“Gerald Figal’s powerful study persuades us that superstition, monsters, and the fantastic are at the very heart of Japanese modernity—an argument conveyed in splendid fashion. This is an exciting, fresh, and aptly provocative work.”—James Fujii, University of California at Irvine “Through the transmutation of ghosts, Figal brings out one of the central problematics of modern nation-states: what to do about ... Read morepasts that are simultaneously evidence of backwardness and integral to the make-up of the nation. All scholars interested in Japan, historically and culturally, should read Civilization and Monsters.”—Stefan Tanaka, University of California, San Diego Show Less