This course will combine the basic aspects of the Aynu language, an indigenous language of Northern Japan, and the history, the culture, and the contemporary situation of the Aynu peoples. There is still a widespread misconception that the Japanese society is homogeneous, even after the Japanese government officially recognised the indigenous status of the Aynu peoples in 2008. The Aynu language, in the present 21st century, is no longer used in the everyday lives, but there are active efforts to recover the language among the younger generation, and people still live with memories when the Aynu was more commonly spoken. Keio-SFC is one of the few places where you can learn the language and the cultures of these peoples. Learning their language and culture will enable us to reflect upon the multilingual and multicultural nature of this society we live in.
(Note: This course will be run this academic year 2020 as a GIGA subject, and next academic year 2021 in Japanese.)