188体育

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Faculty of Global Culture
Department of Humanities Society Course 社会専攻

Exploring solutions to contemporary issues in society

Students on the Society Course study the problems that arise in relationships between individuals and groups. These include education, the environment, media, gender, immigration, religion, poverty, war, and other topical themes that have become global issues. The first step in shedding light on these issues is the ability to understand society from different perspectives. To develop this ability, students study sociological theories and methodologies in their historical context and learn basic methods of social investigation. Some problems require analytical techniques that go beyond numbers and data. At Kyoto Seika, students develop the skills needed to find solutions using approaches that include questionnaire surveys and fieldwork that engages all five senses.

Subject Highlights

  • Peace Studies

    Peace studies is an interdisciplinary academic field where students examine how peace can be achieved, either as negative peace, through the absence of violence, or as positive peace, where people have the freedom to explore and demonstrate their potential.

  • Gender Studies

    Gender is no longer bound by its role as a social and cultural construct. Instead, it is now seen as something that actively shapes the very fabric of society and culture. In Gender Studies, students gain an understanding of the development of gender theory and its relationship to contemporary thinking.

What you will study

  1. 1STYEAR

    Learning the Basics of the Humanities

    Study aspects of all four courses
    In their first year, students do not focus on one specific course but learn the basics of literature, history, society, and Japanese culture. They explore topics that interest them while learning about the structure of modern society and the building blocks of culture.

    Understanding yourself through broad-based learning and language
    Students deepen their understanding of themselves and others through language. Students learn the skills needed for research starting with the basics, including picking a suitable topic from among their interests, reviewing past research and conducting fieldwork, and logically summarizing and presenting their ideas.

  2. 2NDYEAR

    Choosing a Course

    Deepening your understanding of your specialization
    In year two, students choose to specialize in one of four courses: Literature, History, Society, and Japanese Culture. Students develop their skills under academic supervisors with specific areas of expertise through lectures that cover introductory topics or cultural history and practical exercises such as literature readings in class.

    Learning research methodologies in seminars
    Students explore their research topics in small-group seminars with other students who share their area of interest. In addition, students develop a research plan for their third-year fieldwork program under the guidance of their supervisor.

  3. 3RDYEAR

    Learning outside the university

    Conducting research through fieldwork
    Students go out into the field to test all that they have learned from their course. Students gain a genuine understanding through firsthand experience during a two-month period outside of campus, immersed in a different culture and society where they come in contact with diverse value systems. This experience gives them new perspectives, expands their horizons, and helps them develop original ideas.

    Verifying research findings
    After completion of the program, students return to campus to reflect on their research. They collate the data and material collected in the field and compile this into a report. S