HIST 214 Japanese Religions and the State (Same as Religion 259) (Not offered 2008-2009; to be offered 2009-2010) (W)

REL 259 Japanese Religions and the State (Same as History 214) (Not offered 2008-2009; to be offered 2009-2010) (W)
For most of Japanese history religion and government have been closely intertwined. This course will examine the parallel evolution of political structures and religious institutions in Japan, beginning with the articulation of the mythological narrative of divine sovereignty in the Kojiki (712) and ending with the separation of Shinto from the state after World War Two. It will situate concepts such as law, punishment, emperor and nation within the context of wider politico-religious discourse. We will address issues of religion and violence, nationalism and utopian imagery, and will raise larger questions about the relationship between human religiosity and power.
Texts to be considered will include selections from law codes and primary works in translation (the Kojiki, The Constitution of Prince Shotoku, The Tale of the Heike, The Propagation of Zen for the Protection of the State, and The Constitution of the Empire of Japan) as well as secondary works (Botsman, Punishment and Power in the Making of Modern Japan, Hardacre, Shinto and the State, Victoria, Zen at War).
Format: lecture/discussion. Requirements: active participation, three short writing assignments of 3-5 pages, one 15-page research paper.
No prerequisites. Enrollment limit: 19 (expected: 19). Preference given to Religion, Political Science and Asian Studies majors.
JOSEPHSON