The hypothesis of this thesis posits that the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games framed the moral idea of reconstruction to downplay the gravity of Japan’s reality under the eyes of an international audience...Show moreThe hypothesis of this thesis posits that the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games framed the moral idea of reconstruction to downplay the gravity of Japan’s reality under the eyes of an international audience. The legacy that the JOC has composed surrounding the reconstruction and recovery of Fukushima is in conflict with the views of Japanese anti-Olympic organizations. Through Erving Goffman’s 1974’s Framing Theory, “Reconstruction Olympics” seem to fit the concept of fabrication. The observations and experiences regarding the recovery of Fukushima by evacuees do not align with the fabricated framework by the JOC and the Japanese government, resulting in resistance to the Olympic Games by protest groups. The framing of the Games has played a fundamental role in the formation of its official narrative. Three groups Hangorin no Kai, Okotowari Link and Friends of the Earth Japan will be analyzed through their blog posts, which together seem to be in agreement on the topic of Fukushima’s recovery. Their discourse presents a clear counter-narrative to the discourse presented by the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. Reconstruction in the narrative of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games should show results, however, due to fabrication the state of Fukushima is discredited by the JOC and the Japanese government.Show less
This thesis is about the social recovery of Japanese elderly after disasters, more specifically after the 3.11 disaster. The theory of Pierre Bourdieu was used to analyze the difficulty of elderly...Show moreThis thesis is about the social recovery of Japanese elderly after disasters, more specifically after the 3.11 disaster. The theory of Pierre Bourdieu was used to analyze the difficulty of elderly to recover on a social level from disasters by looking at the amount of social capital that elderly might have before the disaster and what social capital they could lose as a result of that. It appears that the elderly do not necessarily have more difficulty to recover socially from a disaster because of the amount of social capital they generally possess. This forms a contrast with the general stereotypes of the elderly.Show less
In the aftermath of a disaster, women’s suffering is often compounded in the face of increased vulnerabilities to physical and mental illness, unsafe temporary living conditions, and the many...Show moreIn the aftermath of a disaster, women’s suffering is often compounded in the face of increased vulnerabilities to physical and mental illness, unsafe temporary living conditions, and the many instances in which women’s opinions, requests, and capabilities are ignored. This thesis discusses gender inequality within post-disaster management in Japan, with a focus on the 2011 Triple Disaster which consisted of an earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear meltdown within the Tohoku region. The framework of gender within public health and post-disaster management is used to examine women’s experiences in the response and recovery phases of the Triple Disaster as seen through film and academic literature. This paper argues that the role of women in the aftermath of the disaster reflected and reinforced gender inequality in Japanese society. The inadequate living conditions for women in emergency shelters, the silencing of women’s voices after the Fukushima nuclear meltdown, and the distinct lack of female participation in disaster management all give credence to the notion that the gender dimension of disasters was and continues to be significantly overlooked. It is evident that the gender issues present in the aftermath of the 2011 disaster are part of larger societal structures not only in Japan but also in the wider field of public health.Show less
At the time of writing almost five years have passed since Japan's triple disaster on March 11th 2011, when an earthquake triggered a tsunami which in turn triggered a nuclear crisis. With the...Show moreAt the time of writing almost five years have passed since Japan's triple disaster on March 11th 2011, when an earthquake triggered a tsunami which in turn triggered a nuclear crisis. With the initial shock having passed, how are people looking back at it? How have the tragic events that transpired settled into history, into national consciousness, into victims’ personal memories? Although on the grander national and global scales 3.11 is all but forgotten and being digested in the background, for most of the victims this disaster is still affecting daily life in numerous ways. The question this thesis focuses on is: What exactly has been disrupted through this disaster on a social level; how do communities and individuals that have been abruptly uprooted by a nuclear disaster cope; how do they reconstruct their collective and individual memories and identities; and how do they reframe nuclear energy, something that initially brought them prosperity but eventually led to them losing their homes indefinitely. This thesis analyzes the case of a specific uprooted nuclear host community, using documentary films as source material. The following discussion shows that a firmly rooted and once proud community has all but fallen apart, and their entire shared narrative, central to their collective identity, is shattered. Individual cases prove that there are many different ways in which memory is bound to either a place, people, or objects. Where the highest importance is placed is an individual issue that depends on the person and the context, and how flexible they deem their own identity. As a result some evacuees move on and some remain with the core community, hoping to return to their hometown someday, even though it seems unlikely to be possible within their lifetime. Further links between individuals and collective memory are discussed.Show less
