History and Culture of Japan History 2230

Katsushika Hokusai - Tenchi tenno (Emperor Tenchi).jpg. http://www.fotopedia.com/items/flickr-5540637893 15 May, 2013.

Japan, the land of the rising sun, has often been portrayed as a mysterious and exotic land. Yet, the real history of this dynamic region is even more compelling than these one-dimensional legends and depictions. A nation whose past featured both powerful unified global empires and deeply divided localized warring factions, both a dedicated devotion and preservation of ancient cultural traditions juxtaposed with a sponge-like desire to glean what the outside world has to offer, and a mighty economic powerhouse with strangely fragile features, Japan presents a contradiction that invites fascination and further study. This course traces the Japans history from the origins of Japanese civilization, ideals, institutions and traditions, through its medieval feudal samurai societies, into the arrival of Western ideas and technologies promoting a massive cultural shock in the 19th century, the rise of 20th century Imperial Japan and its role in World War II, to its post-war reform, reconstruction and modern economic and political rebirth. HISTORY 2230 (IAI H2 908) History and Culture of Japan 3 credit hours This course is a survey of the history and culture of Japan from the Neolithic Era to the present. Emphasis will be placed on the political, social, economic, intellectual, religious, and artistic aspects of Japanese culture. Prerequisite: Course requires Reading Placement Test Score-Category One. (3 lecture hours) Recommended for students who are interested in the study of history, culture, and further study of any academic discipline that examines Japan or East Asia in general.