Browsing by study line "Aasian tutkimus"
Now showing items 1-20 of 23
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(2019)This thesis researches anti-Americanism among South-Korean university students. South-Korea is known to be very pro-American country, but anti-American sentiment has existed in the society especially in the beginning of 21st century. The goal of this thesis is to know, if anti-Americanism still exists in South-Korea. The university students are target group, since university students have been major force behind anti-Americanism since the 1980’s in South-Korea. The research question asks, how South Korean university students perceive the U.S. The hypothesis assumes, that they perceive the U.S. positively. Research literature focuses on books and articles about anti-American sentiment in South-Korea. The theoretical framework constitutes the concept of ethnic nationalism, that is widely researched among western and South-Korean scholars. Ethnic nationalism means nationalism based on the idea of ethnic unity. In Korea, it is traditionally connected with primordialism and uniqueness of Korean race. Also, theories of intercultural conflicts are applied. Not too much emphasis is paid to political aspects. This thesis focuses on nationalistic theories, and some identity theories are taken into consideration. Area- and cultural studies, sociology, history and are main study fields of this thesis. Gender studies are given some emphasis. The data is gathered with semi-structured survey research, conducted in November 2018 in Seoul, South Korea. The data consists 50 answers from Yonsei university students. The data is analysed both statistically and thematically. Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal-Wallis test are used in statistical analysis. SPSS serves as the main tool of the analysis. The analysis focuses on four different variables; gender, ideology, foreign experience and English skill. Thematic analysis is qualitative, whereas statistical quantitative. The results indicate, that male students have more positive view of the U.S. than female students. Furthermore, students with leftist-ideology hold more negative view than right-wing or centrist. Foreign experience and English skill had little influence on the views. Thematic analysis shows, that South-Korean students have very pragmatic attitude towards the U.S. Overall, the results argue, that South-Korean anti-Americanism is very complex phenomenon, and is constantly changing. Anti-Americanism exists in South Korea but is not so evident. People tend to have neutral attitudes towards the U.S. and this neutrality can vary from pro-Americanism to anti-Americanism. Causes behind anti-Americanism are so diverse, that it is hard to predict when anti-American sentiment gains popularity in the future.
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(2022)The objective of this thesis is to explore how women are represented in the Chinese TV serial in 2020’s and do the chosen scenes of the serial contribute to construct a positive image of and support patriarchal ideology. The data used for this thesis is from the Chinese TV serial Find yourself (xiayizhan shi xingfu), and eight scenes of it have been chosen for detailed analysis. The serial is aired in 2020, and it is in Chinese. The serial is a romantic comedy addressed for women in Mango online streaming service. The duration of the scenes are from less than two minutes to approximately six minutes and they feature different characters. In the serial, the protagonist, a 33-year-old single and a ‘leftover’ woman, is desperately trying to find love in an urban setting in Shanghai. A leftover woman (Shengnü) is an urban, over 27 years old, highly educated unmarried woman, who according to Chinese media, is a social problem. While the female protagonist of the serial is pondering her choices regarding a partner; she is also pondering choices between traditional patriarchal values and modern individualism. I have chosen film analysis as a method as it seems to provide the clearest ways and means to analyze my research data so that it is possible to seek answers for my research questions. The analysis is made from a feminist perspective. As the theoretical background I am going to draw on semiotics and Third Wave feminist as well as post-feminist works about feminist film theory and representations of women. Patriarchal values in China still promote traditional patriarchal marriage patterns and values women as housewives. As Chinese TV serials reflect the society, these values can be seen also in the serial chosen for this thesis. In China, the media has never been completely free and the CCP has regulated it since the days of Mao Zedong. Because of this, the representations of women are carefully thought out. Based on my analysis I found out that the serial Find Yourself seems to contribute to patriarchal ideology and structures. The most prominent patriarchal structure in the scenes was the promotion of traditional hypergamy. Also, women characters of the serial were constantly portrayed in need of a husband. In the scenes the inferiority of women was created in different cinematic means, such as camera angles, feminine backgrounds and music choices, mise en scene and appearance of the characters. For further research it would be fruitful to study how has the CCP’s ideology and cultural leadership affected the contribution to patriarchal ideology in the serial. Also, a study about the CCP’s objectives of mass persuasion in entertainment addressed to women would be an interesting example of further research of this topic. Another interesting point for examination would be research about audience reception. An interview as a method would reveal what women are feeling about the promotion of patriarchal marriage patterns and about the ‘leftover’ representation of women in the serial.
