Consuming Passions: Spectacle, Self-Transformation, and the Commodification of Blackness in Japan

Russell, John G.

doi:10.1215/10679847-6-1-113

Cited by 79 publications

(22 citation statements)

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“…Depicting an American or European being shocked by some component of Japanese society reinforces images of Japan as exceptional and unique rather than portraying westerners as inherently backward or childish. Various scholars have noted how the west (particularly the "white" west) has been conceptualized as educated and sophisticated (Befu 2001;McConnell 2000;Russell 1998). Thus, televising two western tourists amazed at the foot traffic in Shibuya Crossing does not foster a negative image of westerners but rather imbues in Shibuya a sense of uniqueness that validates the alleged exceptionality of Japanese collectivity.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Confronting diversity: Africans challenging Japanese societal convictions

Capobianco

2015

Contemporary Japan

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This paper examines how sub-Saharan Africans in Japan challenge three Japanese societal convictions: the myth of Japanese homogeneity, ideas concerning contemporary blackness, and inclusivity into Japanese self-identity. The analysis is based on participant-observation fieldwork and in-depth interviews with members of Japan's African communities. As will be shown below, the particular conditions surrounding African migration are notably different from those of other minority groups in Japan. The African population embodies a phenotypically disparate population that has settled in Japan and engages in work within the core of mainstream society. Additionally, in contrast to other minority groups, African-Japanese children lack a strong ethnic consciousness. As a result it is increasingly likely they will demand greater acceptance into mainstream Japanese identity, thereby questioning some of the essential criteria of what it means to be Japanese.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Confronting diversity: Africans challenging Japanese societal convictions

Capobianco

2015

Contemporary Japan

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“…He argues that "constructions of blackness, even those regarded as positive, are based on stereotypes that deprive blacks of their humanity, individuality, and heterogeneity." 30 Even if hip-hop fans in Japan acknowledge the individuality and heterogeneity of African American rappers, such as grasping the stylistic differences between East Coast, West Coast, southern U.S. "crunk," and Miami bass, to name just a few key distinctions, distinguishing between hip-hop styles is hardly the same as recognizing the diversity of black lives. On one hand, we cannot deny that Russell, along with many other African Americans, feels discriminated against by Japanese attitudes.…”

Section: Blackface Japanmentioning

confidence: 99%

Yellow B-Boys, Black Culture, and Hip-Hop in Japan: Toward a Transnational Cultural Politics of Race

Condry¹

2007

Positions: Asia Critique

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“…I chose to focus on the United States to provide a specific racial context within which to examine these issues, as racial perceptions can of course vary between societies. That being said, however, research has shown that anti‐black prejudice is a global phenomenon (Bashi ; Coates ; Russell ; Sato ) and as such the implications discussed within this article will most likely apply to non‐American contexts as well.…”

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confidence: 96%

Avatars of Whiteness: Racial Expression in Video Game Characters

Dietrich¹

2013

Sociological Inquiry

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Video games are an enormous segment of popular media today, comparable to television and movies. Moreover, video games represent a new form of media distinguished from previous forms due to the interactive element, where game players have the ability to change and influence the game world. This paper contributes to the study of race and popular media by examining how race is presented in role‐playing video games through the feature of avatar creation. Capabilities for avatar creation are analyzed in over sixty massively multiplayer online role‐playing games (MMORPGs) in service as of early 2010 and twenty offline role‐playing games (RPGs) published over the past 10 years. The analysis shows that the vast majority of games, both online and offline, do not allow for the creation of avatars with a non‐white racial appearance. Forcing an Anglo appearance on avatars that purport to represent the player has the potential to reinforce a sense of normative whiteness as well as shape the social composition of online worlds into all‐white virtual spaces, contributing to the creation of a virtual “white habitus.”

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Consuming Passions: Spectacle, Self-Transformation, and the Commodification of Blackness in Japan

Cited by 79 publications

References 0 publications

Confronting diversity: Africans challenging Japanese societal convictions

Confronting diversity: Africans challenging Japanese societal convictions

Yellow B-Boys, Black Culture, and Hip-Hop in Japan: Toward a Transnational Cultural Politics of Race

Avatars of Whiteness: Racial Expression in Video Game Characters

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