SIS research paper.doc Spring 2016: SIS-212-002 China, Japan & USMidterm Research paper Your research paper (10 pages, double-spaced) can be based on a topic drawn from the list of questions below. You should submit a hard copy of your research outline to me by March 15 to get my feedback. The outline should include your research questions, a tentative thesis statement, a summary of your argument in bullet point, and a preliminary bibliography. I will meet with you to give you my feedback and suggest additional readings. The paper is due by April 5. You will not receive a grade for this paper if it does not include citations and a bibliography of readings consulted. Sources from the Internet should be of a scholarly/authoritative nature. The proper style for citations and bibliography is indicated in Kate L.Turabian, Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses and Dissertations, and the Chicago Manual of Style, both of which are available in the Bender Library Reference Room, and at www.library.american.edu/e_ref/citation.html. Your answer should show your ability to: - integrate and synthesize materials and readings covered to date - reason logically with conclusions supported by evidence - express ideas clearly 1. Iris Chang has labeled the war crimes committed by the Japanese in Nanjing (Nanking) in 1937 as the “Forgotten Holocaust of World War II.” At the same time, the Japanese government has persisted in denying that its military carried out a massacre there. Explain the reasons for the vastly different Chinese and Japanese perspectives on the killings and how this event continues to negatively affect contemporary Sino-Japanese relations. Why did the U.S. decide not to convict the Japanese Emperor and the majority of the Japanese leadership for war crimes? Explain how that decision has facilitated the on-going Japanese “white washing” of its wartime record, as reflected in the textbook revision controversy, “comfort women” debate, and Yasukuni Shrine visits. Explain also why it was not until after the 1990s that China allowed these issues to negatively affect its relations with Japan. 2. At the start of the American Occupation of Japan (1945-1952), two major objectives were the democratization and demilitarization of Japan. Discuss the reforms - political, military, economic, land, labor, women rights and education - introduced by General Douglas MacArthur, the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers (SCAP), to achieve these goals. Were all of these goals attained when the Occupation ended? If so, or if not, explain why (with specific reference to the “reverse course”). In your opinion, which reforms have had the most significant impact on present day Japan? 3. Identify at least three key tenets of Mao Zedong Thought and examine either Mao’s objectives in launching the Great Leap Forward (1958-1960) or the Cultural Revolution (1965-1975). Discuss how Mao put into action those three tenets throughout the campaign yo.

1. SIS research paper.doc
Spring 2016: SIS-212-002 China, Japan & USMidterm Research
paper
Your research paper (10 pages, double-spaced) can be based on
a topic drawn from the list of questions below. You should
submit a hard copy of your research outline to me by March 15
to get my feedback. The outline should include your research
questions, a tentative thesis statement, a summary of your
argument in bullet point, and a preliminary bibliography. I will
meet with you to give you my feedback and suggest additional
readings. The paper is due by April 5.
You will not receive a grade for this paper if it does not include
citations and a bibliography of readings consulted. Sources from
the Internet should be of a scholarly/authoritative nature. The
proper style for citations and bibliography is indicated in Kate
L.Turabian, Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses and
Dissertations, and the Chicago Manual of Style, both of which
are available in the Bender Library Reference Room, and at
www.library.american.edu/e_ref/citation.html.
Your answer should show your ability to:
- integrate and synthesize materials and readings covered to
date
- reason logically with conclusions supported by evidence
- express ideas clearly
1. Iris Chang has labeled the war crimes committed by the
Japanese in Nanjing (Nanking) in 1937 as the “Forgotten

2. Holocaust of World War II.” At the same time, the Japanese
government has persisted in denying that its military carried out
a massacre there. Explain the reasons for the vastly different
Chinese and Japanese perspectives on the killings and how this
event continues to negatively affect contemporary Sino-
Japanese relations. Why did the U.S. decide not to convict the
Japanese Emperor and the majority of the Japanese leadership
for war crimes? Explain how that decision has facilitated the
on-going Japanese “white washing” of its wartime record, as
reflected in the textbook revision controversy, “comfort
women” debate, and Yasukuni Shrine visits. Explain also why it
was not until after the 1990s that China allowed these issues to
negatively affect its relations with Japan.
2. At the start of the American Occupation of Japan (1945-
1952), two major objectives were the democratization and
demilitarization of Japan. Discuss the reforms - political,
military, economic, land, labor, women rights and education -
introduced by General Douglas MacArthur, the Supreme
Commander of the Allied Powers (SCAP), to achieve these
goals. Were all of these goals attained when the Occupation
ended? If so, or if not, explain why (with specific reference to
the “reverse course”). In your opinion, which reforms have had
the most significant impact on present day Japan?
3. Identify at least three key tenets of Mao Zedong Thought and
examine either Mao’s objectives in launching the Great Leap
Forward (1958-1960) or the Cultural Revolution (1965-1975).
Discuss how Mao put into action those three tenets throughout
the campaign you have chosen and evaluate its political, social,
economic and environmental impact on China at that time and
today.
4. Kenneth Lieberthal listed a number of possible outcomes -
depending on specific domestic and external developments - in
the system of governance in China over the coming two
decades. Which of the following do you believe is the most

3. likely outcome within the next two decades: continued
monopoly of power by the CCP or political liberalization and
multi-party democracy? Illustrate your argument with
supporting evidence.
5. Environmental degradation and HIV/AIDS are widely
regarded as two critical issues that China must address
immediately. Write an essay on one of these issues. Examine the
nature of the problem and how it threatens China’s future –
including economic progress, social stability and quality of life
– and assess the effectiveness of the government’s response.
What is the impact of that issue on China-US relations?
6. Compare the status and roles of Chinese women during the
Confucian, Maoist and post-Maoist eras. Do you think Chinese
women are better off today than they were during the Confucian
and Maoist eras? Why or why not? Illustrate your answers with
supporting evidence.
7. Japan is one of the strongest democracies and most
progressive societies in the non-Western world. However, many
observers argue that Japanese women do not enjoy equal rights
with Japanese men, both in the private sphere of family life and
the public sphere of the workplace. Do you agree with this
statement? If so, or if not, why? Back up your argument with
supporting evidence.
8. What in your opinion are the most striking similarities and
differences between the American and Japanese education
systems? What are the strengths and weaknesses of each
system? To what extent can the differences be explained by
societal characteristics such as “groupism” in Japan and
“individualism” in the United States? Why did such values
emerge in Japan and the United States respectively?
9. Until its defeat in the 2009 parliamentary elections, the
Liberal Democratic Party of Japan had dominated Japanese
politics since its formation in 1955 (except for a brief 11-month
period in 1993-1994). What were the major factors that

4. contributed to its longevity in power? What were the factors
that account for the apparent sea change in Japanese politics
that resulted in its defeat by the Democratic Party of Japan?
Why was the LDP returned to power again in December 2012?
Back up your arguments with supporting evidence.
Modules
8.1
This course has presented foundations of ethics in conjunction
with methods of research. What will you take away form this
course? What questions remain?
8.2
At this point in the course you should have a good idea as to the
topic area you will be considering for your dissertation. What
topic(s) are you considering? What might your work contribute
to the scholarly research already undertaken in the field of your
choice? How will the information presented in this course guide
your next steps?