Japanese Intellectual History I-E2

Numbering Code U-LAS01 20013 LE38 Year/Term 2022 ・ First semester
Number of Credits 2 Course Type Lecture
Target Year All students Target Student For all majors
Language English Day/Period Tue.2
Instructor name Niels van Steenpaal (Graduate School of Education Associate Professor)
Outline and Purpose of the Course This course will introduce the student to the “intellectual history” of Japan, both as a body of knowledge, and as a particular historical method. That is, besides deepening our understanding of the philosophies, ideologies, and mentalities that helped shape Japan, we will also develop the skills necessary to meaningfully examine these ideas as academic problems. Rather than a chronological survey, the approach of this course is thematic. Each class will focus on the significance of one particular idea/phenomenon. The key terms for this semester will be space, time, and culture.
Course Goals Upon the successful completion of this course, students will:
(1)be familiar with the presuppositions and narratives of historical theory.
(2)have a general understanding of the ideas and ideologies of the Japanese early modern and modern period.
(3)learn to use the historical method to question cultural assumptions.
Schedule and Contents The tentative weekly topic schedule is as follows:
1.Introduction
2.What is History?
3.What is Intellectual History?
4.What is Japan?
5.Premodern Time
6.Modern Time
7.Historical Time
8.Japanese Space
9.Asian Space
10.Oriental Space
11.Strange Space
12.What is Culture?
13.Japanese Culture
14.Japanese Self
15.(final exam)
16.Feedback

(Please note that the above themes and their order might vary from year to year)
Evaluation Methods and Policy Grading will be based on a final exam only.
100% Final Exam
Course Requirements As a survey introduction class, this course will require no reading preparations, but basic competence in English is required to fruitfully engage in class and the exam. Furthermore, although not a strict requirement, it is recommended that the student has a grasp of the basic outlines of Japanese history.
Study outside of Class (preparation and review) Reviewing class notes and possibly clarifying unclear items through independent study.
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