Rafael Munia | Graduate Center of the City University of New York (original) (raw)
Papers by Rafael Munia
Japanese review of cultural anthropology, 2020
IGI Global eBooks, Oct 14, 2022
Advances in psychology, mental health, and behavioral studies (APMHBS) book series, Oct 14, 2022
Perceptions of young women in Japan are examined in relation to female self-defense. Several wome... more Perceptions of young women in Japan are examined in relation to female self-defense. Several women in Japan were surveyed, with some chosen for interviews. It seemed that self-defense was often connected not to learning assault-prevention techniques but to purchasing self-defense tools. This finding opens two avenues for discussion. First, the marketization of personal safety is explored, as is the genderization of these tools and the subsumption of women's safety into a logic of consumption. Second, the shift from viewing the body as a weapon to viewing the object as one, which projects various forms of subjectification onto women, is discussed. These include the outsourcing of women's agency to an external object. It is concluded that this outsourcing often results in the reinforcement of tropes of fragility and the neutralization of resignifications of the female body that emerges from practitioners who focus on the body as the instrument of self-defense.
Antropolitica - Revista Contemporanea de Antropologia
O presente artigo trata da produção de subjetividade, fugindo do conceito de “identidade”, entre ... more O presente artigo trata da produção de subjetividade, fugindo do conceito de “identidade”, entre a juventude japonesa no contexto do neo-liberalismo. A partir das narrativas coletadas por meio de entrevistas ao autor, à mídia japonesa, e a outros pesquisadores, foi possível constatar que a produção da subjetividade se dá no meio de duas máquinas de produção de japonesidade distintas: o neo-liberalismo, representado pelo mercado e pelo ideário empreendedor, e a identidade nacional, representada pelas instituições de ensino e os discursos herdados do nihonnjinron. Percebeu-se no decorrer da pesquisa que o aparato neo-liberal, apesar de servir como ferramenta de escape para uma juventude que se ve limitada por um rígido discurso de identidade nacional, também funciona como um mecanismo de captura, reterritorializando os jovens em uma série de novos discursos sobre japonesidade, sem que os discursos identitários abandonem o imaginário japonês.
Japanese Review of Cultural Anthropology, 2020
Perceptions of young women in Japan are examined in relation to female self-defense. Several wome... more Perceptions of young women in Japan are examined in relation to female self-defense. Several women in Japan were surveyed, with some chosen for interviews. It seemed that self-defense was often connected not to learning assault-prevention techniques but to purchasing self-defense tools. This finding opens two avenues for discussion. First, the marketization of personal safety is explored, as is the genderization of these tools and the subsumption of women's safety into a logic of consumption. Second, the shift from viewing the body as a weapon to viewing the object as one, which projects various forms of subjectification onto women, is discussed. These include the outsourcing of women's agency to an external object. It is concluded that this outsourcing often results in the reinforcement of tropes of fragility and the neutralization of resignifications of the female body that emerges from practitioners who focus on the body as the instrument of self-defense.
Revista Antropolítica, 2017
O presente artigo trata da produção de subjetividade, fugindo do conceito de identidade, entre a ... more O presente artigo trata da produção de subjetividade, fugindo do conceito de identidade, entre a juventude japonesa no contexto do neo-liberalismo. A partir das narrativas coletadas por meio de entrevistas ao autor, à mídia japonesa, e a outros pesquisadores, foi possível constatar que a produção da subjetividade se dá no meio de duas máquinas de produção de japonesidade distintas: o neo-liberalismo, representado pelo mercado e pelo ideário empreendedor, e a identidade nacional, representada pelas instituições de ensino e os discursos herdados do nihonnjinron. Percebeu-se no decorrer da pesquisa que o aparato neo-liberal, apesar de servir como ferramenta de escape para uma juventude que se ve limitada por um rígido discurso de identidade nacional, também funciona como um mecanismo de captura, reterritorializando os jovens em uma série de novos discursos sobre japonesidade, sem que os discursos identitários abandonem o imaginário japonês.
