Entangled Notions of Freedom and Dependence
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Ruprecht Mattig
Ruprecht Mattig , Dr. phil., Educational Studies, professor for systematic educational studies and methodology of educational research at TU Dortmund University. From 2008 to 2012 assistant professor in the research projectRevitalizing Education for Dynamic Hearts and Minds at Kyoto University in Japan. His research and academic teaching comprises of educational anthropology, qualitative educational research, research on rituals and gestures, language and education, Wilhelm von Humboldt studies, global citizenship education, and youth research.Marvin Giehl , M.A., Educational Studies, research assistant at the TU Dortmund University in the field of systematic educational studies and methodology of educational research since 2018. His work and research focuses on educational theory, human-animal studies and speciecism, the Anthropocene, biographical research, transculturality and educational anthropology.Hiromi Masek , Dr. phil., Educational Studies, research associate for systematic educational studies and methodology of educational research at TU Dortmund University since 2019. She was a PhD candidate in Global Education at the Institute ofBildung and Kultur at the University of Jena. Her current research interests are general pedagogy, intercultural pedagogy, qualitative educational research, translation, and hermeneutics.Miriam Mathias , research assistant at the chair of systematic educational studies and methodology of educational research at TU Dortmund University. She holds a master’s degree in educational studies as well as a master’s degree in criminology and police science. As part of her doctoral research, she is working on qualitative diary analyses of women’s lives at the transition to modernity. Her academic teaching deals with basic problems of educational science, qualitative research methods and educational processes in heterogeneous societies.Gamze Sener , M.A., Educational Studies, research assistant at TU Dortmund University from 2019-2021. Since 2022, research and operations assistant in the project DigiFlex – Digital flexibilization of study entry at Westfälische Hochschule, in which she is contributing to individualization of university education through digital development.Axel Wegner , M.A., Educational Studies, Doctoral Fellow and Research Associate at the Department of Educational Studies at TU Dortmund University. His doctoral thesis employs ethnographic and qualitative research methods with participant observations and interviews to explore LiveActionRolePlay (LARP) and its communities. His teaching modules comprise topics like ethnography, anthropology, transculturality, role-play and games.Klaus-Christian Zehbe , Dr. phil., Education Studies, works at Leipzig University in the research projectHistorical Learning Processes of Primary School Children in Museum Collections . His research interests cover transformative education processes, ethnography, education and material objects, critical heritage studies as well as Global Citizenship Education. He is member of the Association of Critical Heritage Studies (ACHS) and board member of the International Association of World Heritage Professionals e. V. Cottbus/Bamberg (IAWHP e. V.).
Abstract
While freedom has traditionally been discussed in philosophy and political theory, this paper proposes an anthropological approach to the study of freedom. The focus is on the Japanese word amae, which Takeo Doi calls the ‘key’ to Japanese culture and contrasts with the ‘Western’ concept of freedom. After discussing Doi’s influential work, meanings are reconstructed from interviews and group discussions with Japanese people about amae. The interviewees define amae literally in terms of social ‘non-independence’ and, unlike Doi, understand it in a complex intertwining with freedom on the one hand and autonomy on the other. Overall, the paper argues that amae can hardly serve as a ‘key’ to understanding the Japanese, but can stimulate fruitful anthropological reflections not only on Japanese culture, but also on the concept of freedom.
About the authors
Ruprecht Mattig, Dr. phil., Educational Studies, professor for systematic educational studies and methodology of educational research at TU Dortmund University. From 2008 to 2012 assistant professor in the research project Revitalizing Education for Dynamic Hearts and Minds at Kyoto University in Japan. His research and academic teaching comprises of educational anthropology, qualitative educational research, research on rituals and gestures, language and education, Wilhelm von Humboldt studies, global citizenship education, and youth research.
Marvin Giehl, M.A., Educational Studies, research assistant at the TU Dortmund University in the field of systematic educational studies and methodology of educational research since 2018. His work and research focuses on educational theory, human-animal studies and speciecism, the Anthropocene, biographical research, transculturality and educational anthropology.
Hiromi Masek, Dr. phil., Educational Studies, research associate for systematic educational studies and methodology of educational research at TU Dortmund University since 2019. She was a PhD candidate in Global Education at the Institute of Bildung and Kultur at the University of Jena. Her current research interests are general pedagogy, intercultural pedagogy, qualitative educational research, translation, and hermeneutics.
