Japanese Studies in the Japanese Studies in the United States: United States:

Continuities and OpportunitiesContinuities and Opportunities

Patricia G. SteinhoffPatricia G. Steinhoff

What Has Changed in 2005?What Has Changed in 2005?

CategoryCategory 19891989 19951995 20052005

Japan SpecialistsJapan Specialists 1,2241,224 1,5521,552 1,2841,284

Doctoral candidatesDoctoral candidates 412412 803803 565565

ProgramsPrograms 108 108 (286)(286)

247 247 (440)(440)

184 184 (348)(348)

What is Left?What is Left?

Solid core of committed Japan specialistsSolid core of committed Japan specialists Steady supply of new doctoral candidatesSteady supply of new doctoral candidates Existing programs dramatically strongerExisting programs dramatically stronger

More facultyMore faculty More disciplinesMore disciplines More staffMore staff More coursesMore courses More complex organizationsMore complex organizations

Japanese Studies ProgramsJapanese Studies Programs

Institutions with Japanese Studies programsInstitutions with Japanese Studies programs 　　 184184

Japan specialist staff at institutionsJapan specialist staff at institutions 1,6521,652

Programs with more than 12 staffPrograms with more than 12 staff 42 42

Courses concerning JapanCourses concerning Japan 5,3745,374

Japanese language courses (37%)Japanese language courses (37%) 1,7571,757

Japanese Studies coursesJapanese Studies courses 3,6173,617

Japanese libraries with > 40,000 volumesJapanese libraries with > 40,000 volumes 30 30

Change at Two LevelsChange at Two Levels

Societal and Global ChangesSocietal and Global Changes Technological Change now PervasiveTechnological Change now Pervasive New Resources Based on TechnologyNew Resources Based on Technology Personal, Direct Access to ResourcesPersonal, Direct Access to Resources

Changes Within Japanese StudiesChanges Within Japanese Studies Generational ShiftGenerational Shift Increased Japanese Language SkillsIncreased Japanese Language Skills Intellectual Paradigm ShiftIntellectual Paradigm Shift

Uses of Computer, 1995 & 2005Uses of Computer, 1995 & 2005Do not use computer 9.0 1.2

English wordprocessing 81.9 93.4

Japanese on dedicated word processor 10.3 7.2

Japanese wordprocessing 28.5 60.8

e-mail communication 39.4 96.0

Access English databases from US sources 28.9 87.4

Access English databases from Japanese sources 8.0 61.7

Access Japanese databases from US sources 5.3 48.2

Access Japanese databases from Japanese source 3.5 59.9

Access online library catalogs 38.9 86.4

Quantitative data analysis 10.6 22.0

Store personal research data, English 57.4 80.5

Store personal research data, Japanese 16.1 47.5

New Uses of Computer, 2005New Uses of Computer, 2005Access English websites -- 88.0

Access Japanese websites -- 76.3

Access English news -- 74.9

Access Japanese news -- 60.8

Access online discussion groups -- 48.2

Access online academic journals -- 69.3

Share or transmit image or sound files -- 44.0

Listen to music or watch video or film -- 27.8

Play online games in English -- 3.7

Play online games in Japanese -- 1.0

Create English spreadsheets or databases -- 41.2

Create Japanese spreadsheets or databases -- 13.5

Create and maintain my own website -- 22.5

Produce teaching materials about Japan -- 55.5

Use of Japanese DatabasesUse of Japanese Databases

Have Used in JapanHave Used in Japan 41.8%41.8%

Have Used in USHave Used in US 37.8%37.8%

Have Not Used, Would Like to Use Have Not Used, Would Like to Use 20.0%20.0%

Cost too High or No AccessCost too High or No Access 3.9%3.9%

No InterestNo Interest 18.7%18.7%

Source of Research MaterialsSource of Research MaterialsPersonal CollectionPersonal Collection 90.2%90.2%

Institution’s CollectionInstitution’s Collection 78.9%78.9%

Other Institution’s CollectionOther Institution’s Collection 78.7%78.7%

Data Respondent CollectedData Respondent Collected 48.2%48.2%

Internet ResourcesInternet Resources 43.3%43.3%

ILL or Document DeliveryILL or Document Delivery 37.3%37.3%

Government MaterialsGovernment Materials 34.9%34.9%

Private CollectionsPrivate Collections 25.7%25.7%

Ordered OnlineOrdered Online 19.0%19.0%

Private or Commercial DatabasesPrivate or Commercial Databases 13.3%13.3%

Must Read to Keep UpMust Read to Keep UpJapanese Language MaterialJapanese Language Material 19951995 20052005

BooksBooks 62.462.4 71.9 71.9

Journal ArticlesJournal Articles 57.8 57.8 68.4 68.4

Government DocumentsGovernment Documents 21.221.2 27.927.9

Newspapers and MagazinesNewspapers and Magazines 43.443.4 56.656.6

Visual MaterialsVisual Materials 15.715.7 43.143.1

Online NewsOnline News ---- 40.040.0

Online DiscussionOnline Discussion ---- 14.014.0

Online JournalsOnline Journals ---- 24.224.2

Quantitative DataQuantitative Data 25.825.8 19.919.9

Technical ReportsTechnical Reports 16.616.6 10.610.6

Three ParadigmsThree Paradigms

Language and Area Studies Cultural Studies

EconomicCompetition

Language and Area StudiesLanguage and Area Studies

Study Japanese Language Study Japanese Language Plus Japan through various disciplinesPlus Japan through various disciplines Includes humanities and social sciencesIncludes humanities and social sciences Places Japan specialists in disciplinesPlaces Japan specialists in disciplines

Economic Competition ParadigmEconomic Competition Paradigm Japan as #1vis-a-vis the USJapan as #1vis-a-vis the US Japanese as economically usefulJapanese as economically useful New forms of knowledge neededNew forms of knowledge needed New forms of delivery requiredNew forms of delivery required Social sciences and professionsSocial sciences and professions

EconomicCompetition

Language and Area Studies

Cultural Studies ParadigmCultural Studies Paradigm Blurs disciplinary linesBlurs disciplinary lines Subcultures, popular culture as key themesSubcultures, popular culture as key themes Research models from humanitiesResearch models from humanities De-emphasizes social science disciplinesDe-emphasizes social science disciplines

Language and Area Studies

Economic Competition Cultural Studies

Implications for Japanese LibrariesImplications for Japanese Libraries

Societal and Global ChangesSocietal and Global Changes Direct access to information anywhereDirect access to information anywhere Problem of isolated scholar access decreasesProblem of isolated scholar access decreases Librarians as information specialistsLibrarians as information specialists

Changes within Japanese StudiesChanges within Japanese Studies Broader demand for Japanese materialsBroader demand for Japanese materials Demand for new types of materials Demand for new types of materials