Modern Japan History Association
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Abbreviation | MJHA |
|---|---|
| Formation | 2023 |
| Type | Nonprofit professional association |
| Legal status | 501(c)(3) organization |
| Purpose | Promotion of scholarship on modern Japan and Japanese history |
Region served | International |
| Membership | Scholars of Japanese history and Japan studies |
| Website | www |
The Modern Japan History Association (MJHA) is a nonprofit professional association of scholars specializing in the study of modern Japan and Japanese history. The organization promotes research, teaching, and transnational scholarly exchange in the field of Japanese studies.[1]
The Modern Japan History Association was formally launched in 2023 as a professional organization serving scholars of modern Japan and Japanese history, complementing existing academic societies focused on earlier historical periods or broader regional studies.[2][3]
The association emerged out of a perceived need within the field for a dedicated network centered on modern and contemporary Japanese history, fostering collaboration among historians and scholars across disciplines and geographic regions.[4]
Mission and activities
MJHA’s stated mission is to support the creation and dissemination of knowledge about modern Japan and its history through scholarly exchange, collaboration, and recognition of outstanding research.[4] MJHA's activities include organizing events such as lectures, roundtables, professional development workshops, and book talks; maintaining academic networks and listservs; and sponsoring prizes recognizing excellence in scholarship.[4]
The association is a member-run organization without salaried staff and is supported by membership dues and donations.[5]
Prizes
The Modern Japan History Association administers several annual awards recognizing scholarship in Japanese studies, including:
- The Modern Japan History Association Book Prize
- The F. Hilary Conroy First Book Prize
- The Charlotte J. Conroy Dissertation Prize
These prizes recognize outstanding English-language monographs and doctoral dissertations on modern Japan or Japanese history across disciplines.[6]
Distinguished Annual Lecture
The Modern Japan History Association Distinguished Annual Lecture is the organization’s flagship annual event, recognizing the achievements and scholarly contributions of a leading historian of modern Japan. The lecturer is elected by the association’s membership, and each scholar may deliver the lecture only once.[7]
The lecture is typically delivered online and is free to view. It serves as a major forum for reflection on the state of the field and new directions in the study of modern Japanese history.[8]
List of MJHA Distinguished Annual Lecturers
| Year | Lecturer | Affiliation | Lecture title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Tessa Morris-Suzuki[9] | Australian National University | Writing War: History in Occupied Japan and its Echoes for Today |
| 2024 | Carol Gluck[10] | Columbia University | Thirteen Ways of Looking at Modern Japanese History: Time Past, Present, Future |
| 2025 | Andrew Gordon[11] | Harvard University | After the Pandemic: Revising a Textbook and Rethinking History |
| 2026 | Jordan Sand[8] | Georgetown University | TBA |
Overview
The lecture series was inaugurated in 2023 with historian Tessa Morris-Suzuki, whose lecture examined historiography and memory of the Asia-Pacific War in postwar Japan.[12]
The second lecture, delivered in 2024 by Carol Gluck, addressed changing temporal frameworks and interpretations in modern Japanese history.[13]
In 2025, Andrew Gordon delivered the third lecture, focusing on historiographical revision in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and evolving perspectives on modern Japan.