As part of a global trend, Japan seems to begin embracing the discourse of multiculturalism in wh... more As part of a global trend, Japan seems to begin embracing the discourse of multiculturalism
in what could be taken as a departure from the ideology of homogeneity. However, looking
closer at the Japanese case, we can see the waysit has promoted the same hegemonic ideology
of homogeneity with a post-modern veil of tolerance. Thus, what could serve as a subversion
to the rigid and essentialized notion of national identity in Japan isneutralized under the
discourse of tolerance without any need for anti-immigration policies, as Japan seems to
move from a disciplinary society to a society of control characteristic of the neo-liberal
countries. Throughout this article it is argued that the symbolic misery instituted through the
schools’ curriculums, together with a culture of tolerance, acts in ways to prevent any creative
interaction with difference, further solidifying rigid notions of Japaneseness and neutralizing
possible nomadic assemblages to take place.
The present paper explores the production of subjectivities by the Japanese youth in the contempo... more The present paper explores the production of subjectivities by the Japanese youth in the contemporary context of Neo-Liberalism. Through the observation of narratives from Japanese students of diverse backgrounds, it can be observed how such students are in constant contacts with a rigid model of Japanese National Identity throughout all the school. However, many of them confront the limitations that these institutions present them as a model for the future. In this context, many students adopt escape strategies, choosing instead to attempt the entrance at more international institutions, or adopting the ideas of entrepreneurship. What is observed along this paper is how the youth gets trapped within a schizophrenic context, in which the national discourse asks them to enact a single homogenous model of Japaneseness that they can’t fit in, and the market discourse asks them to be global and in a constant improvement that never ends.
Coping with Uncertainty , 2014
The present paper deals with the theme of coping with uncertainty in the context of the Japanese ... more The present paper deals with the theme of coping with uncertainty in the context of the Japanese youth, particularly concerned with their escape strategies and the political consequences of the adoption of such strategy. Through the observation of a multitude of narratives from Japanese students with diverse backgrounds, it can be observed how such students, when faced with some perceived limitations produced by Japanese institutions, instead of attempting to promote changes in such institutions, naturalized such thinking as being simply the Japanese way, choosing instead to escape such institutions to more international ones that they perceive as freer. Although the rigidity of the discourse on Japaneseness can appear to be a way to cope with the uncertainty brought by the contemporary age providing stable and fix identities, what is observed along this paper is how the symbolic misery promoted by such rigid idea of national-identity actually act as another source of pressure in the youth, that gets trapped within a schizophrenic reality in which the national discourse asks them to enact a single model of Japaneseness that they can’t fit in, and the market discourse asks them to be global and in a constant improvement that never ends but is in constant becoming, both being prêt-a-porter subjectivities that exists only in their hyper-real sense. Additionally, the paper concludes, by adopting such strategies, not only the escape is not realized, but the institutions are further strengthened by the lack of demands for change.
Conference Presentations by Rafael Munia
EAAA, 2021
During the Covid pandemic, two facts about the disease seemed to stand against each other. On one... more During the Covid pandemic, two facts about the disease seemed to stand against each other. On one hand, scientists found that the male body made men more susceptible for the coronavirus to settle in and stay longer. While at the same time, statistics were showing that women were beating the blunt of the Covid pandemic the most, victims not only of the virus directly, but also of consequences of the pandemic such as domestic violence, economic hardships, and suicide. On top of that, as countries started to roll out their vaccination efforts, we saw how women were more likely to experience side-effects from the vaccine, which we also learn has been mostly tested on men during its experimental phase. This paper will investigate how the natural vulnerability of the male body to the disease gets transformed through social mediation into the vulnerability of the social condition of women to the disease and its consequences. In order to do that, we will compare how the effects of Covid have been sexually differentiated in Japan and in Korea, two countries that experienced high rates of female suicide and sexual violence during the pandemic. How did the different responses from institutions and from society influenced this outcome in each country and what can we learn from these two experiences? Through this comparison, we will show how vulnerability is socially constructed and gendered, not only to leave women in precarious positions that reinforce and naturalize the social imagination of female-as-vulnerable, but also to erase male vulnerability from the social imaginary as an equally important component of the maintenance of sexual inequality.
The present paper is a result of a two-year intensive ethnography of an intercultural Japanese co... more The present paper is a result of a two-year intensive ethnography of an intercultural Japanese company. While most of the literature on the anthropology of work in Japan regarding foreign workers tend to focus mainly on two types of experiences - those of global companies in which foreign workers and expats take up on international careers in Japan; and those of low-skilled jobs in which foreign migrants usually take up undesirable occupations in Japanese society - this ethnography, however, focuses on a middle level company, in which white collar workers in precarious contracts seek for visa guarantees and some small income to help them sustain their lives in Japan without much chances of a career development. By situating this type of experience within the current discussions on precarity, 24/7 capitalism, and Japanese internationalization efforts, the present paper provides results that both confirm some of the assumptions embedded in these discussions, informs new pathways for potential developments, and challenges some mainstream images about foreign employment and labor in Japan.
