Julia Gerster | Tohoku University (original) (raw)

Papers by Julia Gerster

BRILL eBooks, Sep 21, 2023

Routledge eBooks, Apr 5, 2023

IEICE Technical Report; IEICE Tech. Rep., May 21, 2021

International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction

ASIEN ist eine referierte Fachzeitschrift. ASIEN veröffentlicht wissenschaftliche Beiträge aus de... more ASIEN ist eine referierte Fachzeitschrift. ASIEN veröffentlicht wissenschaftliche Beiträge aus den Bereichen Politik, Wirtschaft und Kultur zum gegenwärtigen Asien. Jeder eingereichte Artikel wird zwei GutachterInnen anonymisiert zur Begutachtung zugeleitet (double-blind-Verfahren). ASIEN ist die Mitgliederzeitschrift der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Asienkunde e. V. Die Redaktion freut sich besonders, wenn Mitglieder der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Asienkunde die Zeitschrift durch Übersendung von Aufsätzen zu einschlägigen Themen sowie von Rezensionen, Konferenzberichten und Informationen zu Forschung und Lehre unterstützen. ASIEN erscheint vierteljährlich. Mitglieder erhalten ASIEN kostenlos. Ein Jahresabonnement kostet 80,00 Euro (zzgl. Porto und Versand). Hinweise für Autoren und Autorinnen Manuskripte sollten in Deutsch oder Englisch abgefasst sein und müssen dem ASIEN style guide entsprechen. Dies gilt besonders für wiss. Artikel. Ein Honorar kann leider nicht gezahlt werden. Englischsprachige Beiträge müssen vor Abgabe von einem native speaker geprüft worden sein. Wissenschaftliche Artikel sollten 45-50.000 Zeichen (ohne Leerzeichen) nicht überschreiten (ca. 20 Heftseiten). Grafiken sind bitte getrennt in guter Qualität abzuspeichern. Weiterhin sind ein 15-20zeiliges englischsprachiges Summary, 4-8 inhaltscharakterisierende englische Schlagwörter sowie kurze biografische Angaben (Name, Titel, Position, Institution) an die Redaktion zu schicken. Die anonymisierten Artikel werden von (mindestens) zwei GutachterInnen begutachtet. Der/die Autor/in bekommt i. d. R. innerhalb von 2 Monaten Bescheid, ob und mit welcher Kritik sein/ihr Beitrag zur Veröffentlichung angenommen wurde. Für die Überarbeitung des Beitrags hat der/die Autor/in 4 Wochen Zeit. Ungefähr 4 Wochen vor Drucklegung erhält der/die Autor/in seinen/ihren Beitrag zur Korrektur. Zu prüfen ist der Beitrag auf Druckfehler, Vollständigkeit und Stellung der Abbildungen und Tabellen sowie auf eventuell von der Redaktion angemerkte Fragen. Den Umfang verändernde Verbesserungen müssen unterbleiben. Research Notes sollten 35-40.000 Zeichen (ohne Leerzeichen) nicht überschreiten (ca. 15 Heftseiten). Grafiken sind bitte getrennt in guter Qualität abzuspeichern. Weiterhin sind ein 15-20-zeiliges englischsprachiges Summary, 4-8 inhaltscharakterisierende englische Schlagwörter sowie kurze biografische Angaben (Name, Titel, Position, Institution) an die Redaktion zu schicken. Asien Aktuell sollten 20-25.000 Zeichen (ohne Leerzeichen) nicht überschreiten (ca. 10 Heftseiten). Grafiken sind bitte getrennt in guter Qualität abzuspeichern. Weiterhin sind ein 15-20-zeiliges englischsprachiges Summary, 4-8 inhaltscharakterisierende englische Schlagwörter sowie kurze biografische Angaben (Name, Titel, Position, Institution) an die Redaktion zu schicken. Konferenzberichte sollten 5.000 Zeichen (ohne Leerzeichen) nicht überschreiten. Die Veröffentlichung erfolgt, soweit möglich, im nächsten folgenden Heft. Folgende Angaben sollten vorhanden sein: Konferenztitel, Veranstalter, Ort, Datum. Rezensionen sollten 5.000 Zeichen (ohne Leerzeichen) nicht überschreiten. Sie sollten u. a. Informationen über das Anliegen und die Thesen des Autors/der Autorin/Autoren enthalten, den Inhalt der Publikation kurz skizzieren und evtl. auch auf die mögliche(n) Zielgruppe(n) hinweisen. Die Veröffentlichung erfolgt sobald wie möglich. Folgende Angaben sollten vorhanden sein: Autor, Buchtitel, Ort: Verlag, Jahr. Seitenzahl, Preis. Nach Veröffentlichung erhält der/die Autor/in ein Belegexemplar der Zeitschrift sowie seinen/ihren Beitrag als PDF-Dokument inklusive Umschlag und Inhaltsverzeichnis. Alle Manuskripte müssen in einem bearbeitungsfähigen Format (DOC[X], RTF, ODT) an die Redaktion

