Hist 526: Japan Since 1700
https://dresnerjapan.edublogs.org
| Prof. Jonathan Dresner 235-4315; jdresner@pittstate.edu Office: RH 406F Office Hours: TuTh 10-12; MWF 10-11, 1-2 |
Hist 526-01 Spring 2009 MWF 2-2:50pm Classroom: RH 407 |
Description
Geisha, Kabuki, Power Rangers! Sushi, Tempura, Curry Rice! Samurai, Soldiers, Salarymen! Shoguns, Emperors, Politicians! Tea Ceremony, Pokemon, Seppuku! Isolation, Imperialism, Globalization! Miracle Growth and Lost Decades! Change! Stability!
This course covers Japanese history and culture from the 18th century to the present. We will discuss: the Tokugawa Shogunate and its warrior bureaucrats; the artificial class system, political change in an era of stability, economic growth and social tensions; urban and rural evolution; popular culture and literature. We will also discuss Japan’s relative isolation and violent reopening, which comes with the collapse of the Tokugawa system; the Meiji Restoration, whatever that means. The dissolution of the samurai class, social reorganization and rapid modernization, including the Meiji Constitution and new Imperial state as well as intellectual and cultural conflicts and experiments will lead into Japan’s first modern constitutional system. From that point, Japan has played a substantial — sometimes central — role in world history. It has played a role in the fall of empires, gained and lost and empire of its own. Japan has gone from a growing nation from which people emigrated to a rapidly aging society in need of an influx of immigrants. “Made in Japan” used to mean “cheap junk” and Japanese society was rapidly absorbing western influences; Japanese products now dominate most markets they occupy and Japanese culture — high and pop — is World culture. Japan is not a monolithic society, though: there’s considerable diversity of opinion and lifestyle at any point over the last century, and the Japanese people, like people everywhere, have contributed to and resisted the changes they experienced.
Textbook readings and lectures will be heavily supplemented by primary sources — literature, autobiography, Constitutions, oral histories – and secondary scholarship. Class discussion will be central to the course. The exams will cover the readings and lecture material, as well as geography.
Course Goals
In addition to the historical and cultural content, students will demonstrate increasing mastery of critical reading of primary and secondary sources in writing and discussion. “Critical” does not mean “attacking” but “analytical”: putting material in historical and cultural context, drawing appropriate inferences and and deductions from the evidence of the text, and raising relevant questions for futher inquiry.
“The movement of a civilization is like the spread of measles.”
— Fukuzawa Yukichi, “Datsu-a ron”
Advisory
History is about real people, diverse cultures, interesting theories, strongly held belief systems, complex situations, conflicts and often-dramatic actions. This information may be disturbing. Such is the nature of historical study.
Readings
- Andrew Gordon, A Modern History of Japan: From Tokugawa Times to the Present, Oxford University Press, 2nd edition (2008).
- Ihara Saikaku, Life of an Amorous Woman and Other Writings (UNESCO Collection of Contemporary Works) Ivan Morris (Translator), New Directions Publishing Corporation (June 1969),
- Yukichi Fukuzawa, The Autobiography of Yukichi Fukuzawa, Columbia University Press, Revised edition, 2006.
- Cook, Haruko Taya and Theodore F. Cook, Japan at War: An Oral History, The New Press, 1992.
- Gail Lee Bernstein, Haruko’s World: A Japanese Farm Woman and Her Community, Stanford University Press, 1983.
- Elisabeth Bumiller, The Secrets of Mariko: A Year in the Life of a Japanese Woman and her Family, Vintage Books, 1995.
Course Administration
Course Website: https://dresnerjapan.edublogs.org
Bookmark it. Check it regularly. I will use it for announcements (course stuff, special events, extra credit), to maintain the schedule (particularly if it changes), to post handouts (so if you lose or miss one, it’ll be there) and keep a small library of useful links. In the event of a disparity between the original syllabus and the website, follow the website: I reserve the right to change readings, test dates, due dates, grade weights and assignments as necessary throughout the semester.
Plagiarism will not be tolerated in this course.
Plagiarism is the use of the words or ideas of another person without proper acknowledgement. Plagiarism is intellectual theft; in an educational setting it is particularly repugnant. Plagiarism in my courses will be punished. It’s simple: Anytime you copy words into your own work, you must clearly mark them and acknowledge the source of those words. Anytime you use someone else’s ideas, you must admit it. There are three options: put it in quotation marks and footnote; paraphrase and footnote; or be original. If you have any questions or any concerns about citation format or necessity, ask someone who knows what they’re doing.