Japanese review of cultural anthropology, 2020
IGI Global eBooks, Oct 14, 2022
Advances in psychology, mental health, and behavioral studies (APMHBS) book series, Oct 14, 2022
Perceptions of young women in Japan are examined in relation to female self-defense. Several wome... more Perceptions of young women in Japan are examined in relation to female self-defense. Several women in Japan were surveyed, with some chosen for interviews. It seemed that self-defense was often connected not to learning assault-prevention techniques but to purchasing self-defense tools. This finding opens two avenues for discussion. First, the marketization of personal safety is explored, as is the genderization of these tools and the subsumption of women's safety into a logic of consumption. Second, the shift from viewing the body as a weapon to viewing the object as one, which projects various forms of subjectification onto women, is discussed. These include the outsourcing of women's agency to an external object. It is concluded that this outsourcing often results in the reinforcement of tropes of fragility and the neutralization of resignifications of the female body that emerges from practitioners who focus on the body as the instrument of self-defense.
Antropolitica - Revista Contemporanea de Antropologia
O presente artigo trata da produção de subjetividade, fugindo do conceito de “identidade”, entre ... more O presente artigo trata da produção de subjetividade, fugindo do conceito de “identidade”, entre a juventude japonesa no contexto do neo-liberalismo. A partir das narrativas coletadas por meio de entrevistas ao autor, à mídia japonesa, e a outros pesquisadores, foi possível constatar que a produção da subjetividade se dá no meio de duas máquinas de produção de japonesidade distintas: o neo-liberalismo, representado pelo mercado e pelo ideário empreendedor, e a identidade nacional, representada pelas instituições de ensino e os discursos herdados do nihonnjinron. Percebeu-se no decorrer da pesquisa que o aparato neo-liberal, apesar de servir como ferramenta de escape para uma juventude que se ve limitada por um rígido discurso de identidade nacional, também funciona como um mecanismo de captura, reterritorializando os jovens em uma série de novos discursos sobre japonesidade, sem que os discursos identitários abandonem o imaginário japonês.
Japanese Review of Cultural Anthropology, 2020
Perceptions of young women in Japan are examined in relation to female self-defense. Several wome... more Perceptions of young women in Japan are examined in relation to female self-defense. Several women in Japan were surveyed, with some chosen for interviews. It seemed that self-defense was often connected not to learning assault-prevention techniques but to purchasing self-defense tools. This finding opens two avenues for discussion. First, the marketization of personal safety is explored, as is the genderization of these tools and the subsumption of women's safety into a logic of consumption. Second, the shift from viewing the body as a weapon to viewing the object as one, which projects various forms of subjectification onto women, is discussed. These include the outsourcing of women's agency to an external object. It is concluded that this outsourcing often results in the reinforcement of tropes of fragility and the neutralization of resignifications of the female body that emerges from practitioners who focus on the body as the instrument of self-defense.
Revista Antropolítica, 2017
O presente artigo trata da produção de subjetividade, fugindo do conceito de identidade, entre a ... more O presente artigo trata da produção de subjetividade, fugindo do conceito de identidade, entre a juventude japonesa no contexto do neo-liberalismo. A partir das narrativas coletadas por meio de entrevistas ao autor, à mídia japonesa, e a outros pesquisadores, foi possível constatar que a produção da subjetividade se dá no meio de duas máquinas de produção de japonesidade distintas: o neo-liberalismo, representado pelo mercado e pelo ideário empreendedor, e a identidade nacional, representada pelas instituições de ensino e os discursos herdados do nihonnjinron. Percebeu-se no decorrer da pesquisa que o aparato neo-liberal, apesar de servir como ferramenta de escape para uma juventude que se ve limitada por um rígido discurso de identidade nacional, também funciona como um mecanismo de captura, reterritorializando os jovens em uma série de novos discursos sobre japonesidade, sem que os discursos identitários abandonem o imaginário japonês.
