THE HISTORY OF JAPAN

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HIS 371 / 571, THE HISTORY OF JAPAN

Lee A. Makela

Associate Professor

Department of History

OFFICE HOURS: MWF 12:15 PM - 1:30 PM

and by appointment

OFFICE: RT 1908

PHONE: 687-3927 (OFFICE)

561-2940 (HOME)

email: l.makela@popmail.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 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 Junichiro Tanizaki's The Makioka Sisters;
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 five Journal Assignments and a series of seven 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 Junichiro Tanizaki's The Makioka Sisters. Additional reading for the course -- as noted in the lecture schedule -- is from the Conrad Totman text, Japan before Perry: A Short History and Kenneth Pyle's The Making of Modern 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 Junichiro Tanizaki's The Makioka Sisters. (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 [139 points available]:

Regular attendance at lectures. (10 points with one point 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 the exhibit of Unfolding Beauty: Japanese Screens currently at the Cleveland Museum of Art (until September 16, 2001). (10 points);
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:

MONDAY, AUGUST 27, 2001

INTRODUCTION TO THE COURSE
ATTITUDE SURVEY
OVERVIEW OF COURSE ASSIGNMENTS

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2001

AMERICAN ATTITUDES TOWARD JAPAN IN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

ATTITUDE SURVEY DUE
JOURNAL ASSIGNMENT ONE DUE

FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2001

THE PHYSICAL AND HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY OF JAPAN

WEB ASSIGNMENT ONE DUE

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2001

HOLIDAY (LABOR DAY)

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2001

TOUCHSTONES FOR UNDERSTANDING I

WEB ASSIGNMENT TWO DUE

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2001

TOUCHSTONES FOR UNDERSTANDING II

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2001

FAMILIAL JAPAN: THE ARCHEOLOGICAL RECORD

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

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2001

FAMILIAL JAPAN: THE NATIVE TRADITION OF THE YAMATO STATE

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2001

DISCUSSION: FAMILIAL JAPAN

WEB ASSIGNMENT THREE DUE

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2001

ARISTOCRATIC JAPAN: THE CHINESE CONNECTION

READING: TOTMAN, PP 18-31
QUIZ ONE DUE

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2001

EVIDENCE OF ADAPTATION: "THE RULE OF TASTE"

READING: TOTMAN, PP 31-63
WRITING SKILLS ASSESSMENT PROJECT DUE

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2001

DISCUSSION: ARISTOCRATIC JAPAN AND "THE RULE OF TASTE"

WEB ASSIGNMENT FOUR DUE

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2001

THE TRANSITION TO FEUDALISM

READING: TOTMAN, PP 63-80
QUIZ TWO DUE

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2001

DISCUSSION:
THE CONFESSIONS OF LADY NIJO

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

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2001

CHANGE AND DEVELOPMENT IN MILITARY-ARISTOCRATIC JAPAN

READING: TOTMAN, PP 80-132

MONDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2001

MILITARY - ARISTOCRATIC CULTURAL DEVELOPMENTS

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2001

DISCUSSION: MILITARY-ARISTOCRATIC JAPAN

WEB ASSIGNMENT FIVE DUE

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2001

REUNIFICATION: TRANSITION TO THE MILITARY-BUREAUCRATIC PERIOD

QUIZ THREE DUE
READING: TOTMAN, PP 133-164; Marius B. Jansen, The Making of Modern Japan (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2000) [Hereafter "JANSEN"], PP 1 - 31

MONDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2001

HOLIDAY (COLUMBUS DAY)

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2001

TOKUGAWA JAPAN: THE POLITICAL STATE

READING: TOTMAN, PP 188-199; JANSEN, PP 32 - 95

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2001

SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC LIFE IN TOKUGAWA JAPAN

READING: JANSEN, PP 96 - 158

MONDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2001

THE GENROKU CULTURAL STYLE

READING: TOTMAN, PP 164-188; JANSEN, PP 159 - 222

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2001

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)

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2001

DISCUSSION: MILITARY-BUREAUCRATIC JAPAN

READING: TOTMAN, PP 199-230

MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2001

TOKUGAWA JAPAN: THE SEEDS OF MODERNIZATION

READING: JANSEN, PP 223 - 256

WEB ASSIGNMENT SIX DUE

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2001
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2001
MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2001
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2001
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2001

NO SCHEDULED CLASSES
-- DR. MAKELA TRAVELING IN JAPAN

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2001

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

READING: TOTMAN, PP 230-232

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2001

THE OPENING OF JAPAN

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2001

THE JAPANESE RESPONSE TO THE COMING OF THE WEST

READING: JANSEN, PP 257 - 332

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2001

HOLIDAY (VETERAN'S DAY)

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2001

THE MEIJI RESTORATION (1868) AND THE IMPACT OF THE WEST

JOURNAL ASSIGNMENT FOUR DUE

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2001

ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL LIFE IN MEIJI JAPAN
MEIJI FOREIGN POLICY AND THE END OF THE UNEQUAL TREATIES

READING: JANSEN, PP 371 - 494

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2001

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 MAKIOKA SISTERS)

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2001

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

READING: JANSEN, PP 495 - 575

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2001

HOLIDAY (THANKSGIVING VACATION)

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2001

DISCUSSION: JUNICHIRO TANIZAKI'S THE MAKIOKA SISTERS

READING: JUNICHIRO TANIZAKI'S THE MAKIOKA SISTERS (ENTIRE)
SECOND ESSAY DUE (FOR STUDENTS WRITING ON THE MAKIOKA SISTERS)
JOURNAL ASSIGNMENT FIVE DUE (FOR STUDENTS WRITING ON KOKORO)

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2001

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

READING: JANSEN, PP 576 - 641

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2001

WORLD WAR II: THE JAPANESE EXPERIENCE

READING: JANSEN, PP 642 - 674
QUIZ FOUR DUE

MONDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2001

VIDEO: "THE OCCUPATION"

READING: JANSEN, PP 675 - 701

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2001

JAPAN SINCE 1952: THE ECONOMIC MIRACLE AND ITS CONTEMPORARY CONSEQUENCES

READING: JANSEN, PP 702 - 768

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2001

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

QUIZ FIVE DUE

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2001 (8:30 AM - 10:30 AM)

COURSE EVALUATION SESSION

COURSE EVALUATION QUESTIONNAIRE DUE
JOURNAL ASSIGNMENT SIX DUE