天美影视

TOP

Seminar Introduction (Department of English)

PICK UP SEMINARSIntroduction of main seminars

Comparative Study of Corporate Culture Yusuke Tanaka

It may seem surprising that a seminar on "businesses" is being held in Department of English. The main subjects of research in this department are literature written in English and the English language itself, so it may seem like a polar opposite. However, as long as "culture" is also a research subject, I think you will understand that the attempt is not eccentric. If we consider "culture" to include not only high culture such as fine arts, but also popular culture such as music, movies, and fashion, but also customs and social systems that have permeated everyday life, then "businesses," which pioneered the development of capitalist societies in the UK and the US, can be considered a cultural product or structure in the same way as novels.
Of course, the aspect of "business" as a subject of social sciences studied in School of Business is also important. In my seminar, I also ask students to present necessary numerical data as supporting material in their presentations and reports. However, what is more emphasized is the cultural nature of business activities. Of course, the essence of a business is an economic device that produces profits, but the more closely the products they handle are related to daily life, such as food, clothing, and household goods, the more their activities need to take into account the characteristics of each culture and even to be premised on essential thinking about cultural differences. In my seminar, I aim to hone the humanities abilities of students cultivated through the study of literature and languages to the point where they can utilize them in various aspects of business activities that many people are involved in after graduation.

American Literature/Cultural Studies Kohei Saito

We study a wide range of American literature and culture works across a wide range of periods from the 19th to the 21st centuries, following a theme set each year. Themes that have been covered in this seminar so far are diverse, including "illness and mental health care," "modern families," "race in American culture," and "utopian/dystopian stories." From classics of American literature such as Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald, to sci-fi movies from the 1950s, indie rock music from the 1990s, and modern Netflix dramas, we cover a wide range of literature, film, and music works, and our classes are centered around student presentations and independent research presentations. By gaining a deeper understanding of the real American culture beyond Disneyland, you will become a student with "fat of the heart" who is equipped with not only language skills but also knowledge and critical thinking skills.

  • "The Secrets of American Literature and Culture"
  • "The Secrets of American Literature and Culture"

African American Literature/Cultural Studies Azusa Nishimoto

It is said that African people first set foot on the United States in 1619. Since then, in the process of fighting and surviving slavery and racial discrimination, they have created their own style of expression by fusing African elements with their experiences in North America. Today, it is impossible to talk about American culture without mentioning African culture.
This seminar selects a theme each year and covers a wide range of texts - such as 19th century slave narratives, discussions of blackness and black art during the Harlem Renaissance in the early 20th century, speeches and essays from the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s, literary works by black women who have been speaking out since the 1970s, and novels and memoirs from the Black Lives Matter era of the 21st century - by carefully reading the original texts, accessing video and audio materials, and researching the historical and social background, students deepen their understanding of African American literature and culture.
Since the class is centered on student presentations and discussions, there are times when the class goes off topic in a good way, or when students encounter problems that they cannot reach a conclusion on and frown in deep thought. By facing African American literature/culture in this way, I hope that each student will listen carefully to the voices of others, hone their sensitivity to respond to them, develop their own selves, and deepen their thoughts about living together in a diverse world and living as a person that embraces diversity.

Photo: Anonymous slavery-era quilt, photographed by Nishimoto at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Ohio.

History of English: Unraveling the "why" of English from the history of English by Jun Terazawa

Have you ever wondered "why?" while studying English? For example, have you ever wondered why some English words are spelled but not pronounced, such as the "b" in "doubt" and the "gh" in "night"? Also, looking at English vocabulary, the words "ask," "question," "inquire," and "interrogate" all mean "to ask, to question," but why does English have so many synonyms? Looking at English grammar, have you ever wondered why the first and third person pronouns have different forms for the singular and plural, but the second person pronoun is the same "you" for both the singular (i.e. "you") and the plural (i.e. "you guys")?

In this lecture, I will take up one of the many questions about the English language: "Why does English have so many synonyms?" and try to solve this mystery from a historical perspective.

  • Mock Lesson English History: Unraveling the "why" of English from the history of English by Jun Terazawa
  • Mock Lesson English History: Unraveling the "why" of English from the history of English by Jun Terazawa

Speech Communication and Performance Studies Michiyo Okawa

What do you think of when you hear the word "performance"? Because the word "performance" is often used by politicians, some may think that it means exaggerating things that are not their true intentions. In my seminar, I think of performance as a way of knowing. Students will explore for themselves what they are pursuing as they proceed with their project research.
In performance in everyday life, we focus on the everyday lives of ordinary people, who have rarely been the subject of research. Think back to the most moving moment in your life. You will realize that everyone is engaged in performance without even realizing it, whether it be entrance exams, love, club activities, or family ties.
In performance for social change, we look at the world from the perspective of those who are socially vulnerable or oppressed. We point out problems and contradictions in modern society and present solutions in the students' own words (in English). We look forward to researching performance with those who are interested in developing their ability to express themselves.

  • Communication Exercise "Okawa Seminar" Presentation - unknown
  • Okawa Michiyo Exercise: Ghosn is Gone

SEMINAR LIST Research themes and contents

We will introduce the research themes and contents of the seminars in the Department of English.

Teacher Name Research Topics
Erika Asou
Wataru Sasagawa
Yuko Matsui
Yoichi Kuno
PAZDZIORA, John P.
Naoyuki Date
Yuusuke Tanaka
KNIGHTON, Mary A.
Makiko Wakabayashi
Azusa Nishimoto
Teppei Kuruma
Naomi Tonooka
Kohei Saito
Masami Yuki
Tomohiro Hashimoto
THOMPSON, Colin J.
Teruo Yokotani
Shoichi Takahashi
Jun Terasawa
Hironobu Kasai
Mitsuhiro Nakamura
REIMANN, Andrew N.
DIAS, Joseph V.
Michiyo Ookawa
Shuichi Nobe
Noriko Onodera
Kinuyo Inou
Lord Naganuma
Atsushi Iida

RESEARCH THEMES Examples of student research topics

*These are excerpts from graduation theses, seminar papers, and seminar research content from the past 3 to 4 years. In this department, graduation theses are written in English under the individual guidance of faculty members.

  • The Influence and Acceptance of Shakespeare in Modern Popular Music
  • On the Border Between Mental Illness and Health: History and Representations of Psychiatry in 20th Century America
  • English Locative Inversion in the Complement of Perception Verbs
  • A Study of the Differences of Translation Between the Subtitle and the Dubbing in the Films TOY STORY Series
  • An Analysis of Students' Motivations Based on Self-Determination Theory