Course Description: Japan is richly diverse, from the tundra-like north to the subtropical south. Its islands are shaped by earthquakes, volcanoes, and man-made ecologies. We study the Japanese archipelago from multiple scientific and humanistic perspectives, including material from scientific journals, films, history, anthropology, and Japanese comics. We cover the basics of Japanese geology, Pacific seismology (the “Ring of Fire”), the causes and effects of nuclear radiation, and the changes to the land.
Course Narrative: I was able to comprehend the Japanese environment and how nature has an effect on their music, art, and literature. I was also able to learn about the natural disasters in Japan after the tsunami that destroyed the Fukushima nuclear power plant through the ICHI-F manga book. This book tells the personal story of one of the plant workers, the pros and cons of this type of work, and how this greatly affected this community’s fauna and flora. The videos, readings, and discussions with my peers gave me a new perspective on another culture. Which made me delve into the social, economic, and environmental problems of different regions in Japan. Through class discussions, I was able to deeply explore the reality of many rural citizens in isolated areas and the effects that toxic waste has caused on the population of these remote places. The lack of help from the government has created great difficulty for these people to function productively within society. On the other hand, the value of nature within their culture and the traditions instilled in families from different regions to protect animals and sacred natural environments were exposed. Some examples of their spiritual animals and natural places are foxes, koi fish, catfish, the sea, and some mountains. To reflect my understanding of Japanese culture, two exams and some discussion forums regarding the natural disasters in Japan and the book assigned which tested my critical thinking about the challenges facing isolated areas in Japan and the lack of resources, as well as looking for ways to improve or change in their economic situation of Japanese citizens. This course allowed me to understand not only the cultural and traditional aspects of Japan but also its vulnerable side through the challenges of its inhabitants, but also discover the differences between Hispanic and Japanese cultures.
Course Narrative: I was able to comprehend the Japanese environment and how nature has an effect on their music, art, and literature. I was also able to learn about the natural disasters in Japan after the tsunami that destroyed the Fukushima nuclear power plant through the ICHI-F manga book. This book tells the personal story of one of the plant workers, the pros and cons of this type of work, and how this greatly affected this community’s fauna and flora. The videos, readings, and discussions with my peers gave me a new perspective on another culture. Which made me delve into the social, economic, and environmental problems of different regions in Japan. Through class discussions, I was able to deeply explore the reality of many rural citizens in isolated areas and the effects that toxic waste has caused on the population of these remote places. The lack of help from the government has created great difficulty for these people to function productively within society. On the other hand, the value of nature within their culture and the traditions instilled in families from different regions to protect animals and sacred natural environments were exposed. Some examples of their spiritual animals and natural places are foxes, koi fish, catfish, the sea, and some mountains. To reflect my understanding of Japanese culture, two exams and some discussion forums regarding the natural disasters in Japan and the book assigned which tested my critical thinking about the challenges facing isolated areas in Japan and the lack of resources, as well as looking for ways to improve or change in their economic situation of Japanese citizens. This course allowed me to understand not only the cultural and traditional aspects of Japan but also its vulnerable side through the challenges of its inhabitants, but also discover the differences between Hispanic and Japanese cultures.
Course Evidence:
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