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(2021)Kiinalla on pitkä historia uhkapelaamisessa ja pelaamisella on vahva sosiaalinen asema. Kiinalainen uhkapelaaminen tapahtuu usein kiinalaisena uutenavuotena perheen kesken, mutta nykyään yhä etenevissä määrin myös kasinoilla ympäri maailmaa. Kiinalaisten uhkapelaamisen tutkiminen lisää ymmärrystä Kiinan kulttuurillisista erityispiirteistä ja sillä on käyttötarkoitusta sekä pelien tarjoajille sekä kulttuurintutkijoille. Tämä opinnäytetyö esittelee kiinalaisten uhkapelaamista kulttuureiden kansallisten ulottuvuuksien kautta. Katsaus uhkapelaamisen historiaan Kiinassa ja kiinalaisen kulttuurin tekijöihin osoittaa uhkapelaamisella olevan erityinen asema kiinalaisessa yhteiskunnassa. Tutkielmassa käytetään hyväksi Geert Hofsteden teoriaa kuudesta kansallisen kulttuurin ulottuvuudesta, sekä akateemisia lähteitä liittyen uhkapelaamiseen. Kirjauskatsauksen tuloksista selviää, että uhkapelaaminen on kulttuurisidonnaista ja se ei esiinny kaikissa kulttuureissa samalla tavalla. Myös suhtautuminen uhkapelaamiseen vaihtelee eri kulttuureissa. Kiinalaisten uhkapelaamisessa näkyy erityisesti perinteisten filosofioiden ja taikauskon merkitys. Nämä perinteet vaikuttavat oleellisesti kiinalaisten arvoihin ja käyttäytymiseen. Voidaankin olettaa, että näillä tekijöillä tulee olemaan merkitystä myös tulevaisuudessa. Lisäksi tähän opinnäytetyöhön sisältyy etnografinen tutkimus kiinalaisista uhkapelaajista Helsingin kasinolla. Havaintojen tekeminen kasinolla sopii hyvin tutkimuksen metodiksi, koska kasinot ovat luonnollinen paikka tutkia uhkapelaamista. Toisaalta uhkapelaamisen ollessa kielletty manner-Kiinassa, tarjoaa havaintotutkimus erityisen tilaisuuden tarkkailla kiinalaista pelaamista luonnollisessa ympäristössä. Analyysin perusteella Hofsteden kulttuurien kansalliset ulottuvuudet löytyvät osittain kiinalaisten pelaajien käyttäytymisestä. Erityisesti kiinalaisen kulttuurin kollektivistinen sekä valtaetäisyys ulottuvuus olivat merkittäviä. Taikauskon rooli ja sen taustalla olevat perinteiset filosofiat ja uskonnot oli selvästi havaittavissa.
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(2023)This thesis focuses on sauna-going activities, also called sakatsu, to look at how contemporary Japanese sauna enthusiasts distinguish themselves from nonenthusiasts and each other. The current Japanese sauna boom is much more massive in scale compared to the earlier developments regarding saunas in Japan. Nevertheless, the boom has been left largely understudied in academic research. This is especially true when considering its social nature. Therefore, there is an enormous research gap to be filled. A case study of 67 semi-structured interviews was done between June 2022 and March 2023 to generate new data on the subject. The interviews were performed both online and locally in several locations across Japan. In this study, Bourdieu’s ideas of distinction and cultural capital are utilised as a theoretical basis. Prior research has been supplemented with contemporary commentaries and critiques, particularly Consalvo’s theorisations of gaming capital, to recontextualise the concept of cultural capital and apply it to the field of sauna-going. The author develops sauna-going capital as a theoretical approach to examine the social dimension of Japanese sauna enthusiasts. Through grounded theory, the study inductively unveils the five core categories of health and wellbeing, conduct, locality, connectedness and masculinity to show how saunas are discussed in different ways within each of these themes. The findings suggest that sauna enthusiasts have some commonly shared values based on which distinctions to nonenthusiasts are made. However, sauna enthusiasts are also very diverse as a group, which is seen in the contrasting opinions and assumptions concerning how sauna spaces should be utilised for enjoyment. This shows that there is not only one but multiple, diverging ways of accumulating sauna-going capital. Some of these ways are partly delineated according to the demographic lines of age and gender.
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(2023)Our lives are dependent on energy in multiple ways, which is why energy can be considered as one of the basic human needs. We use energy to heat and cool our homes, cook food, power various appliances and devices, lighting, in transportation to fuel vehicles, and in manufacturing of different goods. Modern energy security challenges have become increasingly unpredictable and entangled and they result from a wide range of geopolitical, technical, economic, and natural factors. Climate change is one of the most pervasive challenges that has far-reaching impacts on the planet Earth and the humankind and decarbonisation of the energy sector is a top priority for countries to mitigate the climate change. The main research questions of this thesis are: What are the energy security strategies in the EU solar energy strategy? What is the role of China in global solar PV trade? How does the EU solar energy strategy address the energy security risks in the global solar PV supply chain? I apply qualitative content analysis to analyse the energy security strategies in the EU solar energy strategy published in 2022. I use the energy security theory developed by Cherp and Jewell (2011) that distinguish sovereignty, robustness, and resilience perspectives on energy security, and define energy security as protection from disruptions of energy systems that can jeopardise nationally vital energy systems. Moreover, I examined how discussions on the role of solar energy evolved in EU speeches during 2014-2022. The EU speeches show that solar energy has emerged from describing the progress and need for renewable and solar energy development to one of the most competitive renewable energy resources that can address current and future energy challenges and help in climate change mitigation efforts. The analysis of the EU solar energy strategy indicated strong emphasis on the sovereignty perspective of energy security. On the other hand, there was no significant emphasis between the robustness and resilience perspective. In addition, three new aspects of energy security emerged during the analysis that did not fit into the three perspectives. They were accessibility, affordability, and acceptability of solar energy.
