ASNS3002: Semester 2, 2022

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Units ASNS3002 Semester 2 2022 [Normal day]

Unit of study_

ASNS3002: Modern Japan

Semester 2, 2022 [Normal day] - Remote

Overview

You will learn the story of the changing life of the Japanese people since the mid-19th century until today, from the momentous Meiji reforms to the emergence of new social forces in the twentieth century, from the devastation of the Second World War to the trauma of the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

Unit details and rules

Unit code	ASNS3002
Academic unit	Asian Studies
Credit points	6
Prohibitions ?	None
Prerequisites ?	12 credit points at 2000 level in Asian Studies or 12 credit points at 2000 level in History
Corequisites ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Lionel Babicz, lionel.babicz@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Online task	Essay Written essay	30%	Formal exam period Due date: 14 Nov 2022 at 23:59	1x1500wd
Outcomes assessed:
Presentation	Tutorial Presentation Oral presentation	30%	Multiple weeks	1x1000wd
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Final Test Take-home exam	40%	Week 13 Due date: 01 Nov 2022 at 23:59	1x2000wd
Outcomes assessed:

Assessment summary

Tutorials will focus on the analysis and presentation of historical documents related to the subject of the week. Each week, a group of students will choose documents to present and questions to debate. Registration for these tutorial presentations and student-led discussions should be done on Canvas.

The Essay questions will be posted on Canvas during the semester. The essay will focus on a critical presentation of a historical question, with the help of primary and secondary sources. The primary sources to be used will be made available on Canvas along with the essay questions.

The Final test will take the form of a general reflexive question. It will provide students an opportunity to demonstrate their analytical thinking and how well they have understood the development of Japanese modern history.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a High distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a Distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100
Distinction	75 - 84
Credit	65 - 74
Pass	50 - 64
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

Work not submitted on or before the due date is subject to a penalty of 5% per calendar day late. If work is submitted more than 10 days after the due date, or is submitted after the return date, the mark will be 0.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Modern Japan: An overview	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 02	Tokugawa Japan	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 02	How to read a document	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 03	The mid-19th century crisis and the early Meiji revolution	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 03	An energetic society	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 04	The 1880s and 1890s: Defining a national identity	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 04	Nationalism and expansionism	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 05	Late Meiji: An end and a beginning	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 05	A modern, urban society	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 06	The 1910s and 1920s: An emerging mass society	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 06	Democracy and diversity	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 07	Contesting the modern in the 1930s	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 07	Reining in diversity	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 08	1930s-1945: The 'dark valley'	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 08	Militarism and war	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 09	Postwar Japan: 'Out of the ashes'	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 09	An occupied land	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 10	The 'economic miracle'	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 10	Affluence	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 11	The 'rich country'	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 11	Surmounting crises	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 12	The 'lost decade(s)' and the future	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 12	Japan in the 21st century	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 13	Take-home exam	Lecture (2 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance: Students are expected to attend every class meeting and participate actively.
For Zoom classes, students should have their cameras turned ON when possible.
Students currently residing in a different time zone will need to plan accordingly, and contact the coordinator with any questions or concerns.
Preparation: Students should commit to spend approximately three hours’ preparation time (reading, studying, homework, essays, etc.) for every hour of scheduled instruction.
Assessments: All assessments are compulsory. Failure to attend or submit any of the following assessments: Tutorial Presentation, Essay, Final Test will lead to an Absent Fail grade for the whole unit, whatever your other marks are.

See Canvas for more details.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

1. Tipton, Elise K., Modern Japan: A Social and Political History (Third Edition) Routledge, 2016.

2. Huffman, James L., Modern Japan: A History in Documents (Second Edition) Oxford University Press, 201.

Library links will be provided on Canvas.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. understand the major social, political, economic, and cultural transformations that changed Japan since the mid-nineteenth century until today: from a relatively isolated agrarian state to an internationally expansionistic industrialized society before 1945, and into a post-industrial economic world power since then.
LO2. read, analyse and use historical documents in oral presentations.
LO3. sharpen your research skills by writing an essay based on historical primary sources.
LO4. consider the meaning of history, historical perspective, and historical objectivity.
LO5. develop your generic skills of oral and written communication and critical thinking.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

The content of the Unit of Study is regularly updated, and student feedback is taken into account.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

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