There are more samurai around the world than ever before. Of course, they’re not actual people, but these heavily mythologized warriors are everywhere! With the recent success of major productions such as Blue Eye Samurai and Shogun, samurai are having a bit of a pop culture moment once again. These depictions powerfully shape perceptions of Japan’s history and culture, and for better or worse show up in our classrooms. As educators, how do we balance enthusiasm for a topic while taking care to address the problem of historical accuracy?
This webinar will provide examples from teaching samurai history, and provide strategies for getting students to critically analyze the gap between historical memory (myth) and the historical record. That gap is ubiquitous, and it’s essential we cultivate this awareness to foster historical literacy.