I don't think that it's necessarily a bad assignment as long as the teacher
acknowledges that analogizing the samurai and European knights is an
outdated analysis. Seems to me a ripe opportunity to illustrate how the
historiographic process works (over time) and the necessity of reading
one's sources critically. Might be nice to (capitalizing on what many
students bring to introductory classes in the way of baggage) 1) assign
this topic, 2) have them read some excerpts from _Bushido_ by Nitobe, and
then 3) read G. Cameron (Cappy) Hurst's article on Bushido, Loyalty, etc.
My point being that it is not necessarily a bad topic if approached
properly.
-Shannon
Tom Helm wrote:
All-
We have to locate the teacher who is giving this assignment and shut
him down...
-t
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