Faculty of Contemporary Cultures
Cultures differ from each other depending on historical period, nation, region, and ethnicity, but all have changed greatly in modern times. Modes of transport have changed, information technology has developed, and the world has become smaller as “globalization” has taken place. At the same time, however, regional culture has sometimes been disregarded and imperiled. It is important to have concern for both global vision and local realities. What is needed is a combined global/local focus.
The Department of Contemporary Cultures within the Faculty of Contemporary Cultures consists of three programs of study that aim at developing persons with an understanding of contemporary cultures who possess both global and local vision and are able to act in both spheres.
Three Different Study-Programs
Language Arts and Culture, Tourism and Hospitality, Sports Culture:
In all three programs the emphasis is on experiential, global/local learning.
Through small-scale seminars and lecture courses that emphasize mastery of fundamentals, students acquire both concrete and theoretical knowledge to help lead them to their career goals. These programs serve as preparation for careers in English teaching, trading companies, tour-conducting, travel agencies, physical education, local sports leadership, etc.
The Comparative Culture Program (Language Arts and Culture)
Students learn by comparing Japanese national and regional cultures with other cultures (including those of Europe, the Americas, Asia, etc.). Taking advantage of the opportunities to learn foreign languages in overseas study programs, students can improve their understanding of other cultures and their intercultural communication skills.
The aim is to develop people who can contribute in a variety of fields to our increasingly small world. This is a program well suited to those with an interest in intercultural exchange and who want to be active globally as true internationalists.
Tourism and Hospitality Program
Students learn about cultural exchange and mutual understanding through tourism. While learning experientially about both world and domestic regional cultures through off-campus study, they can gain a balanced, localized knowledge of such areas as eco-tourism.
The aim is to develop people who can help others to enjoy travel by serving as tour-conductors and hotel and travel-agency staff.
This program is well suited to those with an interest in cultural exchange through tourism and who, having had exposure to a variety of world cultures, seek to become “tourism pros.”
Sports Culture Program
Sports are now an indispensable part of the culture of everyday life. This program approaches sports in a multi-faceted way, aiming to develop people who have not only a practical grasp of competitive sports but also an understanding of “new sports” and lifetime sports for everyone, and who can serve as leaders in regional sports activities.
Europe has produced soccer and rugby; America, baseball and American football; and Japan, martial arts, sumo wrestling, and other, more regional sports. This program will direct students' attention to all of these, in a global/local way. It is well suited to those with an interest in sports who want to improve their own technical skills and gain a clear understanding of the meaning and role of sports on a local and global level, and who hope to “live their lives with sports.”