Samurai and Mongols: Japan’s Eurasian Dream

(4 Credits)

This seminar examines the history of Japan from the perspective of its relationship with China, Mongolia, and Russia. We will look at some of the native developments and foreign influences which most affected the course of Japanese history. We will trace first the function of the concept of “China” in ancient, medieval and early modern Japanese polity and culture, as well as the concept of “Russia” in modern Japanese domestic and foreign policy, and in political, intellectual, and cultural sphere. Since 1890s, Japan aggressively moved to northeast China, clashing with Russia and Mongolia. The seminar will compare between the different imperial formations (Japanese–Chinese–Russian empires), their colonial practices, the regional power dynamic throughout the twentieth century, and the role of “Mongolia” in Japanese continental policy. In examining these issues we will consider a variety of sources including contemporary accounts (both Japanese and foreign), legal and political documents, fiction, historical monographs, and films.