NEW
(2022/4/13) Call for Papers: Perspectives of Communication
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CLOSED
Call for Chapters
Theorizing Homogenizing Discourse: Japan, a Case Study
Anthology Editors:
Satoshi Toyosaki, Ph.D. (tsatoshi@siu.edu)
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Shinsuke Eguchi, Ph.D. (seguchi@unm.edu)
University of New Mexico
Project’s General Scope, Goals, and Approaches
Japan is heterogeneous and culturally diverse. This is the underlying theme of the recent and
emerging research on Japan studies (see Befu, 2006; Denoon, Hudson, McCormack, & Morris-Suzuki,
2001; Lee, Murphy-Shigematsu, & Befu, 2006; Macdonald & Maher, 1995; McCormack, 2001; Okano &
Tsuchida, 1999). Many scholars agree that Japan became originally populated through “several
ancient and distinct waves of immigration” from South-east Asia and South China and to North-east
Asia through the Korean peninsula (McCormack, 2001, p. 4). Recent years, Japan has been culturally
diverse through its foreign relations and internationalization. However, Japan has socially, culturally,
politically, and intellectually constructed and, some cases, insisted its “distinct” and “homogeneous”
identity. More recently, such an identity construction has been rightfully questioned and challenged
by Japan’s culturally diverse groups, for example, Okinawans, the Ainu people, Buraku-min, zainichi-
Koreans, and foreign laborers. While through its history, Japan has been, indeed, heterogeneous. Yet,
“the dominant theme underlying most of the discourse is familiar: ‘Japan’ is a homogeneous entity,
sharply-defined and yet-to-be-understood” (Macdonals & Maher, 1995, p. 3).
The primary focus of this anthology lies at the mysterious and discursive system that
regenerates the illusion of Japan as a homogenous nation. The authors in this anthology investigate
Japan’s various homogenizing discourses at various cultural fronts and the ways in which counter-
homogeneous message systems critically question, challenge, perpetuate, modify, and/or alter such
homogenizing discourses. Furthermore, this anthology collectively examines the discursive push-and-
pull between the homogenizing and heterogenizing vectors, found at various domestic and
transnational contexts and mobilized by various identity politics, such as gender/sex, sexuality,
race/ethnicity, foreign status, nationality, multiculturalism, and internationalization, etc. The chapter
contributors employ various critical intercultural communication approaches to render analyses of
the push-and-pull between the homogenizing and heterogenizing discursive forces (Iwabuchi, 2010)
by investigating various Japan-domestic and international contexts. Here lie two major contributions
of this anthology to the study of Japan’s homogeneity and cultural diversity: the dynamic and
complex approach to theorizing Japan’s homogenous identity and the critical intercultural
communication approaches to this topic matter.
Dynamic and Complex Theorization
Macdonals and Maher’s (1995) characterization of Japan’s homogenous identity as “sharply-
defined and yet-to-be-understood” (p. 3) is telling of a few things. A network of Japan’s
homogenizing discourses is regenerative and inscriptive, reinforcing themselves at various cultural
fronts, and omnipresent and mysterious, often escaping our conscious acknowledgement of doing.
This anthology’s broad goal is to capture and critique such nature of Japan’s homogenizing
discourses. The chapter contributors attempt to theorize the complex and evocative interactions
between homogenizing and heterogenizing social vectors at multiple cultural fronts. They view
homogenizing and heterogenizing social vectors as co-constitutive and responsive, instead of merely
oppositional. Such an understanding of and approach to social movements/change require
dynamic and complex theorization.
Another layer of theoretical complexity at which this anthology aims is the authors’ careful
and intentional utility of and navigation between eastern and western theories in their analysis.
Historically, Japan has been an adaptive recipient of western influences (Donahue, 1998; Graburn &
Ertl, 2008; Iwabuchi, 2010; McCormack, 2001; Satsuka, 2009; Wilson, 2011). In the past, “Datsu-A Nyū-O
[leaving Asia and joining Europe]” functioned as Japan’s foreign and internal-organizing policy,
which helped Japan to develop as an industrialized and militant nation (McCormack, 2001, p. 9).
More recently, western influences enter Japan through its economic trades and tourism (Graburn &
Ertl, 2008). Throughout its history, Japan has achieved its distinctive identity through “its cultural
borrowing” (Donahue, 1998, p. 3) in becoming “bi-civilized” (p. 2). Thus, understanding Japan’s
homogenizing discourses or Japan in general requires “dynamic integration” of both eastern and
western theories, which, in turn, helps Japan studies scholars to further develop so-firmly
dichotomized eastern and western theories into something anew (Iwabuchi, 2010).
Critical Intercultural Communication Approaches
In complementing the theoretical goals mentioned above, the authors of this anthology utilize
various critical intercultural communication approaches. Incorporating critical intercultural
communication scholars, Halualani and Nakayama (2010) explain that such research “foregrounds
issues of power, context, socio-economic relations and historical/structural forces as constituting and
shaping culture and intercultural communication encounters, relationships, and contexts” (p. 1). The
push-and-pull of Japan’s homogenizing-heterogenizing forces is found in and renders influence on
the “constituting and shaping” of “intercultural communication encounters, relationships, and
contexts.” By employing various methodological approaches found in critical intercultural
communication studies, the authors of this anthology investigate and further critique the co-
constructive and responsive push-and-pull of homogenizing and heterogenizing social vectors that
reinforces Japan’s homogeneous identity.
