Broken Silence: Voices of Japanese Feminism [Hardcover]

Sandra Buckley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 27, 1997

Broken Silence brings together for the first time many of Japan's leading feminists, women who have been bucking the social mores of a patriarchal society for years but who remain virtually unknown outside Japan. While Japan is often thought to be without a significant feminist presence, these interviews and essays reveal a vital community of women fighting for social change.
Sandra Buckley's dialogues with poets, journalists, teachers, activists, and businesswomen exemplify the diversity of Japanese feminism: we meet Kanazumi Fumiko, a lawyer who assists women in a legal system that has long discriminated against them; Kora Rumiko, a poet who reclaims and redefines language to convey her experiences as a woman; Nakanishi Toyoko, founder of the Japanese Women's Bookstore; and Ueno Chizuko, a professor who has tackled such issues as pornography and abortion reform both in and out of the academy.
These women speak to a host of issues--the politics of language, the treatment of women in medicine and law, the deeply entrenched role of women as mothers and caregivers, the future of feminism in Japan, and the relationship between Japanese feminists and "western" feminisms. Broken Silence will do much to dispel Western stereotypes about Japanese women and challenge North American attitudes about feminism abroad. With a timeline, glossary, and comprehensive list of feminist organizations, this is a long overdue collection sure to inform and excite all those interested in feminism and Japan.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

"Buckley has turned the task of editing/translation into a dynamic process of political collaboration. The voices of Japanese feminists, in all their diversity and power, are here set off by Buckely's lucid contextualizations and theoretically informed questions. With its 'Time-line' and contact list, this book is intended for activist as well as academic audiences. As such, it participates in the 'difference' of Japanese feminism, as Buckley has sought to define it."--Brett de Bary, Cornell University

"Buckley's fresh and fascinating new work combines interviews and translations to give voice to some of Japan's leading contemporary feminists--their debates, concerns, and their views of women's movements in the United States and elsewhere. Motherhood, maternal love, and the 'mother complex' in Japan; domestic violence; Japan's pornographic manga, or comics; the state of divorce law; the treatment of Asian women in Japan's sex trade; lesbianism; and feminists' struggles with 'women's speech' in the Japanese language--are among the diverse topics that come under scrutiny in this engaging book."--Susan J. Pharr, Edwin O. Reischauer Professor of Japanese Politics and Director, Program on U.S.-Japan Relations, Harvard University

From the Back Cover

"Buckley has turned the task of editing/translation into a dynamic process of political collaboration. The voices of Japanese feminists, in all their diversity and power, are here set off by Buckely's lucid contextualizations and theoretically informed questions. With its 'Time- line' and contact list, this book is intended for activist as well as academic audiences. As such, it participates in the 'difference' of Japanese feminism, as Buckley has sought to define it." (Brett de Bary, Cornell University)

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 324 pages
• Publisher: University of California Press (February 27, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0520085132
• ISBN-13: 978-0520085138
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 6.8 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,671,318 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars enjoyed this different view of feminism, September 9, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Broken Silence: Voices of Japanese Feminism (Paperback)

This book breaks the stereotype of the submissive Japanese woman by presenting interviews and written works by Japanese women who are considered to be leading feminists in their fields, surprisingly few of those academic. It shows that Japanese feminists have the same concerns as American feminists, but they continue to focus on the family and mother roles as the saving grace of society. It's a refreshing viewpoint away from radical feminism, and it made me rethink my definitions of feminism. There are extensive references to Japanese culture and language, which may be hard to follow for those not familiar with Japan, but a good chronology and glossary are provided. It covers such issues as abortion, pornography, fertility treatments, and environmentalism. It's a very interesting book without the heavy obscure jargon of most academic publications. I highly recommend it if your interest lies in Japan, feminism, or both!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars extremely useful, September 12, 2000

By 

IndigoKare "indigokare" (San Francisco-area) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Broken Silence: Voices of Japanese Feminism (Paperback)

this book was really useful for me while i was working on my senior thesis. but i think that it would be a good read for anyone who is interested in feminism and women's issues. japanese feminisms have many differences from american feminisms, but at the same time, there are quite a few parallel. one of the best parts of this book was the section on the translated version of our bodies ourselves.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great!, November 19, 2006

By 

Elizabeth Carter "Liz Carter" (Tokyo, Beijing or North Carolina) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Broken Silence: Voices of Japanese Feminism (Paperback)

I read the book looking for an introduction to Japanese feminism more interesting than your average textbook and I was not disappointed. The interviews explore the women's personal interests, projects, and views about feminism. Each interview is supplemented by the a brief biography of the interviewee and an exerpt from something she has written.

Dense and interesting, definitely worth it.