| History
of the Far East Since 1600
Spring 2001 Syllabus
CONTENT: "History of the Far East" (HIST 3611) explores the transition from tradition to modernity in East Asia, focusing especially on the major social, political, economic, and intellectual developments in China and Japan. In the case of China, the main theme examined will be that of increasing foreign domination and the nationalistic response, from the Song dynasty (960-1279) through the rise of the People's Republic of China. Regarding Japan, emphasis will be on Japanese attempts at warding off foreign domination, and internal developments which facilitated the same, from the Kamakura (1185-1333) period into the present. While the course will thus reach back much further into history than 1600, it does so primarily in an effort to make the last four centuries occasioning the modern transformation more intelligible within the overall narrative of regional and world history. Emphasis is on the modern vicissitudes of China and Japan. METHOD OF INSTRUCTION: While the instructor will lecture regularly, equal class time will be devoted to discussion of the assigned readings. Students are expected to have completed the readings, and be ready to discuss them on a weekly basis. The grade for class participation will be based on both attendance, which is expected, and active engagement in classroom discussions. GRADING: There will be two midterms and a final, each counting 20% of the final grade. A short research paper (7-10 pages), with notes and bibliography, will count for an additional 20% of the grade. Class participation in the form of both attendance and a readiness to engage in and/or respond to discussion of the lectures and readings will count for the final 20% of the grade. Attendance will be taken regularly. Repeated absences may result in a substantial reduction of the student's grade. January 8/10/12: Traditional China and the "International" Problematic of Modern China Schirokauer, chs. 8-10.January 15/17/19: Traditional Japan: The Balance of Power between Aristocrats & Samurai Schirokauer, chs. 11-12.January 22/24/26: Late Traditional China: The Manchu (Qing) Dynasty (1644-1911) Schirokauer, chs. 13-14; de Bary, SCT, chs. 25, 27.January 29/31/Feb. 2: Late Traditional/Early Modern Japan: The Tokugawa Period Schirokauer, ch. 15.February 5/7/9: The Coming (Intrusion?) of the West: China Schirokauer, ch. 16; de Bary, SCT, chs. 28-29.February 12/14/16: The Coming of the West: Japan Schirokauer, ch. 17; de Bary, SJT, chs. 22-24.February 19/21/23: The Emergence of Modern Japan: The Meiji Period (1868-1912) Schirokauer, ch. 18; de Bary, SJT, ch. 25.February 26/28/March 2: Self-Strengthening, Reform, and Revolution in China Schirokauer, chs. 19-20; de Bary, SCT, chs. 30-32.March 5/7/9: Reform and Revolution in China, cont. Review for Midterm: March 7March 12/14/16: Spring Break March 19/21/23: Imperial Japan in the Early 20th Century Schirokauer, ch. 21; de Bary, SJT, chs. 26-28.March 26/28/30: East Asia in WWII Schirokauer, ch. 22; de Bary, SCT, chs. 33-34.April 2/4/6: The Cold War in East Asia Schirokauer, ch. 23; de Bary, SCT, ch. 35.April 9/11/13: Postwar Japan Schirokauer, ch. 24; de Bary, SJT, ch. 29.April 16/18/20: The People's Republic of China Schirokauer, ch. 25; de Bary, SCT, ch. 36.April 23/25/27: Deng Xiaoping's New China De Bary, SCT, chs. 37-39.April 30: Term Papers Due/Review for the Final May 9 (Wednesday) 11:00-1:00
FINAL EXAM
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