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(2021)This thesis explores what characteristics and expectations are associated with work and workers in contemporary North Korea and how those representations differ from other socialist countries and North Korea’s own past. The theoretical background demonstrates how different thinkers have conceptualized modern work as an ideological tool, specifically under socialism. Using workers as the nominal subjects in their legitimization narratives, state socialist regimes have utilized various practices to mix the reality and the ideal, praising workers as heroes while maintaining exploitation. The literary review covers previous research on the policy and propaganda about work across the Soviet Union, China, and North Korea, showing how the image of the ideal worker has developed according to material conditions and political goals of each place and period. As contemporary North Korean work has received less attention in studies, this thesis explores the depictions of work and workers in North Korea in 2012–2020. The analysis is conducted by using qualitative content analysis on North Korean English-language media. The data consists of magazines, newspaper articles and two films. Through analysing this sample of journalistic writings, photos and fictional films and texts, repeating patterns of representations about workers emerge as four major categories of characteristics: technological skill and innovativeness, unity and collectivism, correct morals and ideology, and self-reliance. Together these qualities make up the image of the contemporary ideal worker in North Korea. These findings suggest some shifts in North Korean ideology in the last decade compared to the past. The categories mostly follow familiar themes but from new perspectives and with different emphasis. The collectivist tendency and family metaphors are stronger, and the roles between different workers are minimized. The workers are increasingly shown as highly educated innovators and scientists. Despite the rising narratives on science, the revolutionary spirit is equally maintained as an important feature.
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(2021)EFL Education in Japan has the reputation of being ineffective in teaching students how to speak English. Despite that, there are Japanese who can use English proficiently. This dissertation seeks to answer the question: How do Japanese learners of English obtain language fluency despite numerous flaws in the Japanese EFL education system? The thesis takes a qualitative approach to the issue by interviewing Japanese students at the University of Helsinki to determine how they became so proficient in using English. The results of these interviews suggest that cram schools and university English classes had the most positive influence on the development of their English skills.
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(2023)This study centres on co-operation between democracy activists in Hong Kong and Taiwan. It seeks to understand when and how this has developed from occasional connections to more regular and institutionalized collaboration and what has driven this change. It also aims to understand the motivations of activists to work with partners in the other location. Finally, it looks at this co-operation during the Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill (Anti-ELAB) Movement in Hong Kong in 2019 and beyond, using the concept of transnational advocacy networks (TANs) and the boomerang pattern as a theoretical framework. This study builds on previous research, news articles, publicly available statistics, statements by Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) (n=47), and 17 interviews with activists and academics. The interviews seek to explain how activist connections have developed over time, what the collaboration has looked like during the Anti-ELAB Movement, and what the motivations have been. The MAC statements have been used to track the Taiwanese authorities’ official reactions to pro-democracy protests or work in Hong Kong. The analysis of the interviews and the statements have sought out thematic patterns or codes that have been used both quantitatively and qualitatively. Democracy activists in Hong Kong and Taiwan began paying more attention to one another during two major social movements in 2012, both relating to China. The co-operation has since intensified during further social movements, and activists on both sides have formed political parties and run for office. During the Anti-ELAB Movement, top politicians and institutions in Taiwan spoke out in support of Hong Kong’s activists, taking the relationship one step further. This study finds that democracy activists in Hong Kong and Taiwan feel they have a lot in common. Key commonalities include a shared opponent in China and an increasing tendency to identify as Hongkongers and Taiwanese, rather than as Chinese. Using the boomerang pattern, this study shows how pro-democracy activists and politicians experience a blockage in Hong Kong. Taiwanese democracy activists have better access to their authorities. They have co-operated with their counterparts in Hong Kong to raise awareness of the Anti-ELAB Movement in Taiwan and to push the Taiwanese authorities to assist Hong Kong protesters and put pressure on Hong Kong’s government. The Taiwanese authorities have offered some assistance to Hong Kong protesters arriving in the country and the MAC has been a vocal critic of the Hong Kong government and the Chinese Communist Party. While the Hong Kong-Taiwan TANs have been partially successful in their efforts in Taiwan, they have been unsuccessful in Hong Kong.
