[Tentative, 1/18/2016]

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Transnational Community and Immigrant Incorporation in Japan and the U.S.

 

PBL (Project-Based Learning) method is a comprehensive approach to instruction where students participate in projects and practice an interdisciplinary array of skills.  The proposed PBL is to provide opportunities to some selected students from AIU and the partner universities for field-based learning courses both in Japan and the United States.  Japanese/U.S. students will work and lodge together for 2 weeks in the United States and 2 weeks in Japan to learn and experience intellectual differences and obtain various skills which are often difficult in the classrooms (An excerpt from “Concept Note,” AIU, 2012).

 

Grant, Administration and Students

 

The Center for Japanese Studies of the University of California, Berkeley (UCB) administers the portion of the course taught in Berkeley, while the Academic Affairs Office of AIU administers the portion taught in Akita.  A total of ten selected students (5 from UCB and 5 from AIU) participate in this course from June 20 to July 15, 2016.  The course begins in Berkeley and ends in Akita.

 

Transfer of the Credits (5 units)

 

AIU offers this course with 5 credit units.  A Berkeley student participating in this course needs first to register the course with AIU.  Upon completion of the course, the credits will transfer from AIU to UCB through the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

 

Instructors

 

Takeshi AKIBA (Global Studies, AIU), t-akiba@aiu.ac.jp

Keiko YAMANAKA (Ethnic Studies and Asian Studies, UCB), yamanaka@berkeley.edu

 

Course Descriptions and Objectives

 

For the PBL course for AIU and UCB students to “learn and experience intellectual differences and obtain various skills which are often difficult in the classrooms,” instructors of this course — Akiba and Yamanaka — have chosen “transnational community and immigrant incorporation” as the main theme.  This is because we believe that it is one of the major global issues critical to an understanding of the dynamics and process of large-scale social transformations occurring in every part of the world today.  Not only these changes form central themes of cultural, economic and political debates in any advanced society, but also the future of the nation hinges upon the new generations of youths growing up in social diversity and with multiple identities.  

 

This is not an exaggeration even for the countries or regions known for social homogeneity in East Asia, such as Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.  Oddly enough there, seeds of social transformations spring from the periphery, not necessarily the center, of society where an aging population and steady flows of outmigration have plagued communities for decades.  By the advent of the new millennium in East Asia, international marriage migration, along with labor migration, has become a major vehicle of border crossing for large numbers of women from developing to developed countries.  By now more than three decades have passed since the waves of immigrant women and men arrived in wealthier East Asian countries as residents and workers.  Some of them have eventually settled down forming transnational families and communities in the nations once heavily embraced the tradition and cohesion deeply seated in their ancestral homelands.

 

This course addresses themes and issues relevant to international migration, transnational community building, and immigrant incorporation in East Asia, mostly Japan, and North America, mostly the U.S., specifically the San Francisco Bay Area.  Although the two regions have vastly different history and experience with international migration, we believe that the basic forces—cultural, economic and political—contributing to large-scale social transformations are more common in the two regions than we usually think.  Consequently, there are many comparable factors, patterns, contexts and processes of immigration and resultant immigrant community formation, raising questions of how to incorporate the new arrivals into the destination society.  

 

For the U.S. part, the course will examine immigration history of Asian Americans who have settled in the San Francisco Bay Area since the period of the Fold rush. For Japan, we will learn the country's rich history of immigration with the oldcomer Koreans and the newcomer Brazilians and Filipinos.

 

As a PBL course, this course emphasizes research and field studies in the Bay Area and Akita, as well as the theories that constitute an intellectual foundation for application.

 

In short, this course is aimed for both Berkeley and AIU students to understand international migration, transnational community building, and immigrant incorporation as both global and local processes common among all advanced societies including Japan and the U.S.  It focuses on the historical and structural context of international migration, immigration policy, individual and community issues, and processes of social and cultural change, including intricate nuances of individual and collective agency, and grassroots networks that connect macro-level structures to micro-level personal interests.

 

Expected Course Outcomes 

 

With a “comprehensive approach to instruction” to achieve the course objectives, students who “participate in projects and practice” are expected to acquire a wide “interdisciplinary array of skills.”  Specifically, through lectures and readings, they will learn theories, histories and issues regarding immigrant communities and social incorporation in North America and East Asia.  In the field trips in the Bay Area, Tokyo region and Southern Akita, students will obtain analytical skills applied to the essence of policymaking and community actions indispensable for the healthy formation of transnational families and communities.  Moreover, throughout the course, by participating in small group research projects, the students engage in collaborative research, while improving writing and public speech skills.

 

Instructional Components

 

The course comprises the following main components for instruction.  

