CULTURAL STUDIES OF EAST ASIA (JAPAN)

This course aims to offer an introduction to critical theory in relation to issues of identity/alterity, culture and power (Cultural Studies, Postcolonial Studies, Critical Race Studies, Intercultural Studies).
The overall aim is to offer conceptual and interpretative tools for a critical understanding of the globalizing dynamics of Japanese or East-Asian cultures, societies, people, with a specific focus on the Italian context, and to train participants in oral and written presentation skills.

Knowledge and understanding:
- to know and understand main aspects of issues related to the construction of 'Japanese' or 'East Asian' alterity in Italian, Euro-american and global contexts
- to know and understand concepts and tools from the fields of cultural studies and postcolonial studies within an inter-disciplinary perspective
- to critically link the topics of the course to knowledge and understanding of Japanese or East Asian contexts, that may have already been studied in other teachings from different points of view (e.g. historical, artistic, religious, etc.)

Applying knowledge and understanding:
- to analyze and interpret literary topics of the course by employing concepts from the fields of cultural and postcolonial studies
- to apply concepts of critical theory within an interdisciplinary, decolonial and inclusive perspective

Making judgements:
- to produce critical judgments on cultural and social issues that are part of the program by using informed and solid arguments
- to subject various types of sources (statistic, academic, alternative) to critical examination within a comparative, trans-cultural and global prespective
- to refine the capacity to criticize essentialist and stereotypical discourses on "Japanese culture/society", "East Asian culture/society" or on "Japanese", "Chinese", "Koreans", etc.

Communication:
- to express and elaborate the contents of the program in written form, in a synthetic and effective way, without depending on automatic, schematic and mnemonic study.

Lifelong learning skills:
- to know how to take notes in an effective way
- to know how to critically integrate the study of different materials (notes, slides, manuals, academic articles, alternative sources)
- to be able to independently study materials and topics not covered during the lectures
- to refine the ability to study materials in English
- to refine the ability to use the online teaching platform

None

Stereotypes on 'Orientals' (East or South-East Asians) in Italy:

1. Introduction to key concepts of critical theory (Cultural Studies, Postcolonial/Decolonial Studies, Intercultural Studies).
2. Introduction to concepts of race/ethnicity and whiteness/yellowness (Critical Race Studies).
3. Discussion of representations, discourses, practices and effects related to the 'Orient/Asia' and 'Orientals/Asians, 'Japan' and 'the Japanese' in global, euro-american and Italian contexts (Asian/Japanese/Italian Cultural Studies).
4. Group research, analysis and oral presentation; individual research, analysis and written paper.

1. Frankenberg, Ruth (2001), "The Mirage of an Unmarked Whiteness", pp. 72-96.
2. Giuliani, Gaia (2016), “De-razzializzare l’italianità. Postcolonialismo, prospettiva storico-culturale e analisi del discorso visuale”, pp. 53-82.
3. Kowner, Rotem (2012), "Between contempt and fear. Western racial constructions of East Asians since1800", pp. 87-127.
4. Kubota, Ryuko (2016), “The Multi/Plural Turn, Postcolonial Theory, and Neoliberal Multiculturalism”
5. Lyne, Sandra (2002), "Consuming Madame Chrysanthème: Loti's 'dolls' to Shanghai Baby" (online).
6. Matsukawa,Yuko (2019), "Cross-dressing as whitewashing: the Kimono Wednesdays protests and the erasure of Asian/ American bodies", pp. 582-595.
7. Miyake, Toshio (2014), "Occidentalismo, orientalismo, auto-orientalismo, doppio orientalismo del Giappone", pp. 31-37, 120-130.
8. Miyake, Toshio (2018), " Il Giappone made in Italy. Civiltà, nazione, razza nell'orientalismo italiano", pp. 607– 627.
9. Miyake, Toshio (2021), "‘Cin ciun cian’ (ching chong): Yellowness and neo-orientalism in Italy at the time of COVID-19", pp. 486-511.
10. Rots, Aike P., (2023), “Beyond Methodological Nationalism: Three Directions for Japanese Studies”, pp-9-35.
11. Tai, Eika (2003), "Rethinking Culture, National Culture, and Japanese Culture", pp.1-27.

Wikipedia (online), "Stereotypes of East and Southeast Asians in the United States”.

Attendees:
- 3 reports during the course on the contents discussed in class and on the assigned readings (50% final grade)
- group presentation (50% final grade)
- optional: individual essay (up to 3 additional points)


Non-attendees:
- individual essay (50% final grade)
- oral test on the assigned readings (50% final grade) and discussion of the individual essay

For further details on how to write the essay, please refer to Moodle: "Indicazioni generali per la stesura della tesina (Miyake)"
English language can be used both for the discussion and the individual essay.

Lecture/seminar.
Attendance at each class meeting is expected. Students will be required to complete the assigned readings before coming to class, to present them and to participate actively in discussions.

Italian

written and oral

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Poverty and inequalities" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development