Institute for the Study of Humanities & Social Sciences,
Doshisha University
21st Period 17 Research (2022-24)
(Representative: Liulan Wang-Kanda)
Takako Yamada
Wedding of a Tibetan from the Kham region living in Toronto. Attendees dressed in traditional attire from the Kham region, Toronto, September 2013.
Tibetans in Japan “Connections”. Hanami at Shinjuku Gyoen, where people gather to bring food (April 2017).
Discipline Anthropology, Comparative Cultural Studies
Study Area
Starting from Okinawa, I have conducted field surveys in various regions, including East Africa, Micronesia, Ainu communities, Ladakh, Tibet, and Siberia. The research is approached from a comparative cultural perspective, incorporating diachronic and microhistorical viewpoints. Specifically, the focus is on Ladakh, Tibetan refugees, and the Nindou in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Research Themes
With over 40 years of field research experience, I have been particularly interested in "the continuity of traditional culture" and "the maintenance of communities." Currently, my research focuses on issues such as the revitalization of traditional culture in refugee societies, the reconstruction of communities, the rebuilding of communal bonds, as well as the revitalization and sustainability of peripheral communities, including depopulated areas. In particular, we are currently reviewing field survey data and other information on the theme of how communities can respect diverse micro-regional cultures and connect and coexist with each other.
A word about borders (boundary)
The concept of "border" is not something inherently conscious but emerges through transcending some form of framework or contact with others, where differences become socialized and first recognized. While various frameworks are possible, the consciousness of borders as a group is only realized by surpassing the boundaries of a community (or collective) with minimal local connections. It can be said that the consciousness of "borders" is deeply intertwined with identity. In a society where multi-ethnic, multicultural coexistence becomes commonplace, and contact with diverse others becomes routine, borders related to ethnicity and national consciousness become increasingly apparent. However, I believe that achieving a society where multiple ethnicities can coexist and thrive does not mean eliminating borders but rather realizing it while maintaining them. Drawing on anthropological field research examples, I explore the ways in which a multi-ethnic coexistence and thriving society can be built with the assumption of a consciousness of "borders."