Notice Board

The Department of History & Religion
presents
Dr. Maho Ikeda (Hokkai Gakuen University)

Transformative Years: The Rise of Political Parties in Meiji Japan

When political parties first form and evolve in a society, the process often reflects deeper societal changes. Japan is no exception. Political parties in Japan emerged following the Meiji Restoration of 1868 in response to a nationwide movement for broader political participation. The initial clash between these parties and the new government transitioned into a more complex web of negotiation and maneuvering around the turn of the century, coinciding with the increasing impact of industrialization on local societies. In this paper, I will examine the formative years of political parties in Japan and explore their ramifications into the 20th century.

Friday, November 10, 2023
3 p.m.
University Hall (B660)

Dr. Ikeda's principal research interests are political mobilization, party organization, and anti-party sentiment in pre-war Japan. Her recent works include The Governing Assembly of the Capital City: Political Structure and Urban Renovation in Nineteenth-Century Tokyo (2023) [in Japanese] and "First Elected Leaders in Japan’s Capital City: Former Shogunal Retainers in the Tokyo Prefectural Assembly" in Journal of Urban History (2021).

Co-sponsored by Asian Studies and Women Scholars Speaker Series