The 1960s stands out as a period that resonates on multiple wavelengths in every corner of the world. Representing more than a simple decade, and in fact delineated by boundaries occurring before 1960 and extending into the 1970s, the epoch is defined in broad terms by its social and political upheavals and by its national and international contexts, which gave birth to challenges to established orders all over the globe. The long 1960s exhibited its full disruptive and transformative potential in Japan, which both shared generational change and geopolitical instability with other parts of the world and faced its own challenges in its shift from early postwar Occupation to a return to sovereignty and a reckoning with its imperial past. This context produced massive popular social and political movements, provoked intense reaction from established elites, and sparked intense conflicts that shook the country for over a decade.

 

The conference will feature presentations from six leading Japanese scholars specializing in the period. Approaching the topic from a diverse array of backgrounds and disciplines commensurate with the multitudinous nature of the period, these scholars will provide a fascinating and elucidating exploration of the period in Japan and provide the groundwork for future researcher on this emerging field of study.

 

Alongside the Long 1960s sessions, this conference will also feature short presentations (30 minutes, including discussion) by up to twelve doctoral students and post-doctoral scholars, including video presentations by young scholars outside of Japan, on a variety of topics under the broad umbrella of Japanese Studies. Representing the cutting edge of research in the evolving field, this conference will provide unique opportunities, both for young researchers to present and receive feedback on their work, and for the wider audience to witness the bold new directions in which Japanese Studies is progressing. We invite young scholars conducting research on broader issues related to Japan and the world in all the various fields of humanities and social sciences to submit paper proposals.

 

 

＊Face to face gatherings have been cancelled and all the sessions are scheduled to be held only online.