THE HISTORY OF JAPAN

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HIS 371 / 571, THE HISTORY OF JAPAN

Lee A. Makela

Associate Professor, Emeritus

Department of History

OFFICE HOURS: TTh 12:00 noon - 12:30 PM

and by appointment

OFFICE: RT 1642

PHONE: 216.875.9684 (OFFICE)

email: l.makela@csuohio.edu

SYLLABUS

INTRODUCTION: HIS 371 / 571, History of Japan, undertakes a chronological survey of political, economic, social, cultural, religious and intellectual life in Japan from the third century to the present day. Emphasis is placed on both the origin and development of traditional Japanese civilization before the arrival of the modernizing West and the subsequent Japanese quest for international acceptance thereafter.

The course has been purposefully designed to provide a background against which contemporary Japan might be better understood and appreciated. Course content stresses the origin and development of various systems and institutions (social, political, economic and religious) within both the traditional and modern Japanese cultural milieu. The modernization process, the Westernization process and the fate of traditional institutions, systems and customs will be explored in depth. Strong consideration will also be given Japan's quest for acceptance as a major power on the modern international scene and the impact of change on both individuals and groups within Japanese society.

The following is a list of major course objectives for HIS 373 / 573: at the end of fifteen weeks of instruction, students enrolled in HIS 371 / 571, History of Japan should be able to --

identify basic terms, personalities and concepts associated with the study of Japanese history and explain their historical significance;
identify and locate important items of geographical information and both evaluate and explain the environmental impact on the historical development of traditional and modern Japanese culture;
given an interpretive question regarding a specific period in Japanese history, demonstrate a firm grasp of the era's historical significance;
discuss with insight and the use of supporting evidence the developmental process behind and the basic characteristics of social, political, economic, cultural and religious life in traditional Japan before the arrival of the modernizing West in 1853;
assess insights into traditional Japanese culture gained from reading various selections of traditional literature, poetry and drama, including specifically The Confessions of Lady Nijo and Four Major Plays of Chikamatsu;
distinguish and discuss internally generated aspects of the modernization process present in Japanese life before 1868 and predict the Japanese reaction to the impact of Western-induced modernization in Japan after 1854;
account for the collapse of the Tokugawa-controlled Military - Bureaucratic state in 1868;
discuss with illustrative detail the patterns of economic, political, social and cultural modernization emerging in Japan after 1868, accounting in the process for the impact on these patterns of both past Japanese traditions and the process of Westernization;
assess insights into life in modern Japan gained from reading Natsume Soseki's Kokoro and Nagatsuka Takashi's The Soil: A Portrait of Rural Life in Meiji Japan;
describe and discuss the historical process leading to Japanese involvement in World War II;
describe the effects of both war and its aftermath, the occupation, and Japan's "economic miracle" on present day Japanese life and institutions;
discuss aspects of Japanese life today in historical perspective, pointing out and evaluating continuing traditional influences and the impact of the past on modern day Japan;
utilize and evaluate visual resources to advance comprehension and understanding of the process of Japanese cultural development;
assess attitude shifts in personal images associated with Japan taking place as a result of enrolling in this course.

The major content in HIS 371 / 571 will be delivered by means of a series of lectures, assigned readings and Internet presentations plus discussions following the appended list of topics. Class discussion of any topic under consideration is both welcomed and encouraged at any time. REGULAR ATTENDANCE AT LECTURE AND DISCUSSION MEETINGS IS A BASIC COURSE REQUIREMENT.

No examinations will be given in the course. Students will be asked to complete a series of six Journal Assignments and a series of five quiz questions scheduled at regular intervals through-out the semester. Two brief (6 - 9 pages) essays are also required, the first on eitherThe Confessions of Lady Nijo (translated by Karen Brazell) or Four Major Plays of Chikamatsu (translated by Donald Keene) and the second to be based on either of two novels, Natsume Soseki's Kokoro or Nagatsuka Takashi's The Soil: A Portrait of Rural Life in Meiji Japan. Additional reading for the course -- as noted in the lecture schedule -- is from the Conrad Totman text, Japan before Perry: A Short History and Andrew Gordon's A Modern History of Japan. All course texts are available for purchase in the bookstore. All text and essay assignments are noted in the course schedule on the date each is due.

