japn robots

Many of us know Japan today through a hodgepodge of mass-produced goods and pop-culture images: cars, robots, electronic gadgets, karaoke singing, anime cartoons and video games. The arrival of these products on the world market, however, is just the latest development in the transformation of Japan from a largely peasant society to a highly urbanized, intricately managed, technology- and media-saturated one. Through historical readings as well as literature, film and ethnography, this course will trace the trajectory of that change from the late 19th century to the present, looking particularly at the impact of "massification" on culture. In the process, we will explore several approaches to conceptualizing mass society and its contemporary manifestations in Japan. Conducted in English.