Content description

The summer school is intended for master students, advanced bachelor students or PhD students with a background or degree in philosophy. 

Students will receive preparatory readings (not mandatory) in advance. During the summer school, there will be several opportunities for selected PhD students to present their research and contribute their expertise to enrich the learning process. Details will be shared in advance.

​This summer school takes place at Stadscampus (Prinsstraat 13, 2000 Antwerp) of the University of Antwerp. This campus is located in the city centre.

6 ECTS credits are awarded upon successful completion of the programme (including all assessment tasks). Students need to attend the scheduled course contact hours, perform satisfactorily in all continuous assessment tasks of the course (including group work assignments and presentations) and complete the final assessment task (a research paper  (4000 words) due eight weeks after the end of the summer school) in order to qualify for a certificate of completion. All certificates of completion are issued as a micro-credential.

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.

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.
  

Participants will be able to get in touch with peers attending other summer schools at the Antwerp Summer University. A visit to the beautiful city hall, a networking reception, a guided city walk, a quiz night, a football game and a day-trip to another Belgian city such as Bruges or Brussels are only some examples of these activities.

All activities of the social programme are offered free of charge, in some cases participants will be asked for a deposit which will be reimbursed upon participation to the activity. 

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