Astrosociology and Japanese Youth: A Report on the “Constructing the Future Society” series of courses and symposium at Meiji University

Abstract

This paper will serve as an introduction to the activities conducted through the “Constructing the Future Society” series of classes – specifically the “Astrosociology” unit – and outline the results gleaned from the interdisciplinary discussions undertaken at the Symposium of the same name at Meiji University in Tokyo on March 31st, 2013. “Constructing the Future Society” began as a course based in critical thinking, under the category of the Special Themed Practicum courses at the University’s School of Commerce, with the aim of introducing to the students how new ideas can be implemented to shape the direction of Japanese society in a way beneficial for all. This paper will report on the achievements attained thus far after the third year of conducting these classes and holding the Symposium under the same title in Japan and describe the potential of mmultidisciplinary forum such as this, for the exchange of opinions given not just by the experts from a variety of fields (from the media industry to JAXA members) that were brought together for the classes and symposium, but by the students themselves, who were exposed to unique stimuli during this time.