Overview
This unit will present a general overview of the major themes in modern Japanese history from the Tokugawa period to contemporary times. It will begin with a discussion of Japanese cultural traditions, followed by an overview of the Tokugawa period. The rest of the unit will explore: Meiji Japan, the era of Taisho and Showa democracy, the rise of militarism, World War II and the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere, the American Occupation, contemporary Japanese politics, economy, society, environment and foreign policy. You will learn, for example, why Japan invaded China, attacked Pearl Harbour and occupied SE Asia, and what explains Japan?s economic miracle. This unit is a great insight into Japan and will enhance your cultural understanding of Australia's most important trading partner.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Prerequisite: Minimum of 18 Units of Credit
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2023
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from 2022 SUTE Unit comments.
Some students recommended more variety in the types of assessment and move away from three essays.
From 2024, Modern Japan will have a new Presentation assessment item. Students will be asked to present on a significant Japanese history question with a cogent and convincing argument.
Feedback from 2022 SUTE Unit comments.
There was a student comment around wanting to engage with primary source documentation, and another comment around greater engagement in teaching. While the unit does contain some examples of primary sources and students are encouraged to read, analyse and use them, there is an opportunity to cater to both these comments at the same time with a prescribed activity via zoom on evaluating primary source documents. This will also be good pedagogy in terms of this unit soon becoming an AQF 8 unit.
Include a student activity of engaging with primary sources in Japanese history. While the activity itself will not be for assessment, the activity will be useful in the sense of using the analysis of primary sources for student essays and presentations.
Feedback from 2022 SUTE Unit comments.
There was a student comment about keeping the unit content updated and general feedback where 'useful learning materials' requires improvement.
Continue to update the various learning materials and bring in more information specifically about Japan and the world over the last decade when there have been many changes to Japan's security needs particularly.
- an understanding of the major themes in modern Japanese history as well as contemporary Japanese politics, economy, society (including women and minorities), environment and foreign relations
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|
| 1 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 30% | |
| 2 - Written Assessment - 40% | |
| 3 - Presentation and Written Assessment - 30% |
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|
| 1 | |
| 1 - Communication | |
| 2 - Problem Solving | |
| 3 - Critical Thinking | |
| 4 - Information Literacy | |
| 5 - Team Work | |
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | |
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | |
| 8 - Ethical practice | |
| 9 - Social Innovation | |
| 10 - First Nations Knowledges | |
| 11 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures |
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 30% | |||||||||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 40% | |||||||||||
| 3 - Presentation and Written Assessment - 30% | |||||||||||
Textbooks
A History Of Japan
- 2nd edition (2018)
- Authors: Totman, C
- John Wiley & Sons
- London London , UK
- ISBN: 9781405123594
- Binding: eBook
Additional Textbook Information
The textbook is freely available in the eReading List on Moodle. If you prefer your own copy, you can purchase one at the CQUni Bookshop here: http://bookshop.cqu.edu.au (search on the Unit code)
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- CQUniversity Library
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Turabian
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
m.danaher@cqu.edu.au
Week 1
Begin Date: 06 Mar 2023Module/Topic
Introduction
Chapter
One
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 2
Begin Date: 13 Mar 2023Module/Topic
Tokugawa Japan to the Black Ships
Chapter
Two
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 3
Begin Date: 20 Mar 2023Module/Topic
Imperial restoration and constitutional government: the Meiji era to 1889
Chapter
Three
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 4
Begin Date: 27 Mar 2023Module/Topic
Enriching and strengthening: The Meiji era from 1890
Chapter
Four
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 5
Begin Date: 03 Apr 2023Module/Topic
Foundation or facade? Political crossroads: 1912–1932
Chapter
Five
Events and Submissions/Topic
Vacation Week
Begin Date: 10 Apr 2023Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 6
Begin Date: 17 Apr 2023Module/Topic
The rise of militarism: 1930–1941
Chapter
Six
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 7
Begin Date: 24 Apr 2023Module/Topic
The Pacific war
Chapter
Seven
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 8
Begin Date: 01 May 2023Module/Topic
Defeat and occupation: 1945–1952
Chapter
Eight
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 9
Begin Date: 08 May 2023Module/Topic
Economic Japan
Chapter
Nine
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 10
Begin Date: 15 May 2023Module/Topic
Affluent Japan
Chapter
Ten
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 11
Begin Date: 22 May 2023Module/Topic
Postwar politics and society
Chapter
Eleven
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 12
Begin Date: 29 May 2023Module/Topic
Japan and the world
Chapter
Twelve
Events and Submissions/Topic
Review/Exam Week
Begin Date: 05 Jun 2023Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Exam Week
Begin Date: 12 Jun 2023Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Written Assessment
You are to choose one essay from the list of topics and write a 2200 word essay, which must be referenced using the Turabian referencing system. More details on this assessment piece, including the list of essay topics to choose from, are provided on Moodle (see Unit Assessment Details on Moodle).
Vacation Week Wednesday (12 Apr 2023) 11:45 pm AEST
Friday, 12 April, 2023
Within 12 days of receiving the essay.
The essay will be marked on the basis of your competency to:
-
succinctly answer the question in the prescribed word count
-
explain the significance of historical events and processes
-
locate and use scholarly material relevant to Japanese History
-
effectively organise, analyse and synthesise historical evidence
-
craft a well-structured, coherent, well-expressed and properly referenced historical essay.
All sources used must be appropriately acknowledged using the Turabian referencing style.
- an understanding of the major themes in modern Japanese history as well as contemporary Japanese politics, economy, society (including women and minorities), environment and foreign relations
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Team Work
- Cross Cultural Competence
2 Presentation and Written Assessment
Students are required to write one short essay.
The full details of this piece of assessment, including the choice of questions, are available on Moodle (see Unit Assessment Details on Moodle).
Week 9 Friday (12 May 2023) 11:45 pm AEST
Friday, 12 May, 2023
The grade and feedback will be returned to students within 12 days of receiving the assignment.
The short essay will be marked on the basis of your competency to:
-
succinctly answer the question in the prescribed word count
-
explain the significance of historical events and processes
-
locate and use scholarly material relevant to Japanese History
-
effectively organise, analyse and synthesise historical evidence
-
craft a well-structured, coherent, well-expressed and properly referenced historical essay.
All sources used must be appropriately acknowledged using the Turabian referencing style.
- an understanding of the major themes in modern Japanese history as well as contemporary Japanese politics, economy, society (including women and minorities), environment and foreign relations
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Team Work
- Cross Cultural Competence
3 Written Assessment
You are to choose one essay from the list of topics and write a 2500 word essay, which must be referenced using the Turabian referencing system. More details on this assessment piece, including the list of essay topics to choose from, are provided on Moodle, under Unit Assessment Details.
Week 12 Friday (2 June 2023) 11:30 pm AEST
Friday, 2 June, 2023.
This assessment will be returned within 12 days of receiving the assignment.
The essay will be marked on the basis of your competency to:
-
succinctly answer the question in the prescribed word count
-
explain the significance of historical events and processes
-
locate and use scholarly material relevant to Japanese History
-
effectively organise, analyse and synthesise historical evidence
-
craft a well-structured, coherent, well-expressed and properly referenced historical essay.
All sources used must be appropriately acknowledged using the Turabian referencing style.
- an understanding of the major themes in modern Japanese history as well as contemporary Japanese politics, economy, society (including women and minorities), environment and foreign relations
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Team Work
- Cross Cultural Competence
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
