What happens to our understanding of the world if we go beyond comparative analysis, and instead examine the connections among nations? This is what transnational (or global) history does. In such a light, key developments in Japan—nation-building, war, authoritarianism, democracy—become more comprehensible, as we analyze not only domestic factors, but also the impact of global ideas and practices that were circulating at the time. Sheldon Garon will introduce this approach, drawing on his global histories of savings-promotion, social policies, and “home fronts” in the world wars.

Speakers:
• Sheldon Garon, Nissan Professor of History and East Asian Studies, Princeton University
• Ulrike Schaede, Professor and Director of the Japan Forum for Innovation and Technology, GPS UC San Diego