The 3rd GHC Seminar was held on Friday, February 20, 2015. The presenter was Aleksandra Kobiljski, a young researcher from the École des hautes études en sciences sociales (EHESS), who gave a talk titled “A Shared Modernity: Writing Meiji History in a Global Perspective.”

Kobiljski took up the establishment of the Doshisha English School (1875) by Jo NIIJIMA and gave a clear explanation that its establishment and the establishment of the Syrian Protestant College (renamed the American University of Beirut) around the same time were parallel events largely actualized through the intention, donations, and philanthropic activities of American protestant volunteers in Boston, USA. If this was the case, that means the Doshisha’s establishment, which in the framework of Japanese historical studies tends to be simply understood as the result of groundbreaking work by Niijima, occurred against a much more complex background than previously understood and was closely related to dynamism around the globe at the time. It was an extremely interesting presentation that provided numerous insights into the relationship between world history and local history. Following the presentation, there was a lively exchange of opinions among participants on various points, including the significance of the Doshisha’s establishment, the content of the curriculum, the students’ hometowns and reasons for enrollment, and characteristics of the Japanese university system. Kobiljski’s presentation will be part of a monograph that she is currently preparing. We eagerly await its publication.               

(Masashi HANEDA)