1st Edition

Languages and Identities in a Transitional Japan From Internationalization to Globalization

Edited By Ikuko Nakane, Emi Otsuji, William S. Armour Copyright 2015
    218 Pages
    by Routledge

    218 Pages 6 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    This book explores the transition from the era of internationalization into the era of globalization of Japan by focusing on language and identity as its central themes. By taking an interdisciplinary approach covering education, cultural studies, linguistics and policy-making, the chapters in this book raise certain questions of what constitutes contemporary Japanese culture, Japanese identity and multilingualism and what they mean to local people, including those who do not reside in Japan but are engaged with Japan in some way within the global community. Topics include the role of technology in the spread of Japanese language and culture, hybrid language use in an urban context, the Japanese language as a lingua franca in China, and the identity construction of heritage Japanese language speakers in Australia. The authors do not limit themselves to examining only the Japanese language or the Japanese national/cultural identity, but also explore multilingual practices and multiple/fluid identities in "a transitional Japan." Overall, the book responds to the basic need for better accounts of language and identity of Japan, particularly in the context of increased migration and mobility.

    Foreword  Nanette Gottlieb  1. Languages and Identities in a Transitional Japan  Ikuko Nakane, Emi Otsuji and William S. Armour  Part I: Cultural Transition  2. National Identity and the Transition from Internationalization to Globalization: "Cool Japan" or "Closed Japan"?  Chris Burgess  3. The Geo-Politics of Japanese Soft Power and the Japanese Language and Studies Classroom: Soft Power Pedagogy, Globalization and the New Technologies  William S. Armour  Part II: Ideological Transition  4. Paradoxes of Learning English in Multilingual Japan: Envisioning Education for Border-Crossing Communication  Ryūko Kubota  5. "Internal Internationalization" and Language Ideologies in Japanese Criminal Courts  Ikuko Nakane  6. Metrolingual Tokyo: "C'est un Peu Difficile, mais it's very Fan desu yo"  Emi Otsuji  Part III: Pedagogical Transition  7. "To Know What It’s Like to be Japanese": A Case Study of the Experiences of Heritage Learners of Japanese in Australia  Robyn Moloney and Susan Oguro  8. Transcending the Role of Japanese Language Education: A Humanistic Approach in Australian Learning Contexts  Jun Ōhashi and Hiroko Ōhashi  9. Assimilation vs. Multiculturalism: Struggles over the Meaning of "Tabunka Kyōsei” in Education for Language Minority Children in Japan  Sumiko Taniguchi and Cheiron McMahill  Epilogue  10. Japan-in-Transition: Reflections and Futures  Ikuko Nakane, Emi Otsuji and William S. Armour

    Biography

    Ikuko Nakane is a senior lecturer at the Asia Institute, the University of Melbourne.





    Emi Otsuji is a Senior Lecturer at University of Technology, Sydney.



    William S. Armour is an Honorary Senior Lecturer in the School of Humanities and Languages, UNSW Australia.

    Languages and Identities in a Transitional Japan is a welcome contribution to discussions about the evolving cultures, ideologies, and pedagogies of contemporary Japan and Japanese language studies. The book includes research set in Japan, China, and Australia and tackles a variety of important themes that relate to language education in the current era of rapid globalization and technological change.

    Peter Hourdequin, Tokoha University, Japan Association for Language Teaching Journal