JAPN 312 - Crossing Borders: Japan, Travel, and the World

Credits: (3)
College Curriculum: COLL 200, COLL 350
Domain (Anchored): ALV
Domain (Reaching Out): CSI

This course delves into the dynamics of travel, migration, occupation, and other cross-border movements between Japan and the global community during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. We aim to uncover the meanings embedded within these cross-border movements, viewing them not merely as individual acts, but as reflections of critical issues spanning nation-state dynamics, civilizations, capitalism, racism, colonialism, imperialism, war, citizenship, and identity.

In the contemporary United States, where physical and social mobility holds significant value, cross-border movements are often perceived as personal decisions. However, it is imperative for us to acknowledge that such movements are influenced by a multitude of political, geopolitical, and economic forces. By examining the historical backdrop for these movements, we can better understand the motivations and impulses driving individuals to traverse borders.