 

(1) Lectures regarding:

1. Theories of international migration and population dynamics

2. Citizenship, social incorporation and civil society

3. Asian American immigration history and experience

4. International migration, population change and immigration policies in East Asia

5. Gender, international marriage and transnational family in the Asia-Pacific.

 

(2) Selected video screening in the evenings in Berkeley

 

(3) Field Trips and Studies

 

Upon completion of lectures in Berkeley, class will visit immigrant communities, specifically non-governmental organizations (NGOs), local citizens’ groups and public institutions, in the Bay Area, Tokyo region and Southern Akita.

 

(4) Independent Research Project

 

This constitutes the major endeavor of the course. In this project, each student will pursue his/her own research goals. the theories and methods will be lectured in class. As the class spends two weeks in Japan, students are encouraged to target Japan for research as an immigrant host society with a set of public policies and community actions by both citizens and immigrants. In research, comparative perspectives that integrate data from the field trips in the Bay Area are also supported. Whenever there are common interests shared by the students, they are encouraged to form a group to exchange their observations, information and field trip data.

 

The research paper should be 8 to 10 pages, reporting major results and siggesting policy proposal specific to the topic. At the end of the course, every student/group is expected to present the research results in front of the AIU and local community. Throughout the course, the instructors are available for guidance and consultation. Examples of research topics include:

• Japan’s immigration national and local policies

• Immigrant worker communities, including the second Generation

• Marriage migrant communities, including the second Generation

• Intersections of an oldcomer community (e.g., Zainichi Koreans) and a newcomer community (e.g., Japanese Brazilians)

 

Course Schedule

 

Week 1: June 20 to 25

June 20 (Mo) to 24 (Fr), Lecture in Berkeley, 9AM to the noon

For all students, Research Workshop, the noon to 1PM, Tuesday to Friday

For AIU students, review session, 1 to 2PM

June 25 (Sa)

Field trip to Chinatown in San Francisco by BART

 

Week 2: June 26 to July 2

June 26 (Su), Free time

June 27 (Mo) to 28 (Tu), Lecture in Berkeley, 9AM to the noon

For all students, Research Workshop, the noon to 1PM

For AIU students, review session, 1 to 2PM

June 29 (We), Field trip to Japantown and Mission District in San Francisco by BART

June 30 (Th), Leave SFO

July 1 (Fr), Arrive NRT; stay in Tokyo area

July 2 (Sa), Field trip to the new Koreantown in Shin-Okubo, Shinjuku, the Burmese refugee community in Ikebukuro

 

 

Week 3: July 3 to July 9

July 3 (Su) – 5 (Tu)

Field trip in Tokyto and Kawasaki visiting the oldcomer Korean community, the Filipina community, labor unions, NGOs, research institutions; stay in Tokyo

July 6 (We) – 7 (Th)

Field trip to Hamamatsu visiting local public offices and Japanese-Brazilian communities; stay in Hamamatsu

July 8 (Fr), Leave Hamamatsu, train trip to Akita (by Shinkansen), Orientation in AIU; stay in AIU

July 9 (Sa), Field trip in Yokote, interview with Filipinas; stay in Yokote

 

Week 4: July 10 to July 16

July 10 (Su), Visit to Yokote Church, interview with Filipinas; stay in Yokote

July 11 (Mo), Visit with local government officials, lecture by resident Filipina; stay in AIU

July 12 (Tu), Lecture and review at AIU; stay in AIU

July 13 (We), Work on projects at AIU; stay in AIU

July 14 (Th), Public presentation; stay in AIU

July 15 (Fr), Wrap up; stay in AIU

July 16 (Sa), Leave AIU

 

Readings

 

(1) Reading Assignments—book chapters and journal articles (See below for Schedule for Lecture and Readings).  Available by email.

 

(2) Textbooks: Available at Eastwind Books, 2066 University Avenue, Berkeley.  Also available at Ethnic Studies Library (TBA).

 

Textbook 1:

Espiritu, Yen Le, 2008, Asian American Women and Men: Labor, Laws, and Love, Second Edition, Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.

 

Textbook 2:

Faier, Lieba. 2009. Intimate Encounters: Filipina Women and the Remaking of Rural Japan. Berkeley: University of California Press. 

 

Bases of Evaluations

 

(1) Participation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No Grade

(2) Reading Assignment Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15%

This includes reading assignment presentation.

(3) Response Paper to each of Two Textbooks, 20% each . . . . . . . . . . . . .40%

(4) Research Project Paper and Presentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40%

(5) Course Reflection Essay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5%

______________________________________________________________________

                                                                                                                        Total    100%

 

Assignments and Requirements

 

(1) Participation (No Grade)

All students are expected to participate in all classes (no percentage allocation for evaluation).  In the case of illness and other difficulties, students must report to Instructors. 

 

(2) Reading Assignment Report (Pass/Fail, 15%)

Students are required to read all articles (called Reading Assignments), and write a 1-paragraph summary per article/chapter (see below Schedule for Lecture and Readings).  All reports should be emailed to Instructors by 9AM of the due date.  This includes in-class reading assignment presentation (marked by # in Schedule for Lecture and Readings, see below; Sign-up sheet will be distributed in class). 

