The Social and Gender Politics of Confucian Nationalism argues that the concept of Confucian nationalism is key to understanding the relationship between citizens and the state in Japan, especially the relationship between women and the state. Nicole L. Freiner examines education policy, social security policy, and the roles that women have played in these initiatives in order to comprehend this relationship. This research defines and illustrates a new understanding of nationalism, with a focus on the ways in which the Japanese state has utilized Confucian philosophy to create a Japanese national identity and on the impact of this on women.