East Asian Languages and Societies Commons^™

妻(Tsuma) Is Not 奥さん (Okusan) Hidden Figures In Japan: Japanese Housewives, Xingyuan Zhang

Senior Theses and Projects

In spoken Japanese, a husband will use妻 (tsuma) to refer to his own wife and use奥さん (okusan) to refer to the wife of another. The kanji for奥 (oku) means “deep inside” with 奥さん (okusan) carrying the literal meaning of “someone who is deeply hiding inside of the house”. Thus, this term illustrates the expectations for the wife to remain hidden deeply inside of the house, revealing how Japanese housewives are hidden figures in Japan.

The thesis shows the social situations of Japanese women and analyzes the pressures that lead Japanese women to become to housewives. The popular Japanese TV show …

Houses Built For Gods: Articulations Of Urban Hokora In Kyoto, Steele Engelmann

Anthropology Undergraduate Honors Theses

Amidst the urban landscape of Kyoto, Japan, there are thousands of hokora, small neighborhood shrines. This study uses social theories of pilgrimage and space to examine the articulation of hokora, community, and personal desire. As sites of local pilgrimage, hokora form networks of communal, but also individual, aspirations across the urban spiritual landscape of the city. This thesis argues that communities are connected to the larger social structures of Kyoto through hokora. As such, neighborhoods are reproduced and displayed through their hokora’s entanglements with the urban, social, and religious landscapes of Kyoto. Therefore, this study deploys an ethnographic approach to …

美学、文学、白花文、和製漢語: The Allure Of Japanese Loanwords And Its Effects On Modernization In China And Japan, Justice Tyner

Senior Theses and Projects

For both China and Japan, the late 19th century and early 20th century can be characterized as a chaotic period of death and rebirth. Faced with the choices of “modernize or go bust,” the Meiji oligarchs and Qing empire scrambled to solidify a unique national identity amidst the waves of Western influence. However, both nations faced one major problem. As intellectuals rushed to adapt to Western political systems, educational systems, and philosophies, they realized both languages lacked the words to discuss the Western concepts they yearned to put into practice. Therefore, the distinguished Genro of the Meiji restoration pondered: “How …

Mending Wounds: A Reparative Feminist Analysis Of The Japanese Film Series Guinea Pig, Mikayla Walker

Comparative Literature M.A. Essays

Guinea Pig (ギニーピッグ) is an anthology series of six body horror films created and released in Japan from 1985 to 1990, all connected by a common theme of bodily experimentation and destruction. The series has maintained a controversial legacy due to its portrayal of intense misogynistic violence. However, upon closer examination, the films reveal subtle moments of patriarchal critique when viewed as a cohesive unit. Using Cynthia Freeland’s framework for creating feminist readings of horror films and Eve Sedgwick’s concept of reparative reading, this research aims to highlight those moments of subversion in order to create a more progressive feminist …

Envisioning Dynamic Cultural Platforms: Strategic Integration Of Contemporary Art In Japan's Socio-Economic Landscape, Shota Hachisako

MA Theses

In this tale of transformative potential, the dissertation opens with Japan's unique juxtaposition of a burgeoning technological landscape against a modestly-sized art market. It envisions contemporary art as a dynamic force, capable of revolutionizing Japan's socio-economic fabric. This narrative of hope delves into how art, in Japan's context, can redefine corporate identities, fuel social innovation, and adapt to the digital age. The study advocates for an increased investment in the creative arts, seeing it as a key to merging Japan's rich cultural heritage with its economic aspirations. It paints a future where art not only enhances educational growth and international …

Tea Ceremony And Girls' Education From Edo To Meiji, Yuko Mizutani

Masters Theses

This study explores the development of women's tea ceremony from the Edo (1603-1868) to the Meiji period (1868-1912) onward, focusing on its connection to the "good wife, wise mother" ideology in the Meiji period. Many girls' schools, led by Atomi school, adopted the tea ceremony around the time of establishing the “good wife, wise mother.”

During the Edo period, the population of women practitioners increased significantly. This was not limited to just women from samurai families; it extended to commoners as well. The women’s tea ceremony during the Edo period was greatly influenced by Confucianism and its expectations for women. …

Transgender In Neverland: Dysphoria In A Supernatural Anime, Arya Arsenault

Masters Theses

This research asks the question of why the anime Zombie Land Saga has been hailed as positive and progressive transgender representation by international fans. I examine a famous episode in which the character Lily Hoshikawa comes out as transgender in terms of its themes of gender dysphoria and identity. After considering the changing understanding about these concepts in Japan as a result of Gender Identity Disorder, those two themes are suggested as key to popularity. The impact of the “wrong body” narrative created by GID on transgender culture in Japan is considered through personal accounts and commentary on recent changes. …

