Similarities that attract: a kaleidoscope in relations among young Japanese Brazilians in Sao Paulo state

Author(s)

Juliana Carneiro da Silva

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: Campinas, SP.
• Institution: Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Instituto de Filosofia e Ciências Humanas
• Defense date: 2016-11-02

Examining board members

Amneris Angela Maroni; Igor Jose de Reno Machado; Taniele Rui

• Advisor: Amneris Angela Maroni

Abstract

This work dedicates itself to explore the relations between young Brazilians of Japanese descent. It started from three cities of the state of São Paulo, where I attend Japanese-Brazilian associations, Japanese festivals, Eastern parties and a so-called Eastern college. Moreover, I interviewed fifteen youths (in its majority of Japanese descent). By having the experiences of these people as central references, this dissertation particularly addresses the ins and outs of what the bibliography has called "ethnic solidarity", pointing out the different facets in which it sets out the ethnic spaces and the occasions that do not make it ¿ not "call", as I suggest according to psychoanalyst Christopher Bollas. Therefore, I employ the theory of culture proposed by Edward Sapir and the notion of Japaneseness, as presented in the collection organized by Professor Igor José de Renó Machado, at the Federal University of São Carlos. From this notion, I show that the context of my research relate, tensely many times, at least two types of meaning for "Japanese" (native Brazilian term, at first, to refer to Japanese descendants.) I equally show how the present ambivalence in the "Japanese" term reverberates in the dynamic relations I study, contributing to its multiplicity (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 12/24299-2 - (Re)configurations of friendship by young Japanese descendants in face of the participation in Japanese-brazilian associations.
• Grantee: Juliana Carneiro da Silva
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master