Department of Humanities: Courses of Study
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European and Mediterranean studies"Discovering traditional European culture and learning to appreciate social diversity" |
The Attraction of European and Mediterranean Studies
Here in Japan, Western things surround us; sometimes they appear in opposition to Japanese culture, but sometimes they seem to have been completely absorbed, and have become part of our culture. Many such things have their origin in Europe, which is in the process of coming together as the EU, in an attempt to transcend national interests and confrontation. This grand experiment is perhaps the first of its kind in history, and lends Europe even greater fascination. It has already made a great impression on Japan and the rest of the world, and these days we often find ourselves looking to Europe. Europe contains many nations and languages; it was home to the ancient civilizations of Greece and Rome; it has witnessed the rise of Christianity as well as modern science; and it has conserved many traditions from its long history that led to the birth of modern civilization. In European and Mediterranean Studies, the charms of this region are subjected to academic analysis, and studied from the perspectives of various fields of study.
A Supportive Staff
In European and Mediterranean studies, there are specialists in various fields such as philosophy, history, geography, sociology, literature, and linguistics. Therefore, students can learn about any object of study in the region from various academic perspectives. Moreover, students must supplement their specialization in a given field with the study of at least one foreign language, in order to deepen their research. Members of staff who specialize in English, German and French, including native speakers of these languages, support students in this endeavor.
Student Research Interests
Several of our students have studied in Britain, Germany and France; they have mastered English, German, and French, and have completed graduation theses in the fields of philosophy, history, geography, sociology, literature or linguistics, using foreign references. They have produced some admirable pieces of work. Why don't you join us and, like them, experience the charms of European and Mediterranean studies?