歴史(PEAK)

This course offers a broad introduction to the socio-cultural and intellectual history of Japan since the 19th century in transnational perspective. Our understanding of modern Japanese history has benefited immeasurably from the expansion of the field of global history in recent years. Yet, the West’s instrumental role in the onward flow of civilisational development to the rest of the world is seldom questioned in modern global history at large. In contrast, this course introduces methods, concepts, and theories that could be used to look at Japan’s global past outside of West-centric and nation state-centric global narratives. By shifting our lens from international to transnational, state to non-state, and imperial to non imperial, it demonstrates how the perspective of transnational history—a way of doing history that transcends the nation-state—could
depart from a singular understanding of time and space based on the historical experience of the West, and open up fresh historical understandings based on the diversity and multitude of global historical experiences.

Course Objectives
- Introduce understandings of transnational history and intellectual history as they relate to modern Japan
- Understand problems, methods, and paradigms in the historiography of modern Japan
- Develop skills of analysis and interpretation of historical texts and contexts
- Acquire foundational knowledge and skills to open up new directions in modern Japanese history writing