Re-inventing Japan: Nation, Culture, Identity: Nation, Culture, Identity

An intellectual tour de force, Re-Inventing pan is a major effort to rethink the contours of Japanese history, culture, and nationality. Challenging the mythology of a historically unitary, even monolithic Japan, this important book offers a unique perspective on culture and identity in modern Japan. During the past two decades, Japan, with her distinctive culture, has been considered a model for others to emulate. At the same time, critics have questioned this emphasis on Japanese "uniqueness", seeking to reveal the darker elements -- the conformity and social pressures -- inherent in Japan's economic success. This book takes the debate a step further by examining the concepts that are used to understand modern Japan, focusing on such key issues as nature, culture, race, globalization, information, and democracy, to reveal how each concept has been applied and interpreted in modern Japan. The result points to a new approach to understanding Japan's place in today's world.