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(2019)Tarkastelen tutkielmassani Li Yun kuuden eri elokuvan naishahmoja psykoanalyysin ja diskurssianalyysin avulla. Li Yu on kiinalainen naisohjaaja, joka on aloittanut dokumenttielokuvien parissa 1990-luvulla. 2000-luvun alusta lähtien häneltä on valmistunut kuusi fiktioelokuvaa Fish & Elephant (2001), Dam Street (2005), Lost in Beijing (2007), Buddha Mountain (2010), Double Xposure (2012) ja Ever Since We Love (2015). Viimeisimmät kaksi ovat kaupallisia elokuvia, aiemmat olivat itsenäisiä tuotantoja. Yhteistä näille elokuville on traaginen naiskohtalo. Samalla elokuvat jatkumona kuvaavat kiinalaisen yhteiskunnan nopeaa kehitystä. Tutkimuksessa käytetty metodi on kolmiosainen: 1) alustava analyysi, 2) elokuvien yksittäisten ottojen luokittelu kategorioittain, 3) perusteellinen analyysi käyttäen psykoanalyysia, tele-elokuvallista diskurssianalyysia (telecinematic discourse analysis) ja ns. mindstyle menetelmää, jossa otetaan huomioon kuvaus, puhe ja eleet. Yksittäisten ottojen laskeminen paljasti, että hypoteesin mukaisesti miesten osuus elokuvissa nousee kohti valtavirtaa siirryttäessä. Yllättävää oli, että myös naisten osuus kasvoi aina viidenteen elokuvaan asti, minkä jälkeen naisten osuus vasta laski huomattavasti. Kuudennen elokuvan päähenkilö on miespuolinen, mikä osaltaan selittää naisten osuuden laskua. Li Yun naishahmot ovat itsenäisiä ja melkeinpä jääräpäisiä. Heillä on vaikea äitisuhde ja huono isäsuhde – isä on usein poissa tai väkivaltainen. Li Yun naishahmot elävät usein yhteiskunnan marginaalissa ja kamppailevat olemassa olostaan kiinalaisessa yhteiskunnassa. Elokuvissa on havaittavissa muitakin muutoksia siirryttäessä kohti valtavirtaa ja kiinalaisen yhteiskunnan vaurastuessa. Elokuvat saavat enemmän rahoitusta ja siitä seuraa se, että elokuvien hahmot ja tapahtumapaikat keskiluokkaistuvat ja standardikiina (putonghua) tulee paikallisten murteiden tilalle.
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(2023)Women’s empowerment, originating from the worldwide feminist debates that took place in the 1980s, has over the years become a widely used, yet a highly contested political concept. For instance, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), currently the leading political party in India, represents a powerful nationalist force that has emerged as a vocal supporter of women’s empowerment in the 21st century. In 2018, the BJP published a booklet titled Mahila Morcha Training Guidebook, in which the BJP intentionally seeks to elaborate its present-day party lines on women’s empowerment and women’s ideal role in society. The aim of this thesis is to answer the following research questions: In the Mahila Morcha Training Guidebook, 1) what does the representation of ideal womanhood look like? and 2) what meanings are assigned to women’s empowerment? Qualitative content analysis is employed as the research method, while the theoretical framework of the thesis consists most centrally of Jane Clare Jones’s radical materialist feminist approach to gender and patriarchy, Maria Mies’s analysis of capitalism as a manifestation of patriarchy, Uma Chakravarti’s conceptualisation of brahmanical patriarchy, and Cecília Sardenberg’s conceptual differentiation between liberal and liberating empowerment. The thesis builds on previous feminist studies on Hindu nationalist gender ideology and demonstrates that while the BJP’s vision of ideal womanhood includes both the very traditional idealisation of women as wives and mothers prioritising their duties in the domestic sphere as well as the more recent idealisation of Hindu women as socially active, heroic protectors of the nation that took hold in the 1990’s, it also includes a new element, which is the celebration of successful businesswomen and female professionals’ achievements and contributions to the development of society. As for the second research question, the thesis argues that in addition to certain nationalist elements, the BJP’s conception of women’s empowerment aligns with liberal ideals, economics and development goals when it comes to women’s participation in the public sphere of society, while conservative attitudes implicitly prevail when it comes to gender roles in the private sphere. Based on the research findings of the thesis, the BJP’s conception of women’s empowerment is compared to the early grassroots feminists’ one, in addition to being discussed critically from the author’s feminist point of view. The thesis concludes that the interrelatedness of the BJP’s turn in favour of neoliberal economics in general and its espousal of the liberal approach to women’s empowerment in particular is a consequential phenomenon that demands further feminist analysis