Miriam Mathias, research assistant at the chair of systematic educational studies and methodology of educational research at TU Dortmund University. She holds a master’s degree in educational studies as well as a master’s degree in criminology and police science. As part of her doctoral research, she is working on qualitative diary analyses of women’s lives at the transition to modernity. Her academic teaching deals with basic problems of educational science, qualitative research methods and educational processes in heterogeneous societies.
Gamze Sener, M.A., Educational Studies, research assistant at TU Dortmund University from 2019-2021. Since 2022, research and operations assistant in the project DigiFlex – Digital flexibilization of study entry at Westfälische Hochschule, in which she is contributing to individualization of university education through digital development.
Axel Wegner, M.A., Educational Studies, Doctoral Fellow and Research Associate at the Department of Educational Studies at TU Dortmund University. His doctoral thesis employs ethnographic and qualitative research methods with participant observations and interviews to explore LiveActionRolePlay (LARP) and its communities. His teaching modules comprise topics like ethnography, anthropology, transculturality, role-play and games.
Klaus-Christian Zehbe, Dr. phil., Education Studies, works at Leipzig University in the research project Historical Learning Processes of Primary School Children in Museum Collections. His research interests cover transformative education processes, ethnography, education and material objects, critical heritage studies as well as Global Citizenship Education. He is member of the Association of Critical Heritage Studies (ACHS) and board member of the International Association of World Heritage Professionals e. V. Cottbus/Bamberg (IAWHP e. V.).
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Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Zur Einführung: Freiheit im planetarischen Raum des 21. Jahrhunderts
- I. Perspektiven im 21. Jahrhundert
- Freiheitsrechte, Freiheitspflichten
- Politische Freiheit – Überlegungen im Anschluss an Adorno
- Freedom and Heteronomy in the Anthropocene
- Die strangulierte Freiheit im globalisierten Neoliberalismus
- Die Freiheit nach dem Tod
- II. Planetarische Kontexte
- Von der Freiheit zur Befreiung, eine iberoamerikanische Perspektive
- Individuum und Freiheit in Luhmanns systemtheoretischer Sicht
- Liberté et communauté en Islam
- Freedom: An African Perspective
- Entangled Notions of Freedom and Dependence
- III. Bildung zur Freiheit
- Freedom, Democracy and Science
- Freiheit und Entanglement: Kulturelle Resilienz als relationale Bildungstheorie
- Über Freiheit – im pädagogischen Sinn
- IV. Gesellschaftliche Sphären
- Recht und Freiheit – Ein juristischer Blick
- Sport und Freiheit
- Literatur ist Freiheit
- V. Technologien und Märkte
- A Dive into the Depths of Human Intimacy
- Soft Paternalism and Freedom in the Age of Artificial Intelligence – Through the “tactfulness (融通無碍 Yuzu-Muge)” of 華厳学 Hua-Yan philosophy
- Freely Associated Production as a Political Ideal
- La liberté à corps perdu
- Autorinnen und Autoren
Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Zur Einführung: Freiheit im planetarischen Raum des 21. Jahrhunderts
- I. Perspektiven im 21. Jahrhundert
- Freiheitsrechte, Freiheitspflichten
- Politische Freiheit – Überlegungen im Anschluss an Adorno
- Freedom and Heteronomy in the Anthropocene
- Die strangulierte Freiheit im globalisierten Neoliberalismus
- Die Freiheit nach dem Tod
- II. Planetarische Kontexte
- Von der Freiheit zur Befreiung, eine iberoamerikanische Perspektive
- Individuum und Freiheit in Luhmanns systemtheoretischer Sicht
- Liberté et communauté en Islam
- Freedom: An African Perspective
- Entangled Notions of Freedom and Dependence
- III. Bildung zur Freiheit
- Freedom, Democracy and Science
- Freiheit und Entanglement: Kulturelle Resilienz als relationale Bildungstheorie
- Über Freiheit – im pädagogischen Sinn
- IV. Gesellschaftliche Sphären
- Recht und Freiheit – Ein juristischer Blick
- Sport und Freiheit
- Literatur ist Freiheit
- V. Technologien und Märkte
- A Dive into the Depths of Human Intimacy
- Soft Paternalism and Freedom in the Age of Artificial Intelligence – Through the “tactfulness (融通無碍 Yuzu-Muge)” of 華厳学 Hua-Yan philosophy
- Freely Associated Production as a Political Ideal
- La liberté à corps perdu
- Autorinnen und Autoren
