2001 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Anthropological research concerning socio-polititical conditions of Ainu
| Project/Area Number |
10610305
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
文化人類学(含民族学・民俗学)
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| Research Institution | Showa Women's University |
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Principal Investigator |
STEWART Henry Showa Women's university, professor, 文学部, 教授 (50187788)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
SAITO Reiko Hokkaido Museum of Northern Peoples, curator, 学芸員
SASAKI Toru Tohouku University, assistant professor, 東北アジア研究センター, 助教授 (80292308)
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| Project Period (FY) |
1998 – 1999
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| Keywords | Ainu / museums / social studies textbooks / tourism / imagery |
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| Research Abstract |
This research focused mainly upon the following points :
1.A historical review of images of the Ainu
2.Presentation of the Ainu in museums
3.Tourism and the Ainu
4.Representation of the Ainu in school textbooks (1-12)
(1) A review of images surrounding the Ainu, focusing particularly on the 1930 - 1960 period, when acculturation into mainstream society became most pronounced. It was found that the "Northern" discourse and eugenics had a profound effect on how the Ainu were "differentiated" from the mainstream society of Japan.
(2) The representation of the Ainu is discussed from the point of view of Museum Ethnology. Emphasis in the research focused on how museum visitors reacted to Ainu displays. In particular, at the Historical Museum of Hokkaido, which visitors actually visited Ainu displays, what did visitors learn from the displays, and how successful were the displays to communicate the intentions of curators were problems addressed.
(3) Travel magazines and brochures were researched in order to determine what role the Ainu play in Hokkaido tourism. Also, Ainu involved in the tourist trade at Akan (Hokkaido) were interviewed to get data concerning their involvement and interpretation.
(4) Accounts of the Ainu from current social studies textbooks of grades 1-12 were put into a database. Analyses of this database are ongoing, but a preliminary review shows that accounts of current textbooks are more detailed than those of textbooks studied in 1994-95.However, in both cases, "traditional culture" is emphasized to the expense of discussion of the status-quo.
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