"Kore Saa (コレサア)": Visual Representations Of Dialogue In Edo Popular Fiction, Lauren Gatewood

Masters Theses

During Japan’s Edo period (1600-1868), popular literature began to take on a variety of physical formats and develop into various genres. Because many authors of this period were familiar with and producing creative works in a number of these genres, there was much crossover of content, format, and style. Authors were experimenting and playing with different ways to represent and give information about their characters through devices such as the dialogue they wrote, the illustrations included in the works, asides in the images, and many more. In this thesis, I explore the myriad ways authors of Edo period popular fiction …

Spaces Between Exploring Ma As A Literary Theory, Codi C. Reynolds

Masters Theses

This thesis is an attempt to understand the concept of ma 間 as it appears traditionally in Japan and how it may be applied to literature as an analytical framework. Ma is most simply defined as an empty space, but has a long history of artistic connotations in various fields, such as architecture, music, and poetry, that may theoretically be applied to literature as well. First, I look at the historical and theoretical background of the concept of ma as it exists in the visual, musical, and literary arts. I consider how ma was first used when it was developed …

Historical Trauma: Literary And Testimonial Responses To Hiroshima, Mariam Ghonim

Theses and Dissertations

The concept of trauma is controversial in literature. While one may be able to come up with ways to describe trauma in fiction, representing historical trauma is a hard task for writers. Some argue that trauma can not be described through those who did not experience it, while others claim that, provided some elements are added, one can represent trauma to the reader. This thesis focuses on twentieth-century historical traumas related to a nuclear catastrophe and explores the different literary and testimonial responses to the catastrophic man-made event of Hiroshima (1945). In this thesis, Kathleen Burkinshaw’s historical fiction The Last …

Peace Discourse In Postwar Japan: Emergence, Continuity, And Transformation, Xiuyu Li

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Postwar Japan has often been described as “pacifist.” This is because Japan has not engaged in a single major conflict since the end of WWII and because of the kind of peace thinking developed by its war-weary populations. While it was considered natural for humans to desire peace, this momentum was generated from the memory of Japanese people as both perpetrators and victims of war over the course of the country’s modernization. The Japanese intellectuals not only cherished the peaceful condition in the wake of WWII as a generous gift from the Allied powers but also dedicated themselves into rebuilding …

Lady Killers: Depictions Of Gendered Subjective Violence In Audition, Alexandra Rigby

Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis will examine the depiction of Asami as a female antagonist figure in the 2001 film adaptation of the novel Audition directed by Miike Takashi and adapted from the 1997 novel of the same name by Japanese horror author Murakami Ryū. By considering the differences in her original portrayal and how the language of film changes the presentation of Murakami’s female antagonist, this project aims to analyze how Murakami and the directors who choose to adapt his works approach depicting acts of violence committed by women in a genre inundated with male-coded violence against female-coded characters. The existing framework …

Caron's Japan: Tokugawa State And Society Through A European Lens, Cegan Hinson

Student Research Submissions

Dutch East India Company (VOC) merchant François Caron describes Tokugawa Japan as a rigid political hierarchy controlled by the Shogun, similar to the governments established by absolute monarchs in Europe. Caron understands and insightfully describes Tokugawa society by emphasizing perceived and real similarities between Tokugawa Japan and Early Modern Europe. He struggles to understand religious differences between these societies, but his description of Japanese religious practices still reflects how the Shogunate utilized Buddhism and anti-Christian policies to uphold their rule. Caron also depicts Tokugawa Japan as a land of plentiful resources prime for lucrative trade. He includes the writings of …

From Pedagogical To The Practical: A Study Linked By Japanese Themes, Kennedy Lomont

Master of Arts in English Plan II Graduate Projects

This portfolio consists of three essays linked by Japanese themes and also includes a practical project. These papers delve into the subjects of Japenese incarceration, magical girl anime, and Noh theater. My practical portion contains the materials that I have created and refined for job search purposes.

Maturing Manga: An Analysis Of Adult Themes In Shōnen Manga, Audrey Leahy

Honors College Theses

Manga is a Japanese form of visual storytelling comparable to comic books and graphic novels that has seen a significant increase in popularity abroad in the twenty-first century. In Japan, manga is published in magazines intended for particular target audiences. The two most prominent of these are shōnen, manga for young men, and seinen, manga for adult men. This paper examines these demographics and explores the growing similarities between these two demographics. The research compares the adult content and themes of manga in both shōnen and seinen manga. The series Dorohedoro and Chainsaw Man were analyzed both quantitatively for amounts …

Exploring Parallel Themes: Comparing Fyodor Dostoevsky's Crime And Punishment With Akutagawa Ryūnosuke’S “In A Grove” And “Rashōmon”, Zuozekai Wang

Senior Theses and Projects

This paper highlights the similarities between Fyodor Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment and Akutagawa Ryūnosuke's “In A Grove” and “Rashōmon.” Through an analysis of the themes of female characters, story design, environment and social background in each work, this paper argues that there are striking parallels between the ways in which the two authors address these issues. By examining the similarities and differences between their works, the paper illuminates how Fyodor Dostoevsky and Akutagawa Ryūnosuke use literary works to show their attitude to their respective contemporary social issues.

