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While the Cold War was still going on in 1986, the International Department welcomed the first group of students to its Yokohama campus. Instructors from a wide range of fields in the humanities and sociological sciences were gathered together. The International Department was established with the goal of training educated people who will put what they learned into action—people who would not separate the various situations in global society from one another, but instead would have an overall understanding from a cross-cultural and transnational point of view. The plan was to expand on bodies of research from many different angles, such as culture, politics and economy, based on each student’s academic interests and future prospects. Therefore, instead of setting up separate sections within the International Faculty department, we decided to establish the Faculty of International Studies Department of International Studies.
The Berlin Wall fell in 1989. It marked a transition in history where what was formerly described under the term ‘Cold War’ would change. Explanations and understanding of global dynamics shifted dramatically. Today, it has been more than a decade since the talk of ‘the end of the Cold War.’ The world has become even more chaotic; many tragedies keep repeating. The aim of the International Studies Department is to understand the various aspects of the global society. The departmental philosophy is “to contribute to the peace and welfare of the world.” These two goals now have increased in importance and require students to take action.
When we speak of ‘International Studies,’ we do not merely mean that students need to be fluent in a foreign language, or to be knowledgeable in world affairs.
To have full command of your own knowledge and information—and to understand and be understood by others —it is necessary to receive text and words, and to also send them. From this standpoint, it is important to learn a language; great emphasis is placed on this. This is not just true when we speak of foreign languages, but for the student’s native language; for most students that would be Japanese. It is not enough to simply say: “I am good at a particular language.” You must be able to describe “What I can comprehend,” “What I am going to write down” and “What I am going speak of” in that particular language. Learning a language will only mean something once all these areas are covered. The ‘Specialized Foreign Language’ section of the International Studies Department has classes that focus on learning English, based on the points mentioned above. The classes are not just given in English, which is an internationally common language, but also in other languages that are spoken daily all over the world, i.e. French, German, Spanish, Russian, Chinese and Korean. The International Studies Department holds 4 intense hours of classes during the sophomore year.
Without understanding your own country or the society in which you live— or without trying or being aware that you need to understand—it is impossible to adequately understand other people from ‘the world abroad’ and ‘foreign countries.’ How you view a phenomenon depends not only on its state. The result will change dramatically depending on your point of view and perspective. Thus, it is only when you become aware of what kind of viewpoint you hold about the outside world that you will begin to understand “the aspects of the global society I see.” In order to know Japan, which we ourselves support, the International Studies Department is considering researching Japan as one of its pillars. We believe that is one of the most important foundations for becoming ‘international.’
One needs to first understand how one views others before thinking about making contribution to others. This is what Meiji Gakuin University focuses on. Additionally, it is important to establish oneself as a person who can contribute to others. Here at the International Studies Department, we want to provide knowledge and information enhanced by verbal communication skills for that purpose. At the same time we want to provide opportunities and goals for every student who understands Japan and the world from a cross-cultural and transnational viewpoint—students who want to venture into a whole new world by increasing their skills.
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