Session 01—Tu, Jan 17: Orientation • Historical Overview (1868–ca. 2000)

Topics for this session

◊ Class orientation
❖ Historical overview of all eras covered in this class

Thoughts*

If you are waitlisted, you need to attend this class.

This class gives a basic orientation on how the course will run, then a very brief overview of Japanese history from 1868 to the present. I also distribute a historical chart with eras, authors and texts plotted onto it. This can be useful throughout the term. The historical chart is available on bSpace.

Required—to be completed for today's session

✓ Read the syllabus in full and be ready to ask questions. I do not cover it in class but I will answer questions if asked. (Access through sidebar.)

✓ Read "Assignments & Test Details" and be ready to ask questions. This is essentially the more fluid portion of the syllabus. As with the syllabus, I don't cover it in class but I will answer questions if asked. (Access through sidebar.)

✓ Read "Policies" now. It has content that affects your grade, sometimes dramatically. The "Academics Honesty" page is very long. Become familiar with it and be able to answer in class, should I ask, "What is the over-the-shoulder rule?" and "What do I mean by 'context is king'?"

Texts, multimedia notes, links*

nothing yet ...

Other*

◊ Waseda University has a Japanese literature site in English. This has biographies for many of the authors we mention in class (and others of course). It also has a simple timeline and very abbreviated history of Japanese literature: Waseda Univ Jse Lit Home Page

*THOUGHTS: Reading before class probably helps follow session content, reading afterwards might help consolidate notes, revisiting for tests is recommended. Content might be added before class or anytime up until about 24 hours ahead of a midterm.

*TEXTS, MULTIMEDIA NOTES, LINKS: If I have read from something, shown something or presented audio, I usually include that information here. If I consider it testable material, it will definitely be listed here. Miscellaneous material that I show may or may not be listed. I often add material at the last minute and hope to have time later to note it, but often cannot.

*OTHER: When possible I note here names, places, and other details that I have mentioned in a lecture that would otherwise not be accessible in the assigned materials or easily located on your own. As with "TEXTS ..." this is usually sometime after class and, again, I might not be able to get around to doing it.