Why #MeToo Failed in Japan
Keywords:
#MeToo movement, Me Too movement, Contemporary Social Movements, Collective Action, Feminism in Japan, Western Feminism, Neoliberal Feminism, Research Mobilisation Theory, Political Process Theory, Sexual Assault and Harrassement, Gender Equality in JapanAbstract
Farnush Ghadery of King’s College London argues that the #MeToo movement is a “...transnational feminist consciousness- raising endeavour [...] that surpasses the universalising and Western hegemonic language exhibited by global feminism” (Ghadery 2019, p. 254). Its success varied, however, from country to country. In the following essay, it is put forward that the failure of the #MeToo movement in Japan can be attributed to two main factors: an unprepared socio-historical climate and an incompatible cultural setting. Neil Stammers’ instrumental and expressive dimension framework, Research Mobilisation Theory and Political Process Theory are used to analyse the process and outcome.
References
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