Japan; Society and Ideology

Sachihiko KONDO (Center for International Education and Exchange)

Cource Objective
   近世から昭和期にかけての天皇観などを概観し、日本社会のイデオロギー的な基盤を確認する

Learning Goals
   This class explores the relationship between the modern Japanese social structure and the modern Japanese ideology, which determines the life of ordinary democratic minded people. This lecture is, in other words, designed for those who wish to learn how Japanese people have accommodated other members of society and the power structures. Ideology has tended to be thought as a political matter. However, from a social psychological and sociological point of views, we need to think about what determines our everyday lives. Through examinations of Japanese history, culture, religion, language, media and up-to-date social issues, students will formulate ideas on how 'ideology ' has worked to support modern 'democracy', even some of the social structures seem to be problematic from the view points of democracy. Those who wish to discuss 'democracy', 'conservatism', 'egalitarianism', 'liberalism', 'freedom', 'Constitutional monarchy' and modern Japanese history (mainly post-war period) are all welcome.

Class Plan

	Theme	Content
Week 1	Introduction
Week 2	Japanese history (C18-C20)
Week 3	Tokugawa Ideology / Japanese history (pre-war)
Week 4	Ideological dilemma of modern democracy	Billig, M., Condor, S., Edwards, D., Gane, M., Middleton, D. and Radley, A. (1988). Ideological Dilemmas: A Social Psychology of Everyday Thinking. London: Sage.
Week 5	Meiji Restoration to Ultra-nationalism (pre-war and war-time)
Week 6	Chrysanthemum and Sword (Benedict)	Examine the war-time Emperorship from American anthoropologist's point of view.
Week 7	Dear General MacArthur (Sodei)	Read some letters which sifnified the idea of Empoeroirship during war-time period in Japan.
Week 8	Psychology and ethics of ultra-nationalistic regime (Maruyama)	Maruyama, M. (1963). Thought and Behaviour in Modern Japanese Politics. I. Morris trans. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Week 9	Right-wing discourse on Japanese post-war democracy (Mishima)	Mishima's Patriotism will be analysed
Week 10	Sociological approaches to Japanese monarchism (e.g. Fujitani)	Relatively new tradition of post-war Emperoireship will be analyzed
Week 11	Ideological Dilemma of modern democracy 2	Billig, M., Condor, S., Edwards, D., Gane, M., Middleton, D. and Radley, A. (1988). Ideological Dilemmas: A Social Psychology of Everyday Thinking. London: Sage.
Week 12	Mito Ideology / Japanese history (post-war)	The idea of supreme Japanese Emperorship will be reexammined.
Week 13	Review
Week 14	Examination
Week 15	Summary

Independent Study Outside of Class
   To be notified at the begenning of the class

Textbooks
   Handout will be suppleied through the Web-CT (Black Board) System

Grading Policy
   attendance / mini test 50%; Examination 50%