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  4. Department of European Studies
  5. Class Introduction

Class Introduction

French art

In the 19th century, Europe was undergoing major changes as civil society was formed amid the changes brought about by the Bourgeois Revolution and the Industrial Revolution, and the nature of art also underwent major changes. By selecting artworks from this period of change and grasping the characteristics of the creative expression, students will study the historical context and ideological background, and learn ways of looking at and thinking about art.

European Myths and Legends

This course will select and survey several works from European mythology and legends (including folklore), and will study their similarities and differences. It will also consider how the elements and worldviews discussed in these works relate to society.

Cross-border culture theory

Artists, past and present, tend to be travel lovers. One factor may be the bohemian disposition to seek an environment that encourages freer ideas and to leave their everyday spaces behind, but more than anything, in ancient times, when means of obtaining information were limited, visiting culturally advanced regions in person was the only way to learn about new artistic trends. In this class, we will focus on Renaissance Venice and learn how the maritime city of Venice developed its own unique painting tradition through repeated travels and international exchanges by artists.

Comparative Art Theory 1

"Renaissance" is originally a French word meaning "rebirth." Artists of the Renaissance period, mainly from the 15th to 16th centuries, admired the civilization and culture of ancient Greece and Rome, known as classical antiquity, and dreamed of a "rebirth" of it, searching for realistic artistic expression. This class focuses on their efforts to "revive antiquity," and analyzes in what ways Renaissance art works show influences from classical antiquity and in what ways artists' originality is displayed, comparing specific works and reading historical documents.
 

Comparative Art Theory 2

Taking into account concepts such as Orientalism and exoticism, we will consider how issues of gender and sexuality intersect with issues of race, and what problems this can bring to individuals.

German-speaking art

For example, what comes to mind when you hear the words "Wartburg Castle"? Art has hidden themes and motifs that connect works together. In this class, we will learn about music, theater, architecture, and other subjects from the German-speaking world, while cultivating a perspective that captures the dynamism of art.

French Literary History

Students will study the history of French literature from its beginnings to the present day, referring to excerpts from works while also paying attention to important concepts essential to understanding European art in general, such as Classicism and Romanticism.

Contemporary European Social Theory

This course will first grasp the current state of modern European society from the perspectives of European integration, immigration issues, and the academic and employment circumstances of young people, and then go on to examine each of these aspects historically to gain a deeper understanding of Europe's present state.

History of European Foreign Relations

Modern European society and culture contain many elements that are rooted outside of Europe. One aspect of this is the diversification of the origins of society's members. How has Europe interacted with the outside world, created its perceptions, and changed? This course provides a macroscopic look at the history of Europe over the course of roughly five centuries.

Austrian and Eastern European Cultural Studies

While providing an overview of the history of Austria (the Habsburg Empire) in the 19th and 20th centuries, this course will examine the cultural sphere woven together by different ethnic groups and groups, such as the Czechs and Jews, primarily from the perspective of the "other" in modern Europe.

German Language World

This class looks at German from a different perspective than when studying it as a foreign language. It covers the laws of human language that appear in German, the relationship between German and European social history, and commonalities between German and Japanese.

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