This course introduces students to some of the main issues in contemporary      

Japanese politics.                                                              

At the same time as they are given the background to each selected topic        

students will be encouraged to think critically about the issues raisedand and  

also the methodology used by political scientists, journalists and others       

in their efforts to analyse and explain events.                                 

                                                                                

English Proficiency: TOEFL-PBT 550, CBT 213 or iBT 79                           

                                                                                

                                                                                

After the first, introductory class students will be allocated topics to        

research. They will make presentations related to these topics in subsequent    

classes.                                                                        

Students will also submit a written report at the end of the course.            

This is not a rigid programme of study, but one that is flexible enough to      

accommodate both the particular interests of individual students as well as     

the unpredictability of ongoing political events.                               

                                                                                

Topics to be covered                                                            

1. Politics in Japan after the Second World War                                 

2. The changing world of Japanese political parties                             

3. Elections and election campaigns                                             

4. Local issues and environmental politics                                      

5. Japan's security and foreign policies                                        

6. The role of the prime minister                                               

7. Political ideologies and culture                                             

8. Japanese politics in comparative perspective                                 

9. The debate about reforming the constitution                                  

10. The debate about education reform                                           

11. The role of the bureaucracy                                                 

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

Presentations (40%) and written reports (60%)                                   

                                                                                

                                                                                

None                                                                            

                                                                                

                                                                                

Some basic references will be distributed in class. When preparing for papers   

and presentations students will be expected to use a variety of sources         

including newspapers, periodicals etc.                                          

                                                                                

None