Required Readings and Assignments to Prepare for Japan

Preparing for the Program-All Readings and writing assignments posted to blog.

**Before arriving in Japan: read the Orientation Packet thoroughly and become familiar with Program Schedule (both posted on blog):

June Reading: What is Nationalism? National Narratives and Japan

●      Benedict Anderson, Imagined Communities (1983) [excerpt].

●      Yoshio Sugimoto, “Nation and Nationalism in Contemporary Japan,” Sage Handbook of Nations and Nationalism (2006), pp. 473-487.

●      Short reflection (300-500 words approx) due by July 7. Prompt and guidelines are posted here.

July Reading: Japan in Historical Context

●      John Dower, Embracing Defeat (1999), pp. 19-30.

●      Anne Allison, Precarious Japan (2013), pp. 21-42.

●      Lecture: Japanese National Identity in Historical Context

●      Short reflection (300-500 words approx) due by August 7. Prompt and guidelines are posted here.

August Reading: Political and Cultural Nationalism

●      Jeff Kingston, Japan’s Quiet Transformation: Social Change and Civil Society in the Twenty-First Century (2004), pp. 225-256.
●      Watch Spirited Away (2001)

●      Andrew Yang, "The Two Japans of 'Spirited Away'," International Journal of Comic Art (2010), pp. 435-452.

●      Short reflection (300-500 words approx) due by August 25 on your research interests and what you have learned so far about this topic. What you would like to learn/think about more in Japan?

Consider attending if you are in Seattle this summer:

Seattle Hiroshima Festival on August 6 - Students can attend and/or volunteer

http://fromhiroshimatohope.org/

Other Resources will be posted to the blog (optional readings, films, and activities)