The City in Modern East Asia

Undergraduate

This seminar explores the transformation of urban space in modern East Asia, examining how different kinds of cities (treaty port, colonial city, political capital, industrial center, etc.) in Japan, China, and Korea evolved in the context of imperialism, modernity, and globalization. We examine not just the trajectory and dynamics of these changes in East Asian cities, but we also consider the different methods used by historians to trace and analyze urban transformation over time. A focus on different cities across East Asia allows us to explore both general trends and themes in urban history as well as distinct, local historical experiences shaped by specific political, economic, and cultural contexts. Seminar topics include: the deep historical structures of cities in China, Korea, and Japan; state-led interventions into urban space through planning and infrastructure; urban politics including state-society relations and the emergence of urban publics; urban planning as a tool of governance and imperialism; urban mobility; the politics of urban infrastructure and large technical systems; environmental critique in the urban context; representations of the city in visual culture and literature; and ways of visualizing the city in maps, photography, and films. HU M 1:30pm-3:25pm