Archaeology, Society and Identity in Modern Japan (Cambridge Studies in Archaeology)

This bold and illuminating 2006 study examines the role of archaeology in the formation of the modern Japanese nation and explores the processes by which archaeological practice is shaped by national social and intellectual discourse. Leading Japanese archaeologist Koji Mizoguchi argues that an understanding of the past has been a central component in the creation of national identities and modern nation states and that, since its emergence as a distinct academic discipline in the modern era, archaeology has played an important role in shaping that understanding. By examining in parallel the uniquely intense process of modernisation experienced by Japan and the history of Japanese archaeology, Mizoguchi explores the close interrelationship between archaeology, society and modernity, helping to explain why we do archaeology in the way that we do. This book is essential reading for anybody with an interest in the history of archaeology or modern Japan. Cover 1 Half-title 3 Series-title 4 Title 5 Copyright 6 Dedication 7 Contents 9 Figure 11 Table 13 1 Archaeology in the contemporary world 19 1.1 A scenario of contemporary archaeology 19 1.2 Uncertainty, archaeology and the world we live in 31 2 Modernity and archaeology 37 2.1 Archaeology as a modern institution 37 2.2 Archaeology, the nation-state, and the transcendental 39 2.3 The fate and fears of archaeology in modernity: the outline of this volume 45 3 Communication, sociality, and the positionality of archaeology 53 3.1 Introduction 53 3.2 How do we live our lives socially? 54 3.3 Order and communication 55 3.4 Communication and the subject 58 3.5 Communication, boundary formation and expectations 60 3.6 Solving the uncertainty/indeterminacy of communication 62 3.7 Transformation of communication systems and ‘semantics’ 64 3.8 ‘Symbolic communication media’ of modernity and archaeology 65 3.9 Communication, modernity, and the positionality of archaeology 70 4 Nation-state, circularity and paradox 73 4.1 Introduction 73 4.2 Unbearable artificiality of being: the state and the emperor system 78 Archaeology and the self-imagining of a nation 78 The image and the positionality of the emperor 81 Japanese post-Second World War discursive formation and archaeology 89 Unbearable artificiality of the nation-state and the emperor system 97 4.3 The illusion of enlightenment and social engineering: archaeological knowledge and education 99 Two versions of a textbook drawing 99 Communicating about the drawing 101 Examining the drawing 104 Competing desires 112 The emperor and the subject 115 Enduring dichotomies 120 4.4 The invisible iron cage: Kofun (mounded tomb) archaeology and the narrative of continuity and homogeneity 121 The positionality of Kofun archaeology 121 The origin of the keyhole-shaped tumulus, the origin of the imperial genealogy? 122 The paradox of ‘being critical’ 132 Enlightenment and belief in therapy 134 4.5 Imprisoned in the circularity and paradox of modernity 135 5 Fragmentation, multiculturalism, and beyond 139 5.1 Introduction: crisis, hyper-capitalism, and post-processual archaeologies 139 Crisis, what crisis? 139 Demise of grand narratives 140 Now we are all multiculturalists 141 Now we all are obsessed with the body 145 The coming of the multivocal 147 Fragmentation and the paradox of the hyper-capitalist economy 149 Celebrations of uniqueness and differences: are they really good? 150 5.2 Paradox and confusion: the case of Japan 151 Past for the future 151 Anxiety and the fear of being mature 153 Fragmentation and the re-emergence of the transcendental 156 No way out? 167 5.3 The late-/high-/post-modern condition and archaeological practice: rescue archaeology and site protection in Japan 167 The rescue context as the node of late-modern problems 167 Self identification and discursive formation from rescuing 168 We might end up being indifferent to everything 175 5.4 Fragmentation, relativisation and second-order observation 177 6 Conclusion: demands for problematising and explaining one’s position all the time 183 REFERENCES 188 INDEX 197 Cover......Page 1 Half-title......Page 3 Series-title......Page 4 Title......Page 5 Copyright......Page 6 Dedication......Page 7 Contents......Page 9 Figure......Page 11 Table......Page 13 1.1 A scenario of contemporary archaