1. Understand post-modern Japanese society, based on the internal/external geographical conditions and views in the context of world history, in particular in a broad perspective which integrates different factors such as politics, economy, culture, and international environment.
2. Develop perspectives and mindsets to understand social events by considering their historical process of formation/development using empirical analysis.
3. Encourages students to explore and attempt to understand the historical and social situation surrounding individuals and to shape their own idea.
Outline:
This course provides an overview of the modern Japanese history since the late-Edo and Meiji Restoration period, and helps students understand its structure and transition. In addition to it, through understanding it, the course aims to cultivate the students' ability to think about today's position from the historical perspective and also history and society in general.
Style:
The course will be taught mainly with lectures, using note-taking, textbooks, pictorial books, and handout.
The course plan will be adjusted as needed, and the teacher will try to answer questions and accommodate requests as much as possible.
Liaison: Hironori Arakawa
Notice:
Although memorizing words and events is important, this course goes beyond it and aims to deepen the students' understanding toward the structure, cause, and effect of historical events and help them understand the today's situation and social structure by linking with it.
Students who miss 1/3 or more of classes will not be eligible for a passing grade.
|
|
|
Theme |
Goals |
| 1st Semester |
| 1st Quarter |
| 1st |
Guidance: What is modern era? |
Get a general idea of the course theme, "modern era," and its historical/modern meanings.
|
| 2nd |
From the opening of a country to the overthrow of shogunate |
Capture external factors (the opening of a country) and internal factors until the Meiji Restoration by interlinking them
|
| 3rd |
The formation of the Meiji State (1) |
Understand the system formation of the Meiji State in various areas as a modern nation state
|
| 4th |
The formation of the Meiji State (2) |
Understand the modernization of land systems based on the situation in the early modern period and the reality of industrial development policy
|
| 5th |
The formation of the Meiji State (3) |
Understand the situation of modernization in terms of the thoughts and culture
|
| 6th |
The outbreak of shizoku rebellion and the spread of the Freedom and People's Rights Movement |
Understand the situation from the setback of the policy of conquering Korea by military force and shizoku rebellion to the start of Freedom and People's Rights Movement and the moves toward opening the Diet
|
| 7th |
Matsukata Financial Policy and reorganization of the Freedom and People's Rights Movement |
Understand the Matsukata Financial Policy that brought the economic fluctuation in the early Meiji period and its impact on the Freedom and People's Rights Movement
|
| 8th |
Midterm exam |
Ask about the content from weeks 2-7
|
| 2nd Quarter |
| 9th |
Establishment of the Meiji Constitution system |
Understand the Meiji Constitution (the Constitution of the Empire of Japan), which stipulated early modern Japan
|
| 10th |
Compilation of various codes of laws and the political situation of early Diet |
Understand the compilation of various codes of laws that related to social morals since early modern period and Imperial system under the Meiji Constitution, and the political situation of early Diet
|
| 11th |
Foreign relations in the early Meiji period: Treaty revisions and the issue related to Korea |
Learn about the foreign relations based on the conflict between the pre-modern Asian order and the modern European world order
|
| 12th |
Political situation during/after the First Sino-Japanese War |
Understand the situation and impact of the First Sino-Japanese War—the first large Japanese war against foreign countries
|
| 13th |
Situation during/after the Russo-Japanese War |
Understand the situation of the Russo-Japanese War and its historical significance that made a huge impact until the Taisho period
|
| 14th |
Various aspects of modernization: Industrial development and social movements |
Understand industrial and social issues in modern Japan, based on the concept of capitalistic economy
|
| 15th |
The spread of the Taisho Democracy and the outbreak of World War I |
Understand the Taisho Political Crisis with the trend of the so-called Taisho Democracy in mind Get an overview of World War I
|
| 16th |
Final exam |
Ask about the content from weeks 9-15
|
| 2nd Semester |
| 3rd Quarter |
| 1st |
Development of World War I and the trends in Japan |
Understand the historical significance of World War I including the outbreaks of total war and the Russian Revolution, and the trends in Japan during that period
|
| 2nd |
Historical significance of World War I |
Using videos, understand the situation of World War I, which became a major turning point for the modern period
|
| 3rd |
The formation of party cabinet and the world order after World War I |
Understand the internal situation of Japan that led to the formation of Hara Takashi Cabinet and the global system that greatly defined postwar Japan
|
| 4th |
The rise of universal suffrage campaign / social movements and the establishment of a universal suffrage regime |
Understand the situation of various movements including ones for universal suffrage, labor, and against discrimination, and the characteristics of universal suffrage regime
|
| 5th |
The emergence of mass society and the era of economic crisis |
Understand the emergence of mass society represented by the emergence of a new middle class and consumer society, and the situation and impact of the economic crisis
|
| 6th |
The turmoil in foreign policy and the Mukden Incident |
On the premise of the Versailles Settlement (Washington framework), understand the active diplomacy in that period and the historical significance of Mukden Incident
|
| 7th |
The rise of military and the disruption of party cabinet |
Understand the situation of party cabinet disruption, not as a simple "runaway of the military," based on internal factors
|
| 8th |
Midterm exam |
Ask about the content from weeks 1-7
|
| 4th Quarter |
| 9th |
The situation of all-nation cabinet and the absence of integrating agent |
Through the trends of each political force during the all-nation cabinet period, understand the characteristics in this period
|
| 10th |
The outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War |
Understand the characteristics of the Second Sino-Japanese War, including so-called war without a proclamation and constructing a "new order for East Asia"
|
| 11th |
The construction of wartime regime |
Understand the situation, formation, and characteristics of the wartime regime on the premise of "modernization" with its internal factors
|
| 12th |
The outbreak of the World War II and movements for a new regime |
Lean about the construction (and the incompletion) of totalitarian regime in Japan and the situation of World War II outbreak in Europe
|
| 13th |
The outbreak of the Asia-Pacific War |
Understand the diplomatic process that led to the Asian-Pacific War and the trends in Japan
|
| 14th |
Development of the Asia-Pacific War |
Understand the developing process of the Asia-Pacific War, focusing on the disparity between the ideals and the actual situation
|
| 15th |
Japan's defeat and the formation of a postwar regime |
Understand the trends of Japan until its defeat and the postwar regime formed by the Occupation Policy, the Constitution of Japan, etc.
|
| 16th |
Final exam |
Ask about the content from weeks 9-15
|