The Faculty of Letters is a place for cultivating the ability to think fundamentally about the dynamics and meaning of human life and society. It is a place where students study the classics and the realities of life to address various problems facing people and society, and creative activities are encouraged. We nurture the “wisdom” to ask questions and to understand fundamental problems behind global issues arising in global society, not simply the ability to solve problems. We intend for studies in the Faculty of Letters to provide the “wisdom” needed to create a world in which all people, creatures and nature are quietly respected simply because they exist.
To realize this, the Faculty of Letters offers 13 majors: Japanese Literature, English Studies, German Studies, French Studies, Chinese Language and Culture, Japanese History, Asian and African History, European and American History, Philosophy, Sociology, Socio-Informatics, Education, Psychology, and an Interdisciplinary Studies program in which students themselves can decide what and how they want to learn.
With a variety of full-time faculty members who have in-depth knowledge of various academic fields, languages, cultures and regions, we cover extensive research fields ranging from humanities to social sciences, some of which are close to science. There are traditional fields as well as cutting-edge fields to pursue.
We strongly recommend The Faculty of Letters to those of you who are willing to think about fundamental issues and concepts, such as what it means to be human, how to live, what society is, and what kind of future we should create. The Faculty is also a place of learning highly recommended for students who want to tackle challenging problems facing modern society, who want to comprehensively understand the lives of people living in the past, the future, and the here and now, and who want to engage in dialogue and grasp reality from different perspectives and standpoints in a cross-disciplinary manner.
So, what is the significance of learning at a place like the Faculty of Letters?
Since the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011, and during the COVID-19 pandemic in particular, we continue to face an “unfathomable future.” There are increasing numbers of problems that seem beyond our control, and scientists are facing unprecedented challenges. What is needed in this current age is not only the ability to solve problems based on acquired knowledge, but also comprehensive wisdom that enables individuals to raise questions and address problems across various fields. The Faculty of Letters takes pride in offering a place where students can acquire knowledge and wisdom that can be valued across generations, rather than simply following the changing times -- a place for full-scale learning incorporating past research that might seem outdated, but has the potential to move beyond trends into the forefront.
Edward Said, an intellectual who lived in New York, far from his homeland of Palestine, once said, “Universities now produce experts who become consultants for the state and government, but that is not the only mission of universities. True intellectuals may be born in fields that cannot be ‘products.’” As Said suggested, we hope that you will join us in our attempt to create the “wisdom” of the next age together, modestly, thoughtfully, carefully, softly, and deeply (lentius, suavius, profundius).
Considering the limits and significance of human beings and society, examining the history and society within ourselves, raising new questions, establishing forward-looking prospects for a new society, and envisioning “new forms of human connections,” please expand the wings of your thoughts in all directions at the Faculty of Letters!
