Polsci 431: Japanese Politics Study Guide
Spring 2005
K. Parris, AH 422, X4873
Office Hours: M
Course Description:
As the worlds first non western, industrial democracy, the second richest country in the world, and one of America’s closest allies (and sometimes rival), Japan represents a critical case for students of politics. This course is an intensive examination of the Japanese political system. After considering Japan’s emergence as a modern nation state in the 19th century we will trace the development of Japan’s political institutions and processes from the American occupation until the present. Throughout the quarter our focus will be on the changing relationship between the state and society in Japan and the way that Japan functions as a democracy.
Texts:
The following books are available at the Student Bookstore:
In addition other readings will be made available on reserve.
Course
Requirements:
Participation (10%): You are expected to come to class prepared and ready to discuss the reading. In order to facilitate meaningful discussion each student will sign up to be a discussant for three class periods. On each of these days the discussants will be prepared to summarize the reading and pose questions based on the reading. In addition, the discussant will turn in a one page response paper. This paper should identify the central argument in one of the assigned readings and pose three discussion questions for the topic of the day. These questions must draw on more than one of the assigned articles (or chapters).
Exams (60%): There will be a mid term and a final. Study guides will be provided before each test.
Research Paper (30%): Students will select a research topic of interest in consultation with the instructor. As a first step a research proposal (10%)(4-5 pages, typed double spaced) plus a bibliography with 5 sources) will be turned in. The proposal will set out the research question, the rational, the type of evidence to be examined and the expected conclusion. The final draft (20%) is to be 12-15 pages plus a bibliography with 10 sources. More information on the research paper will be provided in the second week of class.
Please check the schedule below to be sure that you will be able to complete all assignments on time. No late papers or make up exams will be given except in the event of a documented emergency.
|
Assignment |
Due Date |
Portion of Final
Grade |
|
Participation/ response papers(3) |
Throughout/ according sign-up sheet |
10 per cent |
|
Paper Proposal |
4/25 |
10 per cent |
|
Mid Term |
5/9 |
30 per cent |
|
Research Paper |
5/25 |
20 per cent |
|
Final |
6/6 |
30 per cent |
Class Schedule:
This schedule is subject to change. Changes will be announced in class, students are responsible for any announcements made in class, even if they do not attend.
|
Date |
Topic |
Assignment |
|
3/30 |
Introduction |
|
|
4/4 |
Meiji: The Historical Roots
of Contemporary Japan |
S, Garon,
“From Meiji to Heisei,” in Schwartz and Pharr, pp 42-62 Begin John Dower, chapter
1-4 |
|
4/6 |
Occupation: Revolution from
Above Again |
Dower, chapter 6-8 and 17 |
4/11-13 |
Institution Building |
Dower, chapter 9-15, and Epilogue |
|
4/18-20 |
Political Economy: The Rise
and Fall of Japan Inc? |
Edward Lincoln, “The Showa
Economic Experience,” Deadalus
vol. 119, p. 191-208 (by 4/18). (on
reserve) T. Pempel,
“Regime Shift: Japanese Politics in a Changing World Economy,” The Journal of Japanese Studies vol.
23 (Summer 1997) (by 4/18). (on
reserve) Robert Bullock, “Redefining
the Conservative Coalition,” in Schwartz and Pharr (S&P), 175-194 (by
4/20) Suzuki Akira, “The Death of
Unions’ Associational Life? In S&P, 195-213 (by 4/20) |
|
4/25 |
The Financial System Guest
Speaker : |
Paper proposal due in class |
|
4/27 |
The Party System and the
LDP |
Hrebnar, Parties,
1-142 |
|
5/2 |
Left Opposition Parties |
Hrebnar, chapters 7 & 8 Andrew Barshay,
“Capitalism and Civil Society in Postwar Japan,” in Schwartz and Pharr, 63-83 |
|
5/4 |
New Parties/New System? |
Hrebnar, chapters 6, 5, 9 |
|
5/9 |
Midterm Exam |
|
|
5/11 |
Political Culture: Uniqueness and Change |
Yamagishi Toshio, “Trust and Social Intelligence in Japan,”
in S&P, 281-297 Seymour Lipset,
“American Exceptionalism—Japanese Uniqueness,” in American Exceptionalism:
A double edged sword, 267-293, (on reserve). Eamon McCafferty, “The Great
Hanshin Earthquake: The Japanese Response,”, in Tay
T. Donahue, Exploring Japanese Consiousness,
137-146, ( on reserve) |
|
5/16 |
State, Religion, Welfare
and Well- Being |
Sheldon Garon,
“Managing Spiritual Life and Material Well being, in S. Garon,
Moulding Japanese Minds, 206-230 (on reserve ) Helen Hardacre,
After Aum: Religion and Civil Society in Japan, in
S & P, 135-154 Margarita Estevez-Abe,
“State-Society Partnerships in the Japanese Welfare State,” in S &
P, 154-172 |
|
5/18-23 |
Gender and Citizenship in
Japanese Politics |
LeBlanc, Bicycle Citizens,
1-28 (skim); 28-88 (read), (by 5/18) LeBlanc, 89-203 (by 5/23) |
|
5/25-6/1 |
Japan and the World Research Paper due in class 5/25 |
Research Paper due in class 5/25 Kim Reimann,
“Building Civil Society from the Outside In? Japanese International
Development NGOs, The State and International Norms,” in S&P,
298-315 Others TBA |
|
6/6 1:00-3:00pm |
Final exam |
|
Links of Interest:
Ground Zero 1945: Pictures by Atomic Bomb Survivors @ http://ocw.mit.edu/ans7870/21f/21f.027j/final/groundzero1945/index.html
Japanese Politics Central @ http://jpcentral.virginia.edu