Presentations

The individual presentations so far have been admirably informative: successfully increasing our knowledge of some vertical aspects of Japanese culture past & present. Moreover, each of them has done some aspect of presentation technique very well. As mentioned in the assignment post, one doesn't go too far in one's future career, amateur or professional, without needing to give a short, sharp, pointed presentation.

• • Melani included video footage that perfectly demonstrated her argument.
  • Louise put an actual flower arrangement front & centre throughout her presentation on ikebana, providing a vivid yet unobtrusive visual anchor.
  • Tina wisely selected a singular focus on geisha for its specific appeal to a contemporary Western audience: to wit, the popular misconception that geisha are prostitutes.
  • Barb pirouetted with flair at the conclusion of a technical presentation on modern Japanese politics by her canny and engaging connection to the central theme of the current course text.
  • Karen found a visual for perhaps the most salient feature of her topic -- manga -- and projected images of four distinct types of modern Japanese in the ubiquitous custom of reading manga on public transit.
  • Grace designed her presentation on hikikomori with admirable academic form around her own thesis on the cause of the disturbing cultural phenomenon among young males in modern Japan.

I know that equally effective presentations are upcoming from our superlative class ....