Geisha As Living Embodiments Of Art Representing Japanese Cultural Aesthetic, Addie Richmond

Undergraduate Distinction Papers

Since the Edo period, geisha have existed as living embodiments of the Japanese arts and aesthetic culture. The true world of the geisha is little known or understood, especially in the west, and misconceptions continue to be perpetuated through popular media. The primary representation of geisha often focuses on their role in relation to male patrons, rather than on artistic accomplishments and cultural value as individuals. This research analyzes the evolution of aesthetics, as being central to expressions of Japanese artistic practices that contributed to the role of the geisha within historical social spaces. Through establishing context for historical precedent, …

Endless Waves: Japanese Creative Writing Project, Seth Nisley

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

The goal of this project was to create a short story in Japanese for the purpose of improving my Japanese writing abilities, especially in areas such as natural character dialog, setting descriptions, pacing and other aspects of creative writing that are usually not covered in language classes. I outlined and drafted the short story first in English to establish a rough framework, then rewrote the story in Japanese with slight variations. I edited the text twice myself and subsequently edited it with a native speaker to ensure a natural tone. Throughout the final editing process, the initial goal of editing …

The Power Of Anime: Artistic Power, Social Consciousness, And Cultural Impact, Natalie Ortez-Arevalo

Master's Projects and Capstones

This project explores the widespread popularity and impact of anime on Japanese culture. In my research, I demonstrate how the integration of anime into Japan’s culture creates big splashes—like stones being thrown into a lake—that, at the same time, ripple out in various directions and reverberate on multiple levels. First and foremost, this research centers around an important concept: that anime contains well-crafted storytelling and powerful imagery that demonstrates wider historical, cultural, and social issues—both the positive and negative. In anime films and shows, symbolism plays an important part as it can be found throughout the imagery and the storylines …

A Theoretical And Performer’S Analysis Of Todd Goodman’S Tuba Concerto And Extended Program Notes Of Recital Pieces, Johnathan De Soto Jr.

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

This document analyzes American composer Todd Goodman's 2012 work for solo tuba titled Tuba Concerto. It contains 10 chapters, including one for each of the three movements of the work: an introduction providing biographical information on the composer and context for the work within the late twentieth century and early twenty-first century; a performer’s analysis on the solo tuba part; and the biographical and performance information of composers also performed on the accompanying recital. Each of the four chapters includes theoretical analyses regarding each of Goodman's movements and practical considerations for performers of the work to observe. The thesis also …

Erotic Grotesque Nonsense: Veiled Criticism Through Extreme Entertainment, Thoby Jeanty

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This thesis examines the writings of Meiji novelists living during a time of transition. Their writings became known as part of a genre called Erotic Grotesque Nonsense. The genre became defined as engaging in extremes to entertain an audience captivated by the eroticism, grotesque, or even the nonsensical nature of the stories being told. The thesis discovers there is a pressing social commentary on the tumultuous transition to modernity hidden within these works. The traditions established during the Tokugawa era starting from 1603 and lasting until 1867 came under pressure with the start of the Meiji era in 1868. Each …

A Snapshot Of Japanese Family Conversation And Language Maintenance Effort, Yuya Sano

Dissertations and Theses

This research examined what dominant speech style Japanese family members utilize by analyzing their conversations at home. In addition, the research conducted the Parent Interviews to find out what efforts the parents consistently make to develop and maintain their children's Japanese ability in terms of Japanese formal speech style.

The purpose of this research is twofold: (1) to examine the dominant speech style of Japanese during at-home conversations among Japanese family members and (2) to learn about the parents' effort to develop their children's Japanese ability. In order to conduct this research, two kinds of data were collected: Family Conversation …

Talking To Ai Tutors: Speaking Practice Using A Japanese Language Learning App To Improve L2 Learners’ Fluency, Ryo Nakayama

Masters Theses

This study examines (1) whether L2 learners’ oral fluency and accuracy improve through conversation practice with AI tutors in a Japanese language learning app, (2) when fluency increases, and (3) which learning cycle is most effective. Ten participants joined the study and practiced conversations with Kaizen Languages’ AI tutors for three weeks. Learners selected their preferred learning cycle: a group with fewer lessons to complete per day but more practice days per week or a group with more lessons to complete per day but less frequent practice days per week. After three weeks of self-study, participants took an oral test …

