SIETAR Japan, Kansai Chapter, September 2010    “Promoting Multicultural Awareness: Teaching about Prejudice and Discrimination in the Context of Japan’s Diverse Populations”

Presenter:   Prof. Makiko Deguchi (Kobe College) and Prof. Margaret Kim

             (Doshisha Women’s College)

Date:       Sunday September 26, 2010  (2:00pm-4:00pm)

Place:       Nishinomiya Daigaku Koryu Center (ACTA East Tower 6F, Seminar Rm2),

            2 minutes walk from Hankyu Nishinomiya Kitaguchi Station.

              http://www.nishi.or.jp/~daigaku/info/index.html, Tel.(0798)69-3155

Fee:         500 yen for members and students,  1,000 yen for non-members

Language:   Japanese

 

Description of presentation:

 

It is easy for Japanese people to remain ignorant of the experiences of diverse populations in Japan’s homogenous society, but it is imperative that we increase multicultural awareness and competency among Japanese university students so that they are prepared to deal with people with diverse cultural backgrounds.  Using a Japanese educational manga textbook based on the experiences of prejudice and discrimination of diverse residents, we devised a group project that incorporated a group skit and PowerPoint presentation in English.  Student evaluations indicated that they broadened their awareness, learned about different ethnic groups, found the project enjoyable and useful.

 

Profile of presenters:

Makiko Deguchi

Makiko Deguchi received her Ph.D. in cultural psychology from Boston College in 2006 and taught at St. Lawrence University, Psychology Department, in upstate New York for three years. She is currently an associate professor in the English Department at Kobe College and teaching English academic writing.  

 

Margaret Kim

Margaret Kim has a BA from the University of Michigan in Asian Studies/Japanese language and an MA from the School for International Training in Teaching English as a Second Language. She is currently teaching at Doshisha Women’s College. mkim@dwc.doshisha.ac.jp