As part of a global trend, Japan seems to begin embracing the discourse of multiculturalism in wh... more As part of a global trend, Japan seems to begin embracing the discourse of multiculturalism
in what could be taken as a departure from the ideology of homogeneity. However, looking
closer at the Japanese case, we can see the waysit has promoted the same hegemonic ideology
of homogeneity with a post-modern veil of tolerance. Thus, what could serve as a subversion
to the rigid and essentialized notion of national identity in Japan isneutralized under the
discourse of tolerance without any need for anti-immigration policies, as Japan seems to
move from a disciplinary society to a society of control characteristic of the neo-liberal
countries. Throughout this article it is argued that the symbolic misery instituted through the
schools’ curriculums, together with a culture of tolerance, acts in ways to prevent any creative
interaction with difference, further solidifying rigid notions of Japaneseness and neutralizing
possible nomadic assemblages to take place.
The present paper explores the production of subjectivities by the Japanese youth in the contempo... more The present paper explores the production of subjectivities by the Japanese youth in the contemporary context of Neo-Liberalism. Through the observation of narratives from Japanese students of diverse backgrounds, it can be observed how such students are in constant contacts with a rigid model of Japanese National Identity throughout all the school. However, many of them confront the limitations that these institutions present them as a model for the future. In this context, many students adopt escape strategies, choosing instead to attempt the entrance at more international institutions, or adopting the ideas of entrepreneurship. What is observed along this paper is how the youth gets trapped within a schizophrenic context, in which the national discourse asks them to enact a single homogenous model of Japaneseness that they can’t fit in, and the market discourse asks them to be global and in a constant improvement that never ends.
Coping with Uncertainty , 2014
The present paper deals with the theme of coping with uncertainty in the context of the Japanese ... more The present paper deals with the theme of coping with uncertainty in the context of the Japanese youth, particularly concerned with their escape strategies and the political consequences of the adoption of such strategy. Through the observation of a multitude of narratives from Japanese students with diverse backgrounds, it can be observed how such students, when faced with some perceived limitations produced by Japanese institutions, instead of attempting to promote changes in such institutions, naturalized such thinking as being simply the Japanese way, choosing instead to escape such institutions to more international ones that they perceive as freer. Although the rigidity of the discourse on Japaneseness can appear to be a way to cope with the uncertainty brought by the contemporary age providing stable and fix identities, what is observed along this paper is how the symbolic misery promoted by such rigid idea of national-identity actually act as another source of pressure in the youth, that gets trapped within a schizophrenic reality in which the national discourse asks them to enact a single model of Japaneseness that they can’t fit in, and the market discourse asks them to be global and in a constant improvement that never ends but is in constant becoming, both being prêt-a-porter subjectivities that exists only in their hyper-real sense. Additionally, the paper concludes, by adopting such strategies, not only the escape is not realized, but the institutions are further strengthened by the lack of demands for change.
EAAA, 2021
During the Covid pandemic, two facts about the disease seemed to stand against each other. On one... more During the Covid pandemic, two facts about the disease seemed to stand against each other. On one hand, scientists found that the male body made men more susceptible for the coronavirus to settle in and stay longer. While at the same time, statistics were showing that women were beating the blunt of the Covid pandemic the most, victims not only of the virus directly, but also of consequences of the pandemic such as domestic violence, economic hardships, and suicide. On top of that, as countries started to roll out their vaccination efforts, we saw how women were more likely to experience side-effects from the vaccine, which we also learn has been mostly tested on men during its experimental phase. This paper will investigate how the natural vulnerability of the male body to the disease gets transformed through social mediation into the vulnerability of the social condition of women to the disease and its consequences. In order to do that, we will compare how the effects of Covid have been sexually differentiated in Japan and in Korea, two countries that experienced high rates of female suicide and sexual violence during the pandemic. How did the different responses from institutions and from society influenced this outcome in each country and what can we learn from these two experiences? Through this comparison, we will show how vulnerability is socially constructed and gendered, not only to leave women in precarious positions that reinforce and naturalize the social imagination of female-as-vulnerable, but also to erase male vulnerability from the social imaginary as an equally important component of the maintenance of sexual inequality.
