Midterm Exam

Instructions: From 1-5, each of them is 5 points. From 6-9, each of them is 10 points.
No.10 is 25 points.

1. According to Miyazaki, nation states is not a proper unit of analysis. ( b) false )

a. true b. false
2. According to Wang Hui (The Politics of Imaging Asia), Asia must meet two conditions in order
to contstitute the starting point of world history.
First, Asia and Europe must be two correlated organic parts of the same historical process
Second Asia and Europe must occupy two drastically different stages of this historical
continuum and the main standard for evaluating these stages must be the state

3. In “Indonesia’s original sin”, which statement is supported by the author? ( )

a. The killing was due to long-standing conflicts among civilians
b. Army’s continuing use of violence helped to create those landless workers
c. Mass killing was due to the pre-existing conflict between the communist party and its
political rivals
d. none of above

4. Why did Zheng He do the voyage? Please list at least three reasons from the book.
a. to trade goods with other countries
b. to promote China (sort of act like a good will ambassador) “good neighbor”
(gifts to other kings and rulers)
c. to spread Chinese culture and Chinese influence on the rest of the world
(tribune system)

5. What was the purpose of those analogies and comparisons that Britons drew and made
between domestic and overseas societies, from the eighteenth to the twentieth centuries? (Blood
of Government) to show how closely alike they were; to show how they could benefit by
colonizing countries like India or the Phillipines; to show white man’s burden; to protect
them from the spanish

6. What is Cultural Studies? Where does it come from? What’s its methodology? Why is it
necessary to have an ‘Inter-Asia Cultural Studies’ beyond simply using a Cultural Studies
approach?

The methodology of Cultural Studies is the learning and appreciation of other

countries and cultures. The advantage is that people are more cultured and informed
of their world. People aren’t so closed into their comfort zone. They have a wider
perception of the world. Cultural studies leads to stereotyping. Cultural studies
naturally generalizes an entire population of people. This marginalizes the minorities
(even more).

Cultural studies began in Europe and in the United States (postwar era).It’s inception
(cultural studies) was due to the mass globalization and influx of immigrants in Europe
and in the United States.

 Seeks to understand different cultures and traditions

  Seeks to contribute to the integration of an imagined asia at the level of knowledge
production
 Generate and circulate critical work in and out of asia and beyond
 Slowly link and facilitate dialogues between the disconnected critical circles within
asia and beyond
 Provide a platform on wich academic and movement intellectual work can intersect
 Inter-Asia = linking together communities in Asia, linking asia to the global community,
intellectual asian movement

7. What are the differences and similarities between the two Japanese intellectuals Okakura and
Fukuzawa? What are the main problems, according to the authors, with using the term ‘Asia’ or
‘Asian’?

Fukuzawa Yukichi (1960)

 Disassociating from asia and integrating with Europe
 Asia should forsake the unmanageable allies in asia so as quickly to join the ranks of
the European and American powers
 Stresses that each east asian country must push for revolutionary reform of the old
regime and overthrow the power of the conservatives within the country and only then
can it be rid of the pressure from the western powers
 Does not believe that the colored races can join hands to resist the western powers
simply because they are colored
 Advocates the actual support should be given to the progressives of neighboring
countries in helping them with their coup to overthrow their own conservative regimes,
so as to export civilization
 Expressed disappointment with the immediate east asian neighbors and urged japan
to break off with its neighbors in the east for he thought they were doomed to fall
 Greatest fear was that the west would regard japan as a barbaric country like its
doomed neighbors
 “civilization was inevitable”

Okakura Tenshin
 Asia as one
 Stresses the commonality of asia civilizations in the embodiment of the value of “love”
and “beauty” which cannot be offered and superseded by the European civilizations
 Resist influence from the western powers

 For Fukuzama, the existing asia became the symbol of a doomed barbarity while for
Okakura, asia was the symbol of love, out of which the world’s three great religions
were born

8. What the significance of the petition signed by over 20,000 Hawaiians in 1898? Why is
language very important in revealing the truth?
it showed that they were against being apart of the united states. They did not want to be
annexed. Because language is a part of education and knowledge. Once education is
wiped out, so is culture and history. The United states wanted to ban and eradicate
Hawaiian culture by outlawing the teaching of Hawaiian language. English was the only
acceptable language. History is written by those who rule.

- Native hawaianns were against the united states’ occupation of hawaii

9. What was the cultural significance of the US annexation of the Philippines? How was the
annexation justified in the US? Why would this justification be condemned in today’s international
community?
It wanted to stop the spread of “colonism”. It was known as the “first Vietnam War”. It was
significant in that it was the first time that the united states had intervened. However, the
united states had another agenda – they were after the philippine’s resources at the same
time. It was jusifiticed because they though that they were protecting them from the
Spaniards

- “white mans burden to govern the ‘inferior people’”

- Saving them from the Spaniards
- Imperialistic motives
- To educate and Christianize the Flipinos
- The flipino government was not strong enough to rule

10. How was Modern Asian Culture influenced by the Eurocentrism ideas and practices? Please
give at least 5 examples from the readings we have covered.

Hegemony – a term used to describe how one nation or civilization has control over
another; leadership or predominant influence exercised by one nation over others, as in a
confederation.

- This began in Europe

- The dutch, French, Spaniards and british were all obsessed about ruling others
- The Europeans were the first to start seizing control and colonizing other countries
- China never did that, china only wanted to spread trade (they were content with
what they had) -- example

Individualism – emphasis on the individual

-asian culture (especially Chinese) practiced conficuism which is family centered
-asian idealogy = honor your family
-western culture = everybody for yourself
-individualism ties in with capitalism and free market
- In japan, dying for the emperor was the greatest honor in times of war (anti-
individualism). Besides the emperor’s life, one’s life was worth nothing. War world ii
kamikaze bombers and soldiers – example

Technology/modernization – originated from the west

-trading with Europeans/influence
-modernization
-buildings
-factories
-production increases
-mcdonalds -- example
- modern day korea or japan = mass technology production

Meji Japan (turn of the century) – example

 Wanted to shake off its centuries-long subordination to the centrality of Chinese
culture and aklso the traditional competition with korea for a place closer to the center,
by becoming part of the western and world civilization and re-ordering international
relations with east asia
 Faced racial problems while trying to join the west because japan was considered
colored
Religion (Christianity)
- Christianity was spread by the Europeans – example
- “God, gold, glory” were the motives of European exploration -- example
- Americans tried to “Christinize” the flipinos – example
- Modern day – korea is mostly catholics, flipinos are mostly catholics

Socialally, Asians have always been conservative