HISTORY OF MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY JAPAN

Academic year
2018/2019 Syllabus of previous years
Official course title
STORIA DEL GIAPPONE MODERNO E CONTEMPORANEO
Course code
LT2800 (AF:295359 AR:117907)
Modality
On campus classes
ECTS credits
6
Degree level
Bachelor's Degree Programme
Educational sector code
SPS/14
Period
1st Semester
Where
VENEZIA
The course aims at the following learning goals:
a) knowledge of the historical context inside which the contacts between Europe and Japan developed from the age of exploration to the age of imperialism, with a focus on the evolution of the European racial discourse and the shift of European perception of Japanese from a ‘white’ to a ‘yellow’ race;
b) ability to critically understand the modalities of interactions between Europe and non-European societies as well as the political, economic, religious and cultural factors which contributed to the formulation of stereotypes and prejudices towards others;
c) ability to consciously apply these knowledge and understanding to contemporary problems such as those of interactions with otherness.
The course aims at the following learning goals:
a) knowledge of the historical context inside which the contacts between Europe and Japan developed from the age of exploration to the age of imperialism, with a focus on the evolution of the European racial discourse and the shift of European perception of Japanese from a ‘white’ to a ‘yellow’ race;
b) ability to critically understand the modalities of interactions between Europe and non-European societies as well as the political, economic, religious and cultural factors which contributed to the formulation of stereotypes and prejudices towards others;
c) ability to consciously apply these knowledge and understanding to contemporary problems such as those of interactions with otherness.
The course assumes that students do possess the knowledge and ability acquired in the course scheduled at the first (Modern History mod. 1 / Contemporary History mod. 1) or second (Modern History mod. 2 / Contemporary History mod. 2 / North American Modern History) year of the LCSL program.
The Orient in Western eyes: visions of Japan from the age of exploration to the age of imperialism: the contacts between Europe and Japan in the age of exploration (historical context); the European reports on Japan (selection of primary sources); the evolution of racial discourse in Europe from the late XVII century; the shift of European perception of Japanese from a ‘white’ to a ‘yellow’ race; from the ‘yellow race’ to the ‘yellow peril’.
Compulsory readings:
R. Kowner, “The skin as a metaphor: early European racial perspectives on Japan, 1548-1853”, in Ethnohistory 51, p. 751–778 (http://asia.haifa.ac.il/staff/kovner/(17)Kowner.2004a.pdf );
M. Keevak, Becoming Yellow. A Short History of Racial Thinking, Princeton University Press, 2011;
R. Caroli, “Una metropoli alla fine dell’Asia: Edo narrata dagli europei”, in Storia Urbana, vol. 146/2015, pp. 39-68;
E. Said, Orientalismo. L’immagine europea dell’Oriente, Feltrinelli, Milano 2002 (Introduzione e capitoli 1-4, pp. 11-114).

In addition to the above texts, not-attending students are also required to study:
M. Cooper (ed.), They Came to Japan. An Anthology of European Reports on Japan, 1543-1640, University of California Press, Berkeley 1965.
The oral examination (up to 30 points) aims at verifying the following knowledge and ability. It consists of:
1) a theme/topic chosen by the student, aiming at testing his/her ability to (a) put the issue in its proper historical contex and (b) develop and articulate a coherent historical narrative;
2) a question aiming at verifying his/her ability to (a) connect historical events and processes to specific circumstances of time and place as well as to broader processes occurring at the same time and (b) to make appropriate use of historical terminology, sources and methodologies;
3) a question aiming at verifying his/her ability to consciously apply the acquired knowledge and understanding to contemporary problems such as those of interactions with otherness.

For further details international students may contact the professor by email or during her office hours.
Frontal lesson, PowerPoint, online sources.
Italian
oral

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "International cooperation" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development

Definitive programme.
Last update of the programme: 20/05/2018