Department of Japanese Studies, School of Modern Languages and Cultures HKU

This Japanese-medium interdisciplinary content course looks at major influential “Nihonjinron” texts written in the post-war era. The term “Nihonjinron” refers to a genre of texts which discuss unique features of Japanese society and people and have been written by authors of various fields. Students will be expected to read a selection of key texts in their Japanese-language version in depth and examine them critically. The historical background of each text will be discussed thoroughly to provide students with critical perspectives on these texts.

Elective Course
JAPN4023	“Nihonjinron”: The question of Japanese uniqueness	6 credits

This Japanese-medium interdisciplinary content course looks at major influential “Nihonjinron” texts written in the post-war era. The term “Nihonjinron” refers to a genre of texts which discuss unique features of Japanese society and people and have been written by authors of various fields. Students will be expected to read a selection of key texts in their Japanese-language version in depth and examine them critically. The historical background of each text will be discussed thoroughly to provide students with critical perspectives on these texts.

Prerequisite: JAPN4088. Japanese language IV (Part 1) or JAPN4099. Japanese language IV (Part2): Capstone experience; OR
Co-requisite: JAPN4088. Japanese language IV (Part 1) or JAPN4099. Japanese language IV (Part2): Capstone experience
Assessment: 100% coursework
(Offered in 2020/2021, 2nd semester)