HIST 175: Modern East Asia
Note: Be sure to check PSU's course management system (commonly known as ANGEL) at least once a week. All announcements for the course and all class presentations will be posted here.
Term: Spring, 2007
Time/Place: M, W; 3:35-4:50 / 373 Willard
Instructor: Gregory Smits
Office: Weaver 211
E-mail: gjs4@psu.edu
Office Phone: 863-0172
Department of History Office Phone: 865-1367
Office Hours: 2:25-3:25, M & W
Graduate Assistant: N/A
Exam #1: Monday 19 February
Exam #2: Monday, 2 April
Exam #3: As scheduled during finals week (see Elion)
Books:
1. General textbooks (optional). The following book is available at the bookstore. It is an excellent textbook, but it is also very expensive:
Patricia Buckley Ebrey , Anne Walthall , James B. Palais , Modern East Asia: A Cultural, Social, and Political History
From 1600.
ISBN-13: (978-0-618-13385-7) 333 Pages Paper © 2006
List Price: $56.76You are not required to buy this book (disregard the "required" label in the bookstore), and the exams in the course will be based on lectures and my own web-based materials. A free comprehensive textbook in East Asian history can be found at this URL:
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/eastasia/eastasiasbook.html
It can be useful for background reading and as a general reference book, although you are not required to read it.
2. You will need to read chapters from textbooks that I have put together, and they can be found at: www.east-asian-history.net. By the first class meeting, there will be a specific book for HIST 175. Chapters that are ready for you to read will show up as live links. Chapter titles that are not links indicate chapters that probably will materialize in time for us to use them. I will be writing the book throughout the semester as we go along. The chapters in this textbook will closely match class presentations, although there may be a few points that come up in class that the book does not cover, and there will definitely be material in the books not covered in class.
HIST 175 is a limited introduction to the modern histories of China and Japan with occasional reference to Korea. Because of the interconnected nature of the modern world, we will also have to concern ourselves briefly with regions outside of East Asia. We will operate at two different levels. At times, we will survey the basic facts of Chinese or Japanese history during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. At other times we will explore particular topics in depth. Some of these topics may seem unusual, although in all cases they will illuminate important aspects of Chinese or Japanese history. Furthermore, these specialized topics will usually be of broader significance to human history. For example, we will examine Japanese responses to two major earthquakes and the political implications of those responses. This general topic (the political implications of natural hazards and disasters) can serve as a useful lens for the study of any human society at any time.
There is no prerequisite for this course other than college-level skills in the following areas:
reading;
writing;
the ability to use a computer on a regular basis for electronic mail and web browsing;
thinking--especially critical interpretation & abstract ideas.
Of these skills, reading (and re-reading) is particularly important. The course is aimed primarily at students from the United States who have no previous background in the study of East Asia. (FYI: University Learning Centers.)
The course is fast paced, with success dependent on disciplined self-study. Because the pace is fast and the content relatively difficult, students who expect to do well in HIST 175 should generally spend between one and two quality hours of study outside of class for every hour of class time. Be sure that you have the time and energy to take this course at this time.
There are four factors that tend to make HIST 175 more demanding than other 100-level history courses
First is that the names of Chinese and Japanese people, places, concepts, etc. are, of course, Chinese and Japanese. This unavoidable fact imposes an added burden on the mind of those not familiar with Chinese and Japanese names (i.e., most students in the course).
Second, some of the cultural and other concepts we examine may be foreign to students from the United States (& elsewhere) and therefore require more effort to comprehend. On the other hand, the "foreign-ness" of the material may also make it more interesting.
Third is a high expectation of mastery. In other words, to do well in the course, you will need to understand thoroughly its key points and concepts. Simply memorizing factual information will not be sufficient.
Fourth, somewhat surprisingly at first glance, most of the essential course materials will be available on the web. Although indented as a means of making study more efficient and effective, the easy availability of this information enables some students to deceive themselves into bad habits such as failing to attend or studying only just before exams.
This section explains exams and grading in detail, and thus I will spend little time talking about these matters in class after the first day. It is important to understand the basis on which grades are assigned in this course. Grades are based on degree of mastery of the course content as measured by three exams of equal weight. This is the only basis on which grades are assigned. It is important to know that personal circumstances (e.g., getting married/divorced, having two jobs, being a graduating senior, the "need" for a certain level of grade, etc.) are not factors that influence the assignment of grades. There is no "extra credit." Class attendance is not a direct part of the grade, but regular attendance should be considered essential for learning the material and is expected.
The exams are rigorous and require analysis, not mere regurgitation of memorized material. The exam consists of 20 multiple-choice questions--about half of which test knowledge of basic facts and about half of which analytical--plus one long essay selected from a list of four. The exams are weighted equally, and the average of all three determines the final grade. Each exam covers material since the previous exam; they are not cumulative. The final, weighted percentage is then converted to PSU's grading system as follows: A = 92-100%; A- = 90-91%; B+ = 87-89%; B = 82-86%; B- = 80-81%; C+ = 77-79%; C = 68-76%; D = 50-67%; F = below 50% The dates and times of the exams are listed above. Be sure to be here for them because missed exams may not be made up except in the case of a serious emergency the day of the exam. In the unlikely event that an exam conflicts with an official university function, you may arrange to take it early. See the instructor in advance.