Other forms of academic misconduct will not be tolerated either
The use of unauthorized aid on tests, failing to write one’s own papers, using papers for more than one course without permission. For more detail, see the relevant sections of the University Catalog. None of this precludes group study and discussion: those are actually really good ideas.
Civility
Students are expected to behave respectfully towards their peers and instructor. Disruptive behavior, including failing to turn off cell phones during class, will result in participation penalties and possibly removal from the classroom. This does not mean that there can’t be lively discussions and disagreements, but personal attacks, excessive volume, threatening gestures or words, and failure to give others a chance to speak and be heard are not acceptable.
Academic Advising
Advising is a very important resource designed to help students complete the requirements of the University and their individual majors. Students should consult with their advisor at least once a semester to decide on courses, check progress towards graduation, and discuss career options and other educational opportunities. Advising is a shared responsibility, but students have final responsibility for meeting degree requirements.
Disability accommodation
Any student with a documented disability who would like to request accommodations should contact the instructor as early in the semester as possible. For more information, contact the Learning Center (Kelly D. Heiskell, 235-4309, kdheiske@pittstate.edu)
Course Prerequisites and Application
World History since 1500, equivalent or permission of instructor is required before taking this course. This course counts towards the History major or minor as a non-Western course.
Assignments
All schedules, assignments, etc, in the syllabus are subject to change. Check the website, which will have the most current and accurate information possible, as well as copies of course handouts. All readings, and assignments, must be done before class on the assigned day.
Reading
Reading assignments — textbook and documents — must be done before class on the day indicated. Lectures and discussions will assume that the reading has been done.
Regular and substantive participation in discussions is an integral component of this course. I will try to make sure that everyone has a chance to speak up, and if you have trouble speaking up, talk to me privately and we’ll work on opportunities.
Geography Quiz
At the beginning of the third class (Monday, 1/26) I will give a quick ten (10) question quiz on the geography of modern Japan: neighboring countries, islands, major cities. Any student who gets fewer than nine (9) correct, will need to retake the quiz until they get a passing score. I will give the quiz in my office, during office hours or by appointment. Students may take the quiz once a week for the entire semester if necessary, but everyone in the class will pass this geography quiz, and have at least one ‘A’.
Pop Quizzes
If I find significant numbers of students are not doing the readings, I reserve the right to begin giving pop quizzes on the day’s reading assignment. The scores will become part of the attendance/preparation/participation grade.
Short Essays
I may, from time to time, require short writing assignments on readings in preparation for class discussion. Papers will be graded primarily on completion, and secondarily on the clarity and use of historical sources, and will be included in the attendance/preparation/participation grade.
Midterms
There will be two midterms, each covering roughly half of the course. The midterm will be an essay test, and will cover the textbook, readings, lectures and discussions.
Final Exam
The final exam will be a comprehensive essay test. Questions will be distributed well in advance. You do not need to do outside research to answer these questions, but you do need to think about them long and hard.
Biography Project
Each student will pick an historical Japanese who has either written an autobiography or who has had a substantial scholarly biography written about them. You will write an 8-10 page paper on some aspect of that person’s life, using the biography/autobiography, as well as additional research and course materials. You will consult with me on the selection of the subject and sources, and there will be several preliminary assignments along the way which will make up a portion of your final project grade. You will do a brief presentation on the person to the entire class near the end of the semester, as well; the presentation is required, but not graded.
Grading
The most important component of your grade on writing assignments, including tests, will be whether you have used the historical materials available to effectively answer an interesting question. I will give you topics to focus on, but you will have to decide on and articulate a thesis, select and present relevant evidence, and make it clear to your reader how the evidence proves your point. I do not generally grade on style, grammar or spelling, unless they are so bad as to obscure the meaning of what you are writing.
- All assignments are due in class at the beginning of class on the due date.
- Absences may be excused for unusual school-related events (not athletic practices), illness or family-related problems, but only if I am informed in advance or you have documentation (such as a doctor’s note). Unexcused absences will affect your attendance grade.
- Unexcused late assignments will be penalized one grade level per class period late.
“I have striven not to laugh at human actions, not to weep at them,
nor hate them, but to understand them.”
— Baruch Spinoza, Tractatus Politicus (1677)
Grades
| Attendance, Preparation and Participation |
20% |
| Geography Quiz |
5% |
| Biography Project |
20% |
| Midterms |
25% |
| Final Exam |
30% |
NOTE: I will be happy to go over your grades and let you know how you are doing in the course at any time.
