Recently in Newsletter012 Category

Etsuko KATO
Director, Center for Gender Studies
Senior Associate Professor, International Christian University

【The article below is the same as the article that appears in the twelfth issue of the CGS Newsletter.】

From April 2009, I have had the honor of serving as CGS Director, following in the footsteps of Kazuko Tanaka(2004-2007) and Natsumi Ikoma (2008). It has "only", and at the same time, "already" been 6 years since the establishment of our center. I feel that we are now entering upon a second stage in our history.

Anonymous
3rd year student, Division of Languages, ICU

【The article below is the same as the article that appears in the twelfth issue of the CGS Newsletter.】

On May 20, 2009, I attended an open lecture on "The Politics Surrounding Names and Labels" as part of the "Approaches to Gender Studies" course. The speakers were Akira Miyama, host of the news website Delta G, and guest lecturer Yuriko Iino.
The lecture questioned why it was only non-heterosexuals who were compelled to label themselves. As stated in its flyer, it discussed the political nature of names and labels, including coming out, unilateral naming and the effect of naming on one's personality.

decofemi
ICU graduate

【The article below is the same as the article that appears in the twelfth issue of the CGS Newsletter.】

With plans for the construction of a large-scale dormitory currently underway at ICU, I would like to discuss the issue of ICU dorms in the light of my own experience.
Up until two years ago, I lived in a women's dormitory on campus. All the rooms were shared, and men were only permitted entry to the communal area on the first floor. If it was necessary for any man to go upstairs (such as a university employee) one of the dorm residents would have to call out "a man is coming upstairs!" before letting them through. This was one of the many dorm rules that I simply couldn't get used to. Even the hope of preventing sex-related crimes cannot justify the treatment of people as if they were potential sex offenders. One could even argue that this prohibition of "men" reflects a simplistic assumption that "problems (only) occur between the two sexes."

Takako NIWA
ICU Post-graduate

【The article below is the same as the article that appears in the twelfth issue of the CGS Newsletter.】

The annual conference of the Women's Studies Association of Japan was held at Ochanomizu Women's University on June 27th and 28th, 2009. My general impression was that the association was not mired in the 30 years of its history, but was clearly looking ahead to the future. This was evident in the selection of general members for the positions of section meeting supervisors and in the fact that the symposium was held on the last day, not the first day, to sum up the whole conference.

Hinako MIYAZAWA
Undergraduate, ICU

【The article below is the same as the article that appears in the twelfth issue of the CGS Newsletter.】

Inter-Asia Cultural Typhoon 2009 was held at the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies from July 3 to 5. This year, it was a joint conference with Inter-Asia Cultural Studies that was attended by participants from around the world. Numerous panels and presentations covered diverse topics under the sub-theme "Globalization and Its Fault-Lines: Beyond Poverty, Surveillance, and Censorship." The conference venue was filled with artworks ranging from paintings and clothes to motion videos, and people also gathered outside at the food stalls and music performances. In addition to all the energy and excitement was the tension that is unique to international conferences, and it was clear that a great deal of effort and preparation had been put into this major event. The conference had a scope that transcended national boundaries, and its participants came from diverse backgrounds, in nationality, race, region, class, ethnicity, sex/gender, religion, and disability. This highlighted the growing need to consider diversity and to recognize differences among us, both as a significant perspective in academic debate as well as for self-reflection.

【The article below is the same as the article that appears in the twelfth issue of the CGS Newsletter.】

As seen by developments in recent years such as the enactment of the Support for Persons with Developmental Disabilities Law, there is a growing social awareness about developmental disabilities. Nevertheless, stereotypes of the developmentally disabled as being inflexible, stubborn, or incapable of meaningful communication still prevail. Satsuki Ayaya is co-author of Hattatsu shougai toujisha kenkyuu (A Study of Developmental Disabilities based on Personal Experience), which realistically depicts the problems faced by the developmentally disabled from a personal perspective.
Ayaya has also recently published Zenryaku, rikon o kimemashita (Honey I'm Filing for Divorce; 2009), a book about her marital experience as a victim of domestic violence and her road to divorce. Read on and find out how Ayaya survived domestic violence and learned to live with her developmental disability.
(CGS Editor)

【The article below is the same as the article that appears in the twelfth issue of the CGS Newsletter. The full Japanese version of this discussion can be viewed on here.】

In June, 2009, former Sumposion (LGBIT* student club) members held a roundtable talk on how we could improve the quality of life at ICU.

【The article below is the same as the article that appears in the twelfth issue of the CGS Newsletter. The full Japanese version of this discussion can be viewed on here.】

******************
Ms. Sakai's project is called ICRSU (ICU Child-Rearing Support Union).
e-mail---> icrsu.since2009@gmail.com
URL---> http://groups.google.co.jp/group/ICRSU
******************

In June, 2009, a roundtable talk was held to commemorate the start of the Child Care Center Project, a student initiative to build a day-care facility at ICU.

【The article below is the same as the article that appears in the twelfth issue of the CGS Newsletter.】

ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) is a serious neurodegenerative disease which affects nerves cells in the brain that are responsible for controlling muscle movement. As yet, there is no effective treatment for this progressive disease, which means the patient's condition increasingly worsens. Patients eventually develop paralysis in their respiratory muscles and find it difficult to breathe. Without medical assistance, they will most likely die. Currently, the only option for survival is mechanical ventilation. But less than 30% of patients diagnosed with ALS choose to use ventilators. Female patients are particularly reluctant. In the following text based on a conversation with Ms. Yumiko Kawaguchi, who is involved with two Tokyo-based nursing organizations, let's take a look at the significance of these statistical figures. CGS Editor

【The article below is the same as the article that appears in the twelfth issue of the CGS Newsletter.】

Chico Masak (CGS staff, CM): What would you say your stand on pornography is?
Prof. Chalidaporn (SC): I think we should look at pornography as a form of sexual fantasy, which each individual should have the right in their private time to enjoy. But the problem is, when you look at pornography in detail, you'll see complex relationships between pornography and so many other things. And pornography itself is so diverse. So it is very difficult to have a stand on it. Instead, you have to look at particular cases and details. You'll probably have a different stand on each one. We tend to want some kind of theory or explanation to which all similar cases can be reduced. But it doesn't work that way. We have to be very specific with everything.

Cesar Alves (Zare) FERRAGI
Graduate Student, ICU

【The article below is the same as the article that appears in the twelfth issue of the CGS Newsletter.】

As Japan has a biased gender approach towards the distribution of jobs (Genda, 2005), I argue that the Japanese police reproduce a similar mindset. It is centered on the figure of man as the core of the police institution, denying space for woman to actively participate in community policing activities and perform daily routine work that entail direct contact with citizens. This article will discuss gender inequalities in Japan, and how such issues might affect the Japanese police and limit the implementation of the so-called "Koban model" in other countries, such as Brazil.

CGS Newsletter 012 Available Now!

The twelfth issue of the CGS Newsletter is now available both in print and online. Click the URL to download the PDF version.
Download CGS Newsletter 012

Contents of the CGS Newsletter 012