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HIS 195,
INTRODUCTION TO EAST ASIAN HISTORY

A discussion of approaches, goals and objectives, resources, evaluation standards, expectations and assumptions tied to the course of study together with a specific task assignment encouraging student exploration of possible areas of interest to be explored over the course of the coming semester.

MONDAY, JANUARY 26, 2009
THE ART OF JOURNALING: WRITING-TO-LEARN

A consideration of ways to approach keeping a journal, using personal writing exercises as a means to identify, expand and develop inquiry questions and avenues of potential intellectual interest emerging from the completion of a varied set of assigned introductory readings and interactive exercises.

READING ASSIGNMENT [to be completed before attending class]:

[click on the underlined article titles below to locate the assigned readings: you will need Adobe Reader 9 to read the first article -- if not already available on your computer, download this free software from the Adobe site (after clicking on the underlined words above) and install it on your computer as directed.]

• "New Asia: Projecting Soft Power", Arun Mahizhnan and Tan Tarn How, Institute of Policy Studies, August 2008.
• "Japan Influential: Lessons in Softer Power," a series of articles written by Amelia Newcomb appearing in the online edition of The Christian Science Monitor:
  • "Japan Cracking US Pop Culture Hegemony" (12/15/2008) [listen to Amelia Newcomb's audio interview here as well and note the multiple photographs near the top of the page.]
  • "Mieko Kawakami: From Blogger to Global Novelist" (12/15/2008)
  • "Ground Zero for No-Waste Lifestyle" (12/16/2008) [watch the two videos here, too, and look at the multiple photographs near the top of the page.]
  • "Japan Quietly Seeks Global Leadership Niches" (12/17/2008) [also note the multiple photographs near the top of the page.]
• "The Strength of Japan's 'Soft Power'", Jeff Kingston, The Japan Times, January 18, 2009.

JOURNAL ASSIGNMENT: QUESTIONS AND TOPICS TO CONSIDER [also to be completed before attending class]:

[try your hand at writing a journal entry following the suggested perameters outlined in JOURNAL ASSIGNMENTS (click on the underlined words to be taken to the journal assignment web page); we'll will talk about the results and outline an appropriate model journal entry during our scheduled class session this evening. YOUR INITIAL JOURNAL ATTEMPT WILL NOT BE COLLECTED NOR SUBJECT TO INSTRUCTOR EVALUATION.]

• The concept of "soft power" was first developed and explored by Joseph Nye. Who is he (and for what assignment was he approached by the Obama administration on January 8, 2009)? What authority does this add to the importance / impact of the concept itself? How does this biographical information tie into an introductory study of East Asian history?
• Describe the basic defining characteristics of "soft power" and provide specific references drawn from your understanding of American history and culture as examples of "soft power" that help you, personally, expand your understanding and appreciation of the concept.
• Discuss ways in which the articles indicate Chinese and Japanese "soft power" has influenced (or might in the future influence) contemporary American life (and other cultures outside of China and Japan).
• Expand on these examples (if possible and applicable), drawing from your own personal experience: have external East Asian "soft power" influences touched your life in any significant and recognizable way?
• Draw on the Chinese and Japanese experience to consider the reverse, ways in which external "soft power" influences might have impacted Chinese and Japanese life and culture.

During our in-class discussion of the assigned readings, we will also consider the following series of questions, all of which derive from thinking your way through the above journaling exercise.

That is, having completed the above (reading and writing) assignments, you should be in a position to analyze and evaluate the impact of the concept of "soft power" discussed therein on your interest in and approach to an introductory study of East Asian history.

• In your opinion, what conclusions does all this reading and writing lead to when considering "the nature of intercultural interaction" both in contemporary times and in the light of history?
• In what ways does this introductory reading concerning Chinese and Japanese "soft power" influence your reasons for undertaking an exploration of East Asian history?
• What kind of organizing principle(s) might such a concept provide for those embarking on an introductory study of East Asia? How does an understanding of this concept help you better approach the study of East Asian history in a more profound and meaningful way?

