Digital Commons Network^™

Paper People And Digital Memory: Recreating The Public And Private In Japan, Meghan Sarah Fidler

Dissertations

This research examines how reading and writing on digital platforms establishes public and private spheres in Tokyo, Japan. Based upon findings from a group of students at an international University, I develop new modes of thinking about people and their use of Internet capable devices by exploring the paradoxes present in contemporary literacies. Contextualizing reading and writing within the speech patterns and exchange rituals (aisatsu) which mark public spheres in Japan, writing practices are found to reflect multiple nuanced identity performances in which the varied use of the cultural principles uchi/soto (inside/outside) and ura/omote (back/front) create parallel publics. Constructed by …

Troubled Waters: Security, Economic Development, And The Senkaku / Diaoyu Islands., Kevin Mckenzie

Theses and Dissertations

This project uses a case-study approach to determine the causes of the Senkaku/Diaoyu Island dispute between Japan and the People's Republic of China.

Magnitude Estimation For Earthquake And Tsunami Early Warning Systems, Attieh Eshaghi

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

In this study, different magnitude estimation methods were investigated for application to earthquake early warning (EEW) and tsunami early warning systems. This integrated study is divided into two main parts. First, I used strong motion accelerograms recorded by borehole and surface stations from the Kiban Kyoshin network (KiK-net) for Japanese earthquakes with moment magnitude (M) ≥ 5.0 in order to develop ground motion prediction equations (GMPEs). I developed new GMPEs for peak ground acceleration (PGA) and peak ground velocity (PGV) using two different catalogs. The first catalog included earthquakes with 5.0 ≤ M ≤ 8.1 from 1998-2010. In …

Walk Feminine, Talk Feminine:A Critical Textual Analysis Of Femininities,Performances, And Representations, Reslie Cortes

Communication ETDs

In this study I examine the multiple ways in which femininity is performed and how those performances intersect with race/ethnicity, class, and sexuality in the anime Bleach and Samurai Champloo. I also interrogate the implications of these performances in relation to hegemonic discourses of Japanese femininity in the U.S. as submissive, deferent, incompetent, and domestic. As I explain in this document many performances of femininity reinforce this Orientalist ideology, however there are also performances that can alter viewers perception of femininity and offer performances of gender identity that do not conform to hegemonic norms. By doing so, anime can shape …

Explaining Nuclear Energy Pursuance: A Comparison Of The United States, Germany, And Japan, Lauren Emily Mckee

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

Energy is critical to the functioning of the global economy and seriously impacts global security as well. What factors influence the extent to which countries will pursue nuclear energy in their overall mix of energy approaches? This dissertation explores this critical question by analyzing the nuclear energy policies of the United States, Germany and Japan. Rather than citizen opposition or proximity to nuclear disasters, it seems that a country's access to other resources through natural endowments or trading relationships offers the best explanation for nuclear energy pursuance.

Steel Chrysanthemums: Feminism And Nationalist Rhetoric In Meiji Japan, Alix Bruce

History Theses

This thesis focuses on Hiratsuka Raichou, a prominent Japanese feminist, and Tsuda Umeko, a famous educator, and their published works in regards to the nationalistic Meiji state. By analyzing their work, as well as the contexts within which they operated, a new perspective on feminism in Japan can be put forward: that feminism, like many other movements in Japan during the same period, was affected extensively by Japanese nationalism and the cult of imperial personality.

Comparing The Reproductive Climates Of Japan, Norway And Italy: A New Way Of Looking At The Reasons For Low Fertility Rates, Samantha Graham

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

In recent years, much has been made of the looming demographic crisis that is forming in Japan. The declining birthrate and graying of the population has made many government officials, sociologists, and scholars very anxious about what will happen when a nation begins to shrink. These same officials and scholars are also looking for a reason for the decline, and many have placed the blame on Japanese women without examining the reasons these women have for having fewer children or forgoing motherhood altogether. But Japan is not the only nation suffering from population decline. Other smaller, industrialized nations also face …

Determining How Tertiary Education And Human Capital Formation Influenced Economic Expansion In Israel, Japan, And Norway From 2000-2010, Erin Lee Kalkbrenner

Dissertations

Researchers have calculated the relationship between human capital development and economic output by various means of econometric modeling and by use of numerous indicators under the context of an assortment of human capital theory. This study was conducted to identify new interpretations of the expansion of human capital in the form of tertiary education enrollment in the countries of Israel, Japan, and Norway from 2000 to 2010. The researcher applied an OLS non-linear regression to establish four hypotheses, including modeling with regional dummy variables to generate point estimates for each country in order to analyze each country’s educational policy implementation. …

The Impact Of Vaccination Schedules On Infants' And Children's Physio-Psychological Health: A Qualitative Investigation, Dina A. Alsalih

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many people may have become increasingly concerned about the risks associated with vaccines. At the same time, there is a lack of qualitative research on the impact of various vaccinations schedules on individuals' physio-psychological health. In addition, "mandatory" versus "nonmandatory, but recommended" vaccines are still under debate in some Western countries. The purpose of this ethnographic study was to provide an in-depth understanding of the beliefs, experiences, and perceptions of adolescents, parents, and health care providers regarding different vaccination schedules. The health belief model was used as the theoretical framework. The sample consisted of adolescents and parents from different vaccination …

The Portrayal Of Suicide In Postmodern Japanese Literature And Popular Culture Media, Pedro M. Teixeira

UVM Patrick Leahy Honors College Senior Theses

This project aims to analyze the portrayal of suicide in contemporary Japanese literature and popular media (manga, anime, and films). Some key topics investigated in this report include how these sources reflect suicide in Japan and how this depiction may vary between works targeted at different demographics. Scientific research studies on various subtopics relating to suicide in Japan will also be used to compare and contrast the ideas brought up in the literature and media. This project intends to paint a more complete picture of suicide in Japan as it stands in the 21^st century through …

The Indian Aesthetic In Ninth-Century Japan; A Study Of Foreignness In Early Japanese Esoteric Buddhist Art, Alison Badassano

Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.

Celebrating Extinction? The Disconnect Between Reality And Media Representation Of Bluefin Tuna In Japan, Gene Fukui

Honors Papers

The Japanese media has perpetually glorified Bluefin tuna as the symbol of Japanese culture, cuisine, and national identity. Meanwhile, Bluefin tuna stocks are plummeting due to overfishing, and some species are international recognized as endangered. Blame is primarily placed on Japan, as the nation consumes 80% of Bluefin in the world and the government has admitted to overfishing several times. This has led to international environmental organizations and Western governments continually criticizing Japan for its unsustainable fishing practices.

This paper provides an explanation as to why there is no domestic movement within Japan to put an end to overfishing: the …

Internationalization, English Medium Programs, And The International Graduate Student Experience In Japan: A Case Study, Kristen N. Wallitsch

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

This research is a case study on the lived experience of international graduate students in the Graduate School of Asia Pacific Studies (GSAPS) at Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan. Using cultural globalization and internationalization as a lens, this research positions international graduate students as local actors in an abroad community and addresses, 1) how and why students decided on an English Medium degree in Japan, and 2) the lived academic and social experiences of this particular group of students while in Japan. In-depth interviews with 17 degree seeking international graduate students explore graduate students’ past educational and professional experiences and …