About This Course

This cutting-edge course, offered in a collaborative effort by historians from MIT, Harvard, and Duke, leverages digital archives to offer a new perspective on Japanese history through images. Participants will delve into different historical periods and events using primary visual sources, exploring the effects of Westernization, moments of social protest, and the rise of modernity in Japan.

What Students Will Learn

• How to interpret and "visualize" historical events and cultural shifts in Japan from the 1850s to the 1930s using digitized sources.
• Insights into significant historical themes such as Westernization during Commodore Perry's expeditions, social protest exemplified by the Hibiya Riot, and modernity as evidenced in Shiseido's corporate archives.
• Techniques for both learning and teaching historical content through visual materials, enhancing both academic and pedagogical approaches.

Course Prerequisites

No specific prerequisites required. This course is designed for anyone interested in Japanese history, digital humanities, or historical visualization techniques.

Course Coverage

• Analysis of digital transformation in historical methodology.
• Examination of Western influence in Japan post-1853 through visual representations.
• Study of social upheaval during the Hibiya Riot through participatory reports.
• Exploration of consumerism and gender roles in interwar Japan through Shiseido's archives.

Who Should Take This Course

This course is tailored for history enthusiasts, students, educators in the field of history, and anyone interested in the visual documentation of cultural and historical shifts.

Application of Learned Skills

The skills acquired from this course have real-world applications in educational settings, academic research, content creation for digital media, museum curation, and historical consultancy. Understanding the use of digital archives and visual data can significantly enhance the analytical skills necessary for various professional roles in humanities and social sciences.

Course Syllabus

• Introduction: New Historical Sources for a Digital Age.
• Module 1: Black Ships & Samurai - Commodore Perry and Westernization.
• Module 2: Social Protest in Imperial Japan - The Hibiya Riot of 1905.
• Module 3: Modernity in Interwar Japan - Shiseido & Consumer Culture.