"Turning Crisis into a Blessing: The Evolution of Japanese Culture through Disaster" colloquium at Pitt, March 18.

The University of Pittsburgh's Department of East Asian Languages & Literatures will present a colloquium by MA candidate Timothy Hogge, "Turning Crisis into a Blessing: The Evolution of Japanese Culture through Disaster", on March 18. The abstract:

The purpose of this paper is to examine three major turning points in Japanese history and the evolution of Japanese culture as a result of disaster. The 1923 Kanto Earthquake, the post-World War II era, and the 3.11 triple disasters will be examined to show not only how Japanese culture has evolved over time in responses to these disasters, but also how some aspects of the culture have remained the same. Government responses, general population responses, film, art, and even literature will all be examined as a means to determine exactly how Japan's culture has evolved over time and how these three disasters represent how Japan experiences what I define as a "culture of disaster". Historical links between these disasters will also be examined such as radiation and food affecting the commerce of Japan. This inter-disciplinary approach to this examination is beneficial in that it examines multiple aspects of the disaster culture instead of focusing on one sole aspect and ignoring the rest of the culture that is occurring congruently with the disasters in question.

The talk will start at 12:00 in 4130 Posvar Hall (map) and is free and open to the public.