ANTHRO 50-03: Minorities and Sexualities in Modern Japan

also cross-listed as: WGS 50-03

Fall 2002
MWF 9:40 - 10:40 Carnegie 204
Prof. Karen Nakamura
Last offered: Fall 2002

Course Description

Japan is often portrayed as a homogeneous nation, but beneath the calm surface of unity lies a tumultuous mix of minorities, including resident Koreans, former outcaste Burakumin, aboriginal Ainu, nascent gays and lesbians, the disabled, etc. Building pressure for many decades, minority politics have recently emerged as a critical force in Japan. We examine the issues of minorities, sexualities, and the politics of identity from an anthropological and sociological perspective.

This course is cross-listed in Anthropology and Women and Gender Studies.

Prerequisites and Requirements

Anthro 11: Cultural Anthropology is required. Asian 11: Intro to Asian Studies, Anthro 50-03: Japanimation and Manga, or an equivalent introduction to modern Japanese history and culture is strongly recommended but not required (but don't complain if you have to hit the history/culture books several times during the semester).

Enrollment limit: 11

Textbooks and Course Readings

The required textbooks will be available at the Ruminator Bookstore. Course readings in the forms of articles will also be distributed in class.

• Ryang, Sonia. North Koreans in Japan: language, ideology, and identity. Boulder, CO: Westview. 1997. ISBN 0813330505 (pbk). 272 pages. $26.00.
• Weiner, Michael (ed.) Japan's minorities: the illusion of homogeneity. New York: Routledge. ISBN 0415152186. 256pp. $25.00
• Denoon, Donald and Gavan McCormack, Ed. (1996). Multicultural Japan: palaeolithic to post-modern. Cambridge ; New York: Cambridge University Press.

Also purchase one (1) of the following:
• Gill, Tom (2001). Men of uncertainty : the social organization of day laborers in contemporary Japan. Albany: State University of New York Press.
• Fowler, Edward (1996). San'ya blues: laboring life in contemporary Tokyo. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.

Library and Other Resources

• Course Reserve List (CLICnet)
• Library Research Guide for Anthropology
• How to:
  • Anthropology Style Guide
  • Citing Electronic Resources
• Archaeology Fraud: The Kamitakamori Scandal
• Ethnologue Language Report for Japan
• Governments on the Web: Japan