The Meiji period was the source of many anxieties about the modernity brought in from overseas. However, this also meant reaping the benefits of the modern life. Ukiyo-e prints were used in the Edo...Show moreThe Meiji period was the source of many anxieties about the modernity brought in from overseas. However, this also meant reaping the benefits of the modern life. Ukiyo-e prints were used in the Edo period to entertain people like modern social media and in the early Meiji period, this continued. Meiji Ukiyo-e prints showing trains, carriages, modern buildings, and schools were used to show the Japanese people around the country what positive things modernity could accomplish. These prints manufactured a positive form of modernity that had a soothing effect on people who had feelings of anxiety about the country opening up, foreigners coming in, and the political and cultural systems changing. The government could censor ukiyo-e prints and thus might even have a say in the changing topics to introduce modern things like trains and Western-style buildings. Publishers and the government's influence on the prints' topics could have made a manufactured positive modernity. Also, prints showed scenes that were either beautified scenes of reality or made up by artists to help manufacture a positive image of the Meiji period. Meiji ukiyo-e prints had the effect of creating a positive notion of reality not only for the image of Japan as a great nation to the foreign powers but also as a way to show the capabilities of Japan’s modernization skills to the nationals living in the Meiji era Japan.Show less
Most scholars agree that the Japanese amphibious strategy is fundamentally flawed by the lack of cooperation between the Japanese Self Defense Forces’ (JSDF) ground and maritime branches, as well...Show moreMost scholars agree that the Japanese amphibious strategy is fundamentally flawed by the lack of cooperation between the Japanese Self Defense Forces’ (JSDF) ground and maritime branches, as well as the latter’s lack of dedicated amphibious capabilities. However, while the struggles of the Japanese Ground Self Defense Force (JGSDF) have been extensively documented in papers and interviews by academics, retired JGSDF and United States Marine Corps (USMC) officers, research on its Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) counterpart has lagged behind. The JMSDF’s amphibious warfare unit, counterintuitively or perhaps fittingly called the Mine Warfare Force (MWF), is only mentioned contextually, and portrayed as an inadequate JMSDF counterpart to the JGSDF’s marines. Yet, the archipelago nation, standing as the greatest obstacle to China's seaward expansion, cannot afford to possess ineffective amphibious forces. Whether it is from the perspective of containing, deterring, or fighting the People's Liberation Army (PLA), for Japan, the ability to quickly deploy and sustain forces on its islands is essential. Why was arguably the most professional Navy in Asia unable to develop an effective amphibious counterpart for Japan's naval infantry? By conducting a comprehensive analysis of Japanese naval literature from official and quasi-official sources, this thesis aims to demonstrate that, contrary to common wisdom, neither Japan's pacifist nature nor a preconceived lack of JMSDF interest in amphibious capabilities shaped this result. Instead, the deeper reasons for this failure must be sought in intra- and inter-organizational politics within the JSDF. To prove this point, the thesis will analyze the MWF's evolution from its inception to the present day, focusing on three transformational moments that occurred in the periods of 2011 to 2013, 2014 to 2017, and 2018 to 2023.Show less
This paper focuses on paving new ways to analyze political agency and the re-molding of the concept of orthodoxy according to contingent needs in the two most relevant emperors of the Western Han...Show moreThis paper focuses on paving new ways to analyze political agency and the re-molding of the concept of orthodoxy according to contingent needs in the two most relevant emperors of the Western Han Dynasty (202 BCE-9 CE), namely Han Gaozu (256-195 BCE) and Han Wudi (156-87 BCE). Through a textual analysis, this researches will investigate music as a cultural artefact and in what terms it is talked about, finally shedding some light on the logical fragility of assuming orthodoxy and tradition as never changing.Show less
Social media and videoblogging, or vlogging, are taking over the internet and North Korea is joining this trend. While doing so, the state is reaching out to the international community through...Show moreSocial media and videoblogging, or vlogging, are taking over the internet and North Korea is joining this trend. While doing so, the state is reaching out to the international community through relatable media content and soft power tools. One of the examples, in which North Korea reached out to the international viewer, is the Youtube channel ‘Echo of Truth’. This research aims to answer the question as to how soft power tools are applied in the videos of ‘Echo of Truth’. By using a qualitative visual discourse analysis, it analyzes the videos of ‘Echo of Truth’ to answer this question. This thesis argues that soft power tools, such as cultural and culinary diplomacy, are applied in the videos in order to make these videos more relatable to the international audience. However, not all the videos were found to have used these soft power techniques as traditional propaganda videos were still uploaded to the channel. The sheer differences found in the channel’s videos raised the question of a power dilemma the channel seemed to be facing.Show less
