The Organization of Rural Women in the Japanese Home Life Improvement Extension Service : From Home Life Improvement to Policy for Rural Women(Symposium-2002- State Policies on Rural Women: Cases in USA, France and Japan)

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  • 日本の生活改善普及事業にみる農村女性の組織化 : 生活改善から農村女性政策へ(2002年度シンポジウム 農村女性の実態とその組織化-日本・アメリカ・フランスの比較史的検討-)
  • 日本の生活改善普及事業にみられる農村女性の組織化--生活改善から農村女性政策へ
  • ニホン ノ セイカツ カイゼン フキュウ ジギョウ ニ ミラレル ノウソン ジョセイ ノ ソシキカ セイカツ カイゼン カラ ノウソン ジョセイ セイサク エ

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This paper aims to clarify the ways in which the government has tried to organize rural women and how rural women themselves have reacted to this, with a focus on the Home Life Improvement Extension Service (HLIES) and present policy for rural women. For this purpose, the author analyzed instructional texts and monthly papers published for HLIES advisors at both national and prefectural levels as well as memorandums written by leaders of Home Life Improvement Practice Groups (HLIP Groups) and BLIES advisors. Firstly, the government made a great contribution in the late 1940s by promoting the formation of HLIP Groups. These were voluntary study groups for rural women that were distinctly different to existing rural women's groups. By participating in the HLIP Groups, rural women had the opportunity to get out of their farmhouses and be mentally stimulated by other members. They also were able to have a go at 'planning, implementation and evaluation' for themselves. In those days the diffusion of a rational, practical and economical way of life and the streamlining of home life management were closely related to raising the status of rural women, particularly that of the 'daughters-in-law'. Secondly, the number of HLIP Groups has continued to increase even after the period of high economic growth. Most of these are engaged in processing local agricultural products and their activities extend beyond the home life of the individual to the local community level. Thirdly, about 15,000 HLIP Groups are still active today. Some of the HLIP groups that were formed following the war have disbanded because of the advancing age of the members, while others have been passed on to the next generation and have developed into small businesses. Some rural women now utilize IT to connect with other rural women all over the country, and the author suspects that formal 'organization' may no longer always be appropriate with regard to such current activities and demands.

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