2019 Fiscal Year Research-status Report
The integration of negative heritage in rehabilitation strategies in Fukushima Prefecture: Bosai Tourism and Social Services Improvements in depopulated regions in Futaba, Namie, Minamisoma and Soma.
| Project/Area Number |
19K23126
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| Research Institution | Tohoku University |
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Principal Investigator |
Gerster Julia 東北大学, 災害科学国際研究所, 助教 (90842716)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2019-08-30 – 2021-03-31
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| Keywords | Negative heritage / Dark Tourism / Post-disaster / Earthquake / Tsunami / Nuclear Disaster / Recovery / Narratives |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
Research during the past 6 months focused on identifying primary providers of Bosai Tourism related projects in the Tohoku region and participant observation in Bosai Tours in Iwate and Miyagi Prefectures. In particular, exhibitions at disaster museums and preserved disaster ruins have been analyzed. These cases will provide a ground for comparing the strategies within Fukushima Prefecture and for understanding how their coping strategies regarding negative heritage may differ from other prefectures.
First interviews with people involved in Bosai Tourism activities have been conducted, transcribed, and analyzed using the MAXQDA software. Further, the literature on domestic (Japanese) and international cases of negative heritage preservation and dark tourism has been obtained to situate and compare the 3.11 cases.
Research results were shared on international academic conferences such as the 3rd European Association for Japanese Studies Conference in Tsukuba, Japan; the 12th Aceh International Workshop and Expo on Sustainable Tsunami Disaster Recovery - AIWEST-DR 2019; and the Critical Tourism Studies Conference in Wakayama, Japan. Discussions on the term Bosai tourism and the first results of a comparison of preserved school ruins have been written down in a paper draft that I am working on with Prof. Flavia Fulco.
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| Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
2: Research has progressed on the whole more than it was originally planned.
Reason
The research is progressing as planned. Focusing on obtaining knowledge of previous research and tourism-related programs conducted in the disaster affected areas, I was able to gain an overview of the current situation. Unfortunately, some interviews and topic-related conferences were canceled due to the global spread of Covid-19.
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| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
The next step will be participant observation in touristic activities in Fukushima Prefecture as well as in-depth interviews with organizers, participants, and locals living in the affected areas. Site visits to museums and archives in Fukushima Prefecture are planned. However, should the spread of Covid-19 and the connected cancellations continue, the research scheme may have to be changed. Surveys and interviews may have to be conducted online. Should participant observation outside of Miyagi Prefecture not be possible anymore, I will focus on an in-depth analysis of cases within the Prefecture or switch to an analysis of descriptions and websites available online.
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| Causes of Carryover |
Due to the measures taken to prevent the further spread of COVID-19 many conferences, business trips, interviews and participant observation plans needed to be cancelled. Tourism related events had been on halt since January 2020. I used some of the funds for topic related literature instead and hope to conduct the postponed parts of the project in this fiscal year.
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Research Products
(6 results)
