Early College at Guilford – HIST 164: Asia Pacific in Modern Times

Apr 2026 · 2nd Semester

This course provides a historical perspective on contemporary Asia Pacific by examining important themes in the history of this region since about 1800. It begins with an examination of the different ways in which China and Japan encountered and responded to Western challenges in the mid-nineteenth century, and proceeds to investigate why the two countries embarked on different paths to modernity: by the 1930s, China witnessed the rise of Communism, whereas Japan dived into a period of militarism and jingoism. Next, we will examine colonialism and the struggle for independence in Korea and Vietnam. In the second half of the course, we will revisit the above cases and explore how these various countries dealt with issues of economic reconstruction and political reconciliation under the post-1945 Cold War context. The course ends with a brief examination of some of the most controversial issues in contemporary Asia Pacific: war memories and the possibility of the revival of militarism, Cold War legacies and ethnic cleansing in some regions, individual rights and political authoritarianism, globalization and its problems, and so forth. The course fulfills the following requirements: Intercultural (1998 curriculum). Sociocultural Engagement (2009 curriculum). When HP precedes title, also fulfills Historical Perspectives (HP). **HIST 180: Introduction to Health Humanities 4** . “Health” or “Medical Humanities” has become a field of growing importance. This course, through embodied practice and reading, allows us to consider these terms in a new way, also in relation to one another. More importantly, studying the history of health humanities and practicing them provide us the opportunity to experience the integration of body, mind, and spirit. Fulfills Embodied and Creative Engagement (ECE) requirement. Crosslists with HSCI 180.