Module review for JS1101E: Introduction to Japanese Studies

Taken AY2014/2015 Semester 1


JS1101E: Introduction to Japanese Studies

As someone interested in all things Japan, I looked forward to this module, which certainly did not disappoint in terms of content. From the Tokugawa era through to contemporary times, it offers a broad, chronological insight into Japan. The topics covered range from history (samurai, WWII) to society (population, class, ethnicity) to economy (miracle, stagnation) — if you’re the kind who fancies a multidisciplinary approach to things, this is the module for you. A/P Tim Amos, who takes charge of the history portions, is organized and provides a good deal of information in his lectures. On the other hand, Dr Chris McMorran, who teaches social issues, is more laidback and you can expect to have a good laugh in his lectures. However, the content in his slides is very much condensed, so be sure to pay attention to what he says and take down notes. Despite differences in their approach, both lecturers have great passion for Japan which they effectively bring into their teaching. They also frequently share their personal experiences in Japan, which makes lectures all the more engaging.

This semester, the JS department was also able to organize two special lectures. The first, by a professor of International Politics from the University of Tokyo, provided new perspectives on Japan’s foreign policy. The second, by a Kabuki Onnagata, was especially interesting given that I knew nothing about kabuki (a form of traditional Japanese theater). The guest lectures were on the whole enjoyable, and I appreciate the department’s efforts to value-add.

Assessment:
Tutorial attendance and participation: 10%
IVLE discussion forum: 10%
Group paper: 30%
Finals (MCQ): 50%

Unfortunately, my initial enthusiasm was completely sapped by the end of the module. I was given a fail for tutorial participation, although I faithfully attended every single tutorial, and tried to speak up at least once or twice. I was left wondering if my tutor was actually able to correctly match my face to my name in order to take the proper attendance. Also, the tutorials weren’t particularly useful in helping you to understand the content. Most sessions comprised of small group discussions where we flip through readings and lecture slides to answer questions. Complete your readings on time if you want to contribute effectively to discussions.

For the IVLE discussion forum, you’re to post a 750 word essay (excluding references) on the topic of your choice, and then respond to the posts from other students. This was too much work for only 10%: it was time-consuming as quite a bit of research was needed for both the individual essay and response posts.
Then there was the group paper on any topic of your choice. A four member group would have to adhere to a 4000 word limit (five members: 5000 words), including bibliography, so it wasn’t hard to fulfill the word count. We spent a huge amount of time and effort on this, and produced a decent essay (albeit in my biased opinion), but received an extremely unfair grade. Ultimately, I felt that the whole assessment was pointless and a complete waste of time for just 30%. The only advice I can give is: choose your group members wisely. It’s even better to take the module with a friend whom you can count on to share the workload. Also, pick a topic that’s already been widely researched on because you’re expected to reference from a minimum of 12 (or 15) academic sources.

Lastly, finals were made up of only MCQ questions. But don’t relax just yet, because it tests the most minute of details from the readings and lectures. As such, make sure to complete your readings every week. It’s not fun to have to squeeze all the information from the thick stack into your head one or two days before the exam.

Workload:
The workload for this module is definitely heavy, and it’s even more so if you’re only taking this to fulfill your Asian Studies requirement, as I did. Take this module only if you’re willing to shoulder the massive workload, and are genuinely interested in Japanese history and various other issues.

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Module review for JS1101E: Introduction to Japanese Studies

Taken AY2014/2015 Semester 2


JS1101E: Introduction to Japanese Studies

This module briefly introduces students to the historical beginnings of Japan in the Jomon Culture, through the Heian era, the warring states, Tokugawa, Meiji and World War Two. Beyond merely history, it also explores the cultural and philosophical aspects of Japan. For example, the idea of Japanese-ness in the discussion of cultural identity, and the role of excluded ‘foreigners’ within such a self-proclaimed homogenous society. It also briefly touches on the changing gender roles within the Japanese culture. This includes not just within the society as a whole, but also between social classes. In general, I found the syllabus of the module to be quite broad and eye opening. However, it would have benefited with a little more depth in exploring the issues discussed.

Content aside, the lecturer Dr. Scot Hislop was entertaining in his delivery of lectures. Unfortunately, this positive aspect was overshadowed by several negative factors.

First, the lecture slides are not released before the lecture. Second, there is very minimal information on the slides itself. Imagine one sentence on one slide and you would not be far off. Third, lectures are not webcast so you have to studiously take notes during lectures. These three points may be off-putting but not too much of a hassle for a diligent student if not for the unfortunate circumstance, in which you cannot trust anything Dr. Hislop says in lecture as factually accurate. Dr. Hislop himself will tell you that he delivers off the cuff, and believe me, this is no lie. At this point, you may be considering the intelligent strategy of skipping lecture altogether. However, allow me to point out how highly risky that would be, since Dr. Hislop does actually design questions on the final exams based on what he talks about during lecture.

Assessment:
Module assessment consists of tutorial participation – 10%
IVLE forum participation – 10%
Project (outline + final report) – 30%
Final MCQ Exam – 50%

Tutorial participation in this module simply required general discussions on ideas mentioned in lecture. Class participation was not particularly competitive in nature.

As for the forum posts, any and all topics were welcome as long as it was related to Japan. The key element of doing well for this was merely doing sufficient research to back up whatever arguments or opinions you had on the subject. 1 or 2 academic sources per post is good enough. Also, although Dr. Hislop claimed that it is quality not quantity that counts in the forum, it is advisable to write at least 2 posts in the semester – one to begin a discussion thread, and one in reply to an existing discussion.

With regards to the project work, try to start early. However, do not be overly concerned with it, since it will ultimately boil down to your tutor’s preference on the topic being discussed and his evaluation of your group’s performance. This is especially since each group is presumably doing different topics of their choice, so there will be less to no direct comparison between different group reports.

Lastly, for the Final exam, you should know your acts and the big ideas. Most importantly, read the questions carefully.

Workload:
2 lecture hours per week. 1 tutorial hours per week. 0 lab hours per week. 3 hours for projects, assignments, fieldwork etc per week. 4 hours for preparatory work by a student per week.

The bulk of the workload is mainly the weekly readings (maximum 3 articles) and the time needed for the group report. I have found that little preparation is actually needed for tutorials as long as you have been following the readings and lectures through the semester.

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