The Association for Japanese Literary Studies Conference at Yale University – Alternative Technology of the Self: The Perspective of ‘Here and Now’

Throughout the history of Japanese culture the conspicuous tendency is felt to emphasize the “here and now.” Thus said Kato Shuichi in his last book. His sweeping analysis is conceived of in contradistinction to and against the backdrop of the Western emphasis on the “beyond [au-delà] and eternal.” As a sweeping generalization, it is not without problems but still seems to deserve critical reconsideration, which is to be done from specific and different points of view and approaches. With this in mind, the present symposium tries to shed light on this problematic of “here and now” in an interdisciplinary perspective, ranging from cultural philosophy, history and literature to comparative thought.

For More Information

• http://sites.google.com/site/2010ajls/conference-program