HISTORY 490/590-II : Japan in the Age of the Shoguns.
Dr. Andrew Goble Department of History
361 McKenzie; 346-4800 University of Oregon
platypus@uoregon.edu Spring 2007; CRN 35460/35463
Office Hours: U 1400-1500, W 1000-1100. MW 1600-1720; Lillis 175.
This course covers the pre-modern Tokugawa (or, Edo) era (1600-1858) when Japan was ruled by shoguns of the warrior ( samurai ) class. This period followed Japan's medieval age - characterized by warfare, decentralization, enormous flux, and active overseas contacts – and was noted for rule by the warrior class, the abolition of warfare, stability and regulation, urbanization, the emergence of a vibrant commoner culture centered on the new city of Edo, economic growth, the spread of printing and literacy, and new types of foods and entertainments.
In discovering this time, we will join a German employee of the Dutch East India Company, Engelbert Kaempfer (1651-1716). Kaempfer sojourned in Japan in the years 1690-1692, fortuitously in a period (the Genroku era, ca. 1688-1704) which was one of the creative highpoints of urban commoner culture and of the hedonistic ethos of “the floating world” ( ukiyo ) that informed it. A physician and prolific writer, Kaempfer was a keen observer. His description of Japan, a best seller when first published in English in 1727, and a work that did much to shape early European knowledge of Japan, tells us much about material culture, protocols and norms, travel, food, and social make-up. The lectures, slides, and films in the course will be used to supplement and elaborate upon Kaempfer's account, which we shall read in conjunction.
Evaluation: Three quizzes on 4/23, 5/14, and 6/6, worth respectively 20%, 25%, and 15% of course grade. One essay, 3500 words, worth 40% of the course grade; the essay is to be substantively informed by Kaempfer, and/or building on themes and topics appearing in Kaempfer; the term paper is due no later than May 30 (late submission is liable to be penalized).
Graduate students : will fulfill the same requirements (though the term paper is to be no less than 4000 words), and in addition are required to submit a 1500 word book report, on a title to be chosen in consultation with instructor. The book report is due no later than 5/2. These assignments shall count respectively for 15%, 20%, 10%, 40%, and 15% of the course grade.
Textbooks: Totman, Early Modern Japan . Totman also has many guides to further reading.
Bodart-Bailey, Kaempfer's Japan: Tokugawa Culture Observed .
For a guide to some subjects of woodblock prints:
www.dartmouth.edu/~ukiyoe/index.html .
Readings : It is expected that the relevant readings will be consulted in timely fashion in order to keep up with and benefit most from the lectures.
HISTORY 490-II SHOGUN'S JAPAN .
ANTICIPATED LECTURE AND READING SCHEDULE.
4/2 Course Introduction; Background and Reunification.
Kaempfer, 40-96.
Totman, 1-35.
4/4 Lecture: The Tokugawa Settlement – Consolidating Authority.
Totman, 37-56, 80-99, 107-113.
4/9 The Ravages of Transition: FILM Harakiri ( Ritual Suicide ).
Kaempfer, 390-397.
Totman, 148-178, 348-357.
4/11 FILM Harakiri ( Ritual Suicide ) (continued).
4/16 Lecture: Ordering Society. Daimyo categories, Attendance, Status; Laws.
Kaempfer, 158-178, 229-235, 239-287.
Totman, 107-132.
4/18 Lecture: Ordering Society. Nagasaki , the Dutch, and Deshima.
Kaempfer, 137-157, 179-229.
Totman, 73-79, 113-117, 140-148, 482-503.
4/23 QUIZ ONE .
Lecture: Information and Movement: Maps, Food; Travel Problems.
Kaempfer, 239-246, 253-310, 385-390, 398-402, 431-438.
4/25 **SLIDE Lecture: The Tokaido: The Great Eastern Highway.
Kaempfer, 311-350, 417-424.
Totman, 247-252, 316-328, 442-450.
4/30 Lecture: Urbanization: Castle Towns , Edo, Osaka .
Kaempfer, 137-178, 311-324, 351-368, 378-385, 398-411, 424-431.
Totman, 63-67, 151-159, 223-229.
5/2 ** SLIDE Lecture: Scenes In and Around Edo .
Graduate students: book report due
5/7 Lecture: Popular Culture and Entertainment: Kabuki, Sumo.
Totman, 132-139, 195-222, 382-395.
5/9 Lecture: Food, Bathing, Health and Medicines.
5/14 QUIZ TWO .
5/16 Lecture: Tending to Illness
FILM Akahige ( Redbeard ).
5/21 FILM: Akahige ( Redbeard ) (continued).
5/23 FILM Akahige ( Redbeard ) (continued).
5/28 Lecture: Some Reproductive Matters: STD's, Abortion.
Totman, 235-259.
5/30 Lecture: Lust and Sexuality.
Totman, 195-222.
TERM PAPER DUE .
6/4 **SLIDE Lecture: Edo Bodies.
6/6 Lecture: Summary and Conclusion.
QUIZ THREE .
TERM PAPER GUIDELINES
1. The term paper -- worth 40% of the course grade and a major indicator of your engagement of the themes of the course -- is an opportunity for you to organize your thoughts in your own words.
2. The reader is NOT "looking for" a set result or interpretation, but for a good, thoughtful, well-organized and well-written paper.
You need to be attentive to overall structure - a good introduction stating the goal, problem or question; a middle portion (which can be broken down into sub-sections); and a conclusion; and of course a well-done citation style (please avoid citing in the body of the essay; please use footnotes or endnotes. please touch base with the instructor on this); all complemented by a fine bibliography.
In general, since Kaempfer's observations are valuable, it is entirely possible that you might wish to cite him directly. However, direct quotations should not be lengthy. Quotations more than five or six lines are usually too much, and the information is better conveyed in summary form. Direct quotations, which can be well selected pieces of information and a sign of your good reading, nevertheless generally do not count as part of “word count,” so be careful of the “padding instinct.” The instructor is happy to provide more specific feedback in individual cases.
3. In principle, material available on the internet is rarely an acceptable source of information for this course. Exceptions include web sites noted on the syllabus, or other sites that have been deemed acceptable in advance by the instructor (i.e. when you are starting your work, not when you are coming to the end of it, or after it is handed in).
4. Under all circumstances avoid the dreaded " P " (plagiarism) problem (double check that you have a fire-wall between your notes and summaries from sources and your final product).
5. Some guides to source material.
Totman throughout cites works that may profitably be regarded as guides to further reading on particular topics.
Three journals which are held in the Knight library, and which are also available online through the Knight Library, contain articles that you might find useful when considering your topic. These are Monunenta Nipponica , the Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies , and the Journal of Japanese Studies .
For a broader bibliographic guide (through the mid-1980s), consult John Dower, Japan: Seven Basic Bibliographies .