HIST 302W

Nationalism and Cultural Identity in Modern Japan

Note: Be sure to check your PSU e-mail regularly (to modify your e-mail information: https://www.work.psu.edu/). I will typically send out course-related announcements and certain essential materials via e-mail. For PSU computer access account information, click here.

Note: This syllabus is available on the web at: http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/g/j/gjs4/302w.htm. The web-based version is preferable to the paper version because of the many hyperlinks in the document. I distribute a paper copy of the syllabus on the first day of class only to facilitate our reviewing it in detail.

Basic Information:

Term: Spring, 2004

Time/Place: Monday 02:30P - 05:30P / 415 Weaver (PSU main campus map)

Instructor: Gregory Smits

Office: Weaver 211

E-mail: gjs4@psu.edu

Office Phone: 863-0172

Department of History Office Phone: 865-1367

Office Hours: T, W, & Th: 3-5  (history faculty office hours)

Dates to Remember:  See detailed schedule below

Required Books:

1) Web-based textbook: Smits, Making Japanese  (Textbook Site)

2) Ernest Gellner, Nations and Nationalism, Cornell University Press, 1983. ISBN: 0801492637

3) Benedict Anderson, Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism, Verso Books, Revised edition, 1991. ISBN: 0860915468

4) Tessa Morris-Suzuki, Re-Inventing Japan: Time, Space, Nation, M.E. Sharpe, 1998. ISBN: 076560082X

5) Stephen Vlastos, ed., Mirror of Modernity: Invented Traditions of Modern Japan, University of California Press, 1998. ISBN: 0520206371.

6) You will also need to read one other book of your choosing from the following list:

·      Takashi Fujitani, Splendid Monarchy: Power and Pageantry in Modern Japan, University of California Press, 1996. ISBN: 0520213718.

·      Carol Gluck, Japan's Modern Myths: Ideology in the Late Meiji Period, Princeton University Press, Reprint edition, 1987. ISBN: 0691008124

·      Darrell William Davis, Picturing Japaneseness: Monumental Style, National Identity, Japanese Film, Columbia University Press, 1996. ISBN: 0-231-10231-3

·      Kosaku Yoshino, Cultural Nationalism in Contemporary Japan: A Sociological Enquiry, Routledge, 1992. ISBN: 0415071194.  <<Note: seems to exist only in hardcover and costs $100—borrow this one.>>

·      Harumi Befu, ed., Cultural Nationalism in East Asia, Institute of East Asian Studies, University of California, Berkeley, 1993. ISBN: 1557290393.  <<Note: Seems to be out of print, but a few used copies are out there on the web. Get this one early.>>

·      Julia Adeney Thomas, Reconfiguring Modernity: Concepts of Nature in Japanese Political Ideology, University of California Press, 2002. ISBN: 0520228545  <<Note: only available in hardcover as of now, but some used copies are out there. You will probably want to try to borrow this one.>>

Note: Books 2-5 are available in the usual PSU outlets, but you can also buy new or used copies from web-based vendors. Buying only used copies can often cut your textbook bill for the course in half. See the instructor if you are not aware of how to do this. The two largest vendors are amazon. com and barnesand noble.com, and powells.com is, to my knowledge, the largest used book merchant. There are also book search/sale services like texbookhound.com that will search multiple vendors--and these are only a few of the many possibilities.

Note: Select the book for #6 with some care, based on your interests. For example, those interested in contemporary Japan or in the social sciences might want to read Yoshino. Those with an interest in Japan’s imperial institution or in the intersection between politics, institutions, and symbols might want to read Fujitani. Those interested in intellectual history might prefer Gluck. Those with interests in cultural studies and film might prefer Davis, and those who want to extend the geographical scope of their reading to China and Korea (as well as Japan) should select Befu. Julia Thomas’s challenging book is examines the intersection of ideas and politics through the lens of changing views of nature. Much of it deals with Japanese constructions of identity, and some of this material overlaps with the core reading of the course. Please do not ask me which book is the easiest on the list (they are all difficult). To find out more about each book, go to place like www.amazon.com or the publisher’s web site and read the short summaries, tables of contents, sample pages, etc.

