From Undemocratic to Democratic Civil Society: Japan's Volunteer Fire Departments

Abstract

How do undemocratic civic organizations become compatible with democratic civil society? How do local organizations merge older patriarchal, hierarchical values and practices with newer more egalitarian, democratic ones? This article tells the story of how volunteer fire departments have done this in Japan. Their transformation from centralized war instruments of an authoritarian regime to local community safety organizations of a full-fledged democracy did not happen overnight. A slow process of demographic and value changes helped the organizations adjust to more democratic social values and practices. The way in which these organizations have made the transition offers important lessons for emerging democracies around the world.

Masculine defaults: Identifying and mitigating hidden cultural biases.

“…Volunteer firefighting organizations in Japan provide an example of cultural balancing that helped to recruit more women. These organizations were traditionally very hierarchical (Haddad, 2010). The jobs were physically demanding and the main social activities consisted of drinking with other men.…”

Crime prevention in Japan orchestration, representation and impact of a volunteering boom

“…(hinoyoujin). It appears that groups of volunteer firefighters either still make use of, or have revived this format (Haddad, 2010;Japan Times, 2011). Crime prevention patrols in any case revived that same format, but with a focus on crime prevention.…”

Hatoko Comes Home: Civil Society and Nuclear Power in Japan

“…The intertwining of the macro-and micro-level analyses of the site selection decision thus provides lessons for those nations, particularly in East and Southeast Asia, that have utilized Japanese technological and policy expertise in pursuit of their own nuclear power programs (Gunn 2008), and that now seek to understand the future of the Japanese nuclear power industry. Finally, the municipal-level case study contributes to ongoing debates over the nature of civil society in contemporary Japan (Schwartz and Pharr 2003;Haddad 2010). Previous research has argued that advanced democratic states avoid siting "public bads" in localities that demonstrate strong civil society-as measured by high membership in horizontal associations (such as unions, volunteer groups, and parent-teacher associations) that are autonomous from the state (Aldrich 2008).…”

“…Finally, the municipal-level case study contributes to ongoing debates over the nature of civil society in contemporary Japan (Schwartz and Pharr 2003;Haddad 2010). Previous research has argued that advanced democratic states avoid siting "public bads" in localities that demonstrate strong civil society-as measured by high membership in horizontal associations (such as unions, volunteer groups, and parent-teacher associations) that are autonomous from the state (Aldrich 2008).…”