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Recreating Japanese Women, 1600-1945
In thirteen wide-ranging essays, scholars and students of Asian and women's studies will find a vivid exploration of how female roles and feminine identity have evolved over 350 years, from the Tokugawa era to the end of World War II. Starting from the premise that gender is not a biological given, but is socially constructed and culturally transmitted, the authors describe the forces of change in the construction of female gender and explore the gap between the ideal of womanhood and the reality of Japanese women's lives. Most of all, the contributors speak to the diversity that has characterized women's experience in Japan. This is an imaginative, pioneering work, offering an interdisciplinary approach that will encourage a reconsideration of the paradigms of women's history, hitherto rooted in the Western experience.
356 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1991
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November 29, 2017
I found out about this book because it was referred to in Japanese Women in Transition by Susan Holloway. Holloway's mentioning it piqued my interest so I got a copy from my local public library.
I am glad I did. The editor Gail Bernstein did an excellent job of finding contributors whose chapters were both interesting and informative. Just a quick perusal of the table of contents will demonstrate how wide ranging the topics are that are covered in the book. In terms of time it goes from Tokugawa to the Meiji to the Taisho and through WW II. Some chapters are more broadly conceptual in nature. Eg,how the Tokugawa government viewed woman as the source of production of heirs for the next generation vs the Meiji who wanted them to be both 'good wives and wise mothers' to the benefit of the State. Some chapters are about individual women who defied convention to become successful artists/poets or business owners. And how others strove to change the society against huge and overwhelming odds. Women as office workers and textile workers in the 1920's and 30's were also presented. So called 'modern girls' of the 20's were discussed. And there was an excellent, albeit brief, chapter on the presentation of women in Japanese films both during and shortly after WW II.
A general sense of Japanese history would help a reader gain more from this book. I would recommend it highly for anyone interested in Japanese history, culture, and/or feminism. It would be a great companion to Holloway's book.
I am glad I did. The editor Gail Bernstein did an excellent job of finding contributors whose chapters were both interesting and informative. Just a quick perusal of the table of contents will demonstrate how wide ranging the topics are that are covered in the book. In terms of time it goes from Tokugawa to the Meiji to the Taisho and through WW II. Some chapters are more broadly conceptual in nature. Eg,how the Tokugawa government viewed woman as the source of production of heirs for the next generation vs the Meiji who wanted them to be both 'good wives and wise mothers' to the benefit of the State. Some chapters are about individual women who defied convention to become successful artists/poets or business owners. And how others strove to change the society against huge and overwhelming odds. Women as office workers and textile workers in the 1920's and 30's were also presented. So called 'modern girls' of the 20's were discussed. And there was an excellent, albeit brief, chapter on the presentation of women in Japanese films both during and shortly after WW II.
A general sense of Japanese history would help a reader gain more from this book. I would recommend it highly for anyone interested in Japanese history, culture, and/or feminism. It would be a great companion to Holloway's book.
Displaying 1 of 1 review