, Asian and Australian Art
5-6. Modern and Contemporary Art, Japan and East Asia
7-8. Modern and Contemporary Art, China and Central Asia
9-10. Modern and Contemporary Design, Japan, Asia and Australia
11-12. Modern and Contemporary Media of Japan, Asia and Australia
13-14. Student presentations
15-16. Presentations, discussions and evaluation

Grading

Evaluation based on student research and presentations

Grading Standard

In accordance with the Regulations Concerning Accreditation of Credit
Acquisition of Saitama University, the following evaluation will be madeaccording to how much the student has achieved the attainment
objectives of the class.
”Exceeded the achievement target and excelled in particular": GP = 4”Exceeded the achievement target": GP=3,Satisfactory": GP=2
”Minimal achievement”: GP=1
”Not meeting the achievement goal": GP = 0
GPs of 1.5, 2.5, and 3.5 may also be given.

Contemporary Art and Design in Asia and Japan
Zara-Papp Zilia

5

Textbook(s)Note: Handouts, reading materials and visual materials will be providedin class.

Reference Book(s)Note: Readings will be assigned based on individual student research

Message to Students

Join the class if you are confident in your ability to interpret diverse texts
and sources in English

6Animation Studies
Zara-Papp Zilia
Credit(s) : 2

Tuesday and Thursday 1-2period[SF0008]

Designate ClassThis is an online Summer Program course, open to global participation.
Due to the differences in time zones of the participants, lectures will be
provided in an on-demand/pre-recorded format. There will also beclasses in real time for discussions, presentations, guest lectures orwork-shops. Guest lectures from Japanese and Australian academics will
be incorporated in the program.

Related Courses

None

Prerequisites

None

Learning Objectives

This course is in collaboration with academics from Australianuniversities, utilizing online guest lectures. Introducing the academic
field of Animation Studies with regards to animation production,
animation aesthetics and the role of animation and sequential art inpopular culture. While focusing on the history, culture and influence ofJapanese animation, the course also studies basic concepts in animationand the animation industries of diverse regions including Asia, Australiaand Europe.

Keyword(s)Animation, Design, Japan, Asia, Australia

Course Format

Lectures and presentations, hand-outs prepared, readings assigned

Weekly Syllabus

1. Introduction and overview.
2. Animation and sequential art theory
3. The technological development of animation
4. The politics of animation
5. Anime as a global cultural product
6. History of visual story telling in Japan
7. History of manga
8. History of anime
10. Animation in Asia
11. Animation in Australia
12. Animation in Europe and North America
13. Animation production processes: from storyboard to character design
14. Workshop
15. Workshop and presentations
16. Presentations, Discussion, Evaluations

Grading

Evaluation based on student research and presentation

Animation Studies
Zara-Papp Zilia

7Grading Standard

In accordance with the Regulations Concerning Accreditation of Credit
Acquisition of Saitama University, the following evaluation will be madeaccording to how much the student has achieved the attainment
objectives of the class.
”Exceeded the achievement target and excelled in particular": GP = 4”Exceeded the achievement target": GP=3,
Satisfactory": GP=2
”Minimal achievement”: GP=1”Not meeting the achievement goal": GP = 0
GPs of 1.5, 2.5, and 3.5 may also be given.

Textbook(s)Note: Handouts, reading materials and visual materials will be providedin class.

Reference Book(s)Note: Readings are provided in class. Suggested readings include:
Cholodenko, Alan (ed): Illusion of Life. Sydney: Power Publication, 1991
Furniss, Maureen: Art in Motion. Sydney: John Libbey, 1998
McCloud, Scott: Understanding Comics. New York : Harper Perennial,
1994

Message to Students

Join the class if you are confident in your ability to interpret diverse texts
and sources in English and Japanese.

8Global Agenda and International Developmentin the Japanese Perspective
Tsuji, Kazuto
Credit(s) : 1

Monday and Wednesday 5period[SA0002]

Designate ClassThe Summer Program participants and undergraduate or postgraduate
students at Saitama University, who have a strong interest in global
agenda and international socio-economic development issues

Related Courses

NoneTheme

Discuss with other students and the professor in English on major
challenging issues in international socio-economic development

Learning Objectives

Enhance a participant's capacity to think over and discuss international
development issues in an academic manner

Keyword(s)Poverty, Income Disparity, Child Labor, Globalization, Food andMalnutrition, Domestic and International Conflicts, Migrants andRefugees, Private Businesses, International Organizations andGovernance, Sustainable Development Goals, Climate Crisis

Course Overview

This is an action learning class.
Free discussion, including Q&A, on global agenda and internationalsocio-economic development
Think over a topic to be given in advance, present your own opinion
verbally in a class, and discuss it with other participants and theprofessor for reaching out to better solutions

Course Format

Real time online through the Zoom

Weekly SyllabusThe objective of this course is to understand the basic issues ofinternational socio-economic development at present through discussion
among students and with the professor. The tentative plan of discussion
topics is as follows.
the 1st class: introduction
the 2nd class: What are the historical or other reasons behind of income
disparity between poor and rich countries?
the 3rd class: What causes child labor in many parts of the world? Whatare possible measures to eliminate it?
the 4th class: What are merits and demerits of globalization? How can
we make merits bigger and demerits smaller, especially for the poor?
the 5th class: What should be done to eradicate malnutrition and foodshortages on the globe?
the 6th class: Why do people move across country borders as migrants orrefugees? What are appropriate policies for them?
the 7th class: How should we tackle with the climate crisis?

Global Agenda and International Development in the Japanese Perspective
Tsuji, Kazuto

9(Weekly Syllabus)

the 8th class: Can private businesses and international organizations
such as the UN contribute to solving such international development
challenges as discussed in this course, and how? Give an example for
either a private business or an international organization.

Grading

Class participation and discussion quality: 100%

Grading Standard

In accordance with the Regulations Concerning Accreditation of Credit
Acquisition of Saitama University, the following evaluation will be madeaccording to how much the student has achieved the attainment
objectives of the class.
”Exceeded the achievement target and excelled in particular": GP = 4”Exceeded the achievement target": GP=3,Satisfactory": GP=2
”Minimal achievement”: GP=1”Not meeting the achievement goal": GP = 0GPs of 1.5, 2.5, and 3.5 may also be given.

Textbook(s)NoneReference Book(s)To be given

Message to Students

I expect constructive and innovative ideas and opinions fromparticipants to solve various development challenges facing us.
After a class, participants can continue discussion with me, if needed, on
the Zoom.

E-mailkazuto56@mail.saitama-u.ac.jp, kazutot1956@hotmail.co.jp