Claim up to $1,250 in flight credits!
Get up to $1,250 in flight credits or grants toward study or internship programs abroad when you apply by June 30, 2026. See our Official Rules for full details.
Analyzing and Exploring the City: Tokyo
Study in Tokyo Program
Tokyo, Japan
Dates: late May 2027 - late Jun 2027
Analyzing and Exploring the City: Tokyo
OVERVIEW
CEA CAPA Partner Institution: CEA CAPA Tokyo Center
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Primary Subject Area: Cultural Studies
Other Subject Area: Sociology
Instruction in: English
Course Code: CUL345TYO
Transcript Source: University of New Haven
Course Details: Level 300
Recommended Semester Credits: 3
Contact Hours: 45
Prerequisites: At least one 100 level course in cultural studies, sociology, human geography or urban studies
DESCRIPTION
This course explores Tokyo as one of the world's most dynamic and influential global cities. Through an interdisciplinary approach drawing on urban studies, sociology, geography, and cultural studies, students will examine how Tokyo has developed into a major center of economic power, technological innovation, and cultural production over the last 150 years. This course investigates key themes such as urbanization, consumption, migration, and the role of infrastructure in shaping everyday life. Taking perspectives from local alleyways to the bustle of Shibuya and Shinjuku, students will analyze how Tokyo balances extreme density with livability, and how its transportation systems, neighborhoods, and architectural forms contribute to its global prominence.
This course considers Tokyo's position within global networks of finance, media, and popular culture, including the international reach of Japanese fashion, film, and, of course, food from sushi to ramen to konbini (convenience stores). Attention will also be given to social challenges such as marginalization, accessibility, immigration, ongoing demographic challenges, overtourism, and governance. By engaging with academic texts, case studies, and visual materials, students will develop a critical understanding of what makes Tokyo a "global city," and how it compares with other major urban centers around the world. Through lively discussions and experiential learning, this course encourages students to reflect on broader questions about urban success, expressions of gender and sexuality in the city, cultural and identity and symbols depicted in film and literature, and the future of Tokyo in an increasingly interconnected world.
*Course is cross-listed with SOC345TYO.
This course considers Tokyo's position within global networks of finance, media, and popular culture, including the international reach of Japanese fashion, film, and, of course, food from sushi to ramen to konbini (convenience stores). Attention will also be given to social challenges such as marginalization, accessibility, immigration, ongoing demographic challenges, overtourism, and governance. By engaging with academic texts, case studies, and visual materials, students will develop a critical understanding of what makes Tokyo a "global city," and how it compares with other major urban centers around the world. Through lively discussions and experiential learning, this course encourages students to reflect on broader questions about urban success, expressions of gender and sexuality in the city, cultural and identity and symbols depicted in film and literature, and the future of Tokyo in an increasingly interconnected world.
*Course is cross-listed with SOC345TYO.