Today, the paradox between global and local has become topical, and there has been various discussions on the formation of the new publicity. In particular, the restoration of collective self-government has become an issue with a fervent argument emerging between liberalism and communitarianism. While considering the actual situation mentioned in the phrases afore, I will analyze the circumstances surrounding communality and publicity of neighborhood groups, especially the
chonaikai, which has formed the basis of Japanese society. I will also show how they are related to the realm of the “common, ” within the context of a restoration of collective self-government.
Based upon a historical or comparative analysis of the
chonaikai, in this paper, I initially clarified that the communality of the
chonaikai is based on “habitation”; cooperating in dealing with a common agenda in community life, regardless of social position, status, nor rank. Secondly, the framework of “governance, ” or “public” affairs, that results from the universalization of the aforementioned concept of communality, is expressed along with the publicity of the
chonaikai. I point out, after all, that the logic of “
chien” (habitant relationship) which serves as the base for “communality” and “publicity” of the
chonaikai, is embedded in the aforementioned realm of the “common.”
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