Before the Meiji period, women were typically portrayed as idolized beauties, fitting within the contemporary beauty ideals. However, due to the new influences coming from the West after the...Show moreBefore the Meiji period, women were typically portrayed as idolized beauties, fitting within the contemporary beauty ideals. However, due to the new influences coming from the West after the opening of the borders, artists started to challenge this standard bijin mode of representing women. Artists such as Kajiwara Hisako, Tadaoto Kainoshō and Chigusa Sōn created paintings depicting women in a whole new manner compared to former periods. While previously women were often shown as the epitome of beauty and sophistication, now there was room for representations of women who weren’t perfect nor appealed to the society’s beauty standards. This thesis analyses how male and female nihonga artists created anti-bijin in response to social and artistic developments in Meiji and Taisho Japan. Furthermore, it explores how and to what extent these works broke away from the bijin ideal and what the driving force was behind the creation of these works.Show less
Despite the great efforts taken by the South Korean government to preserve the once highly regarded folk art, p’ansori is quickly becoming less relevant in Korean daily life. Nevertheless, a band...Show moreDespite the great efforts taken by the South Korean government to preserve the once highly regarded folk art, p’ansori is quickly becoming less relevant in Korean daily life. Nevertheless, a band called LEENALCHI was able to score a hit in 2020 with their song “Tiger is Coming”. The song is based on a p’ansori epic and is sung in p’ansori style, but it contains a twist. LEENALCHI creates fusion music, which is music that combines Korean traditional music and contemporary music. With their ‘new’ version of p’ansori, LEENALCHI is gaining much popularity in Korea and they are now the face of both the Korean Tourism Organization as well as several brands. Their presence in the Korean entertainment industry thus ensures that p’ansori, which was facing extinction despite the support of the Korean government, has once again become part of lived Korean culture. This thesis tries to examine how LEENALCHI is able to repurpose p’ansori and consequently popularize a form of intangible cultural heritage that has been struggling to keep up in relevance. In doing so, this thesis establishes how intangible cultural heritage can be repurposed even when preservation seems to become increasingly complicated.Show less
China and the European Union have, for a long time, sustained a cooperative, yet at the same time, antagonistic relationship. The surge in Chinese FDI in Europe, after the global financial crisis,...Show moreChina and the European Union have, for a long time, sustained a cooperative, yet at the same time, antagonistic relationship. The surge in Chinese FDI in Europe, after the global financial crisis, exacerbated unfavorable opinions of China, due to skepticism surrounding the intentions behind this investment increase. There is in place the belief that Chinese investment is negatively contributing to EU cohesiveness, by putting member states against each other to curry for China’s favour and secure investments, thus putting at risk the European order. The period post-2008 financial crisis saw Portugal becoming an important recipient of Chinese FDI, and as such, this paper analyzes the impact Chinese FDI has in Portuguese foreign policy and its integration in the EU. Portugal proves to be a unique case in comparison with other member states, due to its long-lasting relationship with China, and positive track record as a member of the EU. This dissertation examines this issue by using liberal intergovernmentalism and motivations behind Chinese investment, to argue that Portugal’s domestic interests play an important role in how it handles both China and the EU, as well as to defend that Chinese investment in Portugal as shown to be economically motivated. The results suggest that Portugal maintains a consistent and unchanged, for the most part, China policy. Furthermore, since most of Portugal’s domestic interests are met by the EU, according to liberal intergovernmentalism, in this way, it continues to contribute to its integration in the union. All in all, Chinese FDI in Portugal shouldn’t pose as a concern to the EU, seeing as the data reveals that Portugal’s top investors continue to be fellow member states, with China comprising a modest and slowly decreasing percentage. Therefore, the novelty of Chinese FDI in Europe continues to perpetuate an exaggerated anxiety, along with often unnecessary concerns, regarding the impact of said investment in Portugal.Show less
This thesis closely examines the North Korean film Hong Kildong, which is a film adaptation from 1986, based on the tale of Hong Kildong. It then compares the film version with a pre-modern...Show moreThis thesis closely examines the North Korean film Hong Kildong, which is a film adaptation from 1986, based on the tale of Hong Kildong. It then compares the film version with a pre-modern literary version of Hong Kildong Chŏn. The research field of North Korean cinema lacked a nuanced deconstruction of the ideological message conveyed in Hong Kildong. Consideration of the background motifs and themes was found to be generally overlooked. This thesis aims to provide for this lack. By analyzing the North Korean film version, while using the Confucian Five Moral Relationships and virtues as a yardstick, this thesis identified how close the story followed or deviated from the Confucian ethics. The comparison between Hong Kildong (film) and Hong Kildong Chŏn (pre-modern fiction) pointed out what (ideological) changes had been made, changes mostly