JAP4010 ¨C Theory and Method in Japanese Studies

Course content

Japanese studies is a field, not a discipline. Students will be working on topics that range from modern politics to literature, history, and linguistics, and will therefore be using a wide range of different theories and methods. The aim of this course is to help you to choose a topic for your MA thesis, reflect on the theories and methods that you will need, and to write and present a project plan that will guide your work towards your final thesis.

The course begins with a series of lectures and seminars, revolving around practical exercises in central academic methods that can be expected to have relevance for all of you. These will range from research ethics to exercises in using library databases. After this, an intensive seminar (called "Academic Survival Kit" or ASK) will offer you the possibility to make your final decision on the direction that your MA research will take. For the final part of the course, students will be divided into smaller groups based on their research interests and work on more specific methodologies relevant to their chosen topic. The course concludes with a round of presentations, where you will have the opportunity to explain your project plan to your fellow students and the teaching staff and receive feed-back - as well as learn from your fellow students and give comments on their ideas.

Learning outcome

• You will become familiar with a number of research methodologies, and be able to select a theory and method suitable to a research topic of your own interest.
• You will improve your academic writing skills and learn how to write an academic research plan.
• Through class presentations and discussions, you will learn to present and debate academic knowledge.
• By developing your own project, you will learn to apply general insights to a topic that has your particular interest, and reflect on the theoretical and methodological issues involved.

Admission to the course

Students who are admitted to study