[Paul Bracho]

I enjoyed the readings provided but find myself wondering about the role of women from the texts. I want to ask that if once the country opened up to western nations (like the US) in the 1850s, did the role of women writeres diminish/recede once the outside views began to permeate into the country and the oppressive gender roles (much like the Cult of Domesticity of the late 1800s in America) seep in?

[Paul Bracho]

Loved the podcast! So fascinating to think of the importance of studying artifacts such as the mirror. Something that today seems so trivial like tossing a coin into a fountain but in this case was a powerful offering crossing time and space. To me, the mirror is symbolic to the role of Japanese foreign policy. Rather than looking out, the government/society was looking in but also keeping others out. Going over its details, both its beauty and flaws, it flourished by magnifying human nature and creating its uniquely culture amongst its neighbors. It also made me think of fun "time capsule" activities in school and what would be left to say about not just my time but what could be left to say about me. 

[Paul Bracho]

In the course of teaching World and US I have always found the eurocentric view of American textbooks frustrating. Having taught the Enlightenment (1700s) and its center in France highlighting the various schools of thought in order to showcase the revolutionary views on how governments should behave/or in which citizens should establish mainly from from the point of view of American colonial thought. So while Locke and Hobbes are two thinkers who's thoughts on natural rights (Locke) and those of the social contract and the necessity of an absolute ruler (Hobbes) are elevated, the ideas of Confucius (both the social and political teachings similar to Locke) and Legalism (men are inherently evil, much like Hobbes) are viewed as secondary even though Confucius and Legalism are millenia before! 

[Paul Bracho]

Great session today! It was great hearing from everyone and having a more in depth conversation. One of the things that I wanted to comment on was the how the readings (Barnes and Early Records) dealt with the land at the center of Japanese culture. When I teach, I spend a key amount of time on the geography and natural resources (or lack of) civilizations. So much of the weather/climate/environment is apart of our culture. In one of the readings (Earliest Records) details how much the Japanese culture is in their appreciation of their land (mountains, rivers and forests). It was both a positive and negative revelation that the Japanese people made it a point to stop the deforestation and to show reverence to their land and put industrialization secondary to their nation. What a great view of nature! It was sad to think of how our nation has recklessly industrialized and how we only now, albeit slowly, is trying to move in that direction. A great activity I do in my World History courses is to do a comparative analysis of Origin Stories. Choosing 5-6 different origin stories with the goal of seeing how each culture created a world view based on their surroundings (desert, river valleys, ocean, and/or mountain regions). 

[Paul Bracho]

After having read the articles about the various landscapes/biomes in Japan I began to recall my teaching of a World History course called "Big History". Its relatively new and what it does is fuse science and history together. Its really fascinating how the trajectory of people and nation-states had alot to do with the geography and the environment. 

[Paul Bracho]

Hi! 

My name is Paul S. Bracho. I am a HS World and US History teacher. I have been teaching 17 yrs at the HS level and I am very excited to learn more about Japaneses history personally and how I can bring that knowledge into my classroom content for my students. Cant wait! 

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