Winter Research Program 2021

Project duration:

4 weeks (28 June – 25 July)

Some on-site attendance is required if circumstances permit. However, remote working will be arranged if it becomes necessary.

Description:

The shōjo is a figure or idea of the girl that circulates in Japanese manga, anime, literature, film, television, fashion and more. Japanese girls’ culture incorporates translated girls’ literature such as L. M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables, and an interest in ‘Western’ arts and culture. As such, many classic Japanese girls’ stories have romantic settings that are outside Japan—Ikeda Riyoko’s manga of the French revolution, The Rose of Versailles, is a famous example.

This project examines the international and especially European dimensions of Japanese shōjo culture. It identifies contemporary girls’ texts with foreign settings and characters, and analyses the significance of these texts against the history of Japanese girl culture. It explores how the meanings of non-Japanese characters and settings have changed across time, and the significance of this phenomenon for the current global market in Japanese popular culture. Non-Japanese girls’ fiction is also examined using Japanese girl studies frameworks.

In practice, students will be asked to assist with some of the following tasks:

• proofreading and referencing a book manuscript on this topic
• planning an exhibition or event related to this project
• updating and developing a literature review and endnote library
• searching for and reading/watching manga, anime, novels, etc, then writing concise, relevant summaries
• translating relevant fiction and/or criticism from Japanese into English

Expected outcomes and deliverables:

Students will be expected to:

• Collaborate with other students and the advisor on this project
• Research and write a literature review of fiction and criticism; detailed, progressive feedback will be provided

AND/OR

• Co-translate a (short) piece of fiction or criticism

Students who take part in this project can expect to:

• Improve their general research skills in the humanities
• Improve technical editing, proofreading, and referencing skills used in the humanities and humanities publishing
• Develop the ability to write succinctly and clearly
• Gain knowledge of the field of Girl Studies in Japan and elsewhere
• Gain knowledge of the field of contemporary Japanese popular culture and literary studies
• Students undertaking the optional translation task will improve their translation ability and experience, and may have the chance to submit the work for publication as a co-translator

Students are also welcome to devise their own personal project related to the topic, to present at the end of the research period and receive detailed feedback from the advisor.

Number of hours per week: 

30 hours per week

Suitable for:

This project is open to students who have achieved excellent results in one or more university courses in writing, editing, literature, film, television, popular culture or similar.

Students who are interested in these fields and who can read and write both Japanese and English at an advanced level are also invited to apply.

Number of participants required: 

1

Primary Supervisor:

Dr Lucy Fraser

Further info: 

Please contact Dr Lucy Fraser via email