Six pages paper.

Please choose one topic in the PDF. And then I’ll give you the reading part.

FINALPAPER TOPIC AND REQUIREMENTS

In the past two hundred years of East Asian History, China and Japan faced severe

challenges from the West. Both China and Japan had to survive under this pressure and

establish their positions in the modern world. Intellectuals and politicians in both countries

looked to various sources for a solution. Furthermore, the two countries interacted with the

West in different ways and took different routes to modernity. How can we make sense of

these complex and fascinating modern evolutions?

1. In China, revolution was the answer to these challenges. But what does revolution mean?

Please utilize your reader and write on one of the following topics:

A. How did the Chinese elite mobilize citizens to achieve the goal of national unity? What

problems arose in the process of mass mobilization and sweeping reform? (Hint: Readings

from week 5 and 7)

B. What were some of the pros and cons of the “revolutions” from the point of view of the

Chinese citizenry? How did their lives change under communist rule? (Hint: readings from

week 7 and 9).

2. In Japan, “Departing Asia for Europe” had been a long-term strategy in embracing the

modern world. Please utilize your reader and write on one of the following topics:

A: How did the strategy of “borrowing from the West” create the problem of cultural

discontinuity and identity crisis in Japan? (Hint: Readings from week 2, 4, and 6).

B. How did ordinary Japanese citizens live under the U.S. Occupation? What were some

of the ways they “embraced defeat?” (Hint: readings from Week 6).

Requirements:

-This paper must be an academic and critical approach to the subject. Rather than

summarizing all events of the time period in question, you are encouraged to highlight

particular events or movements and explain their significance in your own words.

-Those who wrote their first paper on China must write this one on Japan, and vice-versa.

Those with a strong desire to write on an alternate topic must consult their TAs first.

-The paper must be at least 1800 words and double-spaced.

-The paper MUST be submitted on Gauchospace by 11:59pm on Wednesday, June 5.

NO LATE PAPERS WILL BE ACCEPTED.

-You may use additional sources to write this paper, but it is not required. Adequate

citation, however, is required and all students are encouraged to review citations methods.