Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Availability

Open Access Thesis

Keywords

Women college graduates--Japan; Women--Japan--Social conditions; Women college graduates; Women--Social conditions; Japan;

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine Japanese women's experiences, to interpret the data within a feminist and sociological framework, and, finally, to develop a theoretical understanding of Japanese women who have studied in the United States, and returned to Japan. Unlike groups in the majority of earlier studies, these women are neither children of Japanese corporate employees nor their wives. They came to the United States for the sole purpose of pursuing English study or higher education. The research was conducted through qualitative research methods: a survey with open-ended questions via e-mail and telephone interviews. The data were analyzed by means of content analysis. The aim of this study is not to draw any generalization, but to present the diverse experiences of Japanese adult women returnees. This research highlights a variety of social and structural limitations faced by Japanese adult women returnees. These include limited career availability, lower status of women and internalization of this status, devaluation of their overseas experience by others, and isolation from their social life. However, the research also illuminates positive intrapersonal aspects which were gained through their U.S. sojourns. These include a positive awareness of diverse cultures outside of Japan, more balanced and critical views towards their own culture, and broadened minds. Further, women expressed their positive attitudes, self-confidence, autonomy, and respect and appreciation for different values as positive personal outcomes through their U.S. sojourns. Despite their negative social experiences, all of the women in this study consider their U.S. sojourn a meaningful positive experience. Their relationship with Japanese society illustrates their marginalized status, and their lower involvement with Japanese culture. Being away from Japan, these women's values and views are changed, enabling them to critically evaluate social norms and cultural practices in Japan. This intellectual privilege allows them to stay outside of and question the social structures by which the others may be victimized. This liberation enables them to challenge the social barriers imposed on them, which in turn reinforces their self-development and autonomy. For these Japanese returnee women, U.S. sojourn experiences became the tool for their emancipation.

Year of Submission

2001

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminology

First Advisor

Phyllis L. Baker

Second Advisor

Cynthia D. Dunn

Third Advisor

Victoria DeFrancisco

Comments

If you are the rightful copyright holder of this thesis and wish to have it removed from the Open Access Collection, please submit a request to scholarworks@uni.edu and include clear identification of the work, preferably with URL.

Date Original

2001

Object Description

1 PDF file (128 leaves)

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

Download

Comments?

Share

COinS