Instructor: Professor Ann Jannetta                                                Office hours:

Office: 3K23 FQ                                                                        Tuesday             1-2 pm

Phone: 648-7470                                                                        Thursday            11-12 noon

E-mail: annj@pop.pitt.edu                                                            By appointment

Homepage:www.pitt.edu/~annj/courses/1431/

Required Readings:

Books for sale in the Pitt Book Center:

Conrad Schirokauer. A Brief History of Japanese Civilization, 1993.

Chie Nakane and ShinzaburÇ Æishi. Tokugawa Japan. U of Tokyo, 1990.

Ariyoshi Sawako. The Doctor=s Wife. Kodansha, 1978.

Course Packet (available in Pitt Book Center)

HMP: Homepage assignments. Course notes.

Course Description:

This course surveys Japanese history from prehistory to 1850. Approximately one-third of the course focuses on the Tokugawa, or early modern period, 1550-1850. Major themes are the origins of the Japanese people, the influence of Chinese civilization, the rise of the warrior class, and the rise and fall of centralized feudalism. Class time will include lectures, films and slides, and discussions of issues and readings.

The course requires extensive reading of secondary literature on Japan,  and Japanese primary sources in English translation.  Readings will be taken from the required texts listed above, a required course packet, and readings on the course homepage [HMP - see address above].

Discussions and quizzes on the readings are an integral part of this course: quizzes may be given on any reading after the assigned date.  Quizzes and exams are based on the readings, the material presented in lectures, and class discussions.  Examinations will include 2 midterm examinations (50 percent); a final (40 percent); quizzes and class participation (10 percent). Quizzes may be short answer and map quizzes, in-class essays and home assignments. 

    REGULAR ATTENDANCE IS EXPECTED