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(2020)Tässä työssä käsitellään japanilaisten linnakaupunkien kaupunkirakennetta. Tutkimuskohteena on Yamagatan prefektuurissa sijaitseva Yonezawa, joka on tyypillinen entinen linnakaupunki. Linnakaupungeilla viitataan tässä työssä asutuskeskuksiin, kyliin ja kaupunkeihin, joita kehittyi alun perin puolustuksellisista syistä rakennettujen linnoitusten ympärille. Tokugawa-kaudella (1603–1868) linnakaupungit olivat aina myös hallintoalueensa pääkaupunkeja, minkä takia ne olivat tärkeitä koko Japanin kattavan kaupunkiverkoston muodostumisessa. Yonezawan kaupunkirakenteen muutoksien käsittelyn lisäksi työssä pyritään selvittämään, kehittyikö Yonezawan kaupunki samalla tavalla kuin linnakaupungit yleensä ja miksi. Työn metodeja ovat historiallinen kartta-analyysi sekä longue durée. Historiallisella kartta-analyysilla tarkoitetaan tutkimusta, jossa tutkitaan tiettyä aluetta historiallisten karttojen avulla. Historiallisia ja tämän päivän karttoja vertaamalla voidaan paremmin ymmärtää maankäyttöön liittyviä prosesseja. Longue durée tarkoittaa kirjaimellisesti ”pitkää ajanjaksoa”. Se on historiantutkimuksessa käytetty metodi, jonka mahdollistaa vuosikymmenien tai vuosisatojen aikana kehittyneiden, monimutkaisten ilmiöiden tarkastelun. Työssä ei siis ole tarkoitus keskittyä vain kaupunkirakenteen muutoksiin, vaan huomioida myös samana vuosisatojen ajan pysyneet yhteiskunnalliset rakenteet. Työssä esitellään ja verrataan Yonezawaa kuvaavia Tokugawa-kauden eri vuosikymmeniltä olevia karttoja toisiinsa sekä nykypäivän (2020) karttaan. Kartta-analyysin avulla voidaan huomata, että Yonezawan kaupunkikehityksessä oli yleisesti ottaen paljon kaikille linnakaupungeille tyypillisiä piirteitä. Yonezawa sijaitsee sisämaassa, vuoristoisessa ympäristössä, mikä on yksi selkeä kasvua rajoittava ja ohjaava tekijä. Yonezawan linna rakennettiin linnakaupungeille tyypilliseen paikkaan joen haaraan. Tokugawa-kaudella sen kaupunkirakenne perustui kaikille linnakaupungeille tyypilliseen tapaan segregaatiolle, mikä tarkoittaa sitä, että eri yhteiskuntaluokkiin kuuluvat asuivat ja elivät kaupungissa omilla suljetuilla asuinalueillaan. Linnakaupungeille oli myös tyypillistä puolustusta ajatellen suunniteltu tieverkosto, mikä näkyy hyvin myös Yonezawan historiallisissa kartoissa. Kaupungissa oli Tokugawa-kaudella keskimääräistä linnakaupunkia suurempi samuraiväestö, mikä on vaikuttanut kaupunkirakenteen kehittymiseen. Esimerkiksi kaupungin machi-alueet olivat keskimääräistä linnakaupunkia pienemmät ja vastaavasti samuraiden alueet veivät enemmän tilaa kaupungista. Tämä olikin ehkä suurin ero Yonezawan ja keskimääräisen linnakaupungin välillä. Nykypäivänä kaupungissa ei ole enää linnaa minkä lisäksi segregaatiosta on virallisesti luovuttu, mutta osa asuinalueista on silti pitänyt vanhan feodaaliajan identiteettinsä. Myös monet temppelit ovat yhä samoilla paikoilla, minkä lisäksi kaupungin tieverkosto on pysynyt melko samanlaisena. Tokugawa-kauden kaupunkirakenne näkyy siis yhäkin nykypäivän kaupungissa. Kaupunkirakenteessa on myös piirteitä Meiji-kaudelle tyypillisistä muutoksista. Esimerkiksi Yonezawan juna-asema on rakennettu Meiji-kaudelle tyypillisesti kaupungin laitamille. 1960-luvulta alkaen Japanin kaupunkikehitykselle tyypillinen yhdyskuntarakenteen hajoaminen on myös näkyvissä nykypäivän Yonezawassa. Näiden esimerkkien avulla voidaan huomata, että kaupunkirakenne on kohtuullisen hidas muuttumaan uusista innovaatioista ja yhteiskunnallisista muutoksista huolimatta. Toisaalta Yonezawan kaupunkikehityksessä on nähtävissä paljon kaikille japanilaisille linnakaupungeille tyypillisiä piirteitä.