Songs Of Limitless Love: A Translation And Critical Exploration Of Suzukake Shin’S Ai Wo Utae, Venezio K. Terranova

Masters Theses

This thesis is a translation and analysis of select tanka from the tanka anthology, Ai wo utae (Sing Love), by Suzukake Shin, an openly gay Japanese contemporary tanka poet. Published by Seidosha in 2019, the anthology contains twenty-eight rensaku (sequences) with a total of 295 individual tanka. In this thesis, I have translated six of the twenty-eight rensaku for a total of sixty-three individual tanka. Tanka are a thirty-one syllable Japanese poem that has its roots in the Heian Period (794-1185). Before presenting my English translations of Suzukake’s tanka, I give a critical introduction that consists …

Wang Xitian And The Chinese Experience In Imperial Tokyo, 1899-1923: Class, Violence, And The Formation Of A New National Consciousness, Isabella Yihan Yang

Student Work

A 2021-2022 Williams Prize for best essay in East Asian Studies was awarded to Isabella Yang (Saybrook ‘22) for her essay submitted to the Department of History, "Wang Xitian and the Chinese Experience in Imperial Tokyo, 1899-1923: Class, Violence, and the Formation of a New National Consciousness” (Daniel Botsman, Professor of History, advisor).

Drawing upon a remarkable array of sources in Japanese, Chinese and English, Isabella Yang, in her thesis “Wang Xitian and the Chinese Experience in Imperial Tokyo, 1899-1923: Class, Violence, and the Formation of a New National Consciousness,” has crafted a genuinely path-breaking account of an aspect of …

The Costs Of Lolicon: Japan’S Pedophilia Trade, Megan Sluzhevsky

Senior Theses

This thesis investigates Japan’s normalization of pedophilia via the proliferation of popular culture and media. This analysis will begin by looking at historical examples of pedophilia, specifically focusing on chigo in Medieval Japanese Buddhism, wakashu in Edo Period pleasure quarters, and the spread of soft power diplomacy after World War II. This phenomenon will also be viewed in the modern context by discussing lolicon in Japanese media and advertising, idol culture in the Japanese music industry, the JK business, and “real” child pornography. The ways that Japan benefits from this culture economically and politically will also be investigated. Finally, this …

Japanese Gender Trouble In Revolutionary France: Ikeda Riyoko's Shōjo Manga The Rose Of Versailles, Saki Hirozane

Dissertations and Theses

Although traditional gender norms are reinforced by pop-culture media in Japan, some comics aimed primarily at female readers fight against those same gender norms. Shōjo manga (Japanese girls' comics) are no exception and have done so since their "revolution" in the 1970s. In the 1970s, a new wave of young female shōjo manga artists pioneered a different kind of girls' manga because they created new perspectives for their young female readers.

Ikeda Riyoko's Rose of Versailles (Berusaiyu no bara, 1972-73), set in Revolutionary-Era France, changed how Japanese women could see themselves in the 1970s. In Rose of Versailles …

Making The Old New: The Recontextualization And Traditionalization Of Tree Spirits In Video Games, Alexandria Ziegler

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Folklorists study the active rituals between humans and deities, as well as the inactive participation between them in narrative. However, they do not study the active participation that comes in the form of video games between them, though with shifts in society, this new way of engaging through digital forms is widespread and accessible. In my research, I studied Russian and Japanese tree spirits in a variety of video games to understand this new form of engagement with ancient deities. These video games are Okami, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Black Book, and The Witcher 3: The …

Of Spies And Assassins, Haddon Smead

Honors Theses

This thesis explores the possibility of a connection between the Shinobi of Japan and the Order of Assassins from the Middle East. There is evidence that these two secret societies of antiquity are related and that there might have been some level of interaction and/or connection between them. The aligning methodologies, the geopolitical circumstances, the transmission of culture, and the other organizations resembling these two groups establish a frightening level of similarity between them and support the existence of a historical connection. It is hoped that additional study will be undertaken with regards to this subject, and the author of …

The Valiant Woman, Ann Louise Cole

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In 1600, Hosokawa Tama Gracia perished under mysterious circumstances. She was a noblewoman married to a powerful daimyo, the daughter of a traitor, and a Kirishitan convert during the “Christian Century” in Japan. In life, she was both dutifully subservient and tenaciously bold. In death, she was fodder for propaganda, and in the hands of European writers her life story was re-written for specific narrative purposes. The most striking of these artistic transformations is her depiction as a Christian martyr in the late seventeenth-century Latin Jesuit drama Mulier fortis. The music for this drama was composed by Johann Bernhard Staudt …