Women in Postwar Japan



I. Legacy of the Occupation

A. Legacy of the war

negative view of the workplace

a generation of old maids, widows, and working wives

absence of men and old traditions

war brides, pam-pams and other immediate problems

B. The new Constitution

Beate Sirota

Article 14

Article 24

the debate over the constitution

law as protection

creation of law as education

Ichikawa Fusae and the Japanese suffragists

Ethel B. Weed and the 1946 election

high voter turn-out

the meaning of female candidates?

C. The American example

American women "return" home

the G.I. Bill and working wives

the suburban cult of domesticity

II. Issues for Japanese feminism

A. What is "feminism?"

the American prototype

other women's groups

B. Nature and nurture in Japan

C. Equality and equity

III. How it plays out

A. The Japanese housewife

who wants to be a Japanese man?

getting married

dating and omiai

love and common sense

two-year colleges and office work

budgets and other social controls

small houses, families and freedom

hobbies and retirement jobs

big garbage [sodai gomi], wet leaves [nure ochiba], and clinging terrors [kyoshi no washi zoku]

divorce, the law, and that thing about the budget

B. Professional women

degrees and titles

career and/or marriage

image of the career woman

C. Salariwomen

the two track option

social integration and female values

mentoring, hierarchy and sexual harassment

D. Blue collar women

temporary factory workers

flex time and low pay

piece work at home [computers]

E. Women as entrepreneurs

the water trade [mizushobai]

fashion, cosmetics, and women's businesses

service industries

female networking and the scarcity of mentors

women's businesses and business practices

F. Male lib in Japan?

lifestyle options and diversity

self-image and self respect

My homeism

envy of the female entrepreneur



NEW SCHEDULE



May 10: Women in Postwar Japan

May 12: student presentations

May 17: "Traditional" Korean Women

May 19: student presentations

May 24: Women in Postwar Korea

May 26: student presentations

June 2: Comparisons, conclusions, and research project discussion



May 19: "Traditional" Korean Women

Kendall/Peterson, "Traditional" Korean Women
Wagner, Women's Status in Early Yi Dynasty Korea
Peterson, Women Without Sons
Harvey, Minmyonuri: The Daughter-in-Law...
Yang, Remembering Comfort Women [R-Kim]


May 26: Women in Postwar Korea

Moon, Begetting the Nation [R-Kim]
Sorensen, Women, Men; Inside, Outside
Cho, The Autonomous Women: Divers on Cheju Island
Kendall, Korean Ancestors From the Woman's Side
Wilson, The Korean Shaman
Young, City Women and Divination


Books on Reserve:



Buckley, Broken Silence

Kim, Dangerous Women

Lebra, Japanese Women

Summerhawk, Queer Japan