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(2023)This study sought to find how the Japanese newspaper media address climate change and its impacts, and how they view the government’s decarbonization efforts. The study was also interested in finding what kind of energy sources do the newspaper media support and oppose to reduce the country’s emissions and especially, how do they see nuclear power’s role in this. To answer these questions, editorial articles of three newspapers were analyzed: Yomiuri Shimbun, Asahi Shimbun and Nihon Keizai Shimbun. The analysis contained eighteen editorial articles, six from each newspaper, and they were collected between 2020 and 2022. The analysis was conducted by using Fairclough’s three-dimensional approach, and it was divided into six sections: (1) Suga’s climate pledge on October 26, 2020, (2) the Green Growth Strategy on December 25, 2020, (3) the new emission reduction target by 2030 on April 22, 2021, (4) the Sixth Strategic Energy Plan on July 22, 2021, (5) the end of Glasgow Climate Change Conference on November 15, 2021, and (6) Kishida’s speech for nuclear power on August 24, 2022. The first section analyzed the papers response to the prime minister’s net-zero pledge, while the second section paid attention to the publication of the ministry’s Green Growth Strategy. The third section observed the paper’s stances toward the government’s decision to upgrade the country’s medium-term emission reduction target, and the fourth section analyzed the papers response to the publication of the Sixth Strategic Energy Strategy. The fifth section associated with the Glasgow Climate Change Conference and its commitments, while the final section was about the prime minister’s policy speech on expanding nuclear power. The findings of this study suggests that there are differing views on climate change and the government’s decarbonization measures among the country’s three largest newspapers. These views can roughly be divided into progressive, conservative, and semi-conservative groups, in which Asahi represents progressive, Yomiuri conservative, and Nikkei semi-conservative stance. Asahi addresses climate change with full seriousness, criticizing the government’s backwardness and calling for more ambitious climate policy. It sees renewables as the solution, strongly opposing nuclear power or coal-related energy sources. Yomiuri, on the other hand, takes more cautious approach towards climate issues, giving a rather indifferent impression at times. It gives its support for nuclear power yet does not exclude the possibility using of coal plants equipped with CCUS technology or ammonia co-firing. Nikkei’s stance on climate change is somewhere between these two yet clearly more conservative than progressive. It also supports nuclear power and coal-firing by alternative methods, but it shows more interests in renewables than its conservative competitor.
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(2020)In my master’s thesis I study the Nepalese literature through the works of Prajwal Parajuly, Manjushree Thapa and Samrat Upadhyay. I want to study how caste, gender and marriage are presented in their literatures and what functions they have in the material. The material is based on total amount of twelve literary works of all the three authors. My research questions are in the thesis are in which circumstances the caste plays importance, how gender is displayed and how the marriage institution functions in the social fabric represented in the literature. The theoretical basis of my research is the subaltern theory by Gayatri Spivak. First, I introduce some of the key concepts in regarding my thesis to help the reader to understand the basic terminology of Hinduism concerning my thesis as well as the Nepalese setting of the issues represented in the literature. Then I analyse the women’s position and how they are being marginalized in the literature. Finally, I get into the conclusion that is based on the theories, that caste, gender, and marriage are deeply intertwined with each other in the literature and I have reached to the conclusion that caste in the most important marker of person’s identity and women’s marginalization is based on the combined effect of caste and gender. The marriage institution is also deeply involved to caste and gender issues, as it is one of the core units of the society as well as the benchmark for women’s life.
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(2020)Over the course of the last decades, China’s rise has been among the most essential phenomena in world politics. Along with it, the consensus among scholars is that in the era of president Xi Jinping, China has abandoned the “hide and bide” principle and become an active norm leader in the global arena. This study examines China’s influence and activity in the United Nations General Assembly, the organ which has the broadest agenda within the UN system and in which every state has equal representation. This work fills the gap in recent research on the General Assembly by studying resolutions adopted between 2013 and 2018 that China participated drafting. Hence, the study expands the scope of China's known activity in international affairs. This study utilizes both quantitative and qualitative content analysis. By using mixed methods, it was possible to extract numeric data from the sample (n=351) but also to take a closer look at the language of the resolutions. Furthermore, the data also revealed the countries that supported and opposed China-sponsored resolutions, determining the group of countries that enabled China’s rise in the General Assembly. The analysis showed that China’s global responsibility campaign stretched to the General Assembly in which it actively participated in decision making. While the majority of the resolutions that China sponsored were in line with the overall sentiment, clashes occurred especially in the subjects concerning individual freedoms and human rights. In these spheres, the individual-centered order led by the United States competes with China’s state-centered order. China appears to have gained the upper hand by having the support of circa 120 states, mostly in the developing world. The study concludes that China is the most active global power in the General Assembly, and with the help of the majority of the UN member states, has managed to promote its worldview in the resolutions.
