ASCL 67.20 The Commodification of Japan’s (Self-)Image in the Global Marketplace

The images of Japan comprise many dichotomies: infantile schoolgirl femininity and curmudgeon-samurai masculinity; voracious neophilia and stubborn neophobia; embracement of foreign tourists and rejection of immigrants; cool and weird; rude and polite; stoic and  hedonistic; and more. Such paradoxical images of Japan, accurate or exaggerated, circulate around the globe, creating global discourses of Japanese-ness, a mirror for Japan to see itself. The massive network of images and narratives about Japanese-ness provides rich marketing cues for government agencies, private industries, and creators of cultural products and help them strategize the process of commodifying Japan's self-image in the global marketplace. 

This course traces the evolution of Japan's self-image, especially since 1945, and analyzes how Japan's changing self-images have influenced the nation's economic strategies over time. We will pay particular attention to how the tangible and intangible products of geek culture (otaku) and girly aesthetics (kawaii), which were marginalized in the West until recently, came to be mainstreamed globally since the early 2000s. 

This class is open to all students who are interested in Japanese culture, business, or both.
Though there are no prerequisites, ASCL 10.03 is recommended. 

The Timetable of Class Meetings contains the most up-to-date information about a course. It includes not only the meeting time and instructor, but also its official distributive and/or world culture designation. This information supersedes any information you may see elsewhere, to include what may appear in this ORC/Catalog or on a department/program website. Note that course attributes may change term to term therefore those in effect are those (only) during the term in which you enroll in the course.

Department-Specific Course Categories

Asian Societies, Cultures, and Languages