In Japan as well as in other countries social media is now part of daily life. During fieldwork, ... more In Japan as well as in other countries social media is now part of daily life. During fieldwork, researchers are confronted with decisions to be made concerning the engagement in social media activities in the course of ongoing research, or with their informants in general. Taking experiences from several years of ethnographic field research in Northeast Japan after the March 2011 earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster as examples, this paper analyzes the opportunities and challenges regarding the use specifically of Facebook in fieldwork. I argue that social media can become a tool for building rapport and enacting reciprocity, as well as for providing informants with agency. At the same time, challenges regarding privacy, the distribution of information, and possible influences on ongoing research projects have to be kept in mind. Therefore the usage of online tools should be extensively discussed among scholars, while ethics boards have to consider the interdependence of onlin...

Contemporary Japan

ABSTRACT Using photo sessions in combination with three in-depth interviews at a Japanese party c... more ABSTRACT Using photo sessions in combination with three in-depth interviews at a Japanese party called Ankokai in Berlin, we explore how the method of photography along with the participant’s choice of personal objects in the photographs positively influences narrative interviews. Literally meaning “red bean paste meeting”, the Ankokai was originally used as a way for the Japanese gay community to meet in Berlin but nowadays attracts people from all kinds of backgrounds. Keeping the ethnographic research method in mind, our underlying research question asks how translocal categories of migration are reflected in the participants’ choices of personal objects in the photographs. Although larger studies are required to verify this claim, we found that photography can be a strong tool for enacting reciprocity and building rapport in ethnographic research. Furthermore, the participants’ choices of personal objects for these pictures support powerful personal narratives as the research participants’ active participation in the photo session enabled them to reflect on their experiences of migration.

International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction

Abstract The people of Northeast Japan have been praised domestically and internationally for the... more Abstract The people of Northeast Japan have been praised domestically and internationally for their mutual support and good manners in the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake, Tsunami and Nuclear Disasters, in short "3.11." The observation of social cohesion, as propagated by the post-disaster use of the term kizuna (human bonds) in Japan, corresponds with what has been called a disaster utopia - a short period of time when people support each other and seem to be equal in their suffering and loss. Although research suggests that overall crime rates in the disaster-stricken regions went down in 2011, thus representing features of a disaster utopia and kizuna, I argue that the disasters disrupted the social relations of the affected communities. Based on almost two years of ethnographic field research in Northeast Japan, 177 semi-structured interviews, and additional analysis of news material such as newspapers, I propose that the different experiences in 3.11 regarding loss, post-disaster support, and types of trauma resulted in the construction of “hierarchies of affectedness.” While these hierarchies may affect individuals differently, they ultimately impact social relations among disaster victims and determine access to support measures. Investigation into the influence of these hierarchies of affectedness on social dynamics and support is necessary to understand and facilitate long-term social recovery.

