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HIS31280

Academic Year 2026/2027

Rise, Fall, Rise of Modern Japan (HIS31280)

Subject:
History
College:
Arts & Humanities
School:
History
Level:
3 (Degree)
Credits:
10
Module Coordinator:
Dr Declan Downey
Trimester:
Autumn
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

A hundred years ago, the European powers were at the centre of the world’s wealth and power. Within fifty years that position of global pre-eminence had shifted to the United States of America. This had led inevitably to realignments in the balance of power and new rivalries as well as new opportunities. About twenty years ago a more recent shift in the balance of world economic power to East Asia with Japan at its epicentre took place. With the largest surpluses in the history of merchandise trade, Japan had transformed itself into a financial and technological superpower and set a dynamic example for other East Asian nations to follow.

Despite war, destruction and occupation Japan, has since 1945, emerged as one of the world’s major economic and financial powers. This module will examine the impact of Western expansion in East Asia on Japan and how the Japanese responded to it politically and culturally. Also it will examine the consequences of Japan’s response to the West for other East Asian nations, particularly China and Korea. It will analyse the political, diplomatic, economic and cultural dynamics in Japanese History that contributed to its rise and to its role as a major power on the global stage.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of this module students should be able to:

Demonstrate knowledge and critical understanding of Japanese History and of its international relations with the Western Powers as well as its East Asian neighbours.

Assess individual aspects of Japanese History and Culture in their broader context

Present aspects of the historical debates on the relations between Japan and China and Korea and on those between Japan and the Western Powers.

Write scholarly major essay, without recourse to AI, appropriate for a Third Level student of History

Indicative Module Content:

Lecture I: The Harmony of Tradition & Modernity and Continuity amid Change: Introduction to the Cultural-Political & Social Foundations of Modern Japan

Seminar I: First Encounters with The West

Lecture II: Reunification & Consolidation of Early Modern Japan
Japan’ Christian Century

Seminar II: Ukiyo-é : The Floating World of Edo Period Japan

Lecture III: Twilight of the Tokugawa Shogunate

Seminar III: How did the Unequal Treaties Encompass the Fall of the Tokugawa Shogunate ?

Lecture IV : The Meiji Restoration of 1868

Seminar IV: Traditional Continuities Amid Socio-Economic & Political Changes

Lecture V: The Significance of Saigo Takamori’s ‘ Nobility of Failure’ (1877) in the Reassertion of Traditional Japanese Values & Culture

Seminar V: Reaction & Reassertion of ‘ Traditional Japan’ in the Modernisation Process : General Yamagata Aritomo & ‘ The Nation of Samurai ‘

Lecture VI: From the Sino-Japanese War (1895), to the Russo-Japanese War (1905), Japan’s achievement of co-equality with the Western Powers & The Annexation of Korea

Seminar VI: Oral Presentations by Students

Lecture VII: Auspicious & Inauspicious Times: Japan, World War I
& the Versailles Treaty Conference

Seminar VII: From Versailles to Pearl Harbour: Japanese Politics and External Relations

Lecture VIII: Sino-Japanese Rivalry and the impact of US policies and strategies

Seminar VIII: Japonica Contra Mundum: Japan and the Pacific War 1937-1945

Lecture IX: Postwar Japan: Premier Yoshida Shigeru: “the Japanese Talleyrand”

Seminar IX: Pax Japonica: New challenges and responsibilities for Japan as a regional and world power

Lecture X – Reconciling Modernity and Tradition: the Enigma of Contemporary Japan

Seminar X: Review of Course & Final Questions & Answers Session

UNESCO highlights a set of key competencies that support individuals in their development and support society in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UCD has adapted these competencies and is combining them with others to form a general framework of learning competencies. This module will help you develop the competencies below to the levels specified. 
Learning Competency Additional Information Level

Collaboration

 The ability to learn from others; to understand and respect the needs, perspectives and actions of others (empathy); to understand, relate to and be sensitive to others (empathic leadership); to deal with conflicts in a group; and to facilitate collaborative and participatory problem solving. Competent

Critical Thinking

 The ability to question norms, practices and opinions; to reflect on one’s own values, perceptions and actions. Competent

Systems Thinking

 The ability to recognize and understand relationships; to analyse complex systems; to think of how systems are embedded within different domains and different scales; and to deal with uncertainty. Advanced Beginner