The present paper is a result of a two-year intensive ethnography of an intercultural Japanese co... more The present paper is a result of a two-year intensive ethnography of an intercultural Japanese company. While most of the literature on the anthropology of work in Japan regarding foreign workers tend to focus mainly on two types of experiences - those of global companies in which foreign workers and expats take up on international careers in Japan; and those of low-skilled jobs in which foreign migrants usually take up undesirable occupations in Japanese society - this ethnography, however, focuses on a middle level company, in which white collar workers in precarious contracts seek for visa guarantees and some small income to help them sustain their lives in Japan without much chances of a career development. By situating this type of experience within the current discussions on precarity, 24/7 capitalism, and Japanese internationalization efforts, the present paper provides results that both confirm some of the assumptions embedded in these discussions, informs new pathways for potential developments, and challenges some mainstream images about foreign employment and labor in Japan.
Following the work of Korean-German social theorist Byung-Chul Han, we can see that in his attemp... more Following the work of Korean-German social theorist Byung-Chul Han, we can see that in his attempts to describe our current society, he builds the concept of Achievement Society through terms like tiredness, depression, burnout, restlessness, and so on. His choice to tackle society through such maladies is accompanied by plenty other social theorists such as Jonathan Crary’ s focus on the end of sleep or Paul Virilio’ s long time focus on speed. In fact, much of the political emancipatory literature and movements have tried to propose exits to similar problems. The anti-work authors on the left, the praise of idleness of Domenico de Masi and of Bertrand Russell, or even recent decolonial theories of Sumak Kwasai and Teko-Pora, based on the indigenous philosophies from South America are good examples of such a preoccupation. Meanwhile, in the case of Japan, where death by overwork (karoshi) has become part of the global imagination about Japan, the preoccupation from the social theorists, policy makers, and social activists seems to rest much more on access to work or worker’ s rights, rather than on the aforementioned consequences of contemporary forms of all-encompassing work. This paper will argue, however, that rather than being an exception to the case of Achievement Society, Japan is a great example of such categorization. In order to build this argument, ethnography with youngsters in Japan currently working or preparing to work will be examined, as well as movements and discourses on Work-Life Balance and the Slow Movement. By the end, this paper will also examine the Japanese case in comparison to the global scenario.
The present paper discusses the political usages of the concept of Identity. By analyzing how bot... more The present paper discusses the political usages of the concept of Identity. By analyzing how both Japanese and Migrants make usage of the discourses of Identity, it was possible to see how it becomes an apparatus of interpellation, rather than an analytical tool of cultural configuration. Making use of the Post-Colonial paradigm, mainly the work of Boaventura and Mignolo, this paper propose a shift of paradigm in the Identity debate of the immigration studies, mainly in the literature of Immigrants in Japan, by defending the decolonization of these definitions by the Other, while at the same time pointing to the limitations of what is considered as self-determination of identities by the natives. Going through the diverse usages of terms like latino, nikkei, half, and hyphenated-identities, and the consequences that their usage have in the outcome of everyday strategies in Japan, it concludes that perhaps a paradigm of class, individuation, and precariat are more useful to deal with this phenomenon.
The present paper investigates the attempt of Japanese Universities to internationalize, and to p... more The present paper investigates the attempt of Japanese Universities to internationalize, and to promote multicultural spaces. During ethnographic investigations and interviews involving students and professors from six different universities, the emphasis on multidisciplinary area studies departments drew attention. Other results from the investigation included the segregation felt in departments between Japanese and non-Japanese students, a curricular emphasis on Japanese particularities and uniqueness on one hand and global institutions on the other, as well as the insistence in a West vs. East paradigm. The paper argues that what the internationalization strategies from Japanese universities have produced, at least so far, is a further isolation of Japan, since international students and Japanese students are divided in very rigid cultural and institutional boundaries. This is an inherent consequence given the option of choosing an area studies paradigm as the entry point of those students into Japanese educational, let alone socio-cultural life. Further, it is also argued in the paper that the internationalization strategies of those universities do not envision the formation of more international oriented, cosmopolitan students, but rather, as a fuel for cultural and intellectual imperialism, reinforcing rigid concepts of Japaneseness that, while continuing to produced Japanese students with a strong nationalized and racialized identity, also creates international students that, it is hoped, serve as Japan’s public relation speakers in their country of origin. The paper thus concludes that the internationalization of Japanese universities is not so much failing, as it is serving a different political goal.
