Dr. Mario Oshima will argue that Tokugawa social status should be understood as a two-line system comprised by occupational statuses such as warriors (bushi) and nobles (kuge), and regional ones such as farmers (hyakusho) and merchants (chonin), rather than single line system of warrior-peasant-artisan-merchant. He will explain why the typical four story single line conception has prevailed. Finally, he will address how this two-line conception sheds light on some comparisons between the US and Japan in terms of the relation between the individual and the organization in society.

Co-sponsored by CEAS.