Studying Japan
Handbook of Research Designs, Fieldwork and Methods
Abstract
Studying Japan is the first comprehensive guide on qualitative methods, research designs and fieldwork in social science research on Japan. More than 70 Japan scholars from around the world provide an easy-to-read overview on qualitative methods used in research on Japan’s society, politics, culture and history. The book covers the entire research process from the outset to the completion of a thesis, a paper, or a book. The authors provide basic introductions to individual methods, discuss their experiences when applying these methods and highlight current trends in research on Japan. The book serves as a foundation for a course on qualitative research methods and is, but can also be used as a reference for all researchers in Japanese Studies, the Social Sciences and Area Studies. It is an essential reading for students and researchers with an interest in Japan! With contributions by: Chapter: Celeste L. Arrington, David Chiavacci, Andreas Eder-Ramsauer, James Farrer, Roger Goodman, Carola Hommerich, Nora Kottmann, Gracia Liu-Farrer, Levi McLaughlin, Chris McMorran, Caitlin Meagher, Kaori Okano, Theresia B. Peucker, Cornelia Reiher, Katja Schmidtpott, Christian Tagsold, Katrin Ullmann, Gabriele Vogt, Cosima Wagner, Akiko Yoshida and Urs Matthias Zachmann. Essays: Shinichi Aizawa, Noor Albazerbashi, Daniel P. Aldrich, Allison Alexy, Verena Blechinger-Talcott, Christoph Brumann, Genaro Castro-Vázquez, David Chiavacci, Jamie Coates, Emma E. Cook, Laura Dales, James Farrer, Flavia Fulco, Isaac Gagné, Nana Okura Gagné, Sonja Ganseforth, Sheldon Garon, Julia Gerster, Christopher Gerteis, Markus Heckel, Steffen Heinrich, Joy Hendry, Swee-Lin Ho, Barbara Holthus, Katharina Hülsmann, Jun Imai, Hanno Jentzsch, Aya H. Kimura, Emi Kinoshita, Susanne Klien, Gracia Liu-Farrer, Patricia L. Maclachlan, Wolfram Manzenreiter, Kenneth M. McElwain, Lynne Y. Nakano, Scott North, Robin O’Day, Robert J. Pekkanen, Saadia M. Pekkanen, Isabelle Prochaska-Meyer, Nancy Rosenberger, Richard J. Samuels, Annette Schad-Seifert, Katja Schmidtpott, Tino Schölz, Kai Schulze, Kay Shimizu, Karen Shire, David H. Slater, Celia Spoden, Brigitte Steger, Nicolas Sternsdorff-Cisterna, Christian Tagsold, Akiko Takeyama, Daisuke Watanabe, Daniel White, Anna Wiemann and Tomiko Yamaguchi. Foreword: Ilse Lenz and Franz Waldenberger.
- Kapitel Ausklappen | EinklappenSeiten
- 1–18 Titelei/Inhaltsverzeichnis 1–18
- 19–28 Introduction: Studying Japan 19–28
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Why this handbook and why now?
- 3. What this handbook is about
- 4. Editorial decisions
- 5. How to use this handbook
- 6. Structure and content of this handbook
- 7. Summary and future perspectives
- 29–39 Chapter 1 How to begin research: The diversity of Japanese Studies 29–39
- 1. Introduction
- 2. The importance of personal biography
- 3. Interrogating the relationship between the person and society
- 4. Example of the impact of theoretical assumptions on research on contemporary Japan
- 5. Japanology versus Japanese Studies
- 6. Practical steps for beginning graduate research on Japan
- 7. Summary
- 40–42 1.1 Positioning one’s own research in Japanese Studies: Between Area Studies and discipline 40–42
- 43–46 1.2 Let the field be your guide 43–46
- Puzzles from the real world
- From personal experience to a research project
- The challenge of Japan’s presumed uniqueness
- Be flexible!
- 47–52 1.3 Studying marriage in Japan: A social anthropological approach 47–52
- Finding a field site
- Settling in
- Some final thoughts on taking notes
- Further reading
- References
- 53–64 Chapter 2 How to ask: Research questions 53–64
- 1. Introduction
- 2. What is the core of a research question?