This paper has the goal of discussing how the political project of Japan, based on its ideology o... more This paper has the goal of discussing how the political project of Japan, based on its ideology of homogeneity, alienates the Japanese youth, limiting their individuation processes to, instead, focus on a single model of Japaneseness. Through some narratives examined, the Japanese youth showed to be sensing a lack of possibility to fit in society. When analyzing the societal structure in Japan, the anachronism and rigidity of its job-hunting system; the curriculum of homogeneity and individuality suppression that begin in the school and echoes in society; the rigid gender roles presented in the classrooms and companies; the work culture of permanent availability to the company, all become apparent as the sources of the lack of belonging perception amongst the youth. Since there is a lack of imaginable structural change, the youth produce narratives of escaping this hegemonic Japan, adopting strategies of marginality (NEET, Freeter, and some counter-hegemonic sub-cultures); or even strategies of actual escape (prioritizing non-Japanese firms to work, or seeking for opportunities to live abroad.) This paper, thus, argue that these strategies come from a feeling of alienation and purposelessness within the hegemonic Japanese society. However, through the study of the phenomenon of Visual Kei, narratives of individuation and subjectivity can be composed and professed, both by language as well as by behavior and appearance. Through Visual Kei, it is argued, Japanese youth find a way to resist the oppression of their individuality in the name of the group mentality and the ideology of harmony that causes a lack between what the youth is made to achieve, and the impossibility of fitting this commodified life with no appeal to individuality. However, such communities of resistance bring forth new cases of alienation and normativity that operates in addition to the ones from everyday life.
The present paper presents a study of Visual Kei, a Japanese sub-culture, by the point of view of... more The present paper presents a study of Visual Kei, a Japanese sub-culture, by the point of view of political resistance against notions of homogeneity and majority, present in the discourse of National identity, as well as the idea of reterritorialization, present in capitalist practices regarding potentially subversive cultures. The question that appear the most during such analyzes is: can Visual Kei, in its subversive content and politics of difference, act as a Temporary Autonomous Zone that escapes rigid notions of Japaneseness put in place by the Ideological State Apparatuses and the machines of capture set up by the market that want to capitalize on such phenomena? While on one hand the spaces and aesthetical experiences created by Visual Kei performers do have potential to confront the symbolic misery natural of neo-liberal societies with its semiotical explosion, on the other hand it is also worth to observe the ways in which Visual Kei gets both stuck in heterotopias as well as produces its own models of majority that does not allow nomadic assemblages to emerge.
Post-Modernity, Globalization, Neo-Liberalism, many words come to mind to describe the contempora... more Post-Modernity, Globalization, Neo-Liberalism, many words come to mind to describe the contemporary world, but there is one type of discourse that seems to be gaining hegemonic position regardless of how we describe the present era: Multiculturalism. Particularly in Japan, a country that has since long constructed its identity under the idea of homogeneity, the adoption of the multiculturalist discourse by significant part of the academia, politicians, businessmen and the civil society become even more interesting. In the same context, as Japan`s recent cultural export, the Visual Kei groups, gained notoriety in the international scene contesting many views on Japanese identity with their subversive aesthetics and performances, it bear the question: is Japan changing that much into a society of diversity? As this paper further investigates the question, it becomes clear that ideas of homogeneity and uniqueness, and the rigidity and essentialism of Japanese identity discourses remain unchanged or even worse. So the new question that appears is: How can a country in which multiculturalism discourse is on a rise and Visual Kei bands thrive be experiencing at the same time a rise on nationalism and have its rigid notions of Japaneseness remain unchallenged? This paper argues that what lies under the phenomena of multiculturalism and apparent subversive subcultures is the same ideology, the ideology of tolerance. Through such an ideology, difference is respected and tolerated, it is not made to be interacted with, rather, the concept of heterotopias works well to explicit how such ideology works towards difference in Japan.
