京都大学 京都大学

Readings in Humanities and Social Sciences (Education, English)I-E1

Numbering Code U-LAS03 10004 SB48 Year/Term 2022 ・ First semester
Number of Credits 2 Course Type Seminar
Target Year 2nd year students or above Target Student For all majors
Language English Day/Period Thu.2
Instructor name TAKAYAMA　KEITA (Graduate School of Education Professor)
Outline and Purpose of the Course This unit explores a broad range of literature that assists the students to question the dominant cultural, socio-economic and political foundations of modern society and to explore ways in which education can be rethought towards more ecologically sustainable futures. The course begins with the recent writing on de-growth and postgrowth societies, introducing critical analyses of the decisive roles of capitalism and its underpinning growthism in creating today’ ecological crisis. This literature also points to the foundational cultural assumptions of modern society in which we live today that have long severed our intimacies with the environment that surrounds us. The purpose of the first half of the course is to identity the cultural as well as socio-economic causes of the ecological crisis today.

The second half of the course examines a series of critiques of the roles of modern education in perpetuating the unsustainable social, cultural and economic practices of modern society. In particular, we will explore the emerging English-language scholarship around eco-justice education. Drawing on this body of literature, we will also critically assess some of the key international policy frameworks for sustainable futures (e.g., SDGs) and identifies their contradictions and crucial limitations. The final section of the course will focus on Japanese education. We are going to examine some of the exemplary Japanese educational practices in light of the critical insights thus far generated as a result of our engagement with the literature introduced in the course.

The course will be organized around a set of key readings assigned to each class. Students are expected to complete the assigned readings and be fully prepared to discuss them before coming to the class. My teaching is dialogic in that I teach while interacting with you. In my view, straightforward lecturing is the most misguided approach to teaching and learning. All this means that unless you participate, no teaching will take place; no student preparation, no teaching! So please be fully prepared to participate in discussion so I can teach.
Course Goals Upon completion of the course, students are expected to develop the following understanding and skills:
(1) Reading skills to enable access to published research articles on relevant topics,
(2) Speaking and listening skills necessary for group work and discussion,
(3) Academic writing and presentation skills, and
(4) Understanding of ecological crisis and possible educational responses.
Schedule and Contents Week 1
Introduction

Week 2
Introduction: Welcome to the Anthropocene from Hickel, J. (2020). Less is more: How de-growth will save the world. London: William Heinemann.

Week 3
Chapter 1: Capitalism: A Creation Story from Hickel, J. (2020).

Week 4
Chapter 2: Rise of the Juggernaut from Hickel, J. (2020).

Week 5
Chapter 3: Will technology save us? from Hickel, J. (2020).

Week 6
Chapter 4: Secrets of the good life from Hickel, J. (2020).

Week 7
Chapter 5: Pathways to a post-capitalist world from Hickel, J. (2020).

Week 8
Chapter 6: Everything is connected from Hickel, J. (2020).

Week 9
One chapter from Orr, D. W. (2004) Earth in mind: On education, environment and the human prospect. Island Press.

Week 10
矢野智司(2013)「有能性と生命性の教育に向けて」円環する教育のコラボレーション (2013): 15-28.

Week 11
One chapter from Bowers, C. (1993) Education, cultural myths, and the ecological crisis: Toward deep changes. State University of New York Press.


Week 12
Learning to become with the world: Education for future survival. UNESCO Working Paper.

Week 13
Gerbert, E. (1993). Lessons from the kokugo readers. Comparative Education Review.

Week 14
Komatsu, H. Rappleye, J. and Silova, I. (2021). Student-centered learning and sustainability: Solution or problem? Comparative Education Review.

Week 15
To be announced.
Evaluation Methods and Policy Students will be evaluated primarily based on the following:

(1) 60% 6 response papers (300 words each)
(2) 20% Group presentation
(3) 20% Summative reflection paper (1500 words)
Course Requirements None
Study outside of Class (preparation and review) Students are required to attend all class sessions. Active participation is expected. Before coming to the class, students are expected to complete the following tasks: (1) to read the assigned readings and prepare your questions for class discussion and (2) prepare a response paper.
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