The Postgraduate Networking Project

Kaoruko Kondo Communication and Media Research Institute University of Westminster Nationality: Japanese Funded Full-Time Registration: October 2001 Transfer MPhil to PhD: May 2003 Completion: March 2005 Director of Studies: Prof. Annette Hill Second Supervisors: Dr. Roza Tsaragousianou and Prof.Paddy Scannell The aim of the PhD This study examined the media consumption of the Japanese sojourners in London which is the largest Japanese diaspora in Europe. Japanese sojourners are sent by their companies and tend to upgrade their lifestyles supported by the employers. Experience in stages towards the PhD Research design: it was not difficult since I did a similar research for my MA dissertation, which became my pilot study for this study Literature research: I spent most of the time at the British Library since Harrow Campus far from my flat and also doesn't have books on children and the media, and books on Japanese. Fieldwork: in the beginning I was stuck due to the decline from the Japanese school and recruitment of people, but soon, it became smooth since I had right gate keepers, and the fieldwork itself had been held for a year and half. Longitudinal work gave me in-depth data. Transfer MPhil to PhD: it wasn't so difficult because when the time when I had the interview, I had done more than half of the fieldwork, it was fun to talk, writing- it was also fun to write about the findings, but it took more time to re-edit draft.) Support The first supervisor looked after me throughout my PhD life, introducing me an opportunity to get fund, providing me teaching jobs, encouraging me to go to conferences and publish articles. In addition to them, she had supported my mental state by encouraging me; refreshing my mind. The second supervisor was also helpful at the stage of re-editing my thesis, providing me specific ideas and suggesting relevant specific literature. The third supervisor encouraged me, though he didn't read my thesis – he was my supervisor from MA, but encouragement made me keep going). Therefore, I was lucky to have such a good supervising team: the first one supports both academic and personal lives, the second one supports purely academically and the third one supports me mentally. I also appreciated Professor Jean Seaton who encouraged me to do PhD when I was MA. At the same time colleagues from CAMRI encouraged me and also we discussed and shared our problems. Some people who finished earlier gave me advices for finishing PhD, and especially, some colleagues who started PhD with me could share our problems. So I didn't feel I was isolated. What you would suggest to a new PhD student... When i started, i just started PhD with my colleagues from MA. our Head of Research told us that we should devote ourselves into PhD work more than anything else. I think it is important. our priority should be PhD if we are in full time. some people had hard time becasue of breaking relaitionship with boyfriend/girlfriend, but such personal matters should not interrupt your PhD if you want to finish on time. Participating in conferences will be useful for updating the topic you take, networking, and learning many things- from different views, opinions from others, discussing your PhD work with students from other schools. I learned a lot from related conference even i did not present papers. Abstract of the Thesis: The Media and Japanese children in Diaspora: Understanding Japanese families’ media consumption & everyday lives in London This study examined the media consumption of the Japanese sojourners in London which is the largest Japanese diaspora in Europe. Japanese sojourners are sent by their companies and tend to upgrade their lifestyles supported by the employers. Eleven Japanese sojourners' families who had children aged five to eight participated in this study, being visited every two months over a year Using ethnographic methods in which in-depth interviews, participant observations, and digital photos by the children and me were used, the data were gathered. Life-course analysis was also used to examine to understand how and why they use particular media. The research aims are to understand the relationship between their media consumption and the everyday lives of Japanese sojourners' families in London, explore children and mothers' identities while they sojourn, study their particular media consumption patterns, critically analyse the media products which the families consumed and experienced, and investigate the mothers' childrearing in a host country where they consider their children's future in Japan, including the significance of language. Through the ethnographic research which produced rich data, the children and mothers' changing identities, focusing on hybrid identities were studied. Hybrid identities were examined through the hidden voices of those women who devote themselves into home and children's talks and their everyday lives. Additionally, their particular media consumption patterns led to rethink today's roles of Japanese diasporic and global media in a diaspora, Britain and Japan's policies on multiculturalism, and urban environment where children live. Publications and Papers December 2004: merzWissenschaft (media and education) Article on 'The roles of Global and diasporic media in the process of developing children's identities' Current Job Teaching Assistant at the School of Media, Arts and Design, University of Westminster and Research Assistant of Professor Annette Hill- Interactive TV project- fieldwork and analysis of the data (visiting households) Contact details Kaoruko Kondo Communication and Media Research Institute University of Westminster Watford Road, Northwick Park HA1 3TP, Harrow, Middlesex E-mail: kakosv@hotmail.com