Soc 350 Study Guide for Midterm
DIRECTIONS. The exam will cover the material listed in the syllabus since the beginning of the class, it will be based on the assigned readings, films and lectures. BRING BLUE BOOK and Scantron
One part of the exam will consist of a variety of questions (true/false, multiple choice, etc.). In sometime of the questions you will be asked to identify key terms and names.
Identifications - You will be asked to define certain terms or associate them with significant events or behaviors. You will be expected to know the Japanese word, define and give an example. Be especially prepared for the terms listed below:
amae, uchi-soto, honne-tatemae, omote-ura, sempai-kohai, amae(ru), uchi/soto, shakaijin, kyoiku mama, ie, obento, aisatsu, juku, ijime, kumi,mikoshi, ryooteii.
There may also be an essay taken from the questions provided below:
1) Amae is seen as the cement that binds individuals to Japanese society. This concept is a way to understand dyadic relationships and socialization in Japanese society. Discuss the nature and roles in amae relationships. Give examples of idealized relationship patterns.
2) Japanese society is said to be a "vertical society". Discuss this concept in terms of group formation and membership. How does it differ from a "horizontal society? Provide a concrete example.
3) Kerr, Shiizu, Yonehama & Naito, Fujiura-Fanslow & Kameda, all discuss problems with the Japanese education system. What are the issues each author discusses and how are they related to one another?
4) What is the nature of the relationship between education, business and government in Japan?
5) Discuss the concepts of omote/ura and uchi/soto, defined and explained by the lectures and Ishida article, in the management of daily life situations and conflict by applying it to the alliance and actions regarding the building of a new mikoshi, boundary definitions and festival participation discussed in Ted Bestor’s article, “Conflict, Legitimacy and Tradition.”
6) What conflict did Allison have in meeting the demands of the yochien? How does she look at the interaction between the kindergarten and the home? What was the difficulty in preparing the obento? What implications does this have for the children’s future?
7) Discuss the concepts of omote/ura and uchi/soto defined and explained in the lectures and by Ishida in the management of daily life situations and conflict. Provide examples.
8) Describe the government defined ideal family pattern in the Meiji Period and compare that with that of the post-war period. What are the major problems facing the family today? What doesn’t the government consider the main reasons for these problems and what solutions does it offer? How does this affect the lives of men and women? What are the main criticisms M. White has of government family policy?
9) What is the difference between arranged marriages and love marriages in Japan? What are the different types of nakodo and how do they function? What are the advantages of using a nakodo? What characteristics are considered when selecting a marriage partner?