JAP2505 – Modern Japanese History
Course description
Schedule, syllabus and examination date
Course content
This course will give an overview of modern Japanese history, from the late Edo period up until the end of the Cold war in 1989. In English most of this one and half century is often discussed in terms of the pre-war, wartime and post-war periods, on the basis of the seemingly all-important dividing point of the Second World War. In Japanese, however, this time frame is rather divided into the Bakumatsu, Meiji, Taishō and Shōwa periods, which are discussed in much more varied ways.
In this course we will analyze various facets of modern Japan’s political, social, intellectual, constitutional, economic and diplomatic history. We will do so with a strong awareness of world order, in the same way that Japanese from the late 19th century onwards were very much aware of their country as part of a wider (Western) world. And with an equally strong international comparative approach, we will analyze Japan’s unique track-record of being the first non-Western country to successfully modernize, Westernize, industrialize, democratize, and militarize, and on this basis become the only non-Western colonial empire and only non-Western member of the elite group of "civilised nations" in the prewar period.
For the postwar period we will analyze the various ways in which the dominant structure of the global Cold War order determined Japan’s internal politics and international relations, and many other fields. And apart from stressing 1945 as a turning point in world and Japanese history, we will also adopt a trans-war approach to understand how Japan continued to be looked upon - and looked upon itself - as an economic giant, the leader of Asia, and the only non-Western member of elite institutions like the G7.
In class we cannot deal with everything. Moreover, we want to stress that history is not ‘one true story’ but rather a perpetual discussion between various competing interpretations. Accordingly, in class we will not repeat what is already in the textbook. We will focus on a few selected issues which we consider most crucial to the understanding of modern Japan, and provide views that will encourage you to go beyond the one-sided interpretations (often presented as historical ‘facts’) in the textbooks.
Learning outcome
By means of the lectures, textbook and other related readings, and the exam (paper) we hope you will acquire:
- a basic knowledge of the most important events and developments in modern Japanese history
- an understanding of crucial political, international, social, intellectual, constitutional and economic issues in the various historical periods
- an awareness of important continuities and discontinuities in modern Japanese history
- an awareness of structures such as world order that to a large extent limit or guide the above-mentioned events, developments and (dis)continuities
- a critical awareness that history is just as much about different interpretations as historical facts
- further training in academic writing
- further training in finding and using academic sources
Admission to the course
Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.
If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.
Formal prerequisite knowledge
The classes will be taught in English and the textbooks and other readings will all be in English, so proficiency in the English language is required.
Recommended previous knowledge
Although not obligatory, in case you are interested in Japanese history please also join the sister-course JAP2504 – Japan f?r moderniteten.
Overlapping courses
- 5 credits overlap with JAP2503 – Japanese History (discontinued).
- 5 credits overlap with JAP1503 – Japans historie (discontinued).
Teaching
Teaching
The course consists of a dozen or so lecture classes, which are convened on a weekly basis.
You are expected to participate actively in the classes. This does not merely imply that you need to prepare the various readings for each class, but also that you think while you read and formulate questions, and actively contribute to the discussions in class.
Compulsory activities
- Attendance to at least 80% of the classes
- Outline of your paper (theme, research question, structure) including a list of related academic sources
The obligatory attendance is valid for the next two semesters that the course is taught. An approved research question, list of academic sources and first draft is only valid for one semester.
All compulsory activities must be approved in order to qualify for the exam. It is the student’s responsibility to check whether or not the compulsory activities are approved.
This is how you apply for valid absence from compulsory activities/compulsory attendance.
Examination
The exam consists of a term paper of some 10 pages (2300 characters per page, not including spaces).
Language of examination
The obligatory assignments and the term paper can be written in either English or Norwegian.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.
Resit an examination
More about examinations at UiO
- Use of sources and citations
- Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
- Withdrawal from an exam
- Illness at exams / postponed exams
- Explanation of grades and appeals
- Resitting an exam
- Cheating/attempted cheating
You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.