On September 29, 2024, the USC U.S.-China Institute hosted a workshop at the Huntington’s Chinese garden, offering K-12 educators hands-on insights into using the garden as a teaching tool. With expert presentations, a guided tour, and new resources, the event explored how Chinese gardens' rich history and cultural significance can be integrated into classrooms. Interested in learning more? Click below for details on the workshop and upcoming programs for educators.
Meiji Japan: From Feudalism to Modern Nation (September 23, 2024)
Session(s) date
Session(s) date:
Monday, September 23, 2024 - 4:00pm
What the talk will cover: The Meiji Restoration (1868) marked a transformative era in Japan's history, transitioning from a feudal society ruled by the samurai to a centralized modern nation-state. Influenced by Western powers, Japan rapidly industrialized, adopting new technologies, political reforms, and social changes. This period saw the abolition of the class system, the establishment of a constitutional government, and the emergence of Japan as a formidable global power. Meiji Japan’s modernization paved the way for its military and economic expansion, reshaping its role in the world.
Guest Speaker
Dr. Faison is L.R. Brammer Jr. Presidential Professor and the author of Managing Women: Disciplining Labor in Modern Japan (University of California Press, 2007). She is co-editor with Dr. Ruth Barraclough of Gender and Labor in Korea and Japan: Sexing Class, which was published by Routledge in 2009. Most recently she co-edited (with Dr. Alison Fields) Resisting the Nuclear: Art and Activism Across the Pacific (University of Washington Press, 2024). She teaches courses on East Asian and Japanese history, and in 2012 was the recipient of the Regents’ Award for Superior Teaching. She is currently working on a book tentatively titled Atomic Memories: Legacies of the Cold War in Japan and the United States, and a second that is a social and political history of twentieth century Japan in the form of a biography of the socialist feminist Yamakawa Kikue (1890-1980).
Resources sharing
Thanks to professor Faison provides the link to dozens of high quality 30-minute videos about various aspects of Japanese culture. The series is called “Begin Japanology”, and it is produced by NHK (the Japanese broadcasting service).
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDX4SFSXovwxtnqftsvhfSDYAlYrZMQfF&si=SyIe-NzYpTdxwWT2
Benefits:
- Certificate of completion
- Contact hours for Los Angeles Unified School District
- Teaching About Asia Resources
Schedule:
- 4:00-4:50pm - Presentation Part 1
- 4:55-5:05pm - Q & A for the first part of the presentation
- 5:05-5:10pm - Break
- 5:10-5:50pm - Presentation Part 2
- 5:50-6:00pm - Q & A
Overview:
Japan Society and the USC U.S.-China Institute are excited to offer a professional development workshop for K-12 educators. It is offered in partnership with the National Consortium for Teaching about Asia and with support from the Freeman Foundation. This is a unique opportunity to gain insights from leading experts and explore educational resources that bring history to life.
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