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(2023)This study aimed to highlight the agency of displaced people in protracted conflicts and peace processes in the context of Myanmar. Displaced people are often disregarded in decision-making in peace processes despite having the knowledge and vested interests in their contexts of origin. This has also been noted by international actors who have started to pay attention to inclusivity in their project implementations. Regardless of this, peacebuilding initiatives often follow Western norms and thus, can undermine the added value and agency of the subaltern, or displaced people. This study uses critical theory as its framework which scrutinizes the motives and concrete results of peacebuilding initiatives of Western actors. It explored how the Western concept of peace has become the ‘norm’ and therefore, can influence the subaltern thinking of peace and how to achieve it. The study utilized a survey questionnaire which mapped the interests and wishes of the displaced people from Myanmar. One of the objectives of the study was to see whether this type of methodology could be used in more inclusive and participatory peace work. In addition, Myanmar’s history and political background were analyzed together with the survey results. This further contributed to a context sensitive approach which the Western ‘one-fits-for-all’ type of initiatives are often lacking. The results of the study showed that past grievances and norms can influence and guide the understanding of peace. If this type of survey were to be used in the future, the questions could be developed further together with input from the subaltern to achieve a truly participatory approach in the peace processes.
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(2023)This thesis examines Japanese castle reconstructions in the Heisei (1989–2019) and Reiwa eras (2019–) and links them to the ideas of cultural heritage and authenticity in traditional architecture. Japanese castles are opportune for examining the development of the role of architecture in cultural heritage throughout history. The role of castles as symbols of authority and later as symbols of local culture and history has changed according to the fluctuations of time and the needs of the contemporary people and thoughts. After majority of the feudal castles were demolished during Japan’s modernization, there have been three distinctive “booms” during which castles have been reconstructed. In the post-war era, dozens of ahistorical concrete replicas of castles were rebuilt concrete as local town symbols, and to many they symbolized the rebuilding of post-war Japan. From the early 1990s, however, a new castle boom has taken place, with the reconstructions emphasizing on using wood and historical evidence. Most notable of these reconstruction projects is the Nagoya Castle reconstruction project, in which the post-war concrete castle tower is to be demolished and rebuilt from wood using original methods and historical plans. This thesis examines these reconstructions in contemporary Japan, aiming to understand how authenticity and cultural heritage are related to this ongoing boom. In this study, a country-wide visitor survey on 10 Japanese castle sites was conducted, supported by two expert interviews from supervisors of two Heisei era castle reconstructions in Ōzu and Kakegawa cities. The findings supported the hypothesis, which suggested that the current appeal of castles is linked not only to their symbolic value to the castle towns, but also their value as objects of cultural heritage. This is why “authentic”, wooden reconstructions are preferred, which was evident from the visitor surveys, as all the respondents favored wooden reconstructions over concrete ones. Furthermore, majority of the respondents wished for more authentic castle reconstructions to be built.
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(2023)This thesis examines the depictions of food, cooking and eating practices, as well as food consumption in Japanese cinema. It employs a multidisciplinary approach that combines cultural studies, food studies, and film studies, focusing on the analysis and comparison of two Japanese films, The Flavor of Green Tea Over Rice (Ochazuke no aji, 1952, Japan, dir. Yasujirō Ozu) and Tampopo (Tanpopo, 1985, Japan, dir. Jūzō Itami). The aim is to understand the sociocultural, economic, and political changes that took place in Japan between the 1950s and the 1980s. Upon analysis, it was discovered that these films utilise food from diverse angles to comment on various aspects of Japanese society. The comparison of the two films revealed the remarkable pace at which Japan developed into an immensely consumerist society and major economic power. A notable aspect of conveying this message involved depicting changes in the urban restaurant culture and eating habits. The main theme that emerged from the material can be summarised as the changing values and interpersonal relationships in post-war Japan. A secondary objective of this research was also to contribute to the study of food in film and demonstrate how depictions of food can serve as valuable research material for both film studies and cultural studies. The findings affirm that food possesses a strong representational, metaphoric, and narrative power, and can be used as a tool to discuss a variety of socially and culturally important topics. The thesis provides a unique perspective that is grounded in Asian studies, as it analyses two Japanese films, presents a historical survey of Japanese food films in the literature review, as well as utilises Japanese sources for research.
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(2023)During its history HIV has changed from a death sentence to a medical condition manageable with treatment. As knowledge about the virus has spread it has brought about a change in attitudes. Knowledge promotes understanding and does away with fear. However, in China awareness about HIV/AIDS remains to be lacking among ordinary people. Non-governmental organisations have an important role as norm adapters. What is the role of NGOs in China in relation to HIV/AIDS advocacy? Arguments for further inclusion of civil society organisation in HIV/AIDS policy making is supported by UNAIDS. A human rights framework has entered the global discourse around the topics of AIDS prevention and reducing the stigma related to the disease. The aim of this thesis is to explore the manifestations of stigma and the reasons behind it. This is done through looking at the history of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in China and how it has shaped the image Chinese people have about individuals living with the disease. These constructed, discriminatory attitudes affect the lives of people living with HIV/AIDS negatively in numerous ways. They also endanger the realisation of the human right to health. Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the overall HIV/AIDS situation in the country are examined as a phenomenon not void of stigma. While it affected the whole population, its effects on the individuals living with HIV/AIDS was amplified by previous discriminatory practices. Research done in this thesis supports the notion that the continuous discrimination and stigmatisation of HIV/AIDS and the people living with the disease sustains an environment where further infections can not be avoided. To address this situation the Chinese government should focus on stigma reduction in combination with long-term treatment plans.
