10 Apr 2014

Toshio Miyake "When History Becomes Sexy: Nation, Parody and Moe in Japanese Media Convergence"

 Dear all,

The Birkbeck Centre for Media, Culture and Creative Practice in partnership with the London Asia Pacific Cultural Studies Forum is pleased to invite you to a talk by Dr Toshio Miyake (University of Venice).

"When History Becomes Sexy: Nation, Parody and Moe in Japanese Media Convergence" 

Monday 28th of April 2014, 6:30pm
Birkbeck, University of London
Clore Management Centre - Room G01
Torrington Square
London WC1 7HX

Following Q&A session and a wine reception.

Everybody is invited. Please, book your ticket here.

The increasing intermingling in contemporary Japan between historical revisionism, youth subcultures and the nation branding of Cool Japan have contributed to raise popular cultures as a strategic site in the hegemonic re-definition of the past, present, and future of the nation. 
This paper addresses the ongoing transformation among younger generations towards a post-ideological and post-modern experience of their national ‘imagined comunity,’ described as 'pop nationalism' (Sakamoto 2008) or 'cynical romanticism' (Kitada 2005). Through the case study of the multiple media platform originated by the historical web-manga Axis Powers Hetalia (2006-present) and its worldwide success among female fandom, this paper aims to shed lights on the biopolitical mobilisation of moe ('burning passion') as a combination of polymorphous pleasure and sexualised parody shaping emergent memories of national history and identity.

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I look forward to welcoming you to this event!

Kind regards,
Dario Lolli





Toshio MIYAKE (PhD) is adjunct lecturer in Japanese social and cultural studies at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice (Italy). He is author of a monograph on the Japanese representations of the 'West' (Occidentalismi, Cafoscarina 2010) and has been recipient of a Marie Curie International Incoming Fellowship for a research project on Occidentalism, Orientalism and self-Orientalism in Italy-Japan relations.