Cardiff-Japanese Lecture Series: Consenting and Transgressing: Exploring Contemporary Japanese Love Songs through a Gender Criticism Approach

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An online public lecture with Dr Chiharu Chujo (Tokyo University of Foreign Studies), as part of the Cardiff-Japanese Lecture Series which explores sociocultural aspects of Japanese language learning. The event is funded by the Japan Foundation, London. Recordings of the Cardiff-Japanese Lecture Series are available to watch on our YouTube channel.

Abstract
In this lecture we will explore contemporary Japanese popular love songs and their social structures from a gender criticism approach. The theme of love or intimate relationships has been the subject of research since the end of World War II, and in the 1980s gender studies in Japan focused on the question of women's identity after marriage. As feminist and gender studies developed in the 1980s, they began to critique the ""ideology of romantic love"" that emerged in the 19th century, which saw love and marriage as inseparable, with marriage being the consequence of love. While this idea seems progressive, it is actually restrictive because it assumes that marriage is the only way to legitimise an intimate relationship.

However, Japanese society is now becoming more open to discussions about different forms of love, including homosexual love, as well as terms such as 'polyamorous', 'aromantic' and 'quoiromantic'. These discussions about new notions of romantic relationships and sexual orientation touch on the subjectivity of people, especially those who do not identify as male.

By analysing the lyrics of Japanese love songs from the 1970s to the present through the lens of gender criticism approach of romantic love ideology, we will examine representations of love and how they relate to female and non-male identity. We will also explore power relations between men and women, negotiate relationships from a transgender perspective, and examine transgressive aspects of love through a gender criticism approach.

Biography
Dr Chiharu Chujo holds a PhD in Japanese Studies and will take up a specially appointed lectureship at the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies in April this year. Her PhD dissertation focused on politically engaged Japanese women musicians and gender issues from the 1970s to the 2010s. In her current research, she continues to investigate gender issues in the Japanese music industry, which also extends to alternative music scenes such as punk and rap.

About the series
Students of Japanese as a Foreign Language have fewer opportunities to grasp relevant contemporary information or understand cultural contexts because they study outside Japan. Furthermore, recognising Japanese society in a broader sense and considering how their own Japanese language ability may be applied to their own futures are challenges for such learners. It is therefore essential not only to learn the target language but also to know the multifaceted aspects of the country. Moreover, teachers involved in Japanese language education outside Japan need support in obtaining and sharing up-to-date information reflecting many of the current trends and norms in contemporary Japanese society, in order to provide a more authentic learning experience.

The Cardiff-Japanese Online Lecture Series aims to explore and understand sociocultural aspects of language learning for those studying Japanese language and culture at Cardiff University, as well as various learners, teachers and researchers with an interest in Japan. The series is funded by the Japan Foundation in London.

Event format & recording
The event will take place online as a Zoom webinar and will be recorded for publication after the event.

Simultaneous Translation
The event will be delivered in the medium of English. You are welcome to ask questions in the medium of Welsh during the Q&A session. If you intend to do this, please contact mlang-events@cardiff.ac.uk by Wednesday 19 April to request simultaneous translation. Please note that 10% or more of those planning to attend will need to request this provision in order for it to be sourced and will be subject to resource availability.

Registration
Please register to attend this event by clicking on the 'Book places' button on the left hand side of this page.

Data protection notice
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