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2009
PROVOKING TOPICS OF INTEREST: JAPAN

A consideration of inquiry questions and avenues of interest emerging from the completion of a set of assigned introductory readings dealing with Japan.

READING ASSIGNMENT:

[Copies of these articles will be distributed in class Monday, January 26, 2009.]

• "In Tokyo, the New Trend Is 'Media Immersion Pods'", Virginia Heffernan, The New York Times, May 14, 2006.
• "Exhibition Review: Centuries of Fleeting Moments, Timeless on the Page", Edward Rothstein, The New York Times, October 21, 2006.
• "Letter from Japan: I [Heart] Novels", Dana Goodyear, The New Yorker, December 22, 2008.
• "Footsteps: Kyoto Celebrates a 1,000-year Love Affair", Michelle Green, The New York Times, January 4, 2009.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2009
PROVOKING TOPICS OF INTEREST: CHINA

A consideration of inquiry questions and avenues of interest emerging from the completion of a set of assigned introductory readings and interactive exercises dealing with China.

READING ASSIGNMENT:

[The text of the initial seven articles below can all be accessed through NEW YORK TIMES ONLINE databases on the CSU University Library SCHOLAR web site or (if you have online access rights) directly -- with illustrations -- from The New York Times web site itself.]

• "The Life of the Chinese Gold Farmer", Julian Dibbell, The New York Times Magazine, June 17, 2007.
• "Blurring Reality's Edge in Fluid China", Dennis Lim, The New York Times, January 20, 2008.

• "The Art Is in the Detail", Holland Cotter, The New York Times, March 14, 2008. [This article references the image above.]
• "Modern Gloss on China's Golden Age", Sheila Melvin, The New York Times, September 3, 2007.
• "China's New Home Life", Elaine Louie, The New York Times, April 20, 2006.
• "Architectural Monuments in a Reshaped Beijing", Interactive Multimedia Feature with comments by Nicolai Ouroussoff, The New York Times, July 12, 2008. [This feature is best accessed online directly at The New York Times web site.]
• "In Modern China, 'Little Kingdoms' for the People", Nicolai Ouroussoff, The New York Times, October 13, 2008.
  
  
• "China's Journey", Peter Hessler, National Geographic, May 2008. [This entrie issue of National Geographic magazine is devoted to various articles on China; pursue as many as possible in addition to Hessler's.]

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2009
THE PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY OF CHINA AND JAPAN

A session devoted to establishing a common understanding and appreciation of the basic facts of Chinese and Japanese geography coupled with a consideration of the influence of geography on historical development patterns in both China and Japan.

            JOURNAL ASSIGNMENT ONE DUE

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2009
THE HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY OF CHINA AND JAPAN

An examination of various ways in which historians have come to understand, chronical and organize the Chinese and Japanese historical record.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2009
TOUCHSTONES FOR UNDERSTANDING: CHINA

A consideration of basic Chinese cultural characteristics and patterns of social, political, economic, religious and philosphical structure and organization.

            JOURNAL ASSIGNMENT TWO DUE

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2009
PRESIDENTS' DAY HOLIDAY - NO SCHEDULED CLASS

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2009
TOUCHSTONES FOR UNDERSTANDING: JAPAN

A consideration of basic Japanese cultural characteristics and patterns of social, political, economic, religious and philosphica lstructure and organization.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2009
DETERMINING THE INSTRUCTIONAL APPROACH

On the basis of interests and understandings developed to date, the future direction of the course of study will be determined, following either a chronological, thematic or topical approach to achieving a better understanding of Chinese and Japanese history and culture.

      JOURNAL ASSIGNMENT THREE DUE

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2009
PUTTING TOGETHER AN EFFECTIVE ESSAY: WRITING-TO-COMMUNICATE

An overview consideration of "best practices" useful in the composition of an successful, essay involving higher order thinking skills (analysis, synthesis and/or evaluation).