found in the character traits and the development of the storyline towards the end of each story, and helped to identify Juche ideological elements. Through the hypothesis, “Hong Kildong reflects the same ideological changes as have been made to create the yunsaek type kodae sosŏl,” I was able to lend credit to the implications that come with the ideological changes I detected, since they then do not apply merely to this film. My research results confirmed that the hypothesis was indeed correct. Art theory in North Korea has taken on a unified form which is broadly applied to every artistic activity, including both film and literary adaptations of pre-modern works of fiction. The same ideological development can be discerned in both types of adaptation. The central theme, or “seed,” of Hong Kildong can be defined as the revolutionary transformation from the old, corrupt Chosŏn society to the new, liberated Chosŏn, which is promised to those who move towards the sun, which is symbolism for Kim Il-Sung and his Juche thought. Elements that suggest ideas contrary to Juche ideology were consistently found within the realm of Confucian thought. Confucian thought however was not condoned, nor completely condemned in the film, but rather improved to make a smooth transformation to Juche ideology possible. This suggests that Confucian thought remains, however limited, a component in the North Korean people’s belief system. However, hidden elements that reflect anti-Juche or anti-Party Line thoughts, which might have been an influence of Shin Sang-Ok’s own ideas, could not be found.Show less
This thesis focuses on Nagai Kafū’s lighting representations (both natural and manmade light) in the first decade of twentieth century, exploring how Kafū manipulates light, as well as the light...Show moreThis thesis focuses on Nagai Kafū’s lighting representations (both natural and manmade light) in the first decade of twentieth century, exploring how Kafū manipulates light, as well as the light-shadow contrast in his urban-based texts selected from different time. The analysis follows a timeline divided in roughly three parts: debut years before his journey abroad (1900-1903), journey in America and France (1903-1908) and few years after returning to Japan (1908 and after). Given the technological gap between Japan and the West in modern period and thus reflected in Kafū’s writing, knowledge of the innovations in lighting technology will be mentioned when necessary. This thesis argues that the drastic transition of his lighting passion from manmade light to natural light after his returning to Japan in 1908 shall be examined as a significant message. As an urban writer, his transition in light preference not only reveals his critical thinking of Japan’s modernization after experiencing what had been completed in the West, but also gives his vision in terms of what contributes to a livable modern city in which the inhabitants are deeply resonated with the urban fabrics, especially in a spiritual sense. Last but not the least, to some extent, the transition in lighting representations could be considered as a presage of the writer’s stylistic reverse few years later.Show less
In 2006, the Japanese government introduced a new special needs education system. One of the reasons for this reform was to promote the inclusion of children with a disability into mainstream...Show moreIn 2006, the Japanese government introduced a new special needs education system. One of the reasons for this reform was to promote the inclusion of children with a disability into mainstream schools (MEXT 2006b). However, since the implementation of this new system, instead of attending mainstream education, the number of children in Japan that are receiving special needs support or go to special schools has increased significantly. In the period from 2005 to 2016 the number of children receiving special needs education rose from 199,227 to 327,201, while at the same time the total number of school-going children declined. One of the main reasons for this significant growth is the increased recognition of developmental disorders (hattatsu shōgai発達障害). Developmental disorders are defined by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (hereafter MEXT), and include autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), learning disorders and/or other similar disorders of the brain function that usually develop at a young age (Mithout 2016, 171; MEXT n.d.c). Seeing as this recognition of developmental disorders by the MEXT is quite recent, not much research has been done on how these students perceive education and what challenges they face at school. With my research I will contribute to the literature about disability in Japan, especially highlighting the experiences of the students. This thesis will answer the questions: “How do students with developmental disorders in the current Japanese education system experience the available school options? And what insight do their experiences give us in the different models of disability?”. In order to answer these questions, this thesis will first explore different understandings and models of disability (medical and social) that show us different ways in which one can interpret disability. These models will form the basis of the thesis, and will show how policy-making and the education system in Japan are characterized by these models. In order to get a better understanding of how students with developmental disorders experience school, fieldwork was conducted at various schools in the Kansai region to observe the environment and the curriculum. Furthermore, six in-depht interviews were conducted with students with developmental disorders who graduated from special needs education.Show less
