The Armand V. and Donald S.
Feigenbaum Forum

Donald S. Feigenbaum and Armand V. Feigenbaum

International Studies at Union
The Tenth Annual Feigenbaum Forum
October 27, 2005
3:00 pm, Feigenbaum Hall
Union College, Schenectady, NY

2005 Feigenbaum Forum home page

Trains, Tatami, and Tatemae: Living and Learning in Japan
Bradley Lewis
Professor of Economics
Union College

Prof. Lewis provided the following information about Union's Japan program.

TERMS AND INFORMATION

A few Japanese terms

Tatami – Straw mats that form the floors in many Japanese homes, temples, etc.

Tatemae – What is outwardly expressed, what appears on the surface

Honne – What one actually feels and thinks

Uchi – "The House"—inside the group, family, company, etc.

Soto – "Outside"—outside of the group, family, company, etc.

Characteristics of Union students on the Japan Term* since its start in 1984

Total students: 252, approximately evenly divided between men and women Graduation rate of Japan Term alumni: 99.2%

Percent of Japan Term alumni since class of 1991 who graduated in the top 10% of the class: 17%

Attended a Union event in the last three years (Reunions, etc.): 28%

Earned advanced degrees (classes of 2004 and earlier):  34%

Japan term students indicating varsity or club athletics as one of their three activities at
Union: 95, or 38%

Number of Japan term students going on another term away:

14 to terms abroad in 9 countries; 6 to term in Washington; one to term in New York

Percent of Japan Term alumni with who have given to Union, life-time: 73%, compared with all living alumni giving of 69%

*Almost all of these students attended Kansai Gaidai University in Hirakata City,
Japan, near Osaka. A very small number attended an institution in Tokyo because
their language skills were already at a sufficiently high level to function in Japanese.
 

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