Buraku Liberation News, March 1997 issue (N0.95)
6. Lecture Course for Buraku Liberation and Human Rights
Q : Please explain about the human rights education sponsored by the Buraku Liberation Research Institute.
A : BLRI has been organizing several kinds of seminars and lectures for human rights education every year in many parts of Japan, including the Buraku Liberation Summer Course at Mt. Koya, the Western Japan Buraku Liberation Summer Course, and the Enlightening Course for Human Rights in Tokyo.
The Lecture Course for Buraku Liberation and Human Rights held in Osaka is the most comprehensive and intensive course of all. The course has been held since 1974. It will accommodate the 53rd to 56th courses in the1997 semester. The outline of the course is as follows.
1.Name : Lecture Course for Buraku Liberation and Human Rights
2.Organizer
Buraku Liberation Research Institute & the Steering Committee of the course, consisting of local governments, private corporations, educational institutions, human rights organizations, religious organizations and others
3.The fixed number : 50 participants for each course
4.Fee : 200,000 Yen (US$ 1,650)
5.Participants : Staff from local governments, private corporations, educational institutions, human rights organizations, religious organizations, mass media, as well as citizens and students
6.Objectives
The course was originally designed to train leaders for the Buraku Liberation movement , and has developed into a leadership training program for persons from various sectors tackling human rights questions.
7.Origins
Since 1974 (once a year at the beginning)
Four times a year at present (The 49th to 52nd courses were held in 1996.)
8.Graduates : 2,462 people will have finished the course by the end of March 1997.
9.Curriculum
-29 days in total, including two periods of stay-in class
-Type of course ; once a week, twice a week, three days a week.
-From 9:30 am to 5:00 pm
-Comprehensive Course : for those who want to learn widely about the Buraku problem and human rights issues.
-Optional Course : for those who want to obtain detailed information and know-how on human rights protection, human rights education, as well as basic knowledge on the Buraku problem and other human rights issues.
10.Structure of the Curriculum
-Basic ideas : to build up knowledge, to develop sensitivity, and to learn about partnership
-Buraku problem as a main issue as well as human rights issues in general
-Domestic issues as well as international issues
-Methodology : Lecture, fieldwork, self-enlightenment workshop through group discussions
11.Contents of the lecture
-Present situation & history of Buraku discrimination, history of the liberation movement , culture, liberation theories, measures taken by the government related to the Buraku problem
-History of human rights and international human rights instruments
-The present human rights situation of women, people with disabilities, Korean residents in Japan, Ainu people, foreign migrant workers, other Asian nations
12.Field work at
-Buraku areas
-Osaka Hunan Rights Museum
-Asia-Pacific Human Rights Information Center
13.Group discussion
In order to understand the Buraku problem as their own subject, participants are invited to talk about their own experiences, including their first encounter with the problem as well as experiences of discriminating and/or being discriminated against.
14.Lecturers & Advisers
80 lecturers & 25 advisers, consisting of experts from various sectors, including scholars, researchers, lawyers, human rights activists, educators, staff of private corporations, local governments and religious organizations.
15.Teaching Materials
-Papers presented by the lecturers
-Transcription records ;"Lecture Course for Buraku Liberation Vol. 1, 2, 3"
-Laws and ordinances related to Buraku liberation and human rights
-Audio visual materials ; documentary and educational movies on history of Buraku as well as human rights in general
16.Aspects for future improvement
-to expand the capacity to accommodate more applicants
-to set up a new course for the graduates to continue studying
-to open more courses not only in Osaka, Tokyo, and Tottori Prefectures but also in other prefectures. ( A new course in Mie Prefecture is being prepared)
-to increase the opportunities of women participants, fewer ratio at present compared to men, and minorities other than Buraku people
-to look into the possibilities of establishing an International Human Rights University