[Commlist] CFP Mutual Images 8th International Workshop - Japanese Pilgrimages

Mutual Images 8th International Workshop​
JAPANESE PILGRIMAGES. EXPERIENCES AND MOTIVATIONS BEHIND CULTURAL, 
SPIRITUAL AND RELIGIOUS PEREGRINATIONS FROM AND TO EAST ASIA.
​ School of International Studies, Ryukoku University (Kyoto)
5th -8th June 2020
https://www.mutualimages.org/2020-workshop

      Pilgrimages are a phenomenon as old as humanity with relevant 
consequences in the social, economic and cultural lives of countries and 
regions. On an individual level, there are many motivations behind the 
pilgrim experience where identity aspects such as religious affiliation, 
spiritual beliefs, tradition or mere curiosity play an important role. 
In recent years, the cultural industries and tourism industries have 
also developed sophisticated strategies in order to reach new audiences 
and gain market share. Content producers have obtained the sponsorship 
of national agencies in order to develop their products as a way of 
reinforcing National Branding. National agencies focused on tourism and 
development have found that representations of cultural heritage through 
fictional media positively impacts tourism through these Media 
Pilgrimages (also referred to as Content Tourism or Media Tourism), and 
media representations become a relevant tool for regional development. 
 The aim of the symposium was born from two ideas which correspond with 
relevant pillars of modern East Asian economies but also to many 
post-industrial societies. The first is the common cultural background 
of East Asian countries like Japan, Korea or China. These commonalities 
have made possible the rise of economic and cultural transnational flows 
which include as a main vortex pilgrimage destinations. The second, 
corresponding to a more contemporary shared meaning, is the consequence 
of the relevance of creative and cultural industries and their influence 
on the collective global imagination.
   With this purpose, graduate students, scholars, independent 
researchers, and industry practitioners are invited to submit papers and 
presentations for this workshop. Contributions on the following topics 
or related areas will be specially considered:

• Popular Culture and Contents Industries as vehicles for 
self-representation (manga, anime, games, pop music, film, tv series and 
more)
• Interaction, Overlap and Competition between Cultural Heritage and 
Popular Culture appeal
• Religion, spirituality, and superstition: temples, shrines, religious 
figures, animism, yokai and fox spirits
• Political Communication and Media Culture. The “popular” response to 
social or natural crises (natural disasters, political transitions, etc)
• Contents and institutional strategies such as “Soft Power”, from Japan 
but also other from East Asian Cultures
• Assessing the concrete (economical, political, cultural) value derived 
from the international and national markets. Differences in strategies 
for appealing to each of these audiences.
• The role of destination image and national branding in impacting 
tourists’ perception and attitudes toward a culture or nation. Positive 
(emotional bonds, affect, popularization…)  and negative effects 
(stereotyping, infantilization...) of the creation and dissemination of 
these images.
• Fictionality vs ‘authenticity’: finding manga, anime, and game settings
• Media consumption and cultural exchange
• Media representations and national stereotypes in Japan and other East 
Asian Cultures in relation to cultural and religious tourism
• Games and Big Narratives i.e. Pokémon Go for the world traveler: 
seeking nests all over Asia
• Comparing media contents tourism among East Asian markets or with 
other countries
• The relationship between pop-culture, new media, globalization and 
tourism trends


We are delighted to confirm that Dr Craig Norris (University of 
Tasmania) and Dr Eriko Kawanishi (Kyoto University) will be keynote 
speakers for the Workshop.
Indicative Bibliography about this topic could include

Anholt, Simon. "Beyond the Nation Brand: The Role of Image and Identity 
in International Relations." Exchange: The Journal of Public Diplomacy, 
vol. 2, no. 1, 2013, pp. 6-12.
Crouch, David et al. "Introduction: The Media and the Tourist 
Imagination." The Media and the Tourist Imagination: Converging 
Cultures, edited by David Crouch et al., Routledge, 2005, pp. 1-13.
Hernández-Pérez, Manuel. "Thinking of Spain in a Flat Way’: Spanish 
Tangible and Intangible Heritage through Contemporary Japanese Anime." 
Mutual Images, vol. 3, 2017, pp. 43-69.
Kawanishi, Eriko. "Two Types of Japanese Pilgrimage to Britain " 
EASA2018: Staying, Moving, Settling, 2018. 
https://www.academia.edu/37274984/Two_Types_of_Japanese_Pilgrimage_to_Britain 
Norris, Craig. "A Japanese Media Pilgrimage to a Tasmanian Bakery." 1, 
vol. 14, 2013, doi:10.3983/twc.2013.0470.
Okamoto, Takeshi. "Otaku Tourism and the Anime Pilgrimage Phenomenon in 
Japan." Japan Forum, vol. 27, no. 1, 2015, pp. 12--36, 
doi:10.1080/09555803.2014.962565.
Sabre, Clothilde. "French Anime and Manga Fans in Japan : Pop Culture 
Tourism, Media Pilgrimage, Imaginary." International Journal of Contents 
Tourism, no. 1, 2017, pp. 1-19.
Seaton, Philip and Takayoshi Yamamura. "Japanese Popular Culture and 
Contents Tourism – Introduction." Japan Forum, vol. 27, no. 1, 2015, pp. 
1--11, doi:10.1080/09555803.2014.962564.
Yamamura, Takayoshi. "Anime Pilgrimage and Local Tourism Promotion: An 
Experience of Washimiya Town, the Sacred Place for Anime "Lucky Star" 
Fans." Journal of Tourism and Cultural Studies, no. 14, 2009, pp. 1-9.

Themes and topics outside of those listed above are more than welcome. 
Proposals can be sent using the submission form below.
​
​
Deadline:  30th November 2019

Questions about the event can be directly addressed to the Organizing 
Committee:

• Dr Manuel Hernandez-Perez
School of The Arts, University of Hull
mailto:(m.hernandez-perez /at/ hull.ac.uk)

• Dr Aurore Yamagata-Montoya
mailto:(auroremontoya /at/ gmail.com)
mailto:(auroremontoya /at/ gmail.com)
​
• Prof Jessica Bauwens-Sugimoto
School of International Studies, Ryukoku University, Kyoto

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