Abstract:

The talk will look at Robert Bellah's engagement with Japan, and particular with the work of Watsuji Tetsurō, in formulating his ideas about communitarianism and his critique of American liberal individualism.

Biography:

Borovoy is an anthropologist whose work focuses on postwar social democracy in Japan. Her first book The Too-Good Wife: Alcohol, Codependency, and the Politics of Nurturance (University of California Press), examined the problem of alcoholism and the language of "codependency” as it has been interpreted in Japan. She is currently at work on a manuscript which explores the uses of Japan as a laboratory for exploring alternatives to American liberal individualism in American social science. Borovoy has also written on hikikomori, eating disorders in Japan, and, most recently, in Dissent Magazine, the question of what Americans can learn from Japan’s family-based approach to the issue of abortion.

CJG: The ISS Contemporary Japan Group provides English-speaking residents of the Tokyo area with an opportunity to hear cutting-edge research in social science and related policy issues, as well as a venue for researchers and professionals in or visiting Tokyo to present and receive knowledgeable feedback on their latest research projects. Admission is free and advance registration is not required. Everyone is welcome.