This five-day summer school, held at the University of Antwerp, offers an intensive exploration of the interplay between mortality, desire, and decay in Japanese ethics and aesthetics. The course centers on philosophical inquiry while integrating insights from literature and contemporary art (including bioart and microbial art) to provide a nuanced understanding of its themes across historical and contemporary contexts. Participants will examine how concepts of death, desire, and decay shape ethical thought and aesthetic expression in Japanese philosophy and culture, while drawing comparisons with Western perspectives.
Preliminary Programme
| Friday July 3rd 2024 | ||
| 9.00-9.30 | Coffee | |
| 9.30-10:30 | Welcome, intro to the summer school, practicalities and getting to know each other | Kristien Hens & Franlu Vulliermet |
| 10:30-10:45 | Coffee break | |
| 10:45-12:15 | Lecture: Introduction to philosophy of desire | Kristien Hens |
| 12:15–13:15 | Lunch together | |
| 13:15-13:30 | Brain gym with Christina | Christina Stadlbauer |
| 13:30-15:00 | Lecture: Introduction to philosophy of decay | Franlu Vulliermet |
| 15:00-15:30 | Coffee Break | |
| 15:30–17:00 | Lecture: The Nine Buddhist Contemplation of Death | Tom Hannes |
| 17:30-18:30 | Checkout: Short reflection on possible topics of paper and presentations + Literature texts | Kristien Hens & Franlu Vulliermet |
| Saturday July 4th | ||
| 9.30-11:00 | ||
| 11:00-11:30 | Coffee Break | |
| 11:30-13:00 | Lecture: Brutalism and Emptiness | Thorsten Botz-Bornstein |
| 13:00-14:00 | Lunch | |
| 14:00-14:15 | Brain gym with Christina | Christina Stadlbauer |
| 14:15-15:00 | Reflections in Small groups | |
| 15:00-16:30 | Lecture: Desire and Decay in Plant Humans Relations | Teun Van Son & Manon Paredis |
| 16:30-17:00 | Checkout: Short reflection on the day | Kristien Hens |
| 17:00-18:00 | Optional: Informal discussion on texts | Franlu Vulliermet & Kristien Hens |
| Monday July 6th | ||
| 9.30 – 11:00 | Lecture: | Takeshi Morisato |
| 11:00 - 11.30 | Coffee Break | |
| 11.30 – 12:00 | Brain gym with Christina 15-minute reflection about morning, sharing reflection in small group. | |
| 12:00 – 13:00 | Lunch | |
| 13:00- 14:30 | Lecture: Inochi the Japanese Concept of Life (online) | Masahiro Morioka |
| 14:30-14:45 | Break | |
| 14:45-16:15 | Lecture: Japanese Views on Life and Death: Between Contemporary Art and Cinema | Kyoko Kasuya |
| 16:15-16:30 | Coffee Break | |
| 16:30-18:00 | Lecture: Killing the Ancestors of Tea: Excess and Restraint in Inter-cultural Aesthetics | Adam Loughnane |
| 19:30-21:30 | Movie | Empire of the Senses |
| Tuesday July 7th : Excursion (Programme to come) | ||
| Wednesday July 8th | ||
| 9.30 – 11.00 | Lecture: Death and Decay in Japanese Animation and comics: the case of Casshern Sins | Camil Valerio Risté |
| 11:00-11:15 | Cofee Break | |
| 11:15-12:45 | Lecture: A theological ontology of flowing reality: Shintoism’s concept of “kami (god)” and the question of infinity, continuity, and becoming (Online) | Masahiro Terada |
| 12:45-13:45 | Lunch | |
| 13:45-14:30 | Feedback paper topics | In three groups, 15 minutes each |
| 14:30-14:45 | Brain Gym with Christina | Christina Stadlbauer |
| 14:45-17:00 | Presentations Literature Texts | Participants |
| 17:00- | Presentation research | Participants |
| Closing: goodbyes, certificates | Kristien Hens & Franlu Vulliermet | |
Target group
The summer school is designed for PhD students and Master students with a background in philosophy, arts or similar.
Participants should have some educational background in philosophy. Experience in Japanese philosophy is not required.
Campus
This summer school takes place at Stadscampus (Prinsstraat 13, 2000 Antwerp) of the University of Antwerp. This campus is located in the city centre.
Micro-credential and study credits (ECTS)
6 ECTS credits are awarded upon successful completion of the programme (including all assessment tasks). Credits will be awarded by the University of Antwerp on the base of attending the preparatory track, minimum 80 % (active) participation during the course and group work and submission of an individual paper after the course.
To include the credits in the curriculum at the home institution, participants need an agreement with the responsible person at their university. University of Antwerp students eligible to include the ECTS credits as part of their study programme must register via Mobility Online and SisA.
All certificates of completion are issued as a micro-credential. Participants who attend the scheduled course contact hours, but don't complete the tasks will receive a certificate of attendance.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
- Demonstrate advanced knowledge of key concepts in Japanese ethics and aesthetics related to impermanence, desire, and decay (e.g., mujo, mono no aware, kawaii)
- Describe and contextualise major philosophical contributions of selected Japanese philosophers, and relevant aspects of Shinto thought regarding mortality, relationality, and transience.
- Identify and outline points of convergence and divergence between Japanese philosophical traditions and selected Western approaches, particularly process philosophy.
- Analyse literary, artistic, and philosophical sources to interpret how themes of death, desire, and decay are articulated across historical and contemporary Japanese contexts.
- Critically compare Japanese and Western conceptualisations of impermanence and selfhood, drawing on interdisciplinary materials
- Evaluate contemporary artistic practices (bioart, microbial art) in terms of their aesthetic, ethical, and philosophical significance.