Abstract
The presenter who has a long-term experience of Hikikomori conducted an oral history research on Hikikomori. “Hikikomori” was started to attract attention in Japan from around the 1990s. This word means people who withdraw from society and hide in their homes or their rooms all of time, or the phenomenon like this. Recently, the presence of Hikikomori has been confirmed in countries other than Japan. Hikikomori research has been carried out by various experts so far, and they have been responsible for disseminating discourse on Hikikomori. However, in recent years, the voices and experiences of Hikikomori have started come to the public. There are also medias that Hikikomoris run independently to disseminate discourses about their life experiences. In light of this background, the presenter connects the thoughts of the researcher about Hikikomori and the voices of Hikikomori himself. Because I have both properties. In this respect, the present study based on the context of “Tojisha-kenkyu”. In Japanese, “Tojisha” refers to the person who confront the problem, and “kenkyu” means “study”. Therefore, “Tojisha-kenkyu” means “study by persons concerned themselves”. In the narrative of Hikikomori, a structure of division has emerged in the relationship between experts and Tojisha, between Tojisha and Tojisha, and between Tojisha and those who have experienced Hikikomori. This research focuses on the positionality that is the cause of this structure, and will seek ways to create a platform where various discourses are intermingled. Its ultimate goal is to create the academic discipline of “Hikikomori Studies”.
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
KEYWORDS
ORAL HISTORY, HIKIKOMORI, WITHDRAW, ACADEMISM, NEW MEDIA, OUTSIDER ART, PHENOMENOLOGY