SYNOPSIS OF COURSE REQUIRMENTS:

Completion of a series of five quiz questions on the content of the course (10% each, 50% of course grade);
Two essays, one on either The Confessions of Lady Nijo or Four Major Plays of Chikamatsu and the second on either Natsume Soseki's Kokoro or Nagatsuka Takashi's The Soil: A Portrait of Rural Life in Meidji Japan. (25% each, 50% of course grade)

The grades earned on the above assignments will be multiplied by the total number of points generated from the following table of possibilities [129 points available]:

Regular attendance at lectures. (10 points with 5 points deducted for each absence);
On-time submission of required assignments: (2 points for each Journal Assignment [10 points total]); 2 points for each other assignment as noted in the course schedule [14 points total]; 5 points for each quiz [25 points total]; 10 points for each essay [20 points total]);
Completion of the entire six part Journal Assignment series (5 points each for an evaluation of "check" or better for a total of 30 points);
Submission of a full outline (2 points each [4 points total]) and an initial draft (3 points each [6 points total]) earning an evaluation of "check" or better for each assigned essay;
Completion of an evaluative essay (see the assignment guidelines) earning an evaluation of "check" or better on a Japanese film chosen from the list of titles supplied for this project. (10 points).

LECTURE SCHEDULE:

TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2009

INTRODUCTION TO THE COURSE
ATTITUDE SURVEY
OVERVIEW OF COURSE ASSIGNMENTS
AMERICAN ATTITUDES TOWARD JAPAN IN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2009

THE PHYSICAL AND HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY OF JAPAN

EXPECTATIONS AND ASSUMPTIONS EMAIL DUE
ATTITUDE SURVEY DUE
WEB ASSIGNMENT ONE DUE

TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2009

TOUCHSTONES FOR UNDERSTANDING

JOURNAL ASSIGNMENT ONE DUE
WEB ASSIGNMENT TWO DUE

THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 2009

FAMILIAL JAPAN: THE ARCHEOLOGICAL RECORD

READING: TOTMAN, PREFACE, PP 1-17
JOURNAL ASSIGNMENT TWO DUE

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2009

THE NATIVE TRADITION OF THE YAMATO STATE
DISCUSSION: FAMILIAL JAPAN

WEB ASSIGNMENT THREE DUE

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2009

ARISTOCRATIC JAPAN: THE CHINESE CONNECTION

READING: TOTMAN, PP 18-63
QUIZ ONE DUE

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2009

EVIDENCE OF ADAPTATION: "THE RULE OF TASTE"

READING: TOTMAN, PP 18-63
WRITING SKILLS ASSESSMENT PROJECT DUE

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2009

DISCUSSION: ARISTOCRATIC JAPAN AND "THE RULE OF TASTE"

WEB ASSIGNMENT FOUR DUE

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2009

THE TRANSITION TO FEUDALISM

READING: TOTMAN, PP 63-80
QUIZ TWO DUE

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2009

DISCUSSION: THE CONFESSIONS OF LADY NIJO

FIRST ESSAY DUE (if written on Nijo's Confessions)
JOURNAL ASSIGNMENT THREE (if writing on Chikamatsu's plays)

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2009

CHANGE AND DEVELOPMENT IN MILITARY-ARISTOCRATIC JAPAN
MILITARY - ARISTOCRATIC CULTURAL DEVELOPMENTS

READING: TOTMAN, PP 80-132

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2009

DISCUSSION: MILITARY-ARISTOCRATIC JAPAN

WEB ASSIGNMENT FIVE DUE

TUESDAY, MARCH 3, 2009

REUNIFICATION: TRANSITION TO THE MILITARY-BUREAUCRATIC PERIOD

QUIZ THREE DUE
READING: TOTMAN, PP 133-164; Andrew Gordon, A Modern History of Japan [Hereafter "GORDON"], PP 9- 11

