Ethnography of Japan

Key information

Status
Module not running
Module code
151802081
FHEQ Level
5
Credits
15

Module overview

This module is designed to cover a wide variety of topics relating to Japanese society, beginning with the question of orientalism and representation in the ethnography of Japan to a consideration of family, education, religion, gender, sexuality and ethnic minorities. It concludes with recent concerns with popular culture and the so-called “non-human”. The module aims to provide both ethnographic detail and theoretical background on past and current debates in the description of Japanese culture(s) and to address questions such as “What are the boundaries of Japanese identity?” and “How can we understand difference in Japan?” These issues are addressed in a range of contexts, including the arts, consumption, the body and controversies in the medical anthropology in Japan.

Typical module outline by week:

  1. Introduction: Representation, Fantasy, Ethnography
  2. The Japanese House: Lineage, Materiality, Family
  3. Becoming Japanese: Education, Apprenticeship, Identity
  4. The Enigma of Belief: Japanese Religions and the Quotidian
  5. Masculinity and Femininity: the Salaryman Doxa, Sex, Marriage
  6. (Reading Week)
  7. Japanese Diversity: Ethnic, Social, and Queer Minorities
  8. Deities, Animals, Dolls, Robots: The Non-Human in Japan
  9. Ageing and the Ethics of Care
  10. How to live, How to die: Suicide, Death and Illness
  11. Popular Culture and Otaku Tourism

Prerequisites

This module is open to all undergraduates as an Open Option.

Objectives and learning outcomes of the module

On successful completion of this module a student will be able to:

  1. critically evaluate a range of theories and ethnographic source material relating to Japanese society
  2. locate and use secondary sources relevant to selected topics
  3. have a grasp of the key debates in the anthropology of Japan

Developing regional expertise is a key component of the study of anthropology, and central to programmes across the school. The learning outcomes are designed to ensure that students develop a solid grounding in the anthropology of Japan, refine their ability to critically engage diverse literatures and communicate their knowledge in a variety of ways. These processes of comprehension, analysis and communication are central to all anthropology programmes, as well as to the broader humanities and social sciences at SOAS.

Suggested reading

  • Robertson, Jennifer (ed.) (2005) A Companion to the Anthropology of Japan. Oxford: Blackwell.
  • Sugimoto, Yoshio (2015) An Introduction to Japanese Society (4th edition). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • Hendry, Joy (2012) Understanding Japanese Society (3rd edition). London: RoutledgeCurzon.

Disclaimer

Important notice regarding changes to programmes and modules