Sociology 3360: Modern Japanese Society Guide

Note to Students

This guide was created to help you complete your course research assignment. Please contact me, Patricia F. Vander Meer 269 387-5191, if you would like further help or wish to discuss your research. Staff are also available many hours of the week at the Central Reference Desk in Waldo Library (phone: 269 387-5178 or online: Ask a Librarian).

Almanacs and Yearbooks

Nihon t¯okei nenkan (Japan statistical yearbook) HA1832 .J36 (Ref)
Includes a wide range of basic statistics about Japan, including land, population, economy, society, and culture.

Passport's Japan Almanac DS805 .D34 1987 (Ref)
Serves as an introduction to Japan. Somewhat dated but could prove useful for historical information. Contains short to medium, alphabetically arranged entries.

Country Study

A Country Study, Japan presents a description and analysis of the historical setting and the social, economic, political, and national security and institutions of Japan. Examines the interrelationships of those systems and the ways they are shaped by cultural factors. Published by the Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress.

Dictionaries

Concise dictionary of modern Japanese history. DS881.9 .H86 1984 (Ref)
Provides information on people, events, and organizations significant to Japanese history.

Dictionary of the modern politics of Japan. JQ1605 .S86 2003 (Ref)
Provides introductory essays on Japanese history and theories of politics in addition to factual, lengthy, alphabetically arranged entries.

Historical dictionary of Osaka and Kyoto. DS897.O814 R67 1999 (Ref)
Provides information on the cities of Osaka and Kyota which played significant roles in shaping modern-day Japan. Topics include history, commerce, culture, education, society and religion.

Wisdom of the Far East : a dictionary of proverbs, maxims, and famous classical phrases of the Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.
PN6511 .Y6 (Ref)
Contains English translations of select quotations.

Encyclopedias

Cambridge encyclopedia of Japan. DS805 .C36 1993 (Ref)
This large, multi-volume work is designed to be a basic reference tool covering all aspects of Japan and its history.

Encyclopedia of Japan: Japanese history and culture, from abacus to zori.
DS805.P47 1991
This one-volume work contains short entries that provide an introduction to Japanese history and culture.

Encyclopedia of contemporary Japanese culture. DS822.5 .E516 2002 (Ref)
Intended to be a reference for both scholars in the field as well as general readers seeking information on modern Japanese culture.

Japan: an illustrated encyclopedia. DS805 .J263 1993 (Ref)
This multi-volume work offers a comprehensive view of Japanese society and culture beginning with prehistoric times through most of the 20th century. Contains over 4000 photos and illustrations.

Japan encyclopedia.
DS821 .F73 2002 (Ref)
This one-volume work provides short entries on Japan, including its political, literary, religious, and scientific history, from prehistoric times to the present.

Kodansha encyclopedia of Japan. DS805 .K633 (Ref)
This large, multi-volume work contains short to lengthy entries and serves as a comprehensive reference tool for the study of Japan.

MIT encyclopedia of the Japanese economy. HC462.9 .H73 194 (Ref)
Intended to introduce the basics of the contemporary Japanese economy through topical essays and short dictionary-like entries.

Modern Japan: an encyclopedia of history, culture, and nationalism. DS805 .M631998 (Ref)
This one-volume work contains short to lengthy entries on many aspects of Japanese history, culture, and nationalism. Includes a chronology of historical events.

Handbooks

Doing business and investing in Japan. HF1205 .P7x no.32 (Ref)
Designed to give the reader an overview of the Japanese business environment and culture.

Doing business in Japan. HF 54 .E76x no.55 (Ref)
Provides a “snapshot” of the basics pertaining to the business climate in Japan.

Japan, 1994 post report.
JX 1705 .A286 no.J27 1994 (Ref)
This U.S. Department of State publication was written for U.S. Government employees and their families. It includes basic facts about Japan and contemporary culture as well as practical information on topics such as transportation.

Japan: profile of a nation.
DS806 .J228 1999 (Ref)
This one-volume reference draws select information from Japan, An Illustrated Encyclopedia and presents it a concise, introductory format.

Religious traditions of the world: a journey through Africa, Mesoamerica, North America, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, China, and Japan. BL80.2 .R448 1993
Contains a section of essays that detail major Japanese religions and issues surrounding them. Includes a chronology of religious history.

Journal Article Indexes

ProQuest Research Library Indexes popular magazines, scholarly journals, newspapers and trade publications in a wide range of subject areas, including business, education, humanities, social sciences, and sciences. Full-text available for over 2,500 journals. Coverage from 1971.

Social Sciences Abstracts Indexes over 600 periodicals in anthropology, economics, ethnic studies, feminist studies, geography, human services, international relations, law and criminology, police science, political science, population studies, psychology, public administration, public health, social work, sociology, urban studies, and related social science subjects. Coverage: indexing from 1983 and abstracts from 1994. Updated weekly.
Details

Contemporary Women's Issues Full-text access to information on women around the world from a variety of journals and other publications gathered from nonprofit groups as well as governmental agencies. Coverage is from 1990 to the present.

ProjectMuse
Project MUSE® offers nearly 200 scholarly in the fields of literature and criticism, history, the visual and performing arts, cultural studies, education, political science, economics, and others.

Sociological Abstracts Indexes an international selection of publications in sociology and related disciplines from over 1,800 journals, serials, books, conference papers, and dissertations. Indexing and abstracting from 1952, and cited references with links from 2001. Updated monthly.

Worldwide Political Science Abstracts An index with abstracts to articles from over 1,100 international journals in political science and related disciplines. Includes book reviews. Based on the Political Science Abstracts from Plenum and ABC POL SCI from ABC-CLIO. Coverage: 1975 to the present. Updated monthly.

Newspaper Article Indexes

LexisNexis Academic Indexes thousands of domestic and foreign newspapers, as well as journals, and other publications in News, Business company reports and articles, Legal Research, Medical and Reference. The legal research category includes law reviews, law news, federal and state laws and cases. Mostly full text. Includes Hoover's full text. Coverage dates vary.

Special Interest Web Sites

National Clearinghouse for U.S.-Japan Studies Includes links to gateways containing sites with information about all aspects of Japan and its culture.

Travel Guides

Fodor's Japan. DS811 .F6 (Ref)
This traditional travel guide provides popular information on Japan, its culture, and customs.

login

Ask A Librarian

Patricia F. Vander Meer
pat.vandermeer@wmich.edu
269-387-5191
Last updated: October 2006