Georgia State University ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University History Dissertations Department of History Spring 5-7-2011 Finding their Place in the World: Meiji Intellectuals and the Japanese Construction of an East-West Binary, 1868-1912 Masako N. Racel Georgia State University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/history_diss Part of the History Commons Recommended Citation Racel, Masako N., "Finding their Place in the World: Meiji Intellectuals and the Japanese Construction of an East-West Binary, 1868-1912." Thesis, Georgia State University, 2011. https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/history_diss/26 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Department of History at ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University. It has been accepted for inclusion in History Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. FINDING THEIR PLACE IN THE WORLD: MEIJI INTELLECTUALS AND THE JAPANESE CONSTRUCTION OF AN EAST-WEST BINARY 1868-1912 BY MASAKO NOHARA RACEL Under the Direction of Douglas R. Reynolds ABSTRACT The Meiji era (1868-1912) in Japanese history was characterized by the extensive adoption of Western institutions, technology, and customs. The dramatic changes that took place caused the era’s intellectuals to ponder Japan's position within the larger global context. The East-West binary was a particularly important part of the discourse as the intellectuals analyzed and criticized the current state of affairs and offered their visions of Japan’s future. This dissertation examines five Meiji intellectuals who had very different orientations and agendas: Fukuzawa Yukichi, an influential philosopher and political theorist; Shimoda Utako, a pioneer of women's education; Uchimura Kanzō, a Christian leader; Okakura Kakuzō, an art critic; and Kōtoku Shūsui, a socialist.