EATSJ - Euro-Asia Tourism Studies Journal, 2021

The act of visiting disaster sites by non-locals is often controversial, such as the promotion of... more The act of visiting disaster sites by non-locals is often controversial, such as the promotion of so-called dark tourism or post-disaster tourism. After the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, Tsunami, and Nuclear Disaster, the affected communities in Northeast Japan encouraged travel to the disaster sites as a way to support the region financially and pass on lessons learned in the disaster for disaster mitigation. This paper discusses how the promotion of post-disaster tourism through novel brands such as “Bosai (disaster mitigation) Tourism” or “Hope Tourism,” conversely emphasizes the positive aspects of disaster-related tourism rather than the “dark” or negative aspects. Drawing on ethnographic field research, analyses of tour descriptions and contents on websites offered by national and prefectural disaster tourism, participant observation at disaster tours, and interviews with local community members and tour organizers, this paper discusses the framing as well as the potential...

IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science

This paper is the beginning of a reflection on the ways in which the Great East Japan Disaster (2... more This paper is the beginning of a reflection on the ways in which the Great East Japan Disaster (2011) might have changed people’s perception of seawalls and hard coastal defence in Japan. A highly developed society that is prone to frequent large tsunamis and storm surges, Japan’s spending on physical coastal defence has few equals around the world. The development of sea defence became a priority during the 1960-70s when coastal engineers and related agencies developed national standards. One of the chief strategies has been the edification of seawalls and other hard structures, which today surround more than 40% of Japan’s coastlines. This technological advancement might have created a general sentiment of security and trust in the ability of these coastal structures to protect coastal communities, their infrastructures and their nuclear plants. On March 11 2011, however, this general sense of safety was hardly shaken by a M9 earthquake and its ensuing tsunami taking away the live...

Contemporary Japan, 2020

Using photo sessions in combination with three in-depth interviews at a Japanese party called Ank... more Using photo sessions in combination with three in-depth interviews
at a Japanese party called Ankokai in Berlin, we explore how the
method of photography along with the participant’s choice of
personal objects in the photographs positively influences narrative
interviews. Literally meaning “red bean paste meeting”, the Ankokai
was originally used as a way for the Japanese gay community to
meet in Berlin but nowadays attracts people from all kinds of backgrounds. Keeping the ethnographic research method in mind, our underlying research question asks how translocal categories of migration are reflected in the participants’ choices of personal objects in the photographs. Although larger studies are required to verify this claim, we found that photography can be a strong tool for enacting reciprocity and building rapport in ethnographic research. Furthermore, the participants’ choices of personal objects for these pictures support powerful personal narratives as the research participants’ active participation in the photo session enabled them to reflect on their experiences of migration.

International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 2019

The people of Northeast Japan have been praised domestically and internationally for their mutual... more The people of Northeast Japan have been praised domestically and internationally for their mutual support and good manners in the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake, Tsunami and Nuclear Disasters, in short "3.11." The observation of social cohesion, as propagated by the post-disaster use of the term kizuna (human bonds) in Japan, corresponds with what has been called a disaster utopia-a short period of time when people support each other and seem to be equal in their suffering and loss. Although research suggests that overall crime rates in the disaster-stricken regions went down in 2011, thus representing features of a disaster utopia and kizuna, I argue that the disasters disrupted the social relations of the affected communities. Based on almost two years of ethnographic field research in Northeast Japan, 177 semi-structured interviews, and additional analysis of news material such as newspapers, I propose that the different experiences in 3.11 regarding loss, post-disaster support, and types of trauma resulted in the construction of "hierarchies of affectedness." While these hierarchies may affect individuals differently, they ultimately impact social relations among disaster victims and determine access to support measures. Investigation into the influence of these hierarchies of affectedness on social dynamics and support is necessary to understand and facilitate long-term social recovery.

Die Zeit Online, 2017

[Fukushima: Safety depends] A newspaper article on the social consequences of the Fukushima nucle... more [Fukushima: Safety depends]
A newspaper article on the social consequences of the Fukushima nuclear disaster and the current situation of the nuclear evacuees and returnees as of 2017. Published in "Die Zeit Online", March 12, 2017.
https://www.zeit.de/politik/ausland/2017-03/fukushima-japan-tsunami-orte-sicherheit-radioaktivitaet-evakuierung/komplettansicht?print

Kinder tragen Messgeräte an Schultaschen und sollen den Wald meiden: Leben mit Radioaktivität. Fukushima gilt wieder als bewohnbar, aber die Menschen sind verunsichert. Ein Gastbeitrag von Julia Gerster 12. März 2017.