Note: It is your responsibility to obtain a copy of the book for #6. If you act early, you might be able to borrow one from a library. Any local bookstore can order the book for you, but be warned that this method can require a month or more for the book to arrive. Ordering through web-based booksellers is usually the best way to go, and often the book can be bought used at a substantial discount. If outlets like Amazon do not have the book (or have it but specify a long shipping time), going directly to the publisher’s web site usually works (though this route is usually more expensive). In any case, do not delay obtaining this book beyond the mid point of the semester.

Course Description:

HIST 302w is a seminar-style course intended as a capstone for the history major. It is the most rigorous course in the undergraduate history curriculum. Each section of 302w takes up a different topic, and the approaches to these topics vary. This section of 302w explores the topic of nationalism and the closely-related topic of cultural identity, first in general and then in the specific context of modern Japan. It emphasizes careful reading, analysis, and the expression of this analysis verbally and in writing. In terms of the sub-fields of history, this seminar-style course deals mainly with cultural history, especially the intersection of culture and politics. Many of the readings also deal with the closely related subfield of intellectual history.  Please note that as a specialized academic term “nationalism” is not equivalent in meaning with “militarism” or “patriotism.” This course will not deal in any substantial way with military history.

The goals of this course can be divided into areas of knowledge and the enhancement of specific skills. Regarding knowledge, those who do well in this course will:

• understand the theoretical basis of modern nationalism in general (extremely difficult);
• understand the major ways in which modern nationalism developed in  the case of Japan;
• understand the importance of culture in the politics of modern nationalism, whether in Japan or elsewhere.

Accomplishing these goals will greatly enhance your understanding of modern Japan. Furthermore, because Japan is a rather typical case of a modern nation, understanding nationalism and cultural identity in the context of Japan will also enable you to understand many of the key dynamics of the modern world in general.

In terms of intellectual skills, those who do well in this course will enhance their abilities in:

• critical and analytical reading
• critical and analytical thinking
• academic discussion
• explanatory writing.

Each of these intellectual skills is an important component of the work of historians, and they are also essential for success in many aspects of professional life in general. Furthermore, this course will provide some sense of what a typical graduate reading seminar is like. The quality expectations in this course will be similar to those of a graduate seminar, but we will proceed and a slower pace. Were this an actual graduate seminar, we would cover about fifteen books (one per week). Here were cover six books.

Success in this course requires steady and substantial effort on a weekly basis. The work load is heavy and the expectations for quality are high. If you tend to put things off or if you and unable or unwilling to read academic books and write well-crafted papers about them, you should re-consider your decision to take this course.

Course Requirements:

Attendance: Students must attend every session of this course except those that are optional or those in which a different group is meeting. Be sure to look over the schedule below and make sure now (during the drop-add period) that you will be able to attend every required session.

Other Work: Students must complete each assignment by the due date (see the schedule below). The assignments include a total of five review papers, two take-home exam papers, and a presentation. Appropriate participation in discussions is also expected. “Appropriate” means engaging in active explanation of the topics at hand based on an informed opinion (i.e., having done the required reading). Some people are more talkative than others, and this is OK. Relatively quite students need not worry about speaking up constantly, but you should speak up at least occasionally. On the other hand, please avoid attempts to monopolize the discussion or route it into irrelevant or unconstructive areas.

Schedule and Assignments:

(Dates in bold type indicate meetings of the entire class.)

January 12 – Orientation  <<Whole Class>>

We will deal with logistics during this first class session, including dividing the class into two groups.

January 19 – What is Nationalism? Part 1  <<Whole Class>>

Assignment: Study the introduction and first two chapters of Making Japanese, including the links. Be familiar with the basic facts of the creation of Japan’s Meiji state, and be prepared to discuss the nature of modern nations. Pay particular attention the final section in Chapter 2.

January 26 – What is Nationalism? Part 2  <<Group A>>

Assignment: Read Gellner, Nations and Nationalism, turn in a review paper at the start of class (with copies for all), and be prepared to discuss the book.

February 2 – What is Nationalism? Part 2  <<Group B>>

Assignment: Read Gellner, Nations and Nationalism, turn in a review paper at the start of class (with copies for all), and be prepared to discuss the book.

