2019 Fiscal Year Research-status Report
Book Advertising in Britain and Japan: Its Discursive Role, Evolution and Impact
| Project/Area Number |
17K17679
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| Research Institution | Japan Women's University |
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Principal Investigator |
ロビンソン ピーター 日本女子大学, 文学部, 准教授 (30512355)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2017-04-01 – 2021-03-31
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| Keywords | Book Advertising |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
The main outcome of this research project was to be a two-day international conference on Book Advertising from the 21st-22nd March, 2020. Planning and distribution of a call for papers was successfully executed. However, the response to this call for papers was disappointing. Nevertheless, two international guest speakers were invited, and three panels of other contributors formed. The conference was reduced to a single day for maximum impact and efficiency (21 March 2020). Advertising material was developed. However, due to the COVID-19 outbreak and related government restrictions on group gatherings, the conference was cancelled, with the hope of rescheduling. After difficulty sourcing the equipment for scanning a large body of rare newspapers for book advertising material, an appropriate solution was found. Identification work of a potential data set was undertaken by hand review in October and November 2019. A research assistant was employed in March 2020 to undertake scanning work and conference management. This work has been interrupted by COVID-19 restrictions due to confined working space and necessity for social distancing. Some scanning work has continued off site, and preparations for the gallery of advertising images are underway. A donation of a small archive of book advertising material for the Institute of Pacific Relations, led to commencement of a small case study. Further research has also been conducted into the commodity status of the book in newspaper advertising, following completion of a case study on newspaper advertising by the researcher.
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| Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
4: Progress in research has been delayed.
Reason
Progress has been significantly hindered by a number of factors. As per application for extension (granted), the researcher encountered problems sourcing appropriate scanning equipment related to the construction of a database of book advertising images, as well as an unexpected increase in departmental duties.
However, the main inhibiting factor was the short-notice postponement/cancellation of the Book Advertising conference that was scheduled for the 21st March 2020. This was to be a key outcome of the project. Significant administrative work resulted, and meant the temporary suspension of active research on the project. Since that time, COVID-19 related class preparation, irregular access to office where scanning equipment is at present, and inability to meet research assistant, has meant further delays.
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| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
Work is already underway to reschedule the conference for late autumn 2020, assuming international conditions permit. Once normal university access conditions resume, construction of the database of book advertising images (part of the BKAS web-presence) will be resumed, with anticipated completion August 2020 in time for a conference launch. Several short research articles from would-be speakers of the aborted conference have been solicited and will be published on the BKAS website under the researcher's editorship. An article by the key-note speaker is due for delivery this month. The researchers aborted conference paper on Japanese book advertising is due to be expanded and submitted to several target journals in the autumn of 2020. The researcher has been commissioned to contribute a chapter on advertising in the 17th century to the Edinburgh University Press's prestigious, 'History of the English and Irish Press' (due for publication in 2021). The publication of a comprehensive bibliography of books, chapters, and research articles on book advertising (a legacy publication) is planned for February/March 2021.
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| Causes of Carryover |
Balance carried over because of cancellation/postponement of International conference in March 2020 due to COVID-19 outbreak.
The bulk of carried-over money will be used for execution of deferred International conference and associated administrative costs (planned for late autumn 2020). An additional overseas research trip to the UK to visit the British Library and Special Collections of London University is also planned, subject to international travel restrictions.
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Research Products
(1 results)
