Images of Japan: course description
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Gaye Rowley, Waseda University. Tuesdays and Thursdays 13.20-14.50
In this class we will look at Japan’s image abroad since the beginning of the twentieth century. Over this period, Japan’s image abroad has undergone several changes, some of them dramatic. At the same time, however, there have also been some constant, unchanging elements of this image. Several books and films during this period were very popular among ordinary people with no special interest in Japan. It is these popular works, rather than scholarly research, which have determined the general image of Japan. In the class we will discuss various of these films / film versions of books, and consider how the images they present affect our understanding of Japan—and of ourselves.
