''Japanese Society'' (1970) is an analysis of the structure of
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
ese
society
A society is a group of individuals involved in persistent social interaction, or a large social group sharing the same spatial or social territory, typically subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations. Socie ...
, written by
Nakane Chie
was a Japanese anthropologist and Professor Emerita of Social Anthropology at the University of Tokyo.
Education and career
Nakane was born in Tokyo and spent her teenage years in Beijing. She graduated from Tsuda College in 1947 and then comp ...
. The main theme of the book is the working of what Nakane calls "the vertical principle" in Japanese society, which is a series of social relations between two individuals, one of whom is
senior and one of whom is junior.
Nakane also formulates the criteria of 'attribute' and 'frame' to illuminate that way that groups are formed in Japan, and to compare Japan with other countries. Her thesis is that 'frame', which is circumstantial and may be "a locality, an institution or a particular relationship which binds a set of individuals into one group,
[Nakane, Chie: "Japanese Society", page 1. Pelican, 1970.] is more important that 'attribute', "which may be acquired not only by birth but by achievement", examples of which include "a definite descent group or
caste
Caste is a form of social stratification characterised by endogamy, hereditary transmission of a style of life which often includes an occupation, ritual status in a hierarchy, and customary social interaction and exclusion based on cultura ...
".
This situation is contrasted with India.
See also
*
In-group
In sociology and social psychology, an in-group is a social group to which a person psychologically identifies as being a member. By contrast, an out-group is a social group with which an individual does not identify. People may for example ide ...
*
Social psychology
Social psychology is the scientific study of how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by the real or imagined presence of other people or by social norms. Social psychologists typically explain human behavior as a result of the r ...
Notes
{{DEFAULTSORT:Japanese Society (1970 Book)
1970 non-fiction books
Japanese non-fiction books
Books about Japan
Sociology books