Modern East Asia

Catalog description

This course is a broad introduction to modern East Asian history from the mid-19th century to the end of the 20th. Through three spatial modules-Japanese archipelago, Chinese mainland, and Korean peninsula-we will explore the interconnections and divisions between these different spaces during a time of rapid change. By diving deeply into a selection of primary and secondary sources (both visual and in translation) from this period, we will examine the major social, cultural, and political shifts over the 19th and 20th centuries in East Asia. We will in particular explore what modernity means in the context of East Asia.