2022 | Essence of Humanities and Social Sciences32: Peace Studies

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2022　Essence of Humanities and Social Sciences32: Peace Studies

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Academic unit or major: Humanities and social science courses

Instructor(s): Shirai Yuko

Class Format: Lecture (Face-to-face)

Media-enhanced courses

Day/Period(Room No.): Intensive ()

Group: -

Course number: LAH.S506

Credits: 1

Academic year: 2022

Offered quarter: 4Q

Syllabus updated: 2023/1/24

Lecture notes updated: -

Language used: English

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Syllabus

Course description and aims

This course explores topics within the broad field of peace studies and introduces real world case studies that focus on issues that are faced by those who are at a disadvantage in our societies. The course begins with an examination of theoretical concepts that form the foundation of peace studies, and expands the issues examined into the history of agricultural and industrial revolutions, foundation of capitalism, hierarchical society, and environmental problems. The concept of systems thinking and approaches provide examples of practical approaches and theoretical tools for analyzing situations and solving issues. Specific examples from various countries, some of which the instructor has investigated in the field will be introduced each week and participants apply systems thinking for the situation analysis. Learning from the case studies will help participants to understand some of the complications faced by leading peaceful societies. Key themes throughout the course include climate change and its impacts, historical conflicts in Southeast Asia, rural development and the case of the poverty reduction policy in Thailand and the involvement of Japan ODA, and the pollution experience of Japan.
This course aims to provide participants with an interdisciplinary viewpoint for encouraging peace in societies. More specifically, the course provides participants with the ability to recognize and investigate problems from multiple perspectives and consider multi-disciplinary solutions, as well as how to put potential solutions into practice in order to achieve the goal of developing peaceful societies. Through having interdisciplinary discussions regarding lessons learned from historical events and contemporary issues around the world, participants will be encouraged to contribute to making a better world.

Student learning outcomes

Participants will:
(1) Understand theoretical concepts of peace studies;
(2) Analyze historical events and contemporary issues using systems thinking and approaches;
(3) Understand broad issues around the world related to peace studies and analyze these from an interdisciplinary viewpoint;
(4) Analyze issues related to peace studies, present and debate about the issues, and suggest solutions by employing knowledge and information learned during the class.

Keywords

Peace; Human and Environment; Interdisciplinary Viewpoint; System Thinking and Approaches; International Relations

Competencies that will be developed

Specialist skills

✔ Intercultural skills

✔ Communication skills

✔ Critical thinking skills

✔ Practical and/or problem-solving skills

Class flow

Class is scheduled as follows;
Monday 13th Feb: Class 1 (period 5-6), Class 2（period 7-8）
Tuesday 14th Feb: Class 3 (period 5-6), Class 4（period 7-8）
Wednesday 15th Feb: Class 5 (period 5-6), Class 6（period 7-8)
Thursday 16h Feb: Class 7 (period 5-6)
*period 5-6(13:45-15:25)
*period 7-8(15:40-17:20)

Class time will be used for short lectures and discussion, and group exercises including group discussions and presentations. Attendance is taken in the beggining of every class. A short understanding-checking questionnaire is taken through Google Forms in the end of every class.
This course will be offered face-to-face at Suzukakedai Campus.
Information on the lecture room will be provided as soon as it is decided.

Course schedule/Required learning

	Course schedule	Required learning
Class 1	Course Introduction – Thinking of Peace	Introduction to the broad aspects of peace studies and the concept of systems thinking and approaches. Introduction to the origin of capitalism, environmental problems and hierarchical society through agrarian and industrial revolutions.
Class 2	Case Study and Discussion：Holistic analysis of the situations	Analyze the situations from different livelihood systems in different environments.
Class 3	Impacts of Climate Change include the impact on global food systems, and learning the impacts from a case in the Arctic	Understand complex interactions among the subject matter through the issues of climate change and the case of the situation in the Arctic, as well as climate change and impacts on global food system.
Class 4	Case Study and Discussion: Identify the issues and disucss possible solutions	Examine the complex situations of illegal logging in Papua New Guinea and avocado production in Chile that needs to meet for global food demand, identify the issues and suggest possible solutions for the issues.
Class 5	Case Study and Discussion: History of Conflict in Southeast Asia; Urban Cities and Remote Areas; Rural Development and Poverty Reduction Policy in Thailand and involvement of Japan ODA, Learning the way to forward	Understand the complexity of historical conflict in Southeast Asia. Understand the impacts of economic developemnt and related issues through the case of rural develment project in Northeast Thailand. Focus on possible solutions through the case study of the "self-sufficiency economy" theory in Thailand for poverty reduction, the involvement of Japan ODA. Learning positive actions that are taking by different actors around the world.
Class 6	Case Study and Discussion：The Environment pollution experience in Japan	Analyze environmental issues by investigating the case study of rapid economic growth in Japan.
Class 7	Wrap Up：What can we do to bring "Peace" into societies?, Guidance for final report writing	Analyze an emergent issues and discuss the solutions for creating a peaceful societies.

Textbook(s)

None required. Some materials will be specified by the instructor during the class.

Reference books, course materials, etc.

None required. Materials used in class can be found on T2SCHOLA.

Assessment criteria and methods

Critical analysis and discussion by group include class attendance (30%); Oral presentation (30%); Report (40%). Note: Full attendance and completion of all exercises are compulsory. The instructor may fail a student if they repeatedly comes to class late and/or does not participate in a group work.

Related courses

LAH.S426 ： Essence of Humanities and Social Sciences26:International Relations

Prerequisites (i.e., required knowledge, skills, courses, etc.)

No prerequisites are necessary.

Other

This course is 500-level course.
Tokyo Tech’s “wedge-shaped style education” enables students to pursue liberal arts education in a phased manner throughout undergraduate and graduate programs.
Students are encouraged to take courses in the sequence of 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 levels.
As such, master's students must begin from 400-level liberal arts courses in 1Q and 2Q of the first year, then proceed to 500-level courses.
And master's students entering in September must begin from 400-level liberal arts courses in 3Q and 4Q of the first year, then proceed to 500-level courses.
Students can register for 500-level Humanities and Social Science courses six months after their entrance (i.e. students admitted in April can register in 3Q and 4Q, and those admitted in September can register in 1Q and 2Q).

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