As part of a global trend, Japan seems to begin embracing the discourse of multiculturalism, in w... more As part of a global trend, Japan seems to begin embracing the discourse of multiculturalism, in what could be taken as a departure for the long lasting ideology of homogeneity. However, when one looks closer at the Japanese case, what can be seem is a way of promoting the same hegemonic ideology of homogeneity with a post-modern veil of tolerance. After studying the discourse of self-proclaimed ‘pro-immigration’ politicians, academics, NGO members and civil society at general, it becomes clear how such idea of tolerance and respect takes precedence of interaction and creativity that spurs from contact with difference. Difference is positioned as something to be allowed to exist, but in its own place and without being touched. Difference, in other words, is not productive or creative, it is localized and Otherized, not challenging any cultural hierarchies nor complicating the idea of Japaneseness. Thus, the immigrants that could serve as a subversion to the rigid and essentialized notion of national identity in Japan gets neutralized under the discourse of tolerance without any need for anti-immigration policies, as Japan seems to move from a disciplinary society to a society of control characteristic of the neo-liberal countries. Throughout this article it is argued that the symbolic misery instituted through the schools’ curriculums, together with a culture of tolerance, acts in ways to prevent any creative interaction with difference, further solidifying rigid notions of Japaneseness and neutralizing possible nomadic assemblages to take place.
This paper has the goal of discussing how the political project of Japan, based on its ideology o... more This paper has the goal of discussing how the political project of Japan, based on its ideology of homogeneity, produces, on the subjectivities of the Japanese Youth, a certain limitation that can be framed as a form of Anomie. Through some narratives examined, the Japanese youth showed to be sensing a lack of possibility to fit in society. When analyzing the societal structure in Japan, the anachronism and rigidity of its job-hunting system; the curriculum of homogeneity and individuality suppression that begin in the school and echoes in society; the rigid gender roles present in the classrooms and companies; the work culture of permanent availability to the company, all become apparent as the sources of the lack of belonging perception among the youth. Due to this anomic feeling, the narratives show what can be framed as ‘politics of escaping’. Since there is a lack of imaginable structural change, the youth produce narratives of escaping this hegemonic Japan, adopting strategies of marginality (NEET, Freeter, and some counter-hegemonic sub-cultures); or even strategies of actual escape (prioritizing non-Japanese firms to work, or seeking for opportunities to live abroad. This paper, thus, argue that this strategies comes from a feeling of alienation and purposelessness within the hegemonic Japanese society, akin to Anomie. However, in this case the path to Anomie is caused not by the individuals pursuing egoistic goals rather than the good of the community. Actually, is the oppression of individuality, in the name of the group mentality and the ideology of harmony that causes this lack between what the youth is made to achieve, and the impossibility of fitting this commodified life with no appeal to individuality. Thus, the Japanese youth cannot fit in the current system and society, which explain the escape strategies adopted.
Music and politics has long been a well known combination throughout history. In fact, whole musi... more Music and politics has long been a well known combination throughout history. In fact, whole musical genres were founded with that combination in mind. Punk rock might be the most obvious example of that. Japanese music has been no exception, with musical genres well known for its politics making political statements in their Japanese versions as well, with rap, folk, and punk rock groups using their songs to discuss politics in Japan and in the world. Japanese music has not only limited its politics to local issues.
In one unexpected collaboration the J-Pop group Momoiro Clover Z teamed up with Hard Rock band Ki... more In one unexpected collaboration the J-Pop group Momoiro Clover Z teamed up with Hard Rock band Kiss to produce a single together. A single that also became a video with the participation of both groups of artists. Now, besides the unusual combination being interesting to talk about in itself, in this post I would wish to talk more about how this can illustrate a debate that permeates most of the commentaries regarding Japanese contemporary (pop) culture. The long lasting feud between Orientalism vs. Westernization.
After the LDP government’s sharp declarations on how they don’t wish Japan to become a "migration... more After the LDP government’s sharp declarations on how they don’t wish Japan to become a "migration country", current Prime Minister Abe has made clear his desire to internationalize Japanese Universities bringing more foreign staff and students. Should we expect this internationalization to be the first step towards the acceptance of minorities in Japan?
Once I explained the there is no alternative perception regarding the production of Japaneseness ... more Once I explained the there is no alternative perception regarding the production of Japaneseness in the youth, I wish to discuss how Visual Kei could function as a counter-narrative to this rigidity, by exploring the semiotic explosion of symbols that is contained in various elements of its performances. Since many Visual Kei lyrics, videos, visuals, and body performances can be understood as challenges of a status quo static identity of being-Japanese, dwelling into more flexible notions of gender, sexuality, self-perception, lifestyle, etc., it would be reasonable to argue that these groups by now would have produced a substantial counter-narrative to the rigid model of national-identity that would have made more flexible perceptions about Japaneseness. However, Visual Kei has had a longevity as a musical genre in Japan, and even begun to be exported to other countries, and little change has been produced in the narratives of the youth beyond its "borders".