February 9 – What is Nationalism? Part 3  <<Group A>>

Assignment: Read Anderson, Imagined Communities, turn in a review paper at the start of class (with copies for all), and be prepared to discuss the book. In the discussion and in your paper, please make some effort to integrate the points in this book with the points that have come up in previous class sessions.

February 16 – What is Nationalism? Part 3  <<Group B>>

Assignment: Read Anderson, Imagined Communities, turn in a review paper at the start of class (with copies for all), and be prepared to discuss the book. In the discussion and in your paper, please make some effort to integrate the points in this book with the points that have come up in previous class sessions.

February 23 – Inventing Japan  <<Group A>>

Assignment: Read Morris-Suzuki, Re-inventing Japan, turn in a review paper at the start of class (with copies for all), and be prepared to discuss the book. In the discussion and in your paper, please make some effort to integrate the points in this book with the points that have come up in previous class sessions.

March 1 – Inventing Japan  <<Group B>>

Assignment: Read Morris-Suzuki, Re-inventing Japan, turn in a review paper at the start of class (with copies for all), and be prepared to discuss the book. In the discussion and in your paper, please make some effort to integrate the points in this book with the points that have come up in previous class sessions.

March 8 – Spring Break

March 15 –Discussion of Making Japanese, Ch. 3-6  <<Whole Class>>

Assignment: Turn in take-home exam at the start of class (questions distributed via e-mail before spring break). Be prepared to discuss these chapters both on their own terms and with reference to the books we have read thus far. When reading these chapters, be sure also to study the required links (indicated by *____*). You will also need to have decided which book you will read under item #6  above (Required Books), and I will ask for this information at the start of class.

March  22  -- Inventing Japanese Culture  <<Group B>>

Assignment: Read Chapters 1-8, 13-14, and 17 in Vlastos, Mirror of Modernity, turn in a review paper at the start of class (with copies for all), and be prepared to discuss the book. In the discussion and in your paper, please make some effort to integrate the points in this book with the points that have come up in previous class sessions.

March 29 -- Inventing Japanese Culture  <<Group A>>

Assignment: Assignment: Read Chapters 1-8, 13-14, and 17 in Vlastos, Mirror of Modernity, turn in a review paper at the start of class (with copies for all), and be prepared to discuss the book. In the discussion and in your paper, please make some effort to integrate the points in this book with the points that have come up in previous class sessions.

April 5 – Individual tutoring

April 12 –  No Class  <<Instructor will be out of town--work on presentations and papers and/or the final exam paper>>

April 19 – Presentations on additional book 

Assignment: Read one of the books from the list under #6 (Required Books), turn in a review paper at the start of class (with copies for all), and be prepared to make a fifteen minute 10 minute presentation on the author’s main arguments. In both your presentation and paper, please make some effort to integrate the points in this book with the points that have come up in previous class sessions.

April 26 – No class (but instructor will be available to meet with students individually)

Assignment: work on final exam paper (assignment to be distributed by e-mail--or click here). To prepare for the final exam paper: Reflect on the course as a whole, and ponder major questions such as the definition of nations, how nations interact with states, modern notions of “race” or ethnicity, and so forth. In addition, ponder Japan’s development as a modern nation and how culture and politics interacted to create certain institutions and “traditions” in modern Japan. Drawing on your knowledge of the history of other parts of the world, in what ways was Japan’s experience similar to or different from that of other countries? Draw on all material from the course: readings, discussions, the web site (see below), and your own ideas while preparing the final exam paper.

April 30 (Friday) – final exam papers due (send as an e-mail attachment)

Specific Instructions for Preparing Papers and Exams:

Review Papers: The papers should use a 12- or 14-point font (not 10 or 8), double spacing, with a one inch margin on all sides of the page. Please number all pages after the first. The papers should do two things: a) explain the author’s main argument(s) (note: an argument is not the same as a topic or theme); and b) convey to the reader an understanding of the book in general. They should not exceed 6 pages in length. Papers should be clear and concrete. Please use ordinary words and expressions, but select your words with care. Avoid the passive voice and any other grammatical construction or word choice that might lead to vagueness. Papers should be free of errors in grammar, diction, and usage. In other words, papers should reflect a thorough understanding of the book, and they should reflect care in writing. It is likely that you will need to write more than one draft of papers to produce a high quality essay.

