The 'kizuna' discourse in Japan is about bonding as people. After the 3.11 disaster this bonding became more important. The women in the disaster areas were faced with the pressure this discourse...Show moreThe 'kizuna' discourse in Japan is about bonding as people. After the 3.11 disaster this bonding became more important. The women in the disaster areas were faced with the pressure this discourse placed on the gender role women have. With all the stress they themselves already went through, it was still their responsibility to care for everyone. There was hardly any particular attention for the needs of women in disaster areas. This thesis discusses first the theory on disaster and how such an event affects women in particular. Next a history of women and the role they take in society is discussed, followed by the situation of women after the disaster and during recovery.Show less
This thesis analyses the reception of three Chinese women writers (Mian Mian, Wei Hui and Chun Shu), part of a group of female authors known as Beauty Writers, by professional critics and popular...Show moreThis thesis analyses the reception of three Chinese women writers (Mian Mian, Wei Hui and Chun Shu), part of a group of female authors known as Beauty Writers, by professional critics and popular readers. The reception of the Beauty Writers by the public in the People’s Republic of China, their native country, has been the focus of very few researches. I seek to add to the existing corpus of research by analysing two different types of reviews: the comments of intellectuals, such as professional critics, fellow writers, editors and professors, and the reviews of general readers who published their remarks on the internet. I will base the examination of the comments on the theory of reader-response criticism, which was born in Western literature and states that the reader shapes the meaning of a text, and that the text is thus not an isolated and self-standing work. By considering the external elements that help the readers judge a work, I seek to understand the reasons behind the positive or negative comments on the Beauty Writers’ works, which have drawn much media attention soon after their publications in the early 2000s. I propose that despite the early heated discussions about the literary worth of the Beauty Writers, in the end the perception of their writing style has reached normalisation, with the inclusion of the writers in the history of Chinese literature.Show less
In this thesis I will conduct research regarding the acquisition of the BA construction among native Dutch second language learners of Mandarin. I will look at the following research question: Are...Show moreIn this thesis I will conduct research regarding the acquisition of the BA construction among native Dutch second language learners of Mandarin. I will look at the following research question: Are native Dutch speaking learners of Mandarin as a second language faster in understanding certain features of the BA structure and in acquiring the BA structure then native English speaking learners of Mandarin? This question is suggested by the fact that English is an SVO language, while Dutch is basically an SOV language. Since the BA construction is an SOV structure, it could be possible that based on their first language, Dutch learners of Mandarin are faster than English learners of Mandarin in acquiring this structure. At the end of my research I expect to be able to show some interesting points regarding this question, which could be a basis for more research on this question.Show less
This thesis considers the meaning and significance of portraying minorities in film. After a short discussion of existing Zainichi cinema, literature on film and gender and intersectionality, the...Show moreThis thesis considers the meaning and significance of portraying minorities in film. After a short discussion of existing Zainichi cinema, literature on film and gender and intersectionality, the thesis zooms in on Yakiniku Dragon (2018) and the way the film deals with Zainichi identity through the exploration of a few scenes and the analysis of Yakiniku Dragon’s script. Yakiniku Dragon’s underlying gender portrayals has implications for the way Zainichi experiences are perceived and has implications for Zainichi women in particular. The analysis of Yakiniku Dragon’s imagery and script sheds light on how gendered labor divisions and a different attribution of themes to different genders excludes Zainichi Korean women’s voices and experiences from Zainichi nationalism or empowerment discourses.Show less
This study introduces three typologies (bao, baoying and baochou) for the analysis of wuxia films. It proposes a more nuanced way of analysing revenge, punishment and justice in (Chinese) action film.
Against the broader background of the remembrance culture of the Second Sino-Japanese War in China, I will focus on the depiction of Japan and the Japanese by comparing four movies from different...Show moreAgainst the broader background of the remembrance culture of the Second Sino-Japanese War in China, I will focus on the depiction of Japan and the Japanese by comparing four movies from different moments in time and with different socio-historical contexts, and their reception through various platforms including social media: Tunnel Warfare (Di Dao Zhan地道战) from 1965, Red Sorghum (Hong Gaoliang红高粱) from 1987, Devils on the Doorstep (Guizi Lai Le鬼子来了) from 2000 and The Flowers of War (Jinling Shisan Chai金陵十三钗) from 2011. This thesis asks the following research question: How do depictions of Japan and the Japanese in Chinese films about the Second Sino-Japanese war develop over time?Show less
