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This paper argues how traditional Japanese Satoyama practices can be used to solve the ecological crisis currently facing Japan. It critically examines Japan’s failing relationship with nature, and how Satoyama can help not only be used to protect local habitats and ecosystems, but also how it can potentially rewire the Japanese consciousness towards nature. It covers the government’s apathetic approach to conservation and uses scientific studies to argue for increased volunteer forest management. By studying successful forestry programs such as the Sakuragoaka Park conservation program, it identifies concreate example of how to increase volunteer support for conservation.
Faculty Sponsor: Miho Fujiwara
Discipline: Japanese Studies
Nomikai, a tradition of Japanese corporate culture, can be uniquely used to analyze labor participation within the modern economy. Despite a vast restructure of Japan's corporate and societal cross-sections within the context of widespread shifts in labor participation, there persists a lack of awareness into how Japanese customs can inform the analysis of widespread labor force participation. Through synthesizing the works of scholars in relative fields and analyzing articles based upon trends within the modern economy, this paper addresses the implications of these issues and proposes a future approach to conducting quasi mandatory labor participation practices.
Faculty Sponsor: Miho Fujiwara
Discipline: Japanese Studies
Although water refill stations (WRS) are a popular alternative to bottled water in many countries, implementation levels in Japan remain low. By synthesizing both existing studies on WRS, as well as articles from the natural and social sciences, social and cultural factors that inhibit WRS installation in Japan are examined. After identifying modern obstacles, this study also evaluates the efficacy of current WRS campaigns in Japan and discusses the significance of applied behavioral theory in encouraging WRS installation. Finally, this paper suggests proposals for future avenues of WRS funding and placement in Japan.
Faculty Sponsor: Miho Fujiwara
Discipline: Japanese Studies
While relatively young forms of media, anime and manga have been around long enough to reflect different cultures and thought processes held in different time periods. One such example of this is the general attitude toward the Queer community. Despite this, however, analysis of queer representation by genre is, unfortunately, lacking in the scholarly community so in an attempt to rectify this shortcoming, this project examines how queer characters are depicted in different genres of anime and manga, how those depictions differ by genre, and how depictions within those genres change over time.
Faculty Sponsor: Miho Fujiwara
Discipline: Japanese Studies
Religion is a significant core aspect in a society’s culture. Every country in the world has its own unique set of religious practices, and they are oftentimes the guiding light for a society. Japanese animation (anime) has grown to become a very large industry that has swept the world by surprise, and it is exceptionally prevalent here in the United States today. In anime there are often hints of religious references. In this thesis, I will be doing close studies of different works of anime by successful manga artists in order to explore how Japanese religion and mythology affects anime.
Faculty Sponsor: Miho Fujiwara
Discipline: Japanese Studies
Lizard in a Bottle: Trapped in Japan's Patriarchal Society in Sion Sono’s Antiporno Sion Sono’s Antiporno (2016) is a complex and reality-bending erotic film about a woman struggling to survive the pressures stemming from Japan’s patriarchal society. Despite the powerful critique the film offers, studies analyzing it remain scarce. By synthesizing scholarly works from the Japanese studies, gender studies, and film studies fields, this project examines how Antiporno utilizes metaphorical images and a softcore pornographic genre, Pink film, to support its criticism of Japan’s patriarchy. As Pink film is historically misogynistic and exploitative, this paper analyzes how Antiporno subverts genre norms by condemning aspects that are common in Pink films.
Faculty Sponsor: Miho Fujiwara
Discipline: Japanese Studies
Japan’s voice actors, otherwise known as seiyū, have not been the subject of much scholarly study both in Japanese and English academic fields. To determine how, why, and in what ways Japanese voice actors are unique from the Western voice acting industry, this paper aims to synthesize sources and analyze specific elements of seiyū as a result of the “media mix” phenomenon. This includes background detailing the history of both voice acting industries and explaining what is required to become and maintain status as a seiyū. Other elements to be discussed include marketing and similarities to the idol industry.
Faculty Sponsor: Miho Fujiwara
Discipline: Japanese Studies
The Oregon 2022 Midterm ballot passed Measure 112, officially removing constitutional language permitting slavery as punishment. Through researching the creation of this ballot measure, we investigate the current state of prison labor. Working collaboratively, our Qualitative Methods class gathered data from 20 interviews and other primary sources comprising a mix of formerly incarcerated people, students, and activists associated with Measure 112. We found patterns of people discussing economic instability and dehumanization from the stigma and financial reality of incarceration. Our paper argues that modern prison labor in the United States functions like slavery through wage exploitation and carceral frameworks.
Faculty Sponsor: Janet Lorenzen
Discipline: Sociology
In November of 2022, the majority of Oregonians voted in favor of passing Measure 112, thereby opting to remove the slavery clause from the state constitution. We conducted our research as the bill was in the process of being passed and worked to explore the role that non-incarcerated and incarcerated collaboration can have in prison reform efforts. We draw on 20 in-person and virtual interviews with formerly incarcerated individuals and non-incarcerated people, as well as a variety of surveys, and testimonies. Our participants were Oregonians Against Slavery and Involuntary Servitude (OASIS) founders and members, and community members engaged in prison labor advocacy work in the Pacific Northwest. We found that interviewees stressed the importance of reform efforts considering the perspective of those most harmed and thus support giving those who are incarcerated a platform to voice issues and be heard. They also advocate for incorporating consent into their right to work, not being coerced into labor, and being paid fairly in order to buy basic necessities and save money for their release. We argue that while the reforms being requested by incarcerated individuals are necessary and long overdue, effective change won’t come about until the purpose of incarceration is reimagined as a place of rehabilitation. Furthermore, we argue that our interviewees’ experiences within the incarceration system and as they rejoin society give the best insight into the ways that our current system leaves them underprepared upon release and the ways in which it should be fixed.
Faculty Sponsor: Janet Lorenzen
Discipline: Sociology
This presentation explores how church architecture in Russia has been utilized as a symbol of national power since the fall of the Soviet Union, with emphasis on the relationship between the church and state during the Yeltsin and Putin eras. Orthodox architecture has represented Russia's cultural heritage and religious identity, reflecting the close relationship between church and state. Patriarch Alexei II (from 1990-2008) prioritized the restoration and construction of religious landmarks with state support. This study examines Patriarch Alexei's relationship with Yeltsin and Putin and the impact this has had on church architecture since the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Faculty Sponsor: Sarah Bishop
Discipline: Russian Studies