East Asia Colloquium

TR 2-3:15, Room 217 Main Hall

Spring 2005

Dr. Leslie Heaphy

 

Office:  310D

Office Hours: M 12:30-1:30. MW 4:00-5:00 and TR 12:30-1:30 or by appointment

Contact information:  244-3304; Lheaphy@stark.kent.edu

 

Course Description:

This course will examine the history of China and Japan in the 19th and 20th centuries.  Various themes and topics will be explored through readings, discussions, films, writings and other formats.  The class will follow a chronological and topical format as such issues as war, politics, religion and education are explored in both countries.  Comparisons and contrasts between the two nations will be pointed out.

 

Course Objectives

1.      To give students a greater understanding of the modern history of East Asia

2.      To help students improve their knowledge of the role of Asia in the world

3.      To encourage students to look for connections between the past and present

4.      To introduce students to the methodology of history through a research project

5.      To develop students ability to communicate in written and spoken formats through discussions and various writing assignments

6.      To help students gain a greater appreciation for different views

7.      To help students develop their critical thinking skills

8.      To encourage students to pay more attention to the news of the day

9.      To develop an greater appreciation for the separate histories of China and Japan

 

Required Readings:

Confucius Lived Next Door

Modernization and Revolution in China

Red Azalea

A Modern History of Japan

And class handouts

 

Course Assignments:

 

Map Quiz …………………………………………..35 points

Exams……………………………………………….200 points total

Research Project…………………………………….200 points total

Participation/in class work…………………………..35 points total

Journal……………………………………………….50 points total

Review/responses…………………………………….50 points total

Discussion Questions…………………………………30 points total

 

Total: …………………………………………………600 points

 

A         540-600 points

B          480-539 points

C         420-479 points

D         360-419 points

F          Below 360 points

 

Policies/Services

Students with Disabilities

University Policy #3342-3-18 requires that students with disabilities be provided reasonable accommodations to ensure their equal access to course content.  If you have a documented disability and are seeking academic accommodations please contact Kelly Kulick in the Office of Student Disability Services at 330-244-3287.  Students need to understand that if they will be requesting academic accommodations they are required to present medical documentation that addresses their disability before they are eligible for assistance through the Office of Student Disabilities which is located in the new Campus Center.  The new office number for the Office of Student Disability Services will be #47.  The new phone number will be 330-244-5047.

 

Academic Honesty

All work that students hand in is expected to be their own.  Failure to do so is plagiarism and students could be subject to disciplinary action as outlined in the "Cheating and Plagiarism" section of the University's Digest of Rules and Regulations.  Your instructor may use software to identify portions of papers which have been copied from websites.

 

Writing Center

            Located in Main Hall, room 202, the Writing Center offers students help and instruction on any writing assignments in this class or any other.  They offer tutorials, handouts and brochures, and information on their website:  www.stark.kent.edu/writing.  There is no cost to use this service.

           

Testing Center

            The Testing Center is located in the lower level of the new Campus Center.  Call for hours and other information.  If you need to use their services for make-up tests be sure to bring your student id with you.  This is where all tutoring services are also located.

 

Campus Theme

This year the Campus Theme is Globalization.  The campus theme is designed to help students see connections between the classes they are taking as different disciplines may introduce the same topic but deal with it in different ways.  The book Globalization:  A Short History is available in the library for those interested.

 

Course Outline

The following outline is tentative and the readings are subject to change as the semester progresses.  Students will be kept informed as changes are necessary.  Students are expected to complete all readings before the class for which the pages were assigned.  Failure to keep up with the reading could result in pop quizzes being assigned by the instructor.

 

Week 1                        Overview and background

                                                Start Confucius Lives Next Door

Week 2                        Early 19th Century Beginnings

                                                Continue Confucius Lives Next Door; Chapter 1-2 in Gordon

                        *****Map Quiz January 27th ***************

Week 3                        Rebellions and Conflicts

                                                Finish Confucius Lives Next Door; Chapter 3 in Modernization and chapter 3 in Gordon

Week 4                        Coming of the West

                                                Read Chapter 4 in Gordon

Week 5                        Meiji Restoration

                                                Read Chapter 5-8 in Gordon

Week 6                        Decline of the Manchus

                                                Continue chapter 3 in Modernization   

Week 7                        Arrival of the 20th Century

                                                Read chapter 9 in Gordon

Week 8                        Rise of Militarism and Nationalism

                                                Read Chapter 4 in Modernization

                        **********1st Exam Due March 10th*********************

Week 9                        Between the Wars

                                                Read Chapter 10 and 11 in Gordon, and Chapter 5 in   Modernization

Week 10                      ****Spring Break*******

 

Week 11                      Chaos and internal struggle

                                                Read Chapter 12 in Gordon and chapter 6 in    Modernizations

Week 12                      Wartime struggles

 

Week 13                      Aftermath of war

                                                Read Chapter 7 in Modernizations and chapter 13 in   Gordon

Week 14                      Transformations

                                                Begin Red Azalea; Read chapter 14 in Gordon and chapter 8 in Modernizations

Week 15                      Rising and falling political fortunes

                                                Finish Red Azalea; Read chapter 15 in Gordon and chapter 9 in Modernizations

Week 16                      The Changing Faces

                                                Read  chapter 10 in Modernizations and Chapter 16 in Gordon

                        ********Research Project Due May 5th***********

Week 17                      Final Exam Week

                        *****2nd Exam Due May 10th at 1:00 and Presentations***************

 

Assignments

            Map Quiz

Each student will take one map quiz given in the second week of the semester.  If you miss the map quiz you will have one week to make it up at the testing center, though it will be different from the quiz given in class. 

