Age of the Samurai

Catalog description

The term ‘samurai’ is synonymous with Japan, but just who were the samurai? In Age of the Samurai, we will explore the rise, fall, and afterlives of Japan’s legendary bushi, or samurai, class. Specifically, the class will focus on how these men and women ruled the Japanese state, articulated the ideological underpinnings of their class consciousness, and rationalized their changing position in society over seven hundred years. Finally, students will investigate the modern period where this widely misunderstood historical category became, both at home and abroad, a foundational part of Japanese national identity. No previous knowledge of Japanese history or culture required.