Lecture 1 notes for the module Making Modern Japan (Great Expectations and Hard Times) PO52026A taught by Professor Rajyashree Pandey at Goldsmiths, University of London in the second year as an option module for students studying on the following degrees: BA (Hons) Politics, BA (Hons) Internation...
Module: Making Modern Japan (great expectations and hard times) PO52026A
Lecturer: Professor Rajyashree Pandey
Lecture 1 – Introduction
In this module, we will be looking at:
The way in which Japan emerges as a modern state.
Looking back to the past. Looking at Japan in the mid-19 th century.
The rise of imperial Japan.
Nationalism, gender and race issues.
Japan’s acquisition of colonies – war with China, the US (Pearl Harbour, the
dropping of the atomic nuclear bomb in Hiroshima).
The immediate post war period.
The dilemmas that Japan faces today such as its negotiations with the US;
revoking Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution – this article prohibits Japan
from remilitarising again.
The peculiar position of Japan as a coloniser and colonist.
Japan’s relationship with China and Korea.
Why did you choose this module?
Do you have any preconceptions about Japan?
Interest in how Japan became a major economic power?
Interest in how Japan has been influenced by the western culture?
Interest in how Japan is very advanced in technology but it’s not a very
westernised society – you would still see women wearing kimonos in the
streets. Also, for such an advanced country, it has a terrible birth rate.
There is a module on Japan for you to choose to study in your 3 rd year. This module
has a more thematic approach.
More onto the topics we will be covering in this module:
The evolvement of Japan’s relationship with China.
Japan entering the western sphere.
How does Japan see itself from the war? Japan sees itself as a victim rather
than as an imperial coloniser. It is not coming into terms with its war legacy
much to the anger of China and Korea especially on the issue of Comfort
Women and the Yasukuni shrine controversy (seen as paying homage to war
criminals).
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