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Cultural studies in Japan

and the United StatesYunuen Mandujano

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Elements that configure Japanese

studies in the U.S. (And Mexico too)

Countrys

organizationalstructures

Countrysideas andconditions

Perceptionsand concernsof the countryabout Japan.

The type ofexpertise that haveJapan specialists

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Development of Japanese Studies

in the U.S.

Postwar phenomenon,

product of the Cold War:

Language and area studies

From about the mid-

1980s:

Economic Competition

By the end of the

century:

Cultural Studies

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Language and area studies

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Economic competition

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Cultural studies

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Characteristics of cultural studies

Sense that culture and politicaleconomy need to be studied one inrelation to the other.

Conception of culture as activelyconstructed, changing andmaintained by human actions.

Conviction that culture has distinctforms within one society(subcultures).

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Assumption of the importance of allcultural representations as objects ofstudy.

Understanding that anything culturalmust be studied in its context.

All research must be consciously self-reflexive.

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Requirements of cultural studies

High level of language and visualskills.

Close attention to context.

Movement thru disciplinary lines,without the formal interdisciplinarytraining needed before.

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Features of Cultural studies about

Japan in the U.S.

Increasing dominance of humanities.

Film, visual arts, popular culture. Stronger Japanese language skills.

Deeper everyday involvement in

Japan and Japanese language. Internet as a source of material.

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Statistical data of American Japan

specialists

By 2005, from a total of 1285,63.7% male, 36.3 female.

Major concentration:

Male: 55 64

Female: 45 54

From Non-faculty occupations, majorconcentration as: librarian (18.1%).

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Universities with more DoctoralStudents in Japanese Studies (2005)

Harvard University 67

University of Hawaii 66

Columbia University 65

Princeton University 43

U. of C. at Berkeley 37

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Institutions with more Japanspecialists (2005)

Columbia University 105

Harvard University 103

University of Michigan 69

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Japan Specialists Funding Priorities

Language Study in Japan, Study Abroad

Graduate Student Support forDissertation Research

Support for Additional Faculty Positions

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Prehistory

Nara

Heian

Kamakura

Ashikaga

Sengoku

Tokugawa

EarlyTokugawa

LateTokugawa

Bakumatsu

Meiji

Taisho

Showa

EarlyShowa

PostwarShowa

Heisei

1995

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

%

Historical Period of Specialization

1995

2005

Source: Modified from data taken from The Japan Foundation (2007) Japanesestudies in the United States and Canada: Continuities and opportunities. Pp. 41

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Anthopology,

Psych.,

Soc.

Art,

ArtHistory

Businessandeconomics

Communication,

LibraryScience

Education

Geography,

Environment

History

Lang

uage,

Linguistics

Law

Literature

Music,

Danc

e,

TheatreArts

Philosophy

Politics

Religion

Scienceand

Technology

1995

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

Domains of Specialization

1995

2005

Source: Modified from data taken from The Japan Foundation (2007) Japanese studies

in the United States and Canada: Continuities and opportunities.Pp. 45

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Institutions with Japan Specialists by Number of

Specialists

Year 1 2 to 3 4 to 7 8 to 11 12 or more

1970 56.1 24.5 12.2 2.9 4.3

1984 33 30.3 24.8 4.9 7

1995 47.7 23.7 16.2 5.2 7.2

2005 39.5 22.1 14.6 11.6 12.2

Source: Modified from data taken from The Japan Foundation (2007) Japanese

studies in the United States and Canada: Continuities and opportunities.Pp. 98

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% of Academic Institutions with presence of

Japanese Studies by Level of Degree offered

Degree Level 1995 2005

Associate 29.3 25.3

BA 87 95.7

MA 71.4 78.2

PhD 41.1 50

Number of Institutions 440 348

Source: Modified from data taken from The Japan Foundation (2007)

Japanese studies in the United States and Canada: Continuities and

opportunities.Pp. 104

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How is Japan being promoted in

the internet?

Japan as exciting andexotic

Being trated asfamous by Japanese

Promotion of CulturalStudies in Japan

Scholarships

Loans

Visas

Racist

Language almostimpossible todominate

Foreigners excludedand been denied helpin many situations.