- 3. Types of research questions: The common denominator and specific forms
- 4. The characteristics of research questions: Relevance, originality and rigour
- 4.1 Relevance
- 4.2 Originality
- 4.3 Rigour
- 5. How do I develop my research question?
- 5.1 The process: Ping-ponging back and forth
- 5.2 Narrowing down your research question: Don’t bite off more than you can chew
- 6. How the research question affects your methodological choices: Quantitative, qualitative and mixed method approaches
- 7. Summary
- 65–67 2.1 Your research questions may change and that is ok 65–67
- 68–71 2.2 Studying Japanese political behaviour and institutions 68–71
- Studying electoral politics and LDP single-party dominance
- What’s new is what’s old: Public opinion and economic performance
- Some concluding thoughts
- 72–77 2.3 Capturing social change in Japan 72–77
- Research question first: From the question to the project
- Struggling with research questions
- Asking questions about non-change
- Concluding remarks
- Further reading
- References
- 78–87 Chapter 3 How to organise research: Research designs 78–87
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Case studies
- 3. Different approaches of case studies
- 4. Selecting cases: Analysis of a single case or multiple cases
- 5. The Kobe women’s panel study: An evolving project
- 6. Bounding cases and units of analysis
- 7. Knowledge production: The theory building and theory testing continuum
- 8. Summary
- 88–90 3.1 Developing a comparative study: Single women in Hong Kong, Tokyo and Shanghai 88–90
- 91–94 3.2 Contained serendipity as fieldwork in Japan: Studying Chinese people in Japan 91–94
- 95–101 3.3 The universe of cases: Agricultural cooperatives in Japan as a case study 95–101
- Research project: Studying institutional change in Japan through the lens of agricultural cooperatives
- Research design
- Problems and potential solutions
- General advice
- Further reading
- References
- 102–116 Chapter 4 How to identify relevant scholarly debates: Reviewing the literature 102–116
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Reviewing literature: Two kinds of review
- 3. Getting started: The scope of searching for secondary literature
- 4. Basic types of sources and their general ambivalence
- 4.1 Primary sources
- 4.2 Secondary literature
- 5. Finding secondary literature
- 6. Cultivating a sense for the ‘best source’
- 7. An inclusive approach to literature: Literature in Japanese and other languages
- 8. Reading secondary literature: Some practical advice
- 9. Identifying relevant debates and situating one’s own research
- 10. Writing the literature review
- 11. When to start writing
- 12. Summary
- 117–120 4.1 Looking for sources in all the right places 117–120
- Definitions
- Secondary sources
- Primary sources
- Bookstores in Japan: Some concluding thoughts
- 121–124 4.2 Ambiguity and blurred boundaries: Contextualising and evaluating heterogeneous sources 121–124
- Beyond disciplinarity: Positioning one’s own research
- Literature research: Hunting for relevant multilingual sources
- The politics of research: Blurred boundaries and ambiguous sources
- Engaged scholarship
- 125–131 4.3 Doing migration research in Japan: The roles of scholarly literature 125–131
- Zoning in: Localising the research
- Reorienting: Continued literature review in the field
- Zoning out: Situating your study
- Drawing on publications in Japanese
- Concluding remarks
- Further reading
- References
- 132–141 Chapter 5 How to collect data: An introduction to qualitative Social Science methods 132–141
- 1. Introduction
- 2. What qualitative data collection methods are there?
- 3. What is each method useful for?
- 4. Which data collection method should you select for your research?
- 5. How to prepare your research?
- 6. How to position yourself when collecting data?