Very important point: AVOID EXTENSIVE OR LENGTHY QUOTING FROM THE BOOK UNDER REVIEW. Your paper should be 95% or more your own words. In those rare instances when you might quote or closely paraphrase, refer your reader to the appropriate page number(s) from the book simply by using parentheses (not foot or end notes). Again, be sure that your book review consists of your own words, not those of someone else.

Be sure to read any comments I make on the papers with care and consider them insofar as they might be relevant to future papers. I expect that the quality of the papers will increase as the course goes on. I strongly recommend that you prepare for writing your papers by:

• Reading the books with care, taking notes as needed;
• Study these brief guidelines for formal writing to avoid the most common errors: http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/g/j/gjs4/writing.htm.
• Study at least one general guide to expository writing. There is no need to buy another book. John P. Broderick’s The Able Writer: A Rhetoric and Handbook is an excellent choice. You can read each chapter as a PDF file: http://web.odu.edu/al/jpbroder/ablewriter.html. If a comprehensive guide like Prof. Broderick’s book is too much for you, you should at least review the basics of grammar and style. A good choice here is Jack Lynch, Guide to Grammar and Style: http://newark.rutgers.edu/~jlynch/Writing/a.html. The all-time classic is William Strunk, Jr., The Elements of Style, now available here: http://www.bartleby.com/141/. For other web-based guides to writing, style, and grammar, see: http://www.libraryspot.com/grammarstyle.htm.
• Study examples of excellent review papers written by PSU students. I will link several examples to the course web site (see below).

Be sure to make enough copies of each review paper to distribute to the other members of your group (i.e. about 6-8 copies depending on group size). Soon all the campus buildings will be set up for wireless computing and we can do away with most forms of paper. But notebook computers are not practical yet in our building. So please make paper copies, which we will read at the start of each session. Be sure to keep all of the copies of classmates’ papers you receive as an important study aid. Everything in the course is cumulative and comprehensive.

Take-Home Exams. Take-home exams should conform to the same formatting guidelines as the review papers. Instead of reviewing a book, however, the exam will ask you to write one or two short essays selected from a list of possible items. The instructions provided with the exam will explain the writing task and the maximum length for each essay. Be sure to study these instructions with care before writing. The exams—and everything else in this course—is comprehensive.

Grading:

Grades are based on degree of mastery of the course content and skills as measured by the papers, the take-home exams, an in-class presentation, and class discussion. This is the only basis for assigning grades. It is important to know that personal circumstances (e.g., getting married/divorced, having two jobs, the "need" for a certain level of grade to graduate, etc.) are not factors that influence the assignment of grades. Note especially well that the need for a "C" or better in order for the course to count toward graduation in no way ensures that you will receive a "C" or better. You must earn that grade. There is no "extra credit."

For grading purposes, the weighting of assignments and other activities is as follows:

• The 5 review papers and the first take-home exam are 10% each, for a total of 60% of the final grade.
• The final take-home exam is 20% of the final grade. Please be aware that to do well on this exam, you will need to be familiar with all the previous work in the course.
• Participation is 20% of the final grade, broken down as:
  • presentation (in April): 5%
  • following instructions and course procedures: 5%
  • preparation for class sessions as indicated mainly by discussion, but also possibly by other means such as bringing valuable materials to the attention of the class (see web site section below) : 10%

Grades on each assignment are expressed as percentages. This final percentage converts to PSU's grading system as follows:

Course Web Site:

The course web site is at this URL: http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/g/j/gjs4/302w/.  I will be posting or linking valuable information to it throughout the course. Please check it at least once a week. If you come across anything that might be of benefit to the class a whole please bring it to my attention so that I can put it on the web site. It is likely that the site will become a useful aid in preparing the final exam paper.

Disabilities:

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.

Academic Honesty:

Basic fairness to all requires reasonable standards of academic honesty. Specifically, plagiarism (use of another's ideas and/or words as your own without proper acknowledgment) and other forms of cheating are unacceptable. Although circumstances may vary, ordinarily, clear cases of academic dishonesty will result in a grade of zero for the assignment in question and referral of the case to the appropriate university disciplinary unit.

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.