Topics in the Anthropology of Japan

The is a project-oriented seminar in which students undertake original research. Previous student projects have included the school lunch program; "internet addiction"; hydroponic gardening; and alternative education in Japan. This year our theme will be the government's slogan, "Preparing for the 100-year Life." Topics will include demographic change, meaning in late life, gender roles and fertility, medicalization, and death with dignity. The course may also include visits from palliative care physicians, bioethicists, visits to local facilities, and engagement with grass roots groups encouraging planning for late life.