HIEA 207

History of Japan

Marcon

This lecture class surveys the history of Japan from prehistory to the twenty-first century. Through an assortment of historical, literary, religious and visual materials, it offers an introduction to the political, social, religious, intellectual, artistic, and cultural life of the Japanese archipelago in its various epochs. From the refined court life of antiquity to the tumultuous wars of the Middle Ages, from the samurai world of the early modern period to the revolutionary modernization of the late nineteenth century, from the colonial expansion and World War 2 to the economic miracle (and recession) of the last sixty years, HIEA 207 proposes a new and lively portrait of Japan, caught not in isolation but in the context of East Asia and the world.

No previous knowledge of Japanese history is required to enroll in this class. The course is based on weekly lectures, occasional discussions, and movie screenings. Reading materials consists of a manual and a course-pack of primary sources in English translation, amounting to a weekly load of 100-150 pages. Evaluation is based on easy weekly assignments on the readings (25%), a mid-term exam (25%), a final exam (25%), and an essay (25%).