EAS2034: Modern Japanese History

20 credits (Semester 2)

Module Leader: Dr Mark Pendleton (2024-25)

Module Summary

This module will examine key themes in the modern history of Japan from the mid-nineteenth to the late twentieth century. It will cover broad questions including identity and nation-building, social and economic change, war and its practical and cultural legacies. The module is delivered through weekly lectures and seminars, based on a range of readings. The module deals with the different ways in which history is written by historians, through engagement with a range of primary sources, including translated texts, music, art, visual images, film and more. You will also learn about a number of different approaches to the modern history of Japan, including economic, social and cultural histories.

Major Themes Covered:

What is modernity and how did Japan relate to it?
Has what we understand as Japan changed over the years since 1868?
How do we do history?

Specific Topics Covered:

How the Japanese nation was built during the Meiji period
The Taishō period and debates over modernity
The motivations for the expansion of the Japanese Empire
How the war is remembered
The impact of the US Occupation and Cold War Alliances
Outcomes of postwar capitalist development
The changing politics of identity
The “Lost Decade(s)” and the end of the postwar period

Skills Development

On completion of this module, as well as enhanced understanding of the module content and themes outlined above, you will also be able to demonstrate:

Critical thinking – You will critically assess different approaches to how history is made, challenged and deployed;
Analytical skills – You will locate, evaluate and interpret a range of historical sources;
Independent learning – You will conduct independent research and writing tasks
Communication skills – You will develop the ability to articulate informed opinions in seminar discussions and develop and sustain arguments through different modes of assessment.

Assessment

50% Research Essay
10% In-class Primary Source Exercise
40% Take-home exam

EAS2034: Modern Japanese History