An Introduction to Japanese Society provides an engaging introduction to Japanese society by internationally renowned scholar Yoshio Sugimoto. The text examines the diverse nature of contemporary Japanese society with chapters covering class, work, education, gender, ethnicity, religion, popular culture, and the establishment. This edition discusses the shifting landscape of the 'Cool Japan' project; the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic; the significance of Okinawa as the land of ethnic identity; the escalation of foreign workers and residents; the casualization of the labor force; intersectionality in Japanese class culture; the continuous aging of Japanese society; geopolitical shifts in East Asia; and the outcomes of recent national elections. Each chapter contains case examples, providing contemporary perspectives on each topic, as well as research questions, further readings, and online resources to consolidate student understanding and guide further exploration. Lively and highly readable, this text is essential reading for all students of Japanese society.
An Introduction to Japanese Society provides an engaging introduction to Japanese society by internationally renowned scholar Yoshio Sugimoto. The text examines the diverse nature of contemporary Japanese society with chapters covering class, work, education, gender, ethnicity, religion, popular culture, and the establishment. This edition discusses the shifting landscape of the 'Cool Japan' project; the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic; the significance of Okinawa as the land of ethnic identity; the escalation of foreign workers and residents; the casualization of the labor force; intersectionality in Japanese class culture; the continuous aging of Japanese society; geopolitical shifts in East Asia; and the outcomes of recent national elections. Each chapter contains case examples, providing contemporary perspectives on each topic, as well as research questions, further readings, and online resources to consolidate student understanding and guide further exploration. Lively and highly readable, this text is essential reading for all students of Japanese society.
Über den Autor
Yoshio Sugimoto is an Emeritus Professor of Sociology at La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia. He grew up in Kyoto, Japan, and graduated from Kyoto University in 1964. He spent three years working as a staff writer for The Mainichi Shimbun, Japan's major daily newspaper. Inspired to explore further, he pursued postgraduate studies in the United States, earning his PhD in Sociology from the University of Pittsburgh in 1973. That same year, he relocated to Australia, where he dedicated over three decades to teaching and research at La Trobe University. Professor Sugimoto played a pivotal role in establishing the Japanese Studies Centre at Monash University and served as its inaugural Director. His distinguished contributions have been recognized through his fellowship with the Australian Academy of the Humanities since 1988, as well as awards including the Commonwealth of Australia Centenary Medal in 2001 and the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon, in 2022.
Inhaltsverzeichnis
1. Historical backdrop: disintegration and restoration; 2. The Japan phenomenon: analysis and understanding; 3. Class: stratification and disparity; 4. Generations and geography: variations in an aging society; 5. Work: 'Japanese-style' management and cultural capitalism; 6. Education: diversity and unity; 7. Gender and family: challenges to ideology; 8. Ethnicity and Japaneseness: defining the nation; 9. Political culture: competition and collusion; 10. Religion: belief and secularization; 11. Culture: the popular and the cool; 12. Civil society: activism and friendly authoritarianism.
