EAST 385 - Utopianism and Political Imagination in East Asia

Second Semester. Lewis Mumford wrote that utopia could mean either the ultimate in human hope or the ultimate in human folly.  This course seeks an historical understanding of utopian ideologies and how they fueled social and political movements in modern China, Japan and Korea.  Some of the topics explored are the meaning of utopianism, socialism and utopianism, 1920s dystopian Japanese literature, the 1930s utopian experiment of Manchukuo, Mao’s utopian dream and capitalism and utopianism in South Korea.  Counts toward the History major.

Prerequisites & Notes
Prerequisites: A background in East Asian history.
Consent of instructor required.

Enrollment Limit:  15.

Mr. Park

 

Credits: 3 Credits