Japanese Contemporary Culture
Course code
HIL6599.HT
old course code
Course title in Estonian
Jaapani uuem kultuur
Course title in English
Japanese Contemporary Culture
ECTS credits
6.0
Assessment form
Examination
lecturer of 2026/2027 Autumn semester
Not opened for teaching. Click the study programme link below to see the nominal division schedule.
lecturer of 2026/2027 Spring semester
Not opened for teaching. Click the study programme link below to see the nominal division schedule.
Brief description of the course
The course examines the modernization process of Japanese society and culture from the Meiji Restoration (1868) to the present day. It explores the transition from a feudal society to a modern state, Western influences, militarization, post-war reconstruction, the economic miracle, and subsequent social challenges. Particular emphasis is placed on how these social upheavals are reflected in Japanese philosophy, literature, visual arts, and cinema, providing a foundation for understanding contemporary Japanese identity.
Learning outcomes in the course
Upon completing the course the student:
- identifies the key periods, social processes, and cultural trends of modern and contemporary Japanese history from the Meiji era to the present;
- understands the impact of modernization, encounters with Western culture, and the search for national identity on Japanese cultural history and social structure;
- analyzes 19th–21st century Japanese texts, artworks, and films within a socio-historical context, identifying traces of social change in creative works;
- discusses the transformations of Japanese culture in a globalized world and relates contemporary cultural phenomena to their historical background.
- identifies the key periods, social processes, and cultural trends of modern and contemporary Japanese history from the Meiji era to the present;
- understands the impact of modernization, encounters with Western culture, and the search for national identity on Japanese cultural history and social structure;
- analyzes 19th–21st century Japanese texts, artworks, and films within a socio-historical context, identifying traces of social change in creative works;
- discusses the transformations of Japanese culture in a globalized world and relates contemporary cultural phenomena to their historical background.
Teacher
Alari Allik
Study programmes containing that course