Strategic

 The ability to collectively develop and implement innovative actions that further sustainability at the local level and further afield. Advanced Beginner

Integrated Problem Solving

 The overarching ability to apply different problem-solving frameworks to complex sustainability problems and develop viable, inclusive and equitable solution options that promote sustainable development, integrating the competencies in this list. Advanced Beginner

Self-awareness

 The ability to reflect on one’s own role in the local community and (global) society; to continually evaluate and further motivate one’s actions; and to deal with one’s feelings and desires. Competent

Normative

 The ability to understand and reflect on the norms and values that underlie one’s actions; and to negotiate values, principles, goals, and targets, in a context of conflicts of interest and trade-offs, uncertain knowledge and contradictions. Competent

Anticipatory

 The ability to understand and evaluate multiple scenarios for the future – possible, probable and desirable; to create one’s own visions for the future; to apply the precautionary principle; to assess the consequences of actions; and to deal with risks and changes. Competent

Digital Literacy and Judgement

 The ability to access, evaluate, create and communicate information in digital environments; to engage critically, ethically and responsibly with digital technologies and digital information; to understand their opportunities, limitations, risks and impact on individual’s digital identities; and to exercise informed judgement in digital participation and decision-making. Competent

AI Literacy & Agency

 The ability to understand, critically evaluate and responsibly engage with artificial intelligence; to recognise how AI systems are shaped by human values; to assess their ethical, social and environmental implications; and to exercise human judgement, agency and accountability in AI-related contexts. Competent

Wellbeing

 Wellbeing is having the resources and skills to meet life's challenges, including attributes such as personal development skills, resilience, stress management, strengths, lifestyle skills, nutrition, physical activity, sleep, alcohol/substance use, academic skills, time management, goal setting, interpersonal skills, group work, communication. Competent

The United Nations identified seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as core to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and UCD contributes in general to SDG 4 Quality Education. Further SDGs explored within this module if relevant are listed below. A scale of 1 - 5 indicates the extent to which the SDG is covered.


Goal Name Description Coverage

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all 1
 

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Specified Learning Activities

95
Autonomous Student Learning

95
Lectures

11
Seminar (or Webinar)

22
Total

223

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
This is a small-group, seminar-based module. It is taught through a one-hour weekly lecture and a two-hour seminar. The weekly lecture provides an overview of the week’s topic, focusing upon key historical trends, debates and events. The weekly seminar is focused upon individual active / task-based learning by means of class debates, discussion and student presentations. Advanced research, writing and citation skills are developed through in-term assessment and end-of-term examination (two hours). Autonomous learning is advanced through student-led debate and discussion of set primary sources and / or student presentations.

The use of Generative AI (Artificial Intelligence) IS NOT PERMITTED for any assessment in this module.

A proportion of written assignments are subject to moderation / review by another grader. This may include oral moderation where a student is invited to a meeting with the module coordinator to discuss the assignment.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Incompatibles:
HIS20610 - Modern Japan


 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Assignment(Including Essay): The mid-term assignment is an oral-presentation of ten minutes' duration, and its notes/slides must be submitted after delivery of the presentation. Week 6, Week 7 Graded No
20
 No
Exam (In-person): Two hour examination End of trimester
Duration:
2 hr(s)
 Graded No
60
 No
Participation in Learning Activities: Students are expected to participate actively in all seminar discussions, and to be well-informed and capable of engaging in intelligent and interesting arguments concerning the seminar topics. Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 8, Week 9, Week 10, Week 11, Week 12 Graded No
20
 No

As part of UCD's student support, under the Additional Consideration policy, extensions may be available for the following assessments in the module: Assignment (including essay/poster), Portfolio, Reflective Assignment, Report(s), and Individual Project.


Carry forward of passed components
No
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Feedback on the in-semester assessments will be given in individual meetings. Feedback will be provided on an ongoing basis on preparatory plans and primary and secondary sources for Assignments. Feedback on the end-of-Trimester Examination will be given by appointment in one-to-one meetings.

The Module Handbook contains an extensive bibliography and recommended readings. This will be provided to registered students for this module before term begins.

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Autumn Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Mon 15:00 - 15:50
Autumn Seminar Offering 1 Week(s) - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Tues 09:00 - 10:50
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