HIST 3610 Modern Japan

This course examines Japan’s spectacular rise to world power and a position of economic prominence and significance in today’s global society. The social, economic, cultural and political consequences of industrialization and “Westernization” receive special attention since they link Japan to similar processes in play in Asia, Europe, and the Americas over the past two centuries. Japan’s experience with continental empire, war, defeat, and recovery will be treated from many perspectives, including the role played by memory in shaping Japan’s international posture in the postwar era. Literature, cultural artifacts, and films will be key resources used to explore the worldviews of Japanese people and the popularized images of Japanese culture in other regions of the world including America.
Credits: 3.0