Gods to Godzilla: A Survey of Japanese Culture

Catalog description

This course will examine the formation of Japanese culture through the lens of exchange and adaptation. Seeking to examine our understanding of "Japan" and "culture," the course will explore the interplay between culture and identity, with the Japanese experience providing a viewpoint that differs from the standard Western-centric narrative in important ways. Focusing primarily on cultural studies and history, we will also consider not only how the world influenced Japan, as is the standard narrative, but also, how Japanese culture impacted other cultures, both near and far, as the country emerged from being an obscure Asian island to a cultural superpower at the beginning of the 21st century.