 

(3) Response Paper to each of Two Textbooks, (Graded, 20% each, a total of 40%)

In addition to the readings included in the Course Reader, students read two textbooks, Asian American Women and Men and Intimate Encounters.  Upon completion of reading each, students are expected to write Response Paper, 3 to 5 pages, to each case study.  Instructions will be given in class.

 

(4) Research Project Paper and Presentation (Graded, 40%)

Each student will conduct an independent study of the topic of his/her choice.  Whenever similar interests are found, students are encouraged to conduct research and write a paper as a group.  During the first two weeks, students will be guided to write a series of Research Proposals until they identify their own research topics.  Instructions will be given in class.

 

(5) Course Reflection Essay (Pass/Fail, 5%)

Before completing the course, each student writes an essay up to 3 pages reflecting his/her experience of participating in this course.  Instructions will be given in class.

 

Schedule of Lecture and Readings (Tentative)

• Indicates Reading Assignments due.

 

Monday, 6/20

Globalization, Migration and Citizenship

 

Castles, Stephen, Hein De Haas, and Mark J, Miller, 20014, The Age of Migration: International Population Movements in Modern World (hereafter AOM), Fourth Edition, New York: The Guilford Press.

Chapter 1 “Introduction,”

Chapter 2 “Theories of Migration,” and

Chapter 3 “How Migration Transform Societies.”

 

• Email Reading Assignment Reports of the day by 9AM

 

Tuesday, 6/21

Immigration Policy, Transnational Community and Immigrant Incorporation

 

AOM

Chapter 10 “The State and International Migration: The Quest for Control,”

Chapter 11 “Migrants and Minorities in the Labour Force,” and

Chapter 12 “New Ethnic Minorities and Society.”

 

• Email Reading Assignment Reports of the day by 9AM

 

Wednesday, 6/22

Immigration Policy, Immigrant Community and Immigrant Incorporation in East Asia and Japan

 

Chung, Erin A., 2014 in Hollifield, James F., Philip L. Martin, and Pia M. Orrenius (eds.), Controlling Immigration: A Global Perspective, 3rd Edition, Palo Alto: Stanford University Press.

Chapter 13, “Japan and South Korea,” and

Commentaries by Dietrich Thränhardt and Midori Okabe.

 

Lie, John, 2001, in Multi-Ethnic Japan, Cambridge: Harvard University Press,

Chapter 4, “Modern Japan, Multiethnic Japan,” and

# Chapter 5, “Genealogies of Japanese Identity and Monoethnic Ideology.”

 

Thursday, 6/23

Population Change, Consequences, Policies in East Asia and Japan

 

Journal of Population Research Vol. 20, No. 1, 2003

# Gubhaju and Moriki-Durand, “Below-replacement Fertility in East and Southeast Asia: Consequences and Policy Responses.”

 

Florian Coulmas et al. (eds.), 2008, The Demographic Challenge: A Handbook about Japan.  Leiden: Brill.

Chapter 1, Atoh, Makoto, “Japan’s Population Growth during the Past 100 Years,”

Chapter 4, Lützeler, Ralph, “Regional Demographics,”

# Chapter 14, Raymo, James M. and Miho Iwasawa, “Changing Family Life Cycle and Partnership Transition—Gender Roles and Marriage Patterns.”

 

• Email Reading Assignment Reports of the day by 9AM

 

Friday, 6/24

Asian American Immigration History and Experience

 

Textbook 1, Espiritu, Yen Le, 2008, Asian American Women and Men: Labor, Laws, and Love, Second Edition, Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.

Chapter 2, “Stretching Gender, Family, and Community,”

Chapter 3, “Changing Lives: World War II and Postwar Years,”

# Chapter 4, “Contemporary Asian America,” and

# Chapter 5, “Ideological Racism and Cultural Resistance: Constructing Our Own Images.”

 

• Email Reading Assignment Reports of the day by 9AM

 

 

Monday, 6/27

Japanese immigration policy

 

Readings TBA

 

• Email Reading Assignment Reports of the day by 9AM

 

Tuesday, 6/28

Immigrant communities in Japan

 

Yuk Wah Chan, David Haines and Jonathan Lee (eds.), 2014, The Age of Asian Migration: Continuity, Diversity, and Susceptibility. Cambridge: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

# Chapter 4, Yamanaka, Keiko and Takeshi Akiba, “Achieving Local Citizenship in Rural Japan: Filipina Wives in Organized Activism.”

 

Readings TBA

 

• Email Reading Assignment Reports of the day by 9AM

 

Wednesday, 6/29

Textbook 1, Response Paper, Asian American Women and Men, due by Email before 9AM.

 

Friday, 7/8

Textbook 2, Response Paper, Intimate Encounters: Filipina Women and the Remaking of Rural Japan, due by Email before 9AM.

 

 

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