NOTE #2: Even very bad work, or very late work, is still going to get an F, which is a lot better than a zero.
Administrative Deadlines and Instructional Holidays are in Italics
Assignments and Tests are in Bold
Readings are by chapter and should be done before class on the assigned day.
|
Date |
Reading/Assignment |
| 1/15 (Th) | Classwork begins |
| 1/16 (F) | First Day of Class |
| 1/19 (M) | MLK Day/Instructional Holiday |
| 1/21 (W) | Gordon, Introduction |
| 1/22 (Th) | Last day for full fee refund Last day to add new classes Last day for late enrollment |
| 1/23 (F) | Gordon 1, “The Tokugawa Polity” |
| 1/26 (M) | Gordon 2, “Social and Economic Transformations”Geography Quiz |
| 1/28 (W) | Saikaku, Introduction and Appendices II and IIIFinal day for dropping course without grade report |
| 1/30 (F) | Saikaku, “Five Women Who Chose Love” |
| 2/2 (M) | Saikaku, “The Life of an Amorous Woman,” pp. 121-164 |
| 2/4 (W) | Saikaku, “The Life of an Amorous Woman,” pp. 164-208 |
| 2/6 (F) | Saikaku, “The Eternal Storehouse of Japan” and “Reckonings that Carry Men Through The World” |
| 2/9 (M) | Gordon 3, “The Intellectual World of the Late Tokugawa” |
| 2/11 (W) | Fukuzawa, I, II, III, IV |
| 2/13 (F) | Gordon 4, “The Overthrow of the Tokugawa” |
| 2/16 (M) | Fukuzawa, V, VI, VII, VIIIPresident’s Day/ No Holiday |
| 2/18 (W) | Gordon 5, “The Samurai Revolution” |
| 2/20 (F) | Gordon 6, “Participation and Protest” |
| 2/23 (M) | Meiji Constitution |
| 2/25 (W) | Fukuzawa, IX, X, XI |
| 2/27 (F) | Gordon 7, “Social, Economic and Cultural Transformations” |
| 3/2 (M) | Fukuzawa, XII, XIII, XIV, XV |
| 3/4 (W) | Gordon 8, “Empire and Domestic Order” |
| 3/6 (F) | Catch-up/Review |
| 3/9 (M) | Midterm |
| 3/11 (W) | Gordon 9, “Economy and Society” |
| 3/13 (F) | Gordon 10, Democracy and Empire between the World Wars” |
| 3/16-20 | D/F Grades DueSpring Break |
| 3/23 (M) | Gordon 11, “The Depression Crisis and Responses” |
| 3/25 (W) | Gordon 12, “Japan in Wartime” |
| 3/27 (F) | Bibliography Project Proposal DueJapan at War, Part One |
| 3/30 (M) | Japan at War, Part Two |
| 4/1 (W) | Japan at War, Part Three |
| 4/3 (F) | Japan at War, Part Four |
| 4/6 (M) | Japan at War, Part Five |
| 4/8 (W) | Gordon 13, “Occupied Japan: New Departures and Durable Structures” |
| 4/10 (F) | 1947 ConstitutionBiography Project Bibliography and Outline Due
Final day for dropping course unless withdraw from school |
| 4/13 (M) | Japan at War, Part Six |
| 4/15 (W) | Gordon 14, Economic and Social Transformations” |
| 4/17 (F) | Gordon 15, “Political Struggles and Settlements of the High-Growth Era” |
| 4/20 (M) | Haruko’s World. |
| 4/22 (W) | Gordon 16, “Global Power in a Polarized world: Japan in the 1980s” |
| 4/24 (F) | The Secrets of Mariko, to 178Biography Essay Draft Due |
| 4/27 (M) | The Secrets of Mariko, 179-end |
| 4/29 (W) | Gordon 17, “Beyond the Postwar Era” |
| 5/1 (F) | Student Presentations |
| 5/4 (M) | Biography Project Final Draft Due
Catch-up/Review |
| 5/6 (W) | Midterm |
| 5/7 | Last day to withdraw from university |
| 5/8 (F) | Catch-up/Review |
| 5/15 | Final Exam, 2-3:50 |
How good it would be
If in the newspapers that
Everybody reads
They didn’t write such falsehoods
About doings in this world – Meiji Emperor