ANTHROPOLOGY OF ENVIRONMENT IN JAPAN

This is one of the core courses of the Corso di Laurea "Languages, Cultures and Societies of Asia and Mediterranean Africa".
Its formative objectives are within the area of cultural and humanistic skills learning.

During the course of learning, we aim to develop students' ability to critically apply the methodologies of analysis of environmental anthropology in the context of Japanese society. The goal is to foster the formulation of critical judgments about the cultural and environmental phenomena examined during the course, enabling students to independently explore the conceptual frameworks of anthropological sciences and participate in contemporary cultural debates on environment and territory. In this way, students will be able to explore and understand in depth the complex interactions between society, culture and the environment, gaining a reflective and informed perspective on the topics covered in the course.

It is recommended that students have an intermediate level knowledge of English (B2) in order to be able to expand on the content covered in the course by consulting reference texts. Familiarity with key concepts in environmental anthropology is also necessary. For those who have not yet taken an introductory course on the subject, we recommend reading the book "People and Nature: An Introduction to Human Ecological Relations" by Emilio F. Moran, published in 2006 by Wiley Publishing House.

The course aims to conduct a critical reflection on the issues and methods of environmental anthropology, with a focus on Japanese society. The many ways in which humans interact with the natural world, including relationships with animals, will be examined in depth, highlighting the challenges and conflicts that arise in this context. In particular, the course will focus on analyzing the current climate and environmental crisis, exploring crucial issues such as traditional ecological knowledge and environmental sustainability. Fundamental concepts such as land and landscape will also be explored, considering their historical evolution and significance in Japanese society. An additional major aspect of the course will be devoted to the conservation and protection of landscape heritage, with the aim of promoting greater awareness and responsibility toward the environment and the life forms that inhabit it.

The bibliography for the course will consist of a selection of studies that explore specific topics and issues related to environmental anthropology and Japanese society. During the course, detailed clarifications of the bibliography will be provided at the beginning of the lectures and throughout the course. Texts dealing specifically with the topics covered during the lectures will be made available on the Moodle platform dedicated to the course. Students will then have access to additional resources and can consult relevant study materials to deepen their understanding of the topics covered.

For attending students, a paper is required to be agreed with the lecturer that consists of at least 8 pages of text, excluding notes, index, bibliography, images and related lists. It is recommended to keep the text within 10 pages to ensure a thorough and clear analysis of the content covered. For non-attending students, the paper should be agreed with the lecturer and consist of at least 12 pages of text, excluding notes, indexes, bibliography, images and related lists. It is recommended not to exceed 14 pages to ensure a comprehensive and well-structured treatment of the topics covered.
It is important that both types of term papers adhere to the guidelines provided by the lecturer and maintain a balance between the quantity of text and the quality of analysis and discussion developed.

Lectures and seminar type teaching.

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It will only be possible to take the exam with the syllabus taught in this course (a.y. 2023-24) for the first four appeals after the course is held.
Once these four appeals have passed, students will have to take the exam with the syllabus of the new academic year.

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