- 7. Summary
- 142–145 5.1 Participant observation and interviews: Going with the flow and dipping in and out 142–145
- Project methods
- Problems and ongoing problem-solving
- General advice
- 146–150 5.2 Transnational research in Japan Studies—an oxymoron? Studying cross-border labour mobility in globalising Japanese production organisations 146–150
- Transnational research design: Following the staffing agencies and tracing mobility patterns
- Qualitative interviewing methods
- Patterns of cross-border labour mobility: The case of JiaIi Kobayashi
- Conclusion
- 151–156 5.3 ‘Bullseye view on happiness’: A qualitative interview survey method 151–156
- Access to the field and the interviewees
- Experimental design: Coming to terms with happiness
- Reflections
- Further reading
- References
- 157–168 Chapter 6 How to do fieldwork: Studying Japan in and outside of Japan 157–168
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Getting started: Connecting with a Japanese university
- 3. Forging new ties in Japan
- 4. Pitches
- 5. Written self-introductions
- 6. Who you are matters
- 7. Go for the ask
- 8. Fieldwork stuff: Practical considerations
- 9. Fieldwork tips
- 10. Strategies for notetaking and storing data
- 11. The all-important thank you
- 12. Ethnography in and outside Japan via social media
- 13. Ethical concerns
- 14. Conclusion
- 169–172 6.1 The cosmology of fieldwork: Relationship building, theoretical engagement and knowledge production in Japan Anthropology 169–172
- The practice of fieldwork
- Maintaining relationships
- The cosmology of fieldwork
- 173–176 6.2 A mobilities approach to ‘Japan’ fieldwork 173–176
- 177–183 6.3 Building arguments on national policies from everyday observations 177–183
- Studying national policies on the local level
- Open-ended field research
- Further reading
- References
- 184–195 Chapter 7 How to interview people: Qualitative interviews 184–195
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Qualitative interviews
- 3. Choosing the ‘right’ type of interview and questions
- 4. Selecting and finding interviewees
- 5. Preparing interviews: Location, timing and things to bring
- 6. Deciding on the language
- 7. The process of interviewing: Listening, contradictions and (non-)verbal expressions
- 8. Negotiating interviewer–interviewee relations and reflexivity
- 9. Recording, taking notes and (not) transcribing
- 10. Following up and keeping in touch
- 11. Summary
- 196–199 7.1 The empire of interviews: Asking my way through Japan 196–199
- Interview strategies
- Recording and ethics
- 200–203 7.2 The art of interviewing: A Japanese perspective 200–203
- What are qualitative interviews?
- What can we learn from qualitative interviews?
- The art of interviewing
- 204–210 7.3 Talking through difficult topics 204–210
- Further reading
- References
- 211–222 Chapter 8 How to observe people and their environment: Participant observation 211–222
- 1. Introduction
- 2. What is participant observation all about?
- 3. Participant observations in Japan: From the 16th to the 21st century
- 4. Selecting field sites
- 5. Gaining access
- 6. Ethical implications
- 7. Positioning oneself in the field
- 8. Cell phones, writing pads and field notes
- 9. Summary
- 223–226 8.1 Of serendipities, success and failure and insider/outsider status in participant observation 223–226
- How to observe
- Challenges during preparation and implementation
- General recommendations
- 227–230 8.2 Doing and writing affective ethnographya 227–230
- 231–237 8.3 Reflections on fieldwork in post-bubble Japan: Gender, work and urban space 231–237
- Framing the fields
- Selecting sites and sampling subjects
- Ethics and positioning in the field
- Further reading
- References
- 238–247 Chapter 9 How to access written and visual sources: Archives, libraries and databases 238–247
- 1. Introduction
- 2. General hints on how to approach and operate library catalogues
- 2.1 Where to start your search?
- 2.2 How to search the library catalogue
- 2.3 How to search for Japanese language content in catalogues
- 2.4 Japan-related library reference tools
- 3. Libraries in Japan
- 4. Archives in Japan
- 4.1 Regional public archives (chihō kōbunshokan)
- 4.2 Archives and collections of other public institutions: Libraries, museums, universities
- 5. Final comment
- 248–251 9.1 Clever approaches to tricky sources: How to extract information from business archives and war memorials 248–251
- Private archives: Business archives
- Public space as an archive: War memorials
- Summary
- 252–255 9.2 Writing transnational history through archival sources 252–255
- Discovering the transnational in the sources
- Designing a transnational study
- Some advice
- 256–263 9.3 Accessing quantitative data for qualitative research: White Papers, official statistics and micro datasets 256–263
- White Papers in Japan: Characteristics and access
- Official macro statistics via e-Stat
- Accessing micro datasets from data archives
- Final remarks
- Further reading
- References
- 264–282 Chapter 10 How to combine methods: Mixed methods designs 264–282
- 1. Introduction
- 2. What are mixed methods designs?
