Seminar

25th October 2008 (Saturday) 2pm - 6:30pm

This unique and exciting seminar allows its audience to explore various issues surrounding the topic of Half Japanese and others aspects of contemporary Japan. Experts in the field of art, cultural studies and sociology will not only look at Half Japanese identity and their sense of belonging but also deal other topics such as Japanese national identity and traditional/contemporary Japanese art.

'Hafus and their ethnic identities in the context of Japanese racial discourse'

Marcia Lise

Social Researcher (Freelance)

The talk will start by looking at the ways in which race, nationalityand ethnicity are considered in Japan which were influenced greatly bythe proliferation of Nihonjinron literatures discussing Japaneseidentity. The second part will examine the history of Hafus in Japanand explore the experiences of Hafus using real data derived from arecent research project.

'On the “Half Japanese” series, photography and visual anthropology'

Natalie Maya Willer

Artist/Photographer

This talk will look at the history of photography by shining a light on one of its past functions in the late 19th century - namely as a tool to serve the study of other cultures.

'Hafus’ use of cultural resources in constructing identities'

Elia Evanoff

PhD Scholar of Sociology, London School of Economics and Political Science

The talk will draw on Stuart Hall’s theory of cultural identity: examining how the cultural identity of Hafu is constructed through the uses of cultural resources. Examples from current activities taking place in Japan, such as Hafuartist groups HArts and Mischlingroove will be presented. The aim is tounderstand the relationship between art and identity and the importanceof representation in our daily lives.

'Narratives of Exclusion? Representation of characters with a Japanese-Chinese Hafu identity in Japanese cinema and TV'

Dr Griseldis Kirsch

Lecturer in Contemporary Japanese Culture, School of Oriental and African Studies

Throughout the 1990s and at the turn of the millenium, Japanese visual media, particularly cinema and TV drama, picked up on the growing influx of foreigners from other Asian countries. Up until then, they had focussed on 'Japanese' issues, mainly starring Japanese actors in a Japanese context. However, it became en vogue to look at other countries as well. Particularly the regions of Greater China proved to be of great significance, bringing more 'Chinese' characters to the small and big screens than ever before. Within this new trend, inevitably the notions of a 'double' identity were brought up and dealt with. Since characters with a Japanese-Chinese background do not necessarily appear different on the first glance, their being 'other' needs to be made clear. It is particularly interesting to observe how 'double' identities were utilised in the plots of several TV dramas and films. In this presentation, she seeks to work out how these multiple identities were constructed and what strategies were used to mark them as 'different'. In answering these questions, Dr.Kirsch also aims look at how notions of 'Japanese-ness' are being conveyed.

'Japanese Art of the 1980’s: The issue of Identity'

Kiyoko Mitsuyama-Wdowiak

Freelance lecturer / researcher

This talk will examine the issue of identity in post-war Japanese art focusing particularly on the artistic practices of the 1980’s and in the context of the increased interest shown by the West in the country’s contemporary art. What did the artists intend to express and/or challenge? What were the Western criteria for it? How did Western audiences receive it and how did the Japanese contemporary art world respond to the Western reception? The discussion will also refer to the issue of tradition and the role that it has played in post-war Japan.