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Taekwondo in Finland : An Ethnographical Approach to Korean Culture in Finnish Taekwondo Community (2019)In this thesis, I have approached taekwondo from the cultural perspective using ethnographic methods. This martial art form is often associated with Korea; however, its origins seem to lie in the Japanese karate – although Korean sources often claim it to be even 2000 thousand years old tradition practiced in Korean peninsula. Foreign scholars such as Udo Moenig, on the other hand, have conducted convincing studies that illustrate similarities between these two martial forms. Furthermore, many martial art schools – that are considered as the “founding schools” of the “modern taekwondo” - were established after the Second World War. This controversy offered inspiration to look further into taekwondo as an “invented tradition”. In short, according to Eric Hobsbawm and Terrence Ranger’s definition, “invented traditions” are often created by repeating and even manipulating origin stories to establish the preferred history. Moreover, it often strengthens the local nationalism. Therefore, it is important to look into Korean nationalism to understand the reasons to highlight taekwondo’s Korean roots. In the modern day another concept related to taekwondo and Korean nationalism is the so-called “Korean Wave”, also known as hallyu by its Korean name. Especially scholars such as Jin Dal Yong and Kim Bok-rae define hallyu as a “soft power” to disseminate Korean culture globally through cultural products such as television shows, music, food and even sports. Hence, studying foreign people, who do taekwondo or in other words taekwondoin, to see if taekwondo really promotes Korean culture and inspires people to learn more about Korea became the main focus of the project. I decided to focus on the Finnish context because I have been learning taekwondo myself. Additionally, as a Finnish person I am familiar with the Finnish culture due to which understanding both cultures helps to explain the differences between the two cultures. Furthermore, I wanted to see, how much Korean cultural features have been adopted in the Finnish taekwondo gyms. To do this, I observed and attended taekwondo classes in three different taekwondo associations in Southern Finland, and I interviewed seven people with different belt ranks from beginner to master. In Finland taekwondo is typically seen as a martial art form with Korean background. Certain traditions such as bowing to greet and yelling as a response to commands are often associated with martial arts generally. Korean language is used in the class variedly depending on the instructor, but many seem not comfortable memorizing the terms and most common technique names have been translated to Finnish. In addition to this, teaching taekwondo is almost purely volunteer-based, the classes are after work hours, and the space to train is rented and so shared with other sport associations. Although taekwondo gyms might not remind people of Korea, the preserved traditions are seen as a way to pay homage to the founders of the sport.
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(2023)During its history China has seen growing numbers of immigration of its population to other countries in hopes of increased opportunities abroad or when returning to China. Finland on the other hand has shifted from an emigration country into an immigration country in the last few decades with immigration numbers increasing. The growing immigration flows and decreasing birth rates have become a source of discussion and dispute. As both China and Finland face similar demographic changes, the migration tendencies along with policies relating to migration and discussion and attitudes surrounding them, have been in change. With Finland’s decreasing fertility rate and workforce, the demand for skilled workers remains high and is expected to keep increase further. As a country with a good reputation for high language skills in English for a non-Anglophone country, peaceful society and good enough reputation in the academic field, this study aims to reflect the experience of ten Chinese and Hong Kong students to previous research while highlighting the possible issues for retaining these Chinese students, and furthermore international students and to some extent, highly skilled migrants in Finland. The socio-political environment in Finland, together with consideration to migration theories, the environment was explained to the extent allowed by this thesis. The case study on Chinese and Hong Kong students was correlated to previous studies on the topic to give a reflection of the lived experience of these individuals in the contemporary setting and how well it correlates with the findings of the previous studies from five or more years ago. The socio-political environment in which Finland is in now, as understood through media, and has been in the past when it comes to the topic of immigration and integration will be evaluated and correlated to the new government plan (2023) with the findings reflected on for a better understanding on the possible challenges that they might bring. The findings of this study show that for these Chinese and Hong Kong students the main concerns for staying in Finland after graduation concern language abilities, employment possibilities, and the social and political environment. While there have been active attempts to increase language learning possibilities by higher education institutions in Finland, it was found that many degree programs don’t allocate enough room and encouragement for language learning. For employment possibilities the main concerns were related to the forming of networks and mastering one of the national languages, Finnish or Swedish, as well as the possible changes to residence permit as proposed by the new government plan. When it comes to the political environment the new government plan has caused much worry for both work-based and study-based migrants and thus decreasing the change of these students staying in Finland after graduation.
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