Entangled Notions of Freedom and Dependence
An anthropological approach to the Japanese amae
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 19008425 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Ruprecht Mattig (0000-0003-2770-6321, corresponding author), Marvin Giehl (0000-0002-9892-031X), Hiromi Masek (0000-0003-2893-940X), Miriam Mathias, Gamze Sener, Axel Wegner, Klaus-Christian Zehbe (0000-0002-7237-2239) |
| Year | 2023 |
| Volume | 32 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 137-152 |
| Publication date | 2023-06-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Paragrana (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0938-0116 • E-ISSN: 2196-6885 |
| Publisher | R. Oldenbourg Verlag (PUBLISHER • DE) |
| DOI | 10.1515/para-2023-0011 |
| OpenAlex | W4384073369 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 8 |
While freedom has traditionally been discussed in philosophy and political theory, this paper proposes an anthropological approach to the study of freedom. The focus is on the Japanese word amae , which Takeo Doi calls the ‘key’ to Japanese culture and contrasts with the ‘Western’ concept of freedom. After discussing Doi’s influential work, meanings are reconstructed from interviews and group discussions with Japanese people about amae . The interviewees define amae literally in terms of social ‘non-independence’ and, unlike Doi, understand it in a complex intertwining with freedom on the one hand and autonomy on the other. Overall, the paper argues that amae can hardly serve as a ‘key’ to understanding the Japanese, but can stimulate fruitful anthropological reflections not only on Japanese culture, but also on the concept of freedom
Autonomy · Epistemology · Individualism · Political science · Politics · Sociology · Anthropological Studies and Insights · Chinese history and philosophy · Law · Mathematics · Philosophy · Social and Cultural Dynamics
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |