Hospitality and Intimacy

A Study on Receiving Visitors in a Mongolian Ger

抄録

Introduction: Dwelling and Hospitality

In relation to the subject of hospitality, which has been debated in terms of boundaries between one‘s own space and that of others, houses are often discussed as spaces that inevitably create hospitality. This demarcation of space may be understood by considering the image of "others" or strangers breaking into someone‘s home, which is an intimate space (Derrida 2018: 86, 106). However, the presumption that there is a comfortable place called home that can be invaded by strangers perhaps reveals the relationship between modern Western houses and their inhabitants. On the other hand, this paper relies on paying attention to the passive nature of hospitality, which can be seen in Emanuel Levinas‘s theory of hospitality, where living consists of enjoying the company of others (Levinas 2005: 314).

The abovementioned contrast can also be found in the difference between the concepts of "building perspective" - the viewpoint that people import their ideas, plans, or material representations into the world that people build - and "residential perspective" - the viewpoint that people are already dwelling in spaces while practically interacting with surrounding environments (Ingold 2000: 5, 178-88). This paper relies on the arguments of Ryoko Sachi, who drew on Tim Ingold to advocate the need for focusing on the physical activities that "weave" space (Sachi 2013). The author adopts the viewpoint that living space is created by interactions with other people or surrounding environments because importance is attached to certain characteristics of living spaces in Mongolia.

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