2024/25 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

HIST2645 The Rise of Modern Japan: From the Meiji Restoration to the Present Day

20 creditsClass Size: 45

Module manager: Dr Anastasiia Akulich
Email: A.Akulich@Leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2024/25

This module is not approved as a discovery module

Module summary

The course provides an introduction to major themes and issues in modern Japanese history. It begins with an analysis of the transition from Tokugawa 'feudalism' to the modernizing Meiji regime in the late 19th century. It looks at Japan's catch-up industrialization and the rise and course of Japanese imperialism, culminating in the Pacific War and American Occupation. It reviews Japan's remarkable progress since the Second World War, focusing on the developmental state, but also on its 'immobilist' political system and the constraints on social change in the late 20th century.

Objectives

On completion of this module, students should be able to show:
- an informed understanding of Japanese political, economical and social development since the mid 19th century; and
- understand the major historical debates on selected themes including, modernization in the late 19th century, the course of Japanese imperialism, the nature of the development state, and social change and class conflict in Japan.

Skills outcomes
Enhances Common Skills listed below:

High-level skills in oral and written communication of complex ideas.
Independence of mind and self-discipline and self-direction to work effectively under own initiative.
Ability to locate, handle and synthesize large amounts of information.
Capacity to employ analytical and problem-solving abilities.
Ability to engage constructively with the ideas of their peers, tutors and published sources.
Empathy and active engagement with alternative cultural contexts.

Syllabus

The course provides an introduction to major themes and issues in modern Japanese history. It begins with an analysis of the transition from Tokugawa 'feudalism' to the modernizing Meiji regime in the late 19th century. It looks at Japan's catch-up industrialisation and the rise and course of Japanese imperialism, culminating in the Pacific war and American Occupation. It reviews Japan's remarkable progress since the Second World War, focusing on the development state, but also on its 'immobilist' political system and the constraints on the social change in the late 20th century.

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Lecture	11	1.00	11.00
Tutorial	9	1.00	9.00
Private study hours			180.00
Total Contact hours			20.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			200.00

Private study

Researching, preparing, and writing assignments; undertaking set reading; and self-directed reading around the topic. 183 hours.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Contributions to class discussions, an assessed exercise or exercises , an assessed essay.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Essay	3,500 word assessed essay	70.00
Assignment	1,500 word historiographical essay	30.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 18/10/2024

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