Evolving Influences
The Figura of National Imagination: Anderson, Auerbach, and Aurobindo
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Muthukumar Manickam,
Vinod Balakrishnan
This paper revisits the distinctions that Anderson draws between the medieval and modern way of perceiving time to understand how the former still resonates into the modern national imagination. The modern world, he says, breaks from the medieval way of perceiving time as prefiguration and fulfillment and creates national communities by conceiving time as homogeneous and empty where people imagine their compatriots as going towards the same destiny as them. The paper, however, argues that the national imagination needs the figural way of looking at time to extend this new simultaneity of temporal coincidence into the distant past and eternal future. When Anderson claims nationalism as secular force that helps to give meaning to the discontinuities caused by fatalities of human mortality and new births, it must, for this reason, turn them towards the common action(s) that the people were, are, and will, progressively, be accomplishing to realize its greater fulfillment. We substantiate this claim by looking into Aurobindo, the nationalist politician turned yogi, who claims that spirituality has steered the journey of India from the days of her ancient glory, through the moments of her decline, to the glimpses of her present renaissance, and into the ages yet to come. The paper brings Erich Auerbach’s idea of figura back into the national imagination to question the tendency of thinking nation as being produced only through modern means.
Reimagining Urban Voids in Pacific Rim Cities: Transforming Small-Scale Spaces into Civic and Community Hubs for Resilience and Sustainability
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Heide Imai
This study explores the transformative potential of urban voids in community design, reimagining them as vibrant small-scale spaces that promote resilience, sustainability, and social cohesion in cities facing climate-related challenges such as flooding. By converting these underutilized areas into dynamic "third spaces"—including micro-parks, outdoor cafés, co-working spaces, and community laundromats—urban voids can become essential centers for civic engagement and social interaction. The research focuses on recent fieldwork conducted in Tokyo, Sydney, and Taipei, using a mixed-methods approach that integrates visual analysis and secondary data to compare community design strategies for urban voids. The study emphasizes the role of civic participation, human rights, and institutional responsibility in shaping urban environments, while also addressing broader global concerns such as community-building and the effects of globalization. Through this lens, the research provides insights into how these often-overlooked spaces can be repurposed to create inclusive, adaptable hubs that strengthen urban communities and advance sustainability. By viewing urban voids as integral parts of the civic and political landscape, the study offers practical recommendations for transforming these spaces into dynamic community centers, applicable across various areas of the Pacific Rim. This transformation aligns with global efforts toward creating more resilient, equitable, and peaceful societies. The findings highlight the importance of community-led urban planning and the broader implications for civic engagement and social transformation in today’s interconnected world.
The Acculturation of Hanafuda, a Japanese Card Game
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Mariko Takagi-Kitayama
It has been said that cultural artifacts survive more intact in immigrant communities than they do in their countries of origin. This is perhaps because these artifacts are passed down as things of importance, whereas they tend to change, and are even discarded, in their home countries. This seems to be the case with Hanafuda, a Japanese card game. Hanafuda is currently played at the Moiliili Community Center in Hawaii. The elderly players are very familiar with the game, having played in their childhood. Kanyaku Imin, the system of Japanese contract immigration started in 1885. The game came to Hawaii with the first-generation Japanese and due to the scarcity of entertainment on the sugar plantations, it became popular in the immigrant camps. Families throughout the Islands have played Hanafuda for generations. During the plantation era, it is said that Hanafuda was not only played by Japanese immigrants but also in other ethnic communities. The variant of Hanafuda played at the Moiliili Community Center, though, is played using different rules and with bigger cards. The research presented in this paper is guided by the following questions: When and why were the Hanafuda rules changed and are there other variations in Hawaii? Why has Hanafuda declined in popularity in Japan? Are there any reasons behind the fact that ordinary Japanese play Hanafuda less often than they used to? What social/cultural roles have Hanafuda played? This research, done in both Japan and Hawaii, attempts to present the answers to these questions.
Not Moving On: Identity Transformations During Cancer Treatment Among Millennial Women
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Ellen Meiser
Talcott Parsons’ “sick role” theory suggests that cancer patients face various social expectations from family, friends, and the community as ill individuals. One such expectation is to “move on” after successful treatment and remission. But is this assumption realistic or even desired by patients themselves? Utilizing in-depth interviews with 50 millennial cis-gendered females diagnosed with hormone-positive cancers, this paper provides a glimpse into how young cancer patients’ identities and bodies can morph in ways that make moving on an impossible and/or unattractive task, defying broader social expectations. Also discussed is how, then, these women grapple with their deviant identities through community-building and/or masking.
