Film and Political Culture in Postwar Japan

Gibbs (history, U. of Denver) explores the development of postwar Japanese political culture through the medium of film, specifically focusing on how the Japanese film industry has reflected and contributed to the public discourse on war and peace. He identifies a process in which the Japanese political culture moved from acceptance of war as a natural function of the state and duty of the people in society to a more pacifist culture. He keeps his primary focus on the films themselves and balances discussion of canonical filmmakers with consideration of lesser known directors. Annotation c2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Michael H. Gibbs, who received his PhD in modern East Asian history from UC Berkeley, is the author of Struggle and Purpose in Postwar Japanese Unionism (2000). He has been the recipient of Fulbright and Japan Foundation fellowships. He teaches history at the University of Denver, focusing on Japan and East Asia but also on world history. His work combines an interest in social and political history with cultural, specifically the history of film.