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Kawaii: Fraught Innocence in Asian (American) Commodity Culture

Christine Yano, Professor of Anthropology, University of Hawaii

Event Details

Date
Wednesday, September 14, 2016
Time
7:30 p.m.
Description
Hello Kitty, the Japanese icon that has gone global, represents some of the most far-reaching aspects of kawaii (cute) soft power, creating what Yano calls an “empire of cute” that references the character’s global reach, as well as her broad power as a national (Japan) and ethnic (Asian American) icon. This presentation addresses ways by which kawaii (cute) presents a fraught regime in its infantilized familiarity, its unthreatening nature, and its “demand for care.”
Cost
Free

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