Chapters: Possible Topics/Research Sites/Areas of Interest
Topics/research sites/areas of interest include, but are not limited to, gender/sex, LGBTQQ,
Japanese regions, Gaijin identity, multiracial/national Japanese, Zainichi-identities, media, sport
fandom, tourism, foreign labor, and anti-/pro-Japan rhetoric. Research sites (data sources) can be
both Japan-domestic and international. This anthology welcomes various topics, data, and critical
intercultural communication approaches. We are working toward making a persuasive proposal for
this anthology. In so doing, we seek exciting contributors, innovative research projects, and
theoretically rigorous chapters. Should you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us
at the aforementioned email addresses.
Anticipated Timeline
Manuscript Abstract Due: March 15th, 2015
Word Limit: 200 words
In your abstract, please clearly identify your research goal(s), data/artifacts, and
methodological approach in a succinct manner. Please send your abstract in MS word format
to both tsatoshi@siu.edu and seguchi@unm.edu.
Manuscript Due: July 31st, 2015
Manuscript Length: 20-25 double-spaced pages including references, endnotes, and
appendices
Writing Manual: APA
Revised Manuscript Due: October 25th, 2015
References
Befu, H. (2006). Conditions of living together (kyōsei). In S. i. Lee, S. Murphy-Shigematsu, & H. Befu
(Eds.), Japan’s diverse dilemmas: Ethnicity, citizenship, and education (pp. 1-10). New York,
NY: iUniverse, Inc.
Denoon, D., Hudson, M., McCormack, G., & Morris-Suzuki, T. (Eds.). (2001). Multicultural Japan:
Palaeolithic to postmodern. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Donahue, R. T. (1998). Japanese culture and communication: Critical cultural analysis. Lanham, MD:
University Press of America.
Graburn, N., & Ertl, J. (2008). Introduction: Internal boundaries and models of multiculturalism in
contemporary Japan. In N. H. H. Graburn, J. Ertl, & R. K. Tierney (Eds.), Multiculturalism in the
new Japan: Crossing the boundaries within (pp. 1-31). New York, NY: Berghahn Books.
Halualani, R. T., & Nakayama, T. (2010). Critical intercultural communication studies: At a cross roads.
In T. Nakayama & R. T. Halualani (Eds.), The handbook of critical intercultural communication
(pp. 1-16). Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell.
Iwabuchi, K. (2010). De-Westernization and the governance of global cultural connectivity: A
dialogic approach to East Asian media cultures. Postcolonial Studies, 13(4), 403-419. Doi:
10.1080/13688790.2010.518349
Lee, S. I., Murphy-Shigematsu, S., & Befu, H. (2006). Japan’s diverse dilemmas: Ethnicity, citizenship,
and education. New York, NY: iUniverse, Inc.
Macdonald, G., & Maher, J. C. (1995). Culture and diversity in Japan. In J. C. Maher & G. Macdonald
(Eds.), Diversity in Japanese culture and language (pp. 3-23). London, UK: Kegan Paul
International.
McCormack, G. (2001). Introduction. In D. Denoon, M. Hudson, G. McCormack, & T. Morris-Suzuki
(Eds.), Multicultural Japan: Palaeolithic to postmodern (pp. 1-15). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge
University Press.
Okano, K., & Tsuchiya, M. (1999). Education in contemporary Japan. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge
University Press.
Satsuka, S. (2009). Populist cosmopolitanism: The predicament of subjectivity and the Japanese
fascination with overseas. Inter-Asia Cultural Studies, 10, 67-82. Doi: 10.1080/14649370802605241
Wilson, S. (2011). Exhibiting a new Japan: The Tokyo Olympics of 1964 and Expo ’70 in Osaka.
Historical Research, 85,159-178. Doi: 10.1111/j.1468-2281.2010.00568.x
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Call for Book Chapters: Video Games in East Asia
Contributors are sought for an interdisciplinary book on video games in East Asia to be edited by
Austin Lee and Alexis Pulos and published by Palgrave Macmillan for its East Asian Popular
Culture Series. The series was launched in 2014 in order to meet an increased interest in the
subject among scholars of various disciplines in recent years. East Asia refers to China, Hong
Kong, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan. Reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of
popular culture studies, the series will accept submissions from different social sciences and
humanities disciplines that use a variety of methods.
Dedicated to video games in East Asia, this book examines the development and prominence of
video games within historical, cultural, industrial, and global contexts. The editors are seeking
contributions that cover a wide range of interdisciplinary work and that address topics such as:
- Quantitative and qualitative approaches to industry, content, culture and players;
- Studies examining eSports events, the politics of games, gamer culture and popular
culture;
- Studies examining the influence of political, economical and cultural factors on video
game content, platforms (e.g., PC, console, mobile) and genres (e.g., RPG, FPS, strategy,
sports);
- Investigations of games, players, narratives, ludology or game environments;
- Analysis of the ways technologies, celebrity status, and subculture (e.g., cosplay) impact
both local and global perspective of gaming;
- Historical analyses of game developments, cultural reactions, or significant moments;
- Analyses of future trends and challenges for East Asian gaming culture and industry;
- Research that explores the realities of power relations and oppression that stem from
pervasive stereotypes of race, class, gender, sexual orientation or place within the context
of East Asian games and players;
- Ethnographic, rhetorical and other qualitative research on topics around video games.
Please submit a 500-word abstract, current contact information along with brief biography (or
CV) as Word attachments to both Alexis Pulos at pulosa1@nku.edu and Austin Lee at
austin.lee@nku.edu by February 15, 2015. Authors will be notified of the outcome of their
submission within four weeks. The deadline for completed chapters (which should not exceed
9,000 words, inclusive of references) is May 31, 2015.
All submissions should be in MS Word format. The submission of images where appropriate, is
also welcome.
Austin Lee, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Communication | Northern Kentucky University
434 Griffin Hall, Highland Heights, KY 41099 | austin.lee@nku.edu
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