JPNB12 History and Politics of Modern East Asia

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2021
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
Mgr. Jiří Matela, M.A., Ph.D.
Department of Japanese Studies – Asia Studies Centre – Faculty of Arts
Supplier department: Department of Japanese Studies – Asia Studies Centre – Faculty of Arts
Timetable
Thu 8:00–9:40 Virtuální místnost
Prerequisites
! JAP140 Modern East Asia && !NOWANY( JAP140 Modern East Asia )
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
there are 48 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
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 significant time to Korea and will also cover the history of 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.

The class will cover a modern period up to 1945. A following course (to be introduced in Spring 2022) will complete the history of East Asia by focusing on the 1945 - present period.
Syllabus
  • The rise of the West, Opium Wars and the Opening of East Asia
  • Meiji Restoration and Modernization of Japan (1853 - 1895)
  • Failed Modernization and the End of Dynastic Rule in China - part 1 (1839 - 1911)
  • Failed Modernization and the End of Dynastic Rule in China - part 2 (1839 - 1911)
  • Choson Korea (Korea before the arrival of the West)
  • Korea struggling for survival in the age of imperialism (1876 - 1910)
  • Outward Conquest: Japan Builds an Empire Japan and becomes a demoracy(1895 - 1931)
  • Outward Conquest: Japan turns to militarism and loses an Empire(1931-1945)
  • China: A sleeping giant and national revolutions (1912 - 1931)
  • China at war (1931 - 1949)
  • Invasion and Colonization: Perspectives from Korea and Taiwan
Literature
  • 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
  • SPENCE, Jonathan D. The search for modern China. 2. ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1999, xxxi, 728. ISBN 0393973514. info
  • DUUS, Peter. Modern Japan. 2nd ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1998, xv, 376. ISBN 0395746043. info
  • The Cambridge history of China. Edited by Denis Crispin Twitchett - John King Fairbank. 1st pub. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998, xxi, 1203. ISBN 9780521243339. 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
  • Chinese thought and institutions. Edited by John King Fairbank. 1st ed. Chicago: Phoenix books, 1957, xiii, 438. info
Teaching methods
Lectures, media (images, documentaries) and assigned scholarly books.
Assessment methods
The course grade will be determined by two exams. A mid-term exam and a final exam (TBA: December 2021). 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. I will go over the course mechanics and start with the real course work.

My office hours take place each Thursday after the class in fall semester 2021. Appointment per email beforehand is necessary.

In fall 2021, this class will be conducted ONLINE.

The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2019, Autumn 2020, Autumn 2022.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2021, recent)
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