Interdisciplinary Perspectives (IP)
In the Culture & Society domain, students will deepen their intellectual inquiry through diverse themes in the humanities and social sciences and develop an understanding of the dynamics of culture and society. They will navigate between theory and practice, dialogue and collaboration, to cultivate a broad perspective. This domain emphasizes transforming abstract knowledge into practical competence based on social responsibility and ethical awareness, with a particular focus on Japanese and Asian societies and cultures.
It may seem obvious that people live in societies and have their own cultures.
But what is society? And what is culture? The courses in the Culture & Society cluster do not try to find a single answer to these big questions. Instead, they aim to help you think about many different possible answers. You will learn to look closely at the everyday things around you and to question ideas that you might usually take for granted.
Fields such as literature, philosophy, art, history, anthropology, and sociology have all explored what society and culture mean. In the courses within this domain, you will learn about important themes in today’s humanities and social sciences through concrete case studies. You will read relevant texts, study various primary and secondary sources, and encounter ideas from around the world. In particular, this domain places special emphasis on understanding Japanese culture and society from multiple perspectives.
Through this experience, you will build an interdisciplinary foundation that will help you think carefully, articulate your ideas clearly, and communicate effectively with others. By discussing with your classmates how to put your ideas into practice, you will also begin to develop a sense of how you can contribute to positive social change.
Of course, the courses in this domain do not cover all societies and cultures in the world — they represent only a small part. What you learn here will become a foundation for exploring many different societies and cultures and for further expanding your knowledge.
Yujin Yaguchi
Chair of the IP Domain: Culture & Society
Director, Center for Global Education, The University of Tokyo
Professor, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo
Yujin Yaguchi
Director, Center for Global Education, The University of Tokyo
Professor, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo
Hideto Fukudome
Professor, Graduate School of Education, The University of Tokyo
Yuiko Fujita
Associate Professor, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies, The University of Tokyo
Ai Hisano
Associate Professor, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies, The University of Tokyo
Trent Palmerst Brown
Professor, Tokyo College, The University of Tokyo
*Faculty affiliations and positions are as of December 26, 2025.
*Information regarding faculty members in charge of each class will be posted as soon as it is confirmed.
The curriculum will consist of a different mix of classes to help students to build broad interdisciplinary knowledge and extend the creative power of design. Key elements of the program are Interdisciplinary Foundations (IF), Interdisciplinary Perspectives (IP), 8 Track Design Series, Change Maker Design Projects, Off-campus experiences (internships), Viewpoint Series, Capstone Projects (Group/Solo), and more.
For an overview of the curriculum and a list of courses, refer to the Program section.