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November 18, 2013

[SSJ: 8351] DIJ Hist & Hum Study Group, 28 Nov, Meissner on Foreign Experts in Meiji Japan

From: The DIJ History and Humanities Study Group
Date: 2013/11/18

We would like to invite you to our upcoming

DIJ History and Humanities Study Group on

Thursday, 28 November 2013, 18:30

Speaker: Kristin Meissner, Free University Berlin

Channelling influence through experts:
British and German oyatoi in Meiji Japan

In order to achieve the revision of the Unequal Treaties, which were forced upon the Bakufu by Western powers (1858-1867), the newly constituted Meiji government not only implemented an extensive reform programme but also borrowed thousands of helping hands from abroad to realize this goal. Research on these oyatoi gaikokujin (lit.: Hired
Foreigners) has hitherto mainly focused on their mediatory role within technical and scientific transfers and has evaluated the scope of their political agency as being rather marginal.

Starting from a global history approach and by focusing on expertise as a new resource in foreign policy, I challenge this narrative of the apolitical oyatoi. I examine how the British, German, and Japanese governments informally took advantage of the professional capital of the high-ranking experts in the service of the Meiji government in order to enlarge national spheres of influence in the context of informal imperialism.

Kristin Meissner is a PhD candidate in global history at the Freie Universitaet Berlin and currently conducting research in Tokyo as a DIJ doctoral fellowship recipient. Her PhD project on Expertise as a political resource. British and German oyatoi in the Meiji Era is funded by the Gerda Henkel Stiftung.

The DIJ History and Humanities Study Group is a forum for early/mid career researchers and Ph.D. candidates in the field, organized by Torsten Weber.
All are welcome to attend, but registration
(weber@dijtokyo.org) is appreciated.

German Institute for Japanese Studies (DIJ) Jochi Kioizaka Bldg. 2F, 7-1 Kioicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0094, Phone:
03-3222-5077.
For a map please refer to www.dijtokyo.org

Approved by ssjmod at 10:55 AM