Nationalism

About the lecture

In this module we think about the development of Japanese national identity from the mid-19th century onwards, focusing in particular on the kokugaku tradition, Aizawa Seishisai and the concept of kokutai ('national identity'), and the increasing importance of the figure of the Emperor.

About the lecturer

Andrew Cobbing is Associate Professor in History at the University of Nottingham. His research focuses on cultural relations between Japan and the West with particular reference to the experience of samurai travellers and the diaries they kept during their explorations abroad. His recent publications include Kyushu, gateway to Japan: a cultural history (2009) (as editor) and Hakata: the cultural worlds of northern Kyushu (2013).