Images of Abyssinia: Changes in Perceptions of Africa in Modern Europe and Japan

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24520382
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Literatures/Literary theories in other countries and areas
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: FUJITA Midori 東北大学, 国際文化研究科, 教授 (10219024)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): SATO Kenichi 東北大学, 大学院国際文化研究科, 教授 (80170744)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: アビシニア戦争 / エチオピア / アフリカ認識

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This research project is an attempt to probe into the formation and changes of Africa's images in modern Europe and Japan by reviewing historical, geographical and diplomatic documents as well as travelogues and other literary writings. Focusing on the 1868 Abyssinian War and making a thorough analysis, it has come to light that Africa functions in England as a device to make Abyssinia a barbarous and uncivilized land, whereas, in Japan, backward images were eradicated and favorable images created among Japanese people by the official visit of an Ethiopian delegation to Japan.

Free Research Field

比較文学