From Japanology to global Japanese studies: Status, evolution and challenges

This presentation traces the evolution of Japanese Studies from its roots in Japanology, offering a concise examination of its current status, challenges, and the inherent Japanophilia embedded within the discipline.

By exploring the historical trajectory, we will gain insights into the dynamic shifts that have shaped the field. The presentation aims to highlight the contemporary challenges faced by scholars in Japanese Studies and the enduring fascination, or Japanophilia, that underpins their work. Through this overview, we will develop a nuanced understanding of the discipline's multifaceted nature, recognizing its significance and internal issues in the broader academic landscape.

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About the speaker

Gergely Toth is a Hungarian Independent Japanese Studies Researcher. He received his MA in Japanese Studies from Gaspar Karoli University of the Reformed Church in Budapest, Hungary. He spent 2 years as a Monbusho Scholarship recipient at Waseda University in Tokyo, where he studied International Relations at the Graduate School of Asia-Pacific Studies.

His interdisciplinary research revolves around the history of relations between Hungary in the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy and Meiji+Taisho-era Japan during the 1869-1913 period. Gergely is also interested in the perceptions about Japan in Europe. Currently, he is working on the re-evaluation, demystification, objectivation of early and contemporary European-Japanese and Hungaro-Japanese relations, by applying a critical approach.

• Organiser: SOAS Japan Research Centre
• Contact email: centres@soas.ac.uk

Header image credit: Su San Lee via Unsplash