Identity, Memory, and the Image of Home in Modern Okinawa Literature (taught in English)

In this course we will investigate the validity of Okinawan literature as a genre, its relation to Japanese literature, as well as the relevance of colonialism/postcolonialism as a methodology for approaching Okinawan literature. Through reading modern Okinawan literary works and critical texts, we will explore a variety of themes, including identity, national community, war narrative/memory, and the concept of home. The course requires that students engage in close reading and analysis of literary fiction and criticism. By the end of the course, students will have acquired knowledge of Okinawan literature, its history, and society, as well as the skill of critical literary analysis. Taught in English.