The Emergence of Modern Japan

This course is a historical study of Japan during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. It will explore the culture, society, and politics that have contributed to the making of modern Japan. The course will focus on the modernization policy instituted in late nineteenth-century Japan, the Nanjing massacre, Japan's role in World War II, American occupation of Japan, the growth of Japanese industries, and the economic problems challenging the country during the past two decades. It will also examine the changes in gender roles, artistic representation, and popular culture.