AS/HS 330 - Japan & Korea - History, Society and Popular Culture

This course examines the entwined histories of Japan and Korea from the nineteenth century to the present, emphasizing how cultural, political, and ideological entanglements continue to shape contemporary society, media, and national identity. Students will investigate key historical processes of imperialism, colonialism, nationalism, and cultural production, analyzing their expression in both the past and present-day contexts. Drawing on historical documents, fieldwork, and the analysis of contemporary cultural expressions, the course invites students to critically interpret how the past continues to inform present relations between Japan and Korea. Designed for students from all disciplines, the course equips participants with the historical grounding and analytical tools to understand Japan and Korea’s evolving roles in regional and global culture. The course also interrogates how media and memory serve as forms of historical narration, highlighting the epistemological stakes of visual and testimonial sources alongside traditional historiography.