Routledge Companion to Contemporary Japanese Social Theory by Elliott, Anthony; Katagiri, Masataka; Sawai, Atsushi;

Short description:

This book ranges in a detailed, systematic fashion across the major traditions of social theory prominent in Japan today – from theories of identity and individualization to systems theory and globalization studies. The volume introduces readers to the rich diversity of social-theoretical critique in contemporary Japanese social theory, and provides an authoritative set of exchanges between Japanese and Western social scientists on current trends of development in twenty-first century social thought.

Long description:

The Routledge Companion to Contemporary Japanese Social Theory breaks new ground in providing a detailed, systematic appraisal of the major traditions of social theory prominent in Japan today – from theories of identity and individualization to globalization studies. The volume introduces readers to the rich diversity of social-theoretical critique in contemporary Japanese social theory.

The editors have brought together some of the most influential Japanese social scientists to assess current trends in Japanese social theory, including Kazuhisa Nishihara, Aiko Kashimura, Masahiro Ogino, Yumiko Ehara and Kiyomitsu Yui. The volume also contains dialogues with these Japanese contributors from authoritative Western social theorists – including, among others, Axel Honneth, Roland Robertson, Bryan S. Turner, Charles Lemert and Anthony Elliott – to reflect on such developments. The result is an exciting, powerful set of intellectual exchanges. The book introduces, contextualizes and critiques social theories in the broader context of Japanese society, culture and politics – with particular emphasis upon Japanese engagements and revisions of major traditions of social thought. Divided into two sections, the book surveys traditions of social thought in Japanese social science and presents the major social issues facing contemporary Japan.

The book will appeal to students and scholars of sociology, social theory, critical theory, psychoanalysis, risk, gender studies, feminist studies, self and identity studies, media studies and cultural studies.

Table of Contents:

Part 1: Traditions of Social Thought  1. Phenomenological Sociology in Japan and its Significance for Contemporary Social Research  2. Critical Theory and its Development in Post-War Japanese Sociology: Pursuing True Democracy in Rapid Capitalist Modernization  3. Japanese Psychoanalysis as Deciphering the Japanese Unconsciousness and Supporting the Japanese Subject  4. Structuralism, Post-Structuralism and Thereafter  5. Acceptance of Beck’s Theory in Japan: From Environmental Risks to Individualization   Part 2: Issues in Japanese Social Theory  6. The Three Selves in Japanese Society: Individualized, Privatized, and Psychologized Selves  7. Japanese Feminist Social Theory and Gender Equality  8. Network, Community and Culture  9. Postmodernity  10. Globalization.  Afterword: Apollo’s Chariot