War and Peace: Voices from Japan
In this 10-week online, largely asynchronous course, we will consider the experiences of the people of Okinawa, Tokyo, Hiroshima, and Nagasaki, both in war time 1945 and in post-1945 peace time. What can we learn from the experiences of these people? How have their experiences informed discussions in Japan about war and peace? The objective of this course is not to debate who was/is "right" or "wrong," but to carefully consider the experiences and voices of the people in Japan who were impacted by the events to be discussed.
Course materials will include books, newspaper articles, primary-source documents, webinars, and other web-based materials. All required materials will be provided; books will be mailed and articles will be uploaded to the course Moodle.
Participants will complete required weekly readings, participate in asynchronous weekly online discussions, view a number of archived one-hour webinars (asynchronous), and participate in several synchronous one-hour webinars. (Synchronous participation is strongly encouraged, but these presentations will be recorded for those who cannot attend.) A final reflection paper is also required.
We welcome K-12 teachers from any discipline who are able to incorporate Japanese views of WWII and/or post-war peace in their classrooms. Please note that not all material may be suitable for all grade levels, but all contribute to your general understanding of the topic.
Participants who successfully complete all of the course requirements by the deadline will receive a $150 stipend, a one-year subscription to Education about Asia and a certificate of completion for 40 contact hours. Participants who do not complete the course will be required to return the books or pay for them ($150).
There are no prerequisites for this seminar, but some familiarity with the Battle of Okinawa and the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki will be helpful. We expect that the weekly time commitment will be approximately six hours inclusive of all activities. Participants will have access to materials prior to the beginning of the course and may read ahead.
Application deadline: September 6 or until course is filled. Space is limited to 20 participants