JAP140 History and Politics of Modern East Asia

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2020
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Ing. Ivo Plšek, M.A., M. P. P., Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. PhDr. Luboš Bělka, CSc.
Department of Japanese Studies – Asia Studies Centre – Faculty of Arts
Supplier department: Department of Japanese Studies – Asia Studies Centre – Faculty of Arts
Timetable
Wed 14:00–15:40 K31
Prerequisites
English
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
This course introduces history, politics and international relations of East Asia from the late 19th century to the present. We will debate major events that defined – and continue to define – the fates of East Asia. It’s main countries - China, Japan and Korea - will be treated separately. But we will also study their interrelated histories. Forces, that brought modernity to this region (imperialism, colonialism, wars, nationalism, socialism, Cold War) influenced them all. Their reactions, often contingent upon each other yet different from one another, set them on distinct paths towards modernization and the 21st century. The bulk of the lectures will deal with China and Japan – the two powers that most significantly impacted the Far East. We will, however, also dedicate time to learning about Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
Learning outcomes
At the end of this course, students will gain a deeper understanding of East Asia and its development in the last two hundred years. They will know why Japan modernized first, why Hong Kong became an English colony, why Taiwan is fonder of Japan than Korea, why China did not crumble in the same way the USSR did, why the PRC and Taiwan claim the same founders but cannot agree on a shared future, etc. Students will thus develop a more acute sense of modern history and politics of East Asia and get a firmer grip on issues that are discussed in contemporary media.

Other than English language competence, there are no prerequisites for this course. It is suitable to students from varied disciplines. Majors in Chinese and Japanese studies, international relations, history and political science will find this class appealing.

Japan majors (PLEASE NOTE!): This course serves as an introduction to modern Japan by placing it in a larger international context. It is the first course in a sequence of English classes on modern Japan. If you intend to attend the other English courses in our program (JAP141 Contemporary Japan: Selected Topics in Politics, History and Culture; JAP132 Japan in 21st Century: From the Bubble Burst to Tokyo Olympics; JAP142 War, Memory and Politics in East Asia) it is highly advisable to take this class first. Its contents will also help you prepare better for the final state examination at the end of your program.
Syllabus
  • The rise of the West, Opium Wars and the Opening of East Asia
  • Meiji Restoration and Modernization of Japan (1853 - 1900)
  • Failed Modernization and the End of Dynastic Rule in China (1839 - 1911)
  • Outward Conquest: Japan Builds an Empire, Japan Loses an Empire (1900 - 1945)
  • China: A sleeping giant and national revolutions (1912 - 1945)
  • Invasion and Colonization: Perspectives from Korea and Taiwan
  • Japan Inc. - Becoming an Economic Behemoth (1945 – 1989)
  • Communist China: The Mao Era (1949 – 1976)
  • China after 1976: Deng Xiaoping and the Economic Revolution
  • Taiwan: From Dictatorship to Democracy (1945 - 1988)
  • Korea: From Korean War (1953) to Seoul Olympics (1988)
Literature
  • The search for modern China : a documentary collection. Edited by Janet Chen - Pei-Kai Cheng - Michael Lestz - Jonathan D. Spence. Third edition. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2014, xxiv, 625. ISBN 9780393920857. info
  • Modern Chinaa very short introduction. Edited by Rana Mitter. New York: Oxford University Press, 2008, 153 p. ISBN 0199228027. info
  • MITTER, Rana. A bitter revolution : China's struggle with the modern world. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004, xix, 357. ISBN 9780192806055. info
  • Historical perspectives on contemporary east Asia. Edited by Andrew Gordon - Merle Goldman. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 2000, xi, 362. ISBN 0674000986. info
  • DUUS, Peter. Modern Japan. 2nd ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1998, xv, 376. ISBN 0395746043. info
  • JANSEN, Marius B. The Cambridge History of Japan : The Nineteenth Century. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996. 5. ISBN 0-521-22356-3. info
  • Postwar Japan as history. Edited by Andrew Gordon. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1993, xii, 496. ISBN 0520074750. info
  • ECKERT, Carter J., Ki-päk I, Yŏng-ik YU, Michael Edson ROBINSON and Edward W. WAGNER. Korea old and new : a history. Seoul: published for the Korea Institute, Harvard University by Ilchokak, publishers, 1990, ix, 454. ISBN 9788933702093. info
  • The Cambridge history of Japan. Edited by Peter Duus. 1st pub. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1988, xviii, 866. ISBN 9780521657280. info
Teaching methods
Lectures, media (images, documentaries), class discussion.
Assessment methods
The course grade will be determined by two exams. A mid-term exam and a final exam (TBA: January 2019). Their weights are 35% and 65% respectively. The format of these exams will be multiple choice with one correct answer. Students will be tested on the topics covered in the lectures as well as on additional reading and audiovisual material. The final grading scale is as follows:
A 100% -90%
B 89% - 80%
C 79 - 75%
D 74% - 70%
E 69% - 65%
F 64% - 0%
Missing an exam can be excused only with a certified doctor's note. Lecture attendance is recommended but not required.
Language of instruction
English
Follow-Up Courses
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
General note: Předmět je určen i pro studenty mimo mateřské obory.
Teacher's information
TAKE NOTE:

This class is conducted in English. All communication, including emails, will be held in this language.

Your attendance is MANDATORY during our first meeting (18th September 2019). I will go over the course mechanics and start with the real course work.

My office hours take place each Wednesday after 17.45 in fall semester 2019. Appointment per email beforehand is necessary.

The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2017, Autumn 2019, Autumn 2021.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2020, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/autumn2020/JAP140