Conquest and Resistance in Modern Asia

Catalog description

This course examines the impact of one of the key dynamics of late modern history in Asia: colonialism. It takes a comparative look at how imperialism was experienced by the invading power and the colonized people in traditionally lesser-studied regions of the world. We look at a number of case studies of Western and Japanese colonialism from the 19th century onwards, including – (1) the Spanish and the US in the Philippines (2) the British experience in Asia (primarily India but also Burma); (3) the French in Vietnam; (4) The Dutch experience in Indonesia; and finally, (5) the Japanese in China, Taiwan, and Korea, and later during WWII, in Southeast Asia. (Other case studies may also be used.) We examine the social, economic, cultural, political, and personal impact of imperialism on both the metropole and the colony. We will read memoirs, watch music videos and films, and discuss issues such as the nuts and bolts of colonial rule, the role of women, attitudes towards race and identity, indigenous pursuit of modernity, and nationalism among others. Emphasis on learning to think globally and provides University Studies students and majors with an introduction to historical thinking.