This article interrogates what are the possible gains of re-centering discussions around the conc... more This article interrogates what are the possible gains of re-centering discussions around the concept of precarity on the experiences of women. As the subject of the research present in this paper we have the experiences of women living in Japan in a series of different positions such as part-time work, digital work, factory work, and office work. We consider ethnographic data collected starting in 2015, as well as narratives of precarity found in academic and literary work. This article then proposes that by seeing precarity through the experience of women in Japan we start to see precarity not as a break in the stability of lifetime employment, but rather as a continuation of a system that creates and exploits vulnerability in women to sustain this lost sense of stability. An important consequence of this argument then becomes that any debate on the topic of precarity that looks at a return of stability, must grapple with the fact that such stability was only possible on the backs of women's precarity and thus any vision of a postprecarious world must contend with the issue of women's liberation.
Japan has often been considered by the rest of the world as an orderly country without much civ... more Japan has often been considered by the rest of the world as an orderly country without much civil unrest. As evidence of that, Prime Minister Abe speech promoting Tokyo for the 2020 Olympic Games emphasized the fact that the city was one of the safest in the world. However, dissatisfaction amongst Japans youth has frequently appeared in my ethnography. How can this dissatisfaction coexist with the image of cohesion and obedience that Japan sustains? In order to elaborate on this topic, this paper introduces narratives from the dissatisfied youth in Japan that, due to seeing no prospect of change in the country, have opted out of Japan altogether, preferring to live their lives in countries they see as fitting their lifestyle best. More than discussing this phenomena through the lenses of class privileges, this paper also sees the issues surrounding the choices made by the dissatisfied young Japanese not so much as a source of cosmopolitan subjectivity, but instead as a condition made possible by a neoliberal ideology. Such ideology commodifies identities and notions of belonging, shaping the way the Japanese youth deal with dissent into more consumer oriented logics than those of collective politics and mobilization. It is this shift from the citizen to the consumer that, this paper argues, is behind the choice for escape rather than change.
![Research paper thumbnail of Syllabus - Witchcraft Magic and Religion - City College [2021 Fall]](https://attachments.academia-assets.com/70249549/thumbnails/1.jpg)
](This class focuses on belief systems from around the world and throughout time, centering on the ... more This class focuses on belief systems from around the world and throughout time, centering on the categories religion, witchcraft, and magic. We will examine a wide swath of topics, including mythology, ritual practices, death and afterlives, healing and medicine, monsters and miracles, and the occult. We will discuss how belief systems emerge and respond to political systems, including how belief systems can be used as tools of disempowerment and oppression. Students must be prepared to look at both literate and non-literate societies, as we engage in cross-cultural analyses of belief systems.
This course examines the social construction of gender and sexuality throughout history and acros... more This course examines the social construction of gender and sexuality throughout history and across cultures as a part of the urban experience. From the historical shifts in the organization of marriage and reproduction, social mores about heteronormativity, and cross-cultural narratives of sex taboos and allowances, we will examine theories and examples to understand gender and sexuality as central aspects of city life. Our coursework will blend historical analysis, the study of current events, and discussions on topics such as non-normative sexual subjectivities, domestic violence, gender roles and parenting, the commodification of sexuality, and body autonomy.
![Research paper thumbnail of Syllabus Cultural Anthropology - Lehman College [2020 Spring]](https://attachments.academia-assets.com/64245547/thumbnails/1.jpg)
](
Handbook of Research on Play Specialism Strategies to Prevent Pediatric Hospitalization Trauma, 2023
This chapter will discuss the potential consequences of gendered narratives in children’s play wi... more This chapter will discuss the potential consequences of gendered narratives in children’s play with a particular focus on play specialism strategies. It aims to demonstrate to the reader how objects, materials, practices, and discourses when gendered can affect the ways in which boys and girls imagine their bodies and what they can do. This chapter will first introduce the way objects are gendered with rigid discourses of masculinity and femininity. In terms of theoretical approach, this chapter borrows from contributions made by neo-materialist feminists in the field of material anthropology. In doing so, it will argue that objects and materials such as toys, books, games, costumes, and movies are not passive and inactive until animated by human action and interaction but are themselves agents with the potential for gender play and practice.