HIST 141 East Asian Survey Since 1600

A survey of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean societies from the late 16th century to the present. The focus will be on the transformation of their traditional order, from relative isolation to the confluence of East-West history. Several themes to explore include: the clashing of cultural values; maritime trade; persistent Confucian values vs. rising forces of imperialism, nationalism, and revolutionary ideologies; contrasting roads taken by each society in order to meet the challenges of modernity; cultural debates over gender and generational issues; and contesting appeals of Western ideologies, from liberalism to fascism and communism. Finally, a review of the post-WWII era: opposing alignments in the U.S.-led Cold War; socialist state building and experimentations; military rule; democracy; Asian-style fundamental societal changes, including youth and mass culture; successive economic "miracles," and China's re-emergence as a global power.