KANSAI GAIDAI UNIVERSITY

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All the courses in the Asian Studies Program have their own unique contents and approach. This section features some of those special aspects you will find in our academic program.ACADEMIC SPOTLIGHTStephen A. Zurcher is an interna-tional businessman turned Professor in 2011. With business experience in Asia, the USA and Europe through-out a 25 year career spanning Fortune 500 companies to apartment- based startups, he brings a real-world perspective to his classes in interna-tional business. Recently appointed Dean of the Asian Studies Program, he leads a successful internship program for foreign students at Kansai Gaidai University. He is also the VP of the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan for the Kansai region, which keeps him in touch with CEOs and executives, as well as up to date on the latest business trends in Japan.Stephen A. Zurcher, Professor(Management and Entrepreneurship)M.B.A., University of Hawaii at Manoa D.M., Case Western Reserve University History should start as a mystery. Such is the basic belief that informs all of David Eason’s courses. In practice this means teaching Japanese history not as a predeter-mined checklist of people, places, and events to be committed to memory, but instead presenting students with an assortment of translated primary sources and asking them to work creatively and deductively in analyzing and interpreting these fascinating texts. Thus, rather than demand rote memorization, students are encouraged to draw consistently upon their own innate curiosity in order to make Japan’s history an exploration of materials both unexpected and new. Scott Bailey is a professional histori-an who brings a global perspective to his teaching, both because of his own extensive international teaching experience and his research expertise in world history. His main current research is on the history of scientific and geographic research expeditions to Central Asia, Japanese territories, and the northern Pacific. His courses place an emphasis on comparative and global analysis of historical processes and often focus on film and its complex relationship with history. His classes are highly interactive, with student group discussions a central element of every class session.Scott C. M. Bailey, Assistant Professor(History)M.A., Murray State UniversityPh.D., University of Hawaii at ManoaSpecializing in the relation of Japanese culture and aesthetics, Lucile Druet has continued to pursue research in Japanese fashion, dance, and Nihonga painting for the last ten years. She has developed her courses with a transdisci-plinary approach which aims to convey critical thoughts and analysis about Japanese art. Presenting the codes and principles that underlie traditional and modern Japanese aesthetics, Druet presents an in-depth study of Japanese culture using a wide range of academic references and artistic mediums. Topics in her lectures span from the kimono to the world of Maiko, from Zen arts to the tea ceremony, from calligraphy to Kabuki performances.Lucile Druet, Assistant Professor(Japanese Art)M.A., Jean Monnet University, Saint-EtiennePh.D., Jean Monnet University, Saint-EtienneLinda A. Bohaker's multi-disciplinary experience in business administration and Japanese history form the content of her courses, although it is her teaching philosophy that moves the courses from simply transmitting knowledge to creating significant learning experiences for the students. Her courses are designed to show the connection between knowledge, application and reflection, and require students to ask questions, make connections, apply theories, and defend their analysis. Her courses require students to go deeper, to not only understand the "what" but, more importantly, the "why" and "how" that underlie the strategic actions of companies or the motives and decisions of Japanese leaders throughout history.Linda A. Bohaker, Professor(Business/Management & Japanese History)M.A.L.D., Tufts UniversityM.A., Washington UniversityFor more than three decades, Yoshiko Shikaura has dedicated her time to teaching Japanese to international students studying in Japan. Many of her students have come back to Japan to work on programs such as JET or in educational, business, and diplomatic fields after mastering the Japanese language proficiency examination. Yoshiko's teaching method is validated by her promising Teaching Assistants, many of whom have become university professors in Japanese. Students also have the opportunity to talk with and learn from her Japanese graduate students who are taking her Japanese Language Teaching courses.Yoshiko Shikaura, Professor(Japanese Language)M.A., Tsuda College M.A., Michigan State UniversityDavid Eason, Associate Professor(History)M.A., University of California, Los AngelesPh.D., University of California, Los Angeles38