School of Cultural and Social Studies
Topics
- 2022.04.06
- [Call for papers] SOKENDAI Review of Cultural and Social Studies - 2022
- Looking for Participants
- 2021.08.03
- 【Call for participants】 SOKENDAI Freshman Course 2021 Second Semester (Online)
- 2021.05.12
- [Closed] SOKENDAI Review of Cultural and Social Studies - 2021
- Looking for Participants
- 2020.12.01
- [Call for participants] SOKENDAI Asia Winter School
- 2020.10.01
- Presidents Message for New Students【 October, 2020】
- Notice
School of Cultural and Social Studies
Poster presentation at SOKENDAI Cultural Forum
Cover of the Research Institute of SOKENDAI
The School not only conducts study and research at each research institute, but also conducts collaborative activities as an entire school. The School is playing an important role of conducting cultural and social studies at SOKENDAI based on a wide variety of academic expertise, and is disseminating the study achievements through methods such as publishing the academic journal "SOKENDAI Review of Cultural and Social Studies" , holding the interdisciplinary exchange program "SOKENDAI Cultural Forum" hosted by each institute in rotation, and implementing the special education program "Academic Resource Management Course". In addition, the School only accepts students for the second term of a doctoral course (Doctor) while the other schools at SOKENDAI adopt a five-year system accepting students for the first term of a doctoral course (Master).
ITO Takayuki
Dean
School of Cultural and Social Studies
Departments under the School
Departments under the School
Department of Regional Studies
Obon Festival at San Jose Japantown, CA, USA (Photo MATSUNAGA Chisa)
Students' lively discussion.
The Department, affiliated with the National Museum of Ethnology, Japan, offers opportunities to study individual cultures and societies in the regions of Asia, Europe, Africa, the Americas and Oceania. Students are expected to give an ethnographic description of culture and society, analyze their structure, and understand their dynamics
while considering the characteristics and history of each region. The Department nurtures researchers who can examine field data, assess the data theoretically, and produce both academic contributions and practical recommendations
Department of Comparative Studies
Exhibition hall at the museum.
Students explore new research fields in our excellent research environment.
Students explore new research fields in our excellent research environment.
Worshippers and Nachisan Seigantoji Temple (Photo YAMAMOTO Yasumasa)
Our study abroad program enables fieldwork around the world.
Our study abroad program enables fieldwork around the world.
The Department, affiliated with the National Museum of Ethnology, Japan, offers opportunities for comparative studies of social systems, religion, technology, languages, art and cultural resources. Students are expected to explore similarities and differences in time and space and to explore new directions in the study of society
and culture. The Department has the advantage of access to extensive collections of artifacts, audio-visual records and documentary materials. The Department nurtures researchers who can develop new research areas by combining anthropological methods with the methods and findings of related fields.
Department of Japanese Studies
Library
We acquire basic books and periodicals published both in and outside of Japan.
We acquire basic books and periodicals published both in and outside of Japan.
The Department of Japanese Studies is organized as a single administrative unit in order to facilitate the international and interdisciplinary pursuit of Japanese studies encompassing the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. A special feature of our graduate study program is that all the faculty take part in teaching and research guidance.
The department requires graduate students to take three courses -- "Seminar on Theory and Methodology," "Interdisciplinary Research," and "Dissertation Writing Guidance" -- which set forth the theoretical and methodological basis for conducting Japanese studies from a global perspective. Through these courses and research guidance, we aim to nurture researchers with a creative and highly specialized perspective, broad interdisciplinarity, and the ability to integrate across multiple fields of study.
The department requires graduate students to take three courses -- "Seminar on Theory and Methodology," "Interdisciplinary Research," and "Dissertation Writing Guidance" -- which set forth the theoretical and methodological basis for conducting Japanese studies from a global perspective. Through these courses and research guidance, we aim to nurture researchers with a creative and highly specialized perspective, broad interdisciplinarity, and the ability to integrate across multiple fields of study.
Department of Japanese History
Lecture utilizing museum collection
About 300,000 of historical, folkloric and archaeological artifacts as well as advanced research facilities can be made of.
About 300,000 of historical, folkloric and archaeological artifacts as well as advanced research facilities can be made of.
In the Department of Japanese History, which has the National Museum of Japanese History as its parent institute, researchers specializing in history, archaeology, folklore, and allied disciplines including natural science, provide educational and research opportunities, including fieldwork, from interdisciplinary viewpoints. The most distinctive feature of the Department is that the students can use materials that are stored in the Museum, as well as various tangible and intangible information resources and advanced equipment for scientific analysis. The Department aims to foster researchers who are highly capable of comprehensive material-based analysis of Japanese history and culture and individuals who contribute to society with their broad and international perspectives.
Department of Japanese Literature
Closed Stacks, National Institute of Japanese Literature
About 20,000 rare books including important cultural properties, 200,000 microfilms, 520,000 historical documents and other materials related to Japanese literature are stored in the institute's library.
About 20,000 rare books including important cultural properties, 200,000 microfilms, 520,000 historical documents and other materials related to Japanese literature are stored in the institute's library.
The pillars of education in the Department of Japanese Literature are to attain deep expertise on Japanese literature and related fields as well as investigative techniques and comprehensive analytical skills for related materials, while utilizing the cultural resources of the National Institute of Japanese Literature, a fundamental organization and pioneering inter-university research institute that compiles and researches vast amounts of academic information based on investigation of original materials.
We offer courses from a systematic curriculum with a focus on Japanese literature and an eye to a wide range of fields while also providing research guidance under multiple faculty members in order to develop researchers with advanced expertise and human resources who can contribute to society through their research results.
We offer courses from a systematic curriculum with a focus on Japanese literature and an eye to a wide range of fields while also providing research guidance under multiple faculty members in order to develop researchers with advanced expertise and human resources who can contribute to society through their research results.