Lindauer Zeitung, 2020

Newspaper article on the Tokyo Olympics and the current situation of pupils from areas hit by the... more Newspaper article on the Tokyo Olympics and the current situation of pupils from areas hit by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, Tsunami, and Nuclear Disaster. (Published March 11, 2020, before the Olympics were postponed due to Covid-19)

Amfiteater, 2019

The Great East Japan Earthquake, tsunami and nuclear accident of 11 March 2011 were not the first... more The Great East Japan Earthquake, tsunami and nuclear accident of 11 March 2011 were not the first disasters to hit Japan, but they became known as the worst catastrophe of the peninsula after World War II. Thousands of people had to find a way to deal with the trauma they experienced and pass on the lessons they learned. Many of the survivors turned to art and culture to cope with their experiences. Among these art forms is also kamishibai, Japanese paper theatre. This paper analyses how kamishibai was used after the disaster and argues that it became a tool to convey lessons learned and a coping mechanism for the survivors to deal with personal trauma and express their grief. Thus kamishibai dealing with the disaster does not fit into classical typologies of the paper theatre, but rather represents a hybrid of memorialisation practices and disaster risk education in the sense of
classical educational kamishibai. For this reason, I propose the new term of memorialisation kamishibai (kataritsugi kamishibai) to highlight these distinct features.

ASIEN, 2018

In Japan as well as in other countries social media is now part of daily life. During fieldwork, ... more In Japan as well as in other countries social media is now part of daily life. During
fieldwork, researchers are confronted with decisions to be made concerning the
engagement in social media activities in the course of ongoing research, or with their
informants in general. Taking experiences from several years of ethnographic field
research in Northeast Japan after the March 2011 earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear
disaster as examples, this paper analyzes the opportunities and challenges regarding
the use specifically of Facebook in fieldwork. I argue that social media can become
a tool for building rapport and enacting reciprocity, as well as for providing informants with agency. At the same time, challenges regarding privacy, the distribution of information, and possible influences on ongoing research projects have to be kept in mind. Therefore the usage of online tools should be extensively discussed among scholars, while ethics boards have to consider the interdependence of online and offline social dynamics — so as to incentivize greater reflection on this issue among researchers.

BRILL eBooks, Sep 21, 2023

Routledge eBooks, Apr 5, 2023

IEICE Technical Report; IEICE Tech. Rep., May 21, 2021

International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction

Contemporary Japan

International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction

EATSJ - Euro-Asia Tourism Studies Journal, 2021

IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science

Contemporary Japan, 2020

International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 2019

Die Zeit Online, 2017

Lindauer Zeitung, 2020

Amfiteater, 2019

ASIEN, 2018

In Japan as well as in other countries social media is now part of daily life. During fieldwork, ... more In Japan as well as in other countries social media is now part of daily life. During
fieldwork, researchers are confronted with decisions to be made concerning the
engagement in social media activities in the course of ongoing research, or with their
informants in general. Taking experiences from several years of ethnographic field
research in Northeast Japan after the March 2011 earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear
disaster as examples, this paper analyzes the opportunities and challenges regarding
the use specifically of Facebook in fieldwork. I argue that social media can become
a tool for building rapport and enacting reciprocity, as well as for providing informants with agency. At the same time, challenges regarding privacy, the distribution of information, and possible influences on ongoing research projects have to be kept in mind. Therefore the usage of online tools should be extensively discussed among scholars, while ethics boards have to consider the interdependence of online and offline social dynamics — so as to incentivize greater reflection on this issue among researchers.

by Rotem KOWNER, Erez Golani Solomon, Ehud Gonen, Yishay Yafeh, Ehud Harari, Ofra Goldstein Gidoni, Tsipy Ivry, Shira Taube Dayan, Julia Gerster, Arie Kutz, and Alyne Delaney

We are delighted to share with you the program of the forthcoming symposium ‘A Decade to the Grea... more We are delighted to share with you the program of the forthcoming symposium ‘A Decade to the Great East Japan Disaster’.
The symposium will take place online, through Zoom, on March 11, 2021 from 10-am Israel time / 5-pm Japan time.
Please join with the following link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9170009735