Constructs For Understanding Japan

First published in 1989. This volume has emerged from the International Colloquium on the Comparative Study of Japanese Society. Held at Noosa Heads in Queensland from 29 January to 6 February 1982, the colloquium brought together participants from eight countries to discuss about thirty papers. The participants came with a common sense of dissatisfaction with the 'group model' or 'consensus-oriented theories' as a means of understanding Japanese society. The papers and discussion focused on alternative approaches for conceptualizing Japanese society and on methodological issues in the comparative study of Japanese society.

Yoshio Sugimoto Professor of Sociology and Dean of Social Sciences at La Trobe University, Melbourne, Ross E. Mouer Senior Lecturer in Japanese Studies, Monash University Melbourne.

Introduction Cross-currents in the Study of Japanese Society PART ONE: THE EXPRESSION OF INDIVIDUAL SELF INTEREST 1 A Theory of Social Exchange as Applied to Japan 2 Arc, Circle and Sphere: Schedules for Selfhood 3 Some Conditions for QC Circles: Long-term Perspectives in the Behaviour of Individuals 4 Friendship in Cross-cultural Perspective PART TWO: INSTITUTIONS AND STRUCTURED INEQUALITY 5 A Multi-dimensional View of Stratification: a Framework for Comparative Analysis 6 The Transition of the Household System in Japan's Modernization 7 Resolving Social Conflicts: a Comparative View of Interpersonal and Inter-group Relations in Japan 8 Interest Groups and the Process of Political Decision making in Japan 9 Japanese Industrial Relations: an External Perspective PART THREE: METHODOLOGICAL HORIZONS 10 The Emic-Etic Distinction and Its Significance for Japanese Studies 11 The Role of Typologies in Understanding Japanese Culture and Society: From Linguistics to Social Science