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2009

TOKUGAWA JAPAN: THE POLITICAL STATE
SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC LIFE IN TOKUGAWA JAPAN

READING: TOTMAN, PP 188-199; GORDON, PP 11 - 34

TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2009

THE GENROKU CULTURAL STYLE

READING: TOTMAN, PP 164-188; GORDON, PP 34 - 46

THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2009

DISCUSSION: FOUR MAJOR PLAYS OF CHIKAMATSU

FIRST ESSAY DUE (if written on Chikamatsu's plays)
JOURNAL ASSIGNMENT THREE (if you wrote on Nijo's Confessions)

TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2009

NO SCHEDULED CLASS - SPRING BREAK

THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2009

NO SCHEDULED CLASS - SPRING BREAK

TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 2009

TOKUGAWA JAPAN: THE SEEDS OF MODERNIZATION

READING: TOTMAN, PP 199-230
WEB ASSIGNMENT SIX DUE

THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2009

MODERNIZATION AND WESTERNIZATION IN JAPAN
THE MODERN JAPANESE QUEST FOR INTERNATIONAL ACCEPTANCE

READING: TOTMAN, PP 230-232

TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2009

THE OPENING OF JAPAN
THE JAPANESE RESPONSE TO THE COMING OF THE WEST

THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 2009

THE MEIJI RESTORATION (1868) AND THE IMPACT OF THE WEST
ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL LIFE IN MEIJI JAPAN

READING: GORDON, PP 46 - 115
JOURNAL ASSIGNMENT FOUR DUE

TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 2009

DISCUSSION: NATSUME SOSEKI'S KOKORO

READING: NATSUME SOSEKI'S KOKORO (ENTIRE)
SECOND ESSAY DUE (FOR STUDENTS WRITING ON KOKORO)
JOURNAL ASSIGNMENT FIVE DUE (FOR STUDENTS WRITING ON THE SOIL: A PORTRAIT OF RURAL LIFE IN MEIJI JAPAN)

THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 2009

DISCUSSION: THE SOIL: A PORTRAIT OF RURAL LIFE IN MEIJI JAPAN

READING: NAGATSUKA TAKASHI'S THE SOIL: A PROTRAIT OF RURAL LIFE IN MEIJI JAPAN (ENTIRE)
SECOND ESSAY DUE (FOR STUDENTS WRITING ON THE SOIL: A PORTRAIT OF RURAL LIFE IN MEIJI JAPAN)
JOURNAL ASSIGNMENT FIVE DUE (FOR STUDENTS WRITING ON KOKORO)

TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 2009

MEIJI FOREIGN POLICY AND THE END OF THE UNEQUAL TREATIES

READING: GORDON, PP 115 - 139

THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2009

TAISHO PERIOD JAPAN: THE HOPEFUL DECADE (1919-1930)

READING: GORDON, PP 139 - 181

TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2009

THE GROWTH OF MILITARISM AND THE EXPANSIONIST IMPULSE
THE ROAD TO PEARL HARBOR

READING: GORDON, PP 182 - 203

THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2009

WORLD WAR II: THE JAPANESE EXPERIENCE

READING: GORDON, PP 204 - 225
QUIZ FOUR DUE

TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2009

VIDEO: "THE OCCUPATION"

READING: GORDON, PP 226 - 244

THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2009

JAPAN SINCE 1952: THE ECONOMIC MIRACLE AND ITS CONTEMPORARY CONSEQUENCES

READING: GORDON, PP 245 - 309

TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2009

JAPAN 2009: INTERPRETING THE CURRENT SCENE THROUGH THE LENS OF HISTORY

READING: GORDON, PP 310 - 333

THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2009

DISCUSSION: INTERACTIONS -- MODERNIZATION, WESTERNIZATION AND TRADITION IN CONTEMPORARY JAPAN

QUIZ FIVE DUE

THURSDAY, MAY 14, 2009 (FINAL EXAM WEEK: 8:30 A.M. - 10:30 A.M.)

COURSE EVALUATION SESSION

COURSE EVALUATION QUESTIONNAIRE DUE
JOURNAL ASSIGNMENT SIX DUE