Life and Death: Buddhism in Modern Japanese films
Course Description
Summary
In this intermediate Japanese course, students explore how Buddhism has shaped Japanese perspectives on the afterlife and how ideas about life and death are portrayed in Japanese cinema. Throughout the term, they examine Buddhist history, beliefs, and deities, considering how these traditions have influenced Japanese society and continue to inform its cultural imagination. Students also analyze portrayals of death and reincarnation across a range of film genres, including romance and fantasy. Through lively discussions and individual projects conducted in Japanese, they strengthen their language skills while engaging with thought-provoking questions about belief, mortality, and the possibility of life beyond death. By the end of the course, students will have developed a deeper understanding of Buddhist beliefs and of Japanese perspectives on life, death, and reincarnation.
Learning Outcomes
- 1. Raise valid questions about what they’ve learned and form ideas and opinions based on the information they obtain.
- 2. Logically state and express their thoughts coherently and cohesively in the target language.
- 3. Conduct research independently and critically analyze and evaluate the findings related to their questions.
- 4. Become independent learners who are curious about the world
Prerequisites
Five terms of Japanese or permission of the instructor.
Please contact the faculty member : iyoshida@bennington.edu
Corequisites
CSL Series