Menu
Democracy was not the inevitable outcome for Japan after World War II. The nation’s new American-authored constitution established the legal framework, but in the rubble of authoritarian government, democratization required more than simply changing laws. A major challenge was transforming social attitudes and daily practices. This talk will consider “democratizing culture” in two senses: both the uses of cultural products to promote democracy, and the impact on society of a widespread culture of democratization. Examining a range of materials—from election posters to radio shows to training manuals for railway employees—reveals some surprising definitions of democracy.
Jessamyn Abel is a historian of modern Japan with interests in democratization, technology, infrastructure, sports, and international relations. She has published on the bullet train in Japanese culture and society, information society, the Olympics, cultural diplomacy, textbooks, and the history of whaling in the 19th and 20th centuries.