Review Map

Review Map

 

Quiz Review

 

            Journal

Each student will keep a journal during the semester that will have 15 entries by the conclusion of the class.  Students can chose the format for their journal—ie. Handwritten, typed, on CD, disk or whatever.  Each entry should be at least 250 words and will include the date of the week written at the top and have the article it is a response to attached or included. 

Each journal entry is a response/reaction to a newspaper article from current news sources that deals with China and/or Japan.  Students can use any English language newspaper they wish to find their articles and the topics can be on any subject related to China and/or Japan.  Students will then respond to the article using the following guidelines:

 

  • Main theme of article
  • Support used/given
  • Biases or not of the author(s)
  • Relationship to class readings/discussion—tie-in to historical information (This is really key)
  • Audience article written for
  • Lessons learned
  • Questions unanswered

Journals will be collected with the exams on March 10th and May 10th.

 

            Discussion Questions

Students will periodically be given discussion questions to respond to as they read.  These will always be due in the following class.  Students will also be asked on occasion to develop their own discussion questions for the class.

            Discussion Question 1—due 1/25

            Reviews/Responses

Students will complete one book/film review on a book/film of their choosing related to the course and one response to one of the required readings for the course.  The review will be due in the 11th week of the semester (March 31st) and the response will be due in the 14th week of the course (April 21st).  All books/films must be approved ahead of time by the instructor.  Separate guidelines for each project will be handed out in class.  Some suggestions for books/films will also be handed out though students do not have to choose from that list.

            Suggestion List

            Guidelines

 

            Exams

Students will complete two exams during the semester.  These will be take-home exams and are due in the 8th and final week of the semester.  Further directions will be given out in class.  No late exams will be accepted since these are take-home exams.

            Exam 1

            Exam 2

 

Research Project

Each student will complete a research project on a topic of their choosing, though all topics must be approved by the instructor by February 10th.  The basic requirement for the topic is that it must fit within the parameters of the course.

Students should choose a topic that interests them in order to be able to research and write a 20 page paper.  For this paper students can choose one of the topics in the suggested list below but they can also develop their own ideas.  Late papers will only be accepted until May 6th and will lose 3 points each day they are late. 

Be sure to properly cite all quotations, paraphrases etc using the Chicago Manual of Style.  Failure to cite material will result in a failing grade for the project.

 

Basic requirements

            20 pages, typed and double spaced

            Proper citations—footnotes or endnotes in Chicago Style

            Full Bibliography –not counted in pages for paper

            Use of at least 6 sources—no encyclopedia sources are acceptable, students cannot rely solely on the internet for their sources either

            Title Page—Title of Paper and Student Name all that is necessary

            Single staple in upper left hand corner

 

Required Stages of Project:

            Approved topic—by February 10th

            Thesis statement—Due on February 24th

            Outline—Due March 17th

            Rough Draft—Due April 7th

            Final Paper—Due May 5th

            Poster Presentation—May 10th at 1 pm.

 

Grade will be based upon the following:

  • Strength of thesis statement
  • Number of sources
  • Proper citations
  • Page Length
  • Organization and flow of paper
  • Support and evidence for thesis
  • Use of sources
  • Grammar and style of writing—lack of errors
  • Conclusion
  • Historical accuracy
  • Completion of all parts of the project

           

 

China/Japan Topic Ideas

 

Boxer Rebellion                        Empress Dowager                                Chinese Military

Taiping Rebellion                      Opium Wars                                         Propaganda

White Lotus Society                 Unit 731                                               WWII

The Long March                       Mao                                                     Chiang Kai-Shek

Lin Biao                                   The Gang of Four                                 Religion

3 Gorges Dam                          Sumo Wrestling                                    Japanese Baseball

Olympic sports             Rape of Nanking                                  US Occupation

Cultural Revolution                   Tiananmen Square                                Red Guard

Great Leap Forward                 China and Korea                                  Sino-Japanese War

Saigo Takamori                        Film Industry                                        Anime and Manga

Hirohito                                    Meiji Restoration                                  Yamamoto

Last Emperor                           Gender issues                                       Environmental issues

Education                                 Kabuki Theater                                    Noh Theater

Peiking Opera                          Music                                                   Doll Theater

Literature                                  Art                                                       Tibet

Economic changes                    Hong Kong                                          Taiwan

Satsuma Rebellion                    5 Year Plans                                         Role of Confucianism

Influence of the Samurai            Geisha                                      Comfort Women

Nationalism and identity            Saigo Takamori                                    Ainu

Terracotta Warriors                  Great Wall                                            Russo-Japanese War

Modernization