- 3. Overcoming the qualitative–quantitative divide: A pragmatic approach
- 4. Combining qualitative and quantitative data: Three core designs
- 5. Practical advice
- 5.1 Getting started with your research
- 5.2 How to collect data
- 5.3 How to analyse your data
- 5.4 How to present and report your findings
- 5.5 Stumbling blocks and how to avoid them
- 6. Summary: Prospects and challenges
- 283–286 10.1 Reflections on multi-method research 283–286
- 287–291 10.2 Texts, voices and numbers: Using mixed methods to sketch social phenomena 287–291
- Researching friendship
- Triangulating with contemporary literature
- Adding a quantitative lens
- Conclusion
- 292–299 10.3 Examining facts from different angles: The case of the deregulation of employment relations in Japans 292–299
- Questions as a starting point
- Tuning the interpretation via triangulation
- Importance of the historical context
- Summary
- Further reading
- References
- 300–309 Chapter 11 How to analyse data: An introduction to methods of data analysis in qualitative Social Science research 300–309
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Qualitative data analysis and the research process
- 3. Approaches to data analysis
- 4. Steps in the analysis: From data to theories
- 4.1 Transcribing and exploring the data
- 4.2 Summarising and identifying the first themes
- 4.3 Coding
- 4.4 Identifying patterns and structures
- 5. Computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software (CAQDAS): Pros and cons
- 6. Ensuring the quality of data analysis: Reflexivity, validity and reliability
- 7. Data analysis with Japanese language material
- 8. Concluding remarks
- 310–312 11.1 Negotiating the ethics of gathering research data in a subcultural context 310–312
- 313–316 11.2 Researching sex and the sexuality of Japanese teenagers: The intricacies of condom use 313–316
- 317–322 11.3 Studying economic discourse 317–322
- Introduction
- Employee well-being in China and Japan
- Monetary policy
- Text-mining tools
- Conclusion
- Further reading
- References
- 323–334 Chapter 12 How to make sense of data: Coding and theorising 323–334
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Grounded theory as one framework for coding
- 3. A blueprint for the process of coding
- 4. Data collection: What counts as data?
- 5. Identifying and isolating codes and concepts: Initial/open coding
- 6. How to do initial coding?
- 7. In vivo coding
- 8. Developing concepts: Focused/selective coding
- 9. How much is enough? Theoretical saturation
- 10. Coding as theory: Theoretical coding
- 11. Practical considerations: memos and diagrams
- 12. Conclusion
- 335–338 12.1 Cresting the wave of data 335–338
- Coding
- Themes
- 339–342 12.2 Lost in translation? Grounded theory and developing theoretical concepts 339–342
- Grounded theory and coding
- Grounded in the data or forced onto it?
- Absent or grounded in the data?
- Co-construction, self-reflexivity and cultural translation
- 343–348 12.3 Coding: Mapping the mountains of ethnographic post-disaster data 343–348
- Further reading
- References
- 349–362 Chapter 13 How to systematise texts: Qualitative content and frame analysis 349–362
- 1. Introduction
- 2. What are qualitative content analysis and frame analysis?
- 3. Getting started: Don’t wait!
- 4. The logic behind the methods and research design
- 4.1 Interpretivist accounts
- 4.2 Correlational or causal accounts
- 5. Units of analysis
- 6. Coding, categories and concepts
- 7. Manual versus computer-assisted analysis and feasibility
- 8. Presenting qualitative content analysis and frame analysis findings
- 9. Reliability and validity: Annotating and documenting the analysis
- 10. Summary
- 363–366 13.1 Qualitative content analysis: A systematic way of handling qualitative data and its challenges 363–366
- 367–370 13.2 Analysis of biographical interviews in a transcultural research process 367–370
- Confusion
- Decision
- Prospects
- 371–376 13.3 Qualitative content analysis and the study of Japan’s foreign policy 371–376
- Further reading
- References
- 377–388 Chapter 14 How to understand discourse: Qualitative discourse analysis 377–388
- 1. Introduction
- 2. What is discourse?
