Inventing the Nation: Medievalisms and the Rise of Fascism in Prewar Japan

Bushidō, warrior cult, ninjas, martial arts – these are all phenomena associated with Japan’s medieval past although they were, in fact, never really present in the period often referred to as such. During this course, we will take a critical look at some of these tropes about the ‘medieval past’ and how they were developed and used in the late nineteenth century construction of Japanese nationalism and in the rise of fascism in the early twentieth century.

• • Starts:
  • October 4, 2026
• • Ends:
  • October 24, 2026
• • Learning Format:
  • Online
• • Type of Course:
  • Seminars & Short Courses
• • Offered to:
  • All States
• • Registration and Info:

  • This course has asynchronous work with one zoom meeting scheduled for Thurs, Oct. 22, 2026. This short course offers teachers 6 professional development hours. Teachers who complete this course will receive a copy ofGrassroots Fascism: The War Experience of the Japanese People by Yoshiaki Yoshimi. For any questions reach out to easc@iu.edu