Research master thesis | Asian Studies (research) (MA)
open access
In this thesis, I focus the issue of alienation and estrangement of identity in the situation of Japan's cultural confrontation with the West, as (re)presented in the works of contemporary Japanese...Show moreIn this thesis, I focus the issue of alienation and estrangement of identity in the situation of Japan's cultural confrontation with the West, as (re)presented in the works of contemporary Japanese literature, from a postcolonial perspective. I refer to Frantz Fanon's theoretical narrative of the psychological alienation of (former) colonial subjects to construct my analytical framework, to examine the works of Fukuzawa Yukichi, Tawada Yōko and Mizumura Minae. In the case of Fukuzawa, one of the leading intellectuals in Meiji Japan, I unfold the complexity of local intellectual response to the invasion of Western civilization, to offer an overview of the historical background. In the case of Tawada and Mizumura, two distinctive figures in contemporary Japanese literature characterized by their transcultural writing that transgresses conventionally defined boundaries, I examine the theme of alienation and the distortion of identity in a situation where a Japanese is placed in confrontation with the overwhelming force of Western culture, as presented in their works.In my analysis, I hope reveal the resemblance between the situation that the authors in question deal with and the experience of the black population as is portrayed in Fanon's text, which hopefully would draw attention to the complicated picture of (post)colonial experience in Japan.Show less
Research master thesis | Asian Studies (research) (MA)
open access
Under the title ‘seeing culture by ear’, this thesis discusses what radio and radio studies is able to ‘show’ academia, what Japanese radio listeners get to ‘see’ when they tune in to their...Show moreUnder the title ‘seeing culture by ear’, this thesis discusses what radio and radio studies is able to ‘show’ academia, what Japanese radio listeners get to ‘see’ when they tune in to their favourite (community) radio stations and why these stations can be eye-opening for scholars researching radio and communities. The main argument is that radio is able to (greatly) contribute to the socialisation and cultivation of its listeners (especially on a local level) and that it is an appropriate medium for creating a sense of locality. To show how this could possibly be achieved, this thesis uses George Gerbner’s “Cultural Indicators Approach” and applies it to two community radio stations in northern Japan, namely FM Wappy in Wakkanai (Hokkaidō) and BeFM in Hachinohe (Aomori). By looking at the institutions involved with the creation of broadcasts and the messages which actually fill the airwaves, it becomes easier to see how the cultivating (and socialising) capabilities of these radio stations are realised. A few of the results are the large emphasis on the experiences of people, the participation of the station with local events and the opportunity for members of the community to create their own (short) shows. Also, especially in the case of BeFM, a continuous referral to local history, culture and language adds to the idea of radio being a tool for strengthening communal sentiments and local identity. Besides secondary (academic) literature, this thesis also contains fieldwork done by the author in 2015, an interview held with Mrs. Katō Yumi, the chairwoman of the board of directors at FM Wappy, and a message analysis of radio programmes broadcast during the summer of 2016.Show less
Research master thesis | Asian Studies (research) (MA)
open access
2020-08-31T00:00:00Z
The contemporary Japanese author Murakami Haruki is world-renowned for his work as a novelist, essayist and translator. This study examines how his celebrity authorship is fabricated in the...Show moreThe contemporary Japanese author Murakami Haruki is world-renowned for his work as a novelist, essayist and translator. This study examines how his celebrity authorship is fabricated in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. It poses the hypothesis that his celebrity authorship is inherently paradoxical, as the author seems to be invested in a multiplicity of subject positions.Show less