- 3. What is discourse analysis?
- 4. How to conduct discourse analysis?
- Key steps 1–3: Decide on a research topic, explore its context and find a research question
- Key steps 4–6: Clarify if and what type of DA to use and define key concepts
- Key step 7: Select sources
- Key steps 8–9: Find formal (and linguistic) structures and situate statements in their situational and material context
- Key step 10: Interpreting data
- 5. Summary
- 389–392 14.1 Media buzzwords as a source of discourse analysis: The discourse on Japan’s herbivore men 389–392
- Introduction
- Step one: The broader theoretical picture
- Step two: The socio-economic context
- Step three: Material for analysis
- Step four: Identifying the actors of discourse
- Step five: Content analysis
- Step six: Conclusive evaluation of discourse
- 393–396 14.2 Analysing affect, emotion and feelings in fieldwork on Japan 393–396
- Discourse and emotion
- The sensorial and affect
- Interactive approaches
- Conclusion
- 397–404 14.3 From buzzwords to discourse to Japanese politics 397–404
- Political discourse in Japan and the discourse on the work-style reform
- Salience
- Content and context
- Concluding remarks
- Further reading
- References
- 405–413 Chapter 15 How to finish: Writing in a stressful world 405–413
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Getting started
- 3. Engaging with theory
- 3.1. PhD dissertations
- 3.2. Journal articles
- 3.3. Books
- 4. Establishing good habits for writing
- 4.1 Avoid writing myths
- 4.2. Writing routines
- 4.3. Write with others
- 5. Managing mental health
- 6. Conclusions
- 414–417 15.1 Training your ‘writing muscle’: Writing constantly and theoretically 414–417
- Write as you go
- Making writing social
- Writing to different audiences
- Conclusion
- 418–421 15.2 Writing stories 418–421
- The power of stories
- Storify but don’t get carried away
- Conclusion
- 422–427 15.3 Writing about Japans 422–427
- Further reading
- References
- 428–441 Chapter 16 How to conduct reliable and fair research: Good research practice 428–441
- 1. Introduction
- 2. What constitutes reliable and fair research?
- 3. Good practice during the research process
- 3.1 Research design and data collection
- 3.2 Data practices and management
- 3.3 Presenting research results: Things to remember before and while writing
- 4 Closing remarks: Towards open Japan(ese) Studies
- 442–445 16.1 Fairness in research and publishing: The balancing act of cultural translation 442–445
- Navigating ‘local moral worlds’
- Writing ethnographies and balancing voices
- Final thoughts: The balancing act of cultural translation
- 446–449 16.2 Digital oral narrative research in Japan: An engaged approach 446–449
- Selection of topic
- Modes of engagement
- Contact and research design
- Relationships with stakeholders, collection of data and written release forms
- Dissemination of research results
- 450–454 16.3 Writing for publication: Eight helpful hints 450–454
- Further reading
- References
- 455–465 Chapter 17 How to present findings: Presenting and publishing 455–465
- 1. Introduction: Reaching your audience
- 2. Think about your audience(s)!
- 3. Reaching an academic audience
- 3.1 Conferences and workshops
- 3.2 Academic journals
- 3.3 From dissertations to books
- 3.4 Beware of predators
- 3.5 Promoting your publications
- 4. Reaching a broader audience
- 4.1 Talking with journalists
- 4.2 Publishing for a general audience
- 4.3 Film and video
- 4.4 Sharing data
- 4.5 Connecting with a community
- 5. Conclusions: Balancing goals
- 466–469 17.1 Finding an audience: Presenting and publishing in Japanese Studies 466–469
- Choosing where and how to publish or present
- Conference presentations
- Some publishing problems: Edited volumes, language concerns
- General advice
- 470–473 17.2 Ethnographic film and fieldwork on active ageing in rural Japan 470–473
- Pre-production: What story did we want to tell?
- Post-production: What story were we going to tell?
- Challenges and what we learned
- Conclusion: It’s a wrap!
- 474–479 17.3 Weird and wonderful: Popularising your research on Japan 474–479
- Further reading
- References
- 480–501 Notes on contributors 480–501