Humor and Gender in Japanese Female Conservative Movements: Through an Analysis of Participants’ Interaction

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  • 「行動する保守」運動における参加者の相互行為とジェンダー
  • 「行動する保守」運動における参加者の相互行為とジェンダー : 非一示威行動の場での参与観察調査から
  • 「 コウドウ スル ホシュ 」 ウンドウ ニ オケル サンカシャ ノ ソウゴ コウイ ト ジェンダー : ヒイチ ジイ コウドウ ノ バ デ ノ サンヨ カンサツ チョウサ カラ
  • ―非－示威行動の場での参与観察調査から―

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Abstract

<p>Since the 1990s, conservatives have created many groups in Japan. The reasons people participate in these movements have been discussed with the keywords “anxiety” and “healing.” According to recent studies, social changes such as the end of the Cold War system, globalization, and an increase in non-regular employment make people concerned and join conservative movements to reassure themselves by accepting one another and attacking socially vulnerable people. However, there is a question whether this theory can be applied to female conservative activists, because in many countries, researchers have shown that female conservatives have been discriminated against in the movements.</p><p>The purpose of this paper is to consider the interaction among members of conservative movements in Japan from a gender perspective. The data was gathered through participant observation conducted in a female conservative group in 2014.</p><p>Results of the analysis show that members of the group make jokes frequently and there are two types of jokes that have different functions. One is right-wing jokes related to anti-Korean sentiment and Japanese nationalism. These kinds of jokes were based on the knowledge and values shared by members, and functioned to facilitate communication. Another type of jokes was sexist ones related to sexual slavery by the Japanese military during WWII. This type of jokes was enjoyed by elder male members, and they consider women who were Japanese military sex slaves as sexual objects. In contrast, many female members could not show an active reaction such as laughter or anger to elder male members; they only gave a grim smile.</p><p>My research reveals difficulties surrounding female conservatives and gender discrimination in conservative movements. The sexist jokes have different functions for male and female participants.</p>

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