The exams are based mainly on the content of the course textbooks, but they also take into consideration the content of lectures and presentations. Lectures and presentations closely follow the textbook content but are not identical with it. Points that occur both in the textbooks and in class presentations are more likely to appear on exams than points that occur only in the textbooks or only in class presentations. However, a small percentage of exam content (roughly 10-20%) will consist of material from the textbooks but not covered in class.
Exams are given at the start of class on the scheduled day. They are intended to take about 50 minutes, but you will be able to use the entire period. Bring an examination book (commonly called a "blue book") with you on exam day, as well as both a pen and a pencil. Write both your name and student number on the multiple choice answer sheet. Do not write your name on the examination book. Instead, clearly write your student number on the front cover. Grading the exams usually requires two class days.
The course is based on the three textbooks, which have been written specifically for HIST 175. Class presentations by the instructor are based on the textbooks, but they do not cover all of the material in the textbooks. Class time is reserved for select topics, and these topics are provided for you (see "Lecture Topics" below). Note that it will sometimes be your responsibility to learn the basic political narrative of Chinese and Japanese history through your own reading of the textbooks. Of course, if anything is unclear to you, feel free to ask the instructor, but we will make no attempt at total coverage of the textbooks in class.
If you require accommodation for a disability, you must first identify yourself as disabled to the appropriate university office (click here for details). This office will make a determination of your disability and accommodation(s) based on medical information. The instructor for this course will not (and cannot) make such determinations, but he will be happy to help you contact the appropriate people for assistance.
Basic fairness to all requires reasonable standards of academic honesty. For reference, the official policy of PSU regarding academic integrity is as follows:
49-20 Academic Integrity
Definition and expectations: Academic integrity is the pursuit of scholarly activity in an open, honest and responsible manner. Academic integrity is a basic guiding principle for all academic activity at The Pennsylvania State University, and all members of the University community are expected to act in accordance with this principle. Consistent with this expectation, the University's Code of Conduct states that all students should act with personal integrity, respect other students' dignity, rights and property, and help create and maintain an environment in which all can succeed through the fruits of their efforts.
Academic integrity includes a commitment not to engage in or tolerate acts of falsification, misrepresentation or deception. Such acts of dishonesty violate the fundamental ethical principles of the University community and compromise the worth of work completed by others.
To protect the rights and maintain the trust of honest students and support appropriate behavior, faculty and administrators should regularly communicate high standards of integrity and reinforce them by taking reasonable steps to anticipate and deter acts of dishonesty in all assignments (Senate Policy 44-40: Proctoring of Examinations). At the beginning of each course, it is the responsibility of the instructor to provide students with a statement clarifying the application of University and College academic integrity policies to that course.
Academic Integrity Resources for Students
Getting the Most Out of HIST 175:
There is no magic formula for doing well in this course. For most students, a substantial amount of effort will be necessary, but there are ways to maximize the efficiency of this effort. Here is a list of specific points based on years of experience:
Most students will need to read the textbook several times for full comprehension.
Be sure to click on and study the essential links (*______*). Especially in the case of graphic images, there is a tendency to regard them as superfluous decoration (a bias with deep roots in Western--i.e., Judeo-Christian--culture). In this course, however, the essential graphic images are designed to explain or illustrate material in novel ways. They are just as important as the text.
When reading, actually pronounce all the names and other foreign terms in your mind, even if your pronunciation is terrible. If you do not actually pronounce them, they will not stick.
Some students like to bring parts of the textbook to class. If you are one of them, you will need to print the relevant pages. One way to do so economically is to cut and paste from your browser into a word processor and then adjust the margins, fonts, etc. to your liking. If your goal is to spend very little money on printing, set the margins as wide as they'll go, use an 8 or 10 point Roman font, and set line spacing to 0.9 (instead of 1.0). Such settings will reduce many chapters to just 3-6 printed pages. On the other hand, if you like to write notes in the margins or if squinting at small type is difficult, adjust the setting accordingly. Or, you may find that there is no need to bring pages to class. Try it both ways to see which is better.
Many of those who do bring pages to class perform a ritual common among undergraduate students: anointing the pages with various colors of highlighter ink. While this practice may have some benefits, a simpler method (e.g., drawing a line down the side of the relevant portion with a pen or pencil) usually produces all the benefits of highlighting with less effort, thereby allowing more energy for focusing on what is going on in class.
It is nearly impossible to let things go until just before the exam and still pass the exam with anything better than about a "D" (or worse). Even if your basic nature is to be lazy, steady, disciplined effort on a regular basis will be both easier and more productive in the long run. Regular, frequent study not only produces much higher exam scores, it also enhances learning and makes the course more enjoyable.
Why pay for something and then not take it? Come to class every time.
Do not hesitate to ask about anything that causes you confusion. Also, do not hesitate to ask about anything about which you may be curious.
Note: These are broad lecture topics, and they correspond to the textbook chapters.
Introduction
Part One: Shaking Up the Old Order
Japan's Ansei Edo Earthquake
Japan's Meiji State
The Late Qing Dynasty and its Collapse
Late Qing China Through the Lens of Epidemics
Part Two: Social and National Engineering
National Identity in China and Japan
Attempts to Make Japanese through Religion and Education
Strengthening the National Body in Japan and China
Part Three: Politics and Wars
Japan's Meiji Constitutional Order
The First Sino-Japanese War - The Washington Conference
Warlords, the CCP, and the Guomindang
The Long Pacific War, 1931 - 1945
Part Four: Recent History
Battling Vermin in the PRC
Early Postwar Japan
The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution
Japan's Gilded Age
China's Gilded Age