2019 Fiscal Year Research-status Report
Loyalty, authority, and the demand of freedom: a comparative study in Japanese and German literature around 1900 based on a theory of recognition
| Project/Area Number |
19K00521
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| Research Institution | Hiroshima University |
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Principal Investigator |
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| Project Period (FY) |
2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
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| Keywords | loyalyty / evolution / moral foundation |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
Research concentrated on elaborating an anthropological theoretical fundament for the notion of "loyalty“ which is supported by evoltutionary theory. The "Moral Foundations Theory“ put forward by Jonathan Haidt (2012) explains six elements (including loyalty, authority and freedom) as responses to adaptive challenges during human evolution. They are subject to change which allows historical as well as cultural variation. Haidt’s theory provides a convincing framework, but it falls short of a discussion of the direction which these changes may possibly take (or have taken so far). In this respect, it needs to be completed with the findings of the theory of recognition, while on the other hand, theory of recognition with its bias on autonomy can be refined by the "Moral Foundations Theory“.
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| Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
4: Progress in research has been delayed.
Reason
Increased teaching and challenging administration load - both unforeseen at the time of application - reduced the time that could be devoted to this research decisively. (Besides that, the necessary preparations for online teaching in the course of the corona pandemic entailed an additional burden.)
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| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
In FY 2020 Fontane’s novel "Quitt“ will be analysed in respect to the stance it takes to the legitimacy of crime under certain conditions. (It may turn out that Ogai’s "Takasebune“ may come close to it in some extent. The role that conscience plays in both novels will be of special concern.) In connection to that, another focus will be put on Ogai’s "Oshio Heihachiro“ and its relation to his translation (and explanations) of Goethe’s "Goetz von Berlichingen“. The attitude he takes to this social upheaval and its implications for the right form of authority will be compared to those of Fontane. (Here, his novel "Vor dem Sturm“ has to be taken into consideration, too.)
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| Causes of Carryover |
Due to the corona crises, travel expenses could not be used in FY 2019. Above that, as the research could not be conducted as fast as originally planned there accrued no costs for translations or proof reading.
(It may be difficult to make full use of the budget for travelling in FY 2020, too.)
The lion's share may be used for books.
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