Here are your instructions for your essay while I am away at NAIMUN in Washington, D.C.
First, note that Mr. Terrence will be here with you for the three periods while I am away. You may wish to discuss his views of the period, but as he grew up in the US he cannot count as one of your interview sources!
Your inquiry will be framed around the following Essential Question:
Background Research
This is a research project that uncovers connections between the past in present in ways that we have not attempted before in this course. It is really important that you develop a strong background knowledge of the ideas, events, and developments during the period we are examining. To support you, I have given you some readings, mentioned below. That said, you are by no means restricted to these sources. Additional authoritative sources you encounter during your research can help make your claims and analysis more robust and interesting. Just be source to cite all your sources, as alway.
You were asked to read and annotate “The Meiji Restoration and Modernization” article on Google Drive as an additional backgrounder to Japan's development during the period.
I have added another article, entitled "Imperial Japan," to Google Drive. This is a longer backgrounder focused on Japanese foreign policy during this period. It is recommended, but not required, reading. You may find it useful to skim and scan for supplemental info as you move deeper into your research,
Your inquiry will largely centre around the reading, "Becoming Japanese," on the Japanese colonial period in Taiwan. You should annotate and take detailed notes on this source. Additionally, you must also answer the following questions and submit your answers to Google Drive by this Thursday (Feb 12).
Here is the bibliographical information for this source:
Manthorpe, Jonathan (2009). Becoming Japanese. In Forbidden Nation: A History of Taiwan (pp.165-178). NewYork: Palgrave Macmillan.
Interview
You will be interviewing three (or more) Taiwanese adults on their “historical memory” of the colonial period in Taiwan. Of course, based on the time and place rule for evaluating sources, these interviews cannot be considered very credible. Even if you can find people who lived through the period (which would be awesome!!), their memories can only be partial.
That said, because your task is to evaluate historical memory, such sources can provide very valuable insights into how the colonial period is remembered and interpreted today.
Your task tomorrow and Thursday to finish the reading and to work in the groups you were put into today to create 5-10 excellent interview questions. You have a considerable amount of latitude in creating your questions, though there should be some correspondence to the first three questions listed above. They also need to elicit direct memories of the period and/or what they were taught about the period. You should also craft a question that prompts the interviewees to contrast the Japanese period with the Guomindang (Chinese nationalist) period that occurred afterwards.
I strongly recommend that you compare and contrast your groups' questions with each others.' This will allow yuo to really refine your questions to make sure you are asking questions that will elicit the kind of information you are trying to gather.
Essay
You will be writing a formal argumentative essay. Please note that while I will assess your work using the same rubric we have been using all year, the Argumentative Essay Rubric, I do have significantly higher expectations for research papers than for in-class essays you write for tests.
You essay needs to have a proper structure with an introduction including a well-focused thesis, a body, and a summative conclusion. It must be well-organized, well written, and extremely well edited. All source must be cited in-text and it must include a full bibliography.
Your essay will have three main sections in the body.
1) Explanation of Japanese colonialism in Taiwan. It should explain the following issues:
3) Interpretation of your survey results, answering the EQ in detail.
Due Dates
First, note that Mr. Terrence will be here with you for the three periods while I am away. You may wish to discuss his views of the period, but as he grew up in the US he cannot count as one of your interview sources!
Your inquiry will be framed around the following Essential Question:
- How well does the memory of Japanese colonial rule in Taiwan match up to the reality of it?
Background Research
This is a research project that uncovers connections between the past in present in ways that we have not attempted before in this course. It is really important that you develop a strong background knowledge of the ideas, events, and developments during the period we are examining. To support you, I have given you some readings, mentioned below. That said, you are by no means restricted to these sources. Additional authoritative sources you encounter during your research can help make your claims and analysis more robust and interesting. Just be source to cite all your sources, as alway.
You were asked to read and annotate “The Meiji Restoration and Modernization” article on Google Drive as an additional backgrounder to Japan's development during the period.
I have added another article, entitled "Imperial Japan," to Google Drive. This is a longer backgrounder focused on Japanese foreign policy during this period. It is recommended, but not required, reading. You may find it useful to skim and scan for supplemental info as you move deeper into your research,
Your inquiry will largely centre around the reading, "Becoming Japanese," on the Japanese colonial period in Taiwan. You should annotate and take detailed notes on this source. Additionally, you must also answer the following questions and submit your answers to Google Drive by this Thursday (Feb 12).
- What were Japan’s colonial intentions in relation to Taiwan?
- How much resistance was there to Japanese rule and how was it overcome?
- Why was Japanese rule in Taiwan so effective?
- Contrast Japanese imperialism in Taiwan with British imperialism in either India or China.
Here is the bibliographical information for this source:
Manthorpe, Jonathan (2009). Becoming Japanese. In Forbidden Nation: A History of Taiwan (pp.165-178). NewYork: Palgrave Macmillan.
Interview
You will be interviewing three (or more) Taiwanese adults on their “historical memory” of the colonial period in Taiwan. Of course, based on the time and place rule for evaluating sources, these interviews cannot be considered very credible. Even if you can find people who lived through the period (which would be awesome!!), their memories can only be partial.
That said, because your task is to evaluate historical memory, such sources can provide very valuable insights into how the colonial period is remembered and interpreted today.
Your task tomorrow and Thursday to finish the reading and to work in the groups you were put into today to create 5-10 excellent interview questions. You have a considerable amount of latitude in creating your questions, though there should be some correspondence to the first three questions listed above. They also need to elicit direct memories of the period and/or what they were taught about the period. You should also craft a question that prompts the interviewees to contrast the Japanese period with the Guomindang (Chinese nationalist) period that occurred afterwards.
I strongly recommend that you compare and contrast your groups' questions with each others.' This will allow yuo to really refine your questions to make sure you are asking questions that will elicit the kind of information you are trying to gather.
Essay
You will be writing a formal argumentative essay. Please note that while I will assess your work using the same rubric we have been using all year, the Argumentative Essay Rubric, I do have significantly higher expectations for research papers than for in-class essays you write for tests.
You essay needs to have a proper structure with an introduction including a well-focused thesis, a body, and a summative conclusion. It must be well-organized, well written, and extremely well edited. All source must be cited in-text and it must include a full bibliography.
Your essay will have three main sections in the body.
1) Explanation of Japanese colonialism in Taiwan. It should explain the following issues:
- What were Japan’s motivations for colonialism?
- What were the key events during the period?
- How well were the Taiwanese treated?
- What were the effects of colonialism on Taiwan? Were they mostly positive or negative?
- Were there themes that emerged from your interviewees' responses?
- Is their historical memory mostly positive or negative? Why?
- What stands out as the most from their recollection/understanding of the period?
3) Interpretation of your survey results, answering the EQ in detail.
- How well does the memory of Japanese colonial rule in Taiwan match up to the reality of it?
Due Dates
- First Draft: Wed, Feb 25 (after CNY)
- Final Draft: Date TBD (after you receive feedback from other students and from me)