Harvard Summer Program in Tokyo, Japan (Waseda University)
A survey of modern Tokyo culture, and the rise and fall of the samurai
Faculty: Theodore Bestor and Mikael Adolphson
(8 credits: UN, GR) Limited enrollment
Dates: June 16–July 25, 2008
Application deadline: March 3
Cost: $7,000
With a metropolitan-area population of roughly 35 million, Tokyo is one of the largest cities in the world. It is a thoroughly modern metropolis with high-speed trains and subways, soaring architectural icons of glass and steel, flashing anime imagery on colorful billboards, and vibrant shopping districts woven into its fabric. But Tokyo’s rich history is never far away. One can easily retreat into a small temple courtyard, stroll down a narrow street lined with small homes and shops, or relax in a park under a stand of swaying bamboo.
Students who study in the summer program at Waseda University are exposed to both modern and traditional Tokyo. Professor Adolphson’s course examines Japan’s warrior class, exploring themes such as warfare, religion, and literature. A second course, taught by Professor Bestor, focuses on Tokyo as a modern urban entity. Students study Tokyo’s urban culture, lifestyles, social structure, and spatial environment across the city’s history using ethnography, history, literature, diaries, architecture, photography, art, cartography, animation, and film.
Course of Study
Students take both of the following courses. Noncredit Japanese language instruction with Waseda staff is provided for students with no previous exposure to the Japanese language.
HIST S-42 Study Abroad in Tokyo, Japan (Waseda): Constructing the Samurai
Mikael Adolphson
This course examines the rise and fall of Japan’s warrior class and of the bushido ethos. The main focus is on the juxtaposition of the mythology of the samurai and the realities of samurai life. We discuss warfare, training, religion, art, literature, values, and the family. There is extensive use of visual materials and excursions to sites relevant to the samurai lifestyle.
Prerequisites: none
ANTH S-84 Study Abroad in Tokyo, Japan (Waseda): Tokyo
Theodore Bestor
Tokyo has been one of the world's great metropolitan centers since the seventeenth century, both the urban hub of Japanese society and culture, and the intersection between Japanese domestic society and trends of global influence. This course examines trajectories of change in Tokyo's urban culture, lifestyles, social structure, and spatial environment across the city's history, using ethnography, history, literature, diaries, architecture, photography, art, cartography, animation, film, and the Internet to explore Tokyo as an urban culture in comparative perspectives drawn from anthropology, history, and other social sciences.
Prerequisites: none
Course Credit
For Harvard College students, this program counts as two half-year courses (4 credits each) of degree credit.
Transfer credit. Harvard Summer School courses and credits are accepted toward degrees at most colleges and universities. Since degree requirements vary among schools, students are advised to obtain transfer credit approval from their home institutions before registering for Harvard Summer School courses.
Faculty
Mikael Adolphson, Associate Professor of Japanese History, Harvard University
Theodore Bestor, Chair, Department of Anthropology, and Professor of Anthropology and Japanese Studies, Harvard University
Application
Students must be at least 18 years old to apply. The application materials, outlined below, are due March 3:
- an application form (download* form)
- official transcripts (sent directly from students schools to the address below; unofficial copies not accepted)
- a $50 nonrefundable application fee
- a supplementary statement describing travel experience abroad (not a prerequisite) and interest in the program
Applications should be addressed as follows:
Nicole García
Office of International Programs
University Hall, Ground Floor South
Harvard University
Cambridge, MA 02138 USA
Students are notified of admission decisions by mid-March.
Cost
The cost of the program is $7,000, plus a nonrefundable $50 application fee. In addition, students are responsible for a health insurance fee (approximately $150; waived if students have US insurance that provides coverage outside the United States) and for transportation to and from Tokyo. The program fee covers:
- tuition
- room and some meals
- all scheduled excursions and extracurricular activities
Payment Deadlines
For admitted students, a nonrefundable deposit of $700 must be received by April 15 to secure a place in the program. Payment in full is due by May 15. A $100 late fee will be charged for payments received after this date.
Funding
Harvard College students are eligible for scholarships through the Harvard Office for International Programs (OIP). Students may consult the OIP website’s money page or contact the OIP for details. To apply for a study abroad scholarship through OIP, you will need to provide information about the program’s budget. Download* the program budget.
The Harvard College Financial Aid Office summer study webpage also provides information about assistance.
Other Harvard students may be eligible for financial assistance through their Harvard financial aid offices. Students enrolled at other institutions should consult their respective financial aid offices.
Accommodations
Students stay in homes with local families where they have the best chance to experience the Japanese way of life. Each student has a private room. Access to a kitchen, laundry facilities, and a telephone may be arranged between the students and the family. Families live in safe neighborhoods within a normal commute to the university.
Additional Information
Contact Theodore J. Gilman, tgilman@fas.harvard.edu; (617) 495-3220; fax (617) 496-8083.
Students with disabilities should contact the disability services coordinator as soon as possible: (617) 495-0977, (617) 495-9419 (TTY), or disabilities@dcemail.harvard.edu. Request-for-accommodation forms and supporting diagnostic documentation must be submitted by April 25. More information about disability services, including request forms and guidelines for documentation, will be online by early February 2008.
Students applying for admission to Harvard’s study abroad programs should understand that although the University provides reasonable assistance and support to facilitate the participation of qualified students in its programs (including students with disabilities and health impairments), some of our programs are located in parts of the world where accommodations may not be readily available. Students are encouraged to be forthcoming with the disability services coordinator about any specific needs and functional limitations so that the Summer School can collaborate with those students in a way that fosters their safe participation and allows them to fully appreciate any barriers that they may face, depending on the location and rigors of the particular program.
Harvard Summer School is aware of the risks associated with international travel. Should the US Department of State issue a travel warning for any of the countries in which a study abroad program is planned, the program in that country may be canceled.
* Adobe’s free Acrobat Reader is required to view or print PDF forms.