Course Description
Examination of imperialism in East Asia in the nineteenth and
twentieth centuries. Focus on the ideologies and structures of
the Japanese empire compared to those of Western empires.
Athena Title
Imperialism in East Asia
Prerequisite
Any 2000-level HIST course
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Student Learning Outcomes
- By the end of this course, students will be able to arrive at conclusions about the history of imperialism in East Asia by gathering and weighing evidence, logical argument, and listening to counter argument.
- By the end of this course, students will be able to write stylistically appropriate papers and essays. Students will be able to analyze ideas and evidence, organize their thoughts, and revise and edit their finished essays.
- By the end of this course, students will be able to identify how the history of imperialism in East Asia shaped diverse social and cultural attitudes toward ethnicity, gender, and power, encouraging them to understand diverse worldviews and experiences.
- By the end of this course, students will be able to apply appropriate methodological approaches to their analysis of primary sources and to organize their evidence to show historical continuities and discontinuities.
Topical Outline
- Part I: What is Imperialism? (Introduction, Theories, Background)
- Part II: The Early Modern East Asian World Order
- Part III: China and the Opium War
- Part IV: Japan as Nation-State and Empire
- Part V: Japan's Empire in Global Context
- Part VI: Anti-Colonial Nationalisms and Pan-Asianism
- Part VII: Womanhood, Gender, and Empire
- Part VIII: Colonial Modernity, Collaboration, and Resistance
- Part IX: Life under Colonial Rule
- Part X: Wartime Imperialism
- Part XI: Postcolonial and Postwar East Asia
Institutional Competencies
Analytical Thinking
The ability to reason, interpret, analyze, and solve problems from a wide array of authentic contexts.
Communication
The ability to effectively develop, express, and exchange ideas in written, oral, interpersonal, or visual form.
Critical Thinking
The ability to pursue and comprehensively evaluate information before accepting or establishing a conclusion, decision, or action.
