Revisiting the De-Westernization of Media Studies：Implications for Japanese Media Studies

Abstract

    The Japanese media studies, which originated in the early twentieth century, have experienced some transitions. These developments are reflected in the name changes of one of the most prominent Japanese academic societies for communication and media studies：The Journalism Society of Japan, established in 1951, was later renamed as the Japan Society for Studies in Journalism and Mass Communications. It is currently known as the Japan Association for Media, Journalism and Communication Studies. In line with the latest change, recent Japanese scholars have been ceaselessly trying to specify the concept of Japanese media studies. Although several researchers consider media studies from the perspective of "medium" and technological transformation, only a few have paid attention to the scholarly works that can be correctively described as the "de-Westernization of media studies" and have been redefining media studies from a global perspective. Consequently, previous Japanese works seem to have failed to consider its fruitful implications. Considering this omission, this study first revisits the development of the de-Westernization of media studies and then examines its implications for understanding Japanese media studies.