Representations of hafu in Japanese advertisement: The relevance of the intersectionality of race and gender

Up until now, there has been a lot of studies done on the topic hafu in Japan. Although, a gap can be identified when we consider gendered aspects of the mixed-race identity. Social aspects within an identity such as race and gender, should not be simply observed separately but investigated on how they interact with or affect each other. This thesis examines the mixed-race identity as a multidimensional concept by focusing on the intersectionality of race and gender. The main question is: “how does the intersection of racial and gendered identities contribute to the identity experience of hafu in Japan?” Firstly, this thesis argues how the intersectionality theory, primarily introduced by Crenshaw, adds value to understanding the mixed-race identity. It will highlight the importance of this angle. Secondly, it will provide a historical background of hafu in Japan and discuss the gaps in the literature on this topic. After a critical discussion of the issue, an analysis investigates...Show moreUp until now, there has been a lot of studies done on the topic hafu in Japan. Although, a gap can be identified when we consider gendered aspects of the mixed-race identity. Social aspects within an identity such as race and gender, should not be simply observed separately but investigated on how they interact with or affect each other. This thesis examines the mixed-race identity as a multidimensional concept by focusing on the intersectionality of race and gender. The main question is: “how does the intersection of racial and gendered identities contribute to the identity experience of hafu in Japan?” Firstly, this thesis argues how the intersectionality theory, primarily introduced by Crenshaw, adds value to understanding the mixed-race identity. It will highlight the importance of this angle. Secondly, it will provide a historical background of hafu in Japan and discuss the gaps in the literature on this topic. After a critical discussion of the issue, an analysis investigates how representations of hafu in Japanese advertisements are contributing to the identity of hafu. It will provide an insight of how images in advertisements show intersecting gendered and racial identity assumptions for male and female hafu.Show less

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Representations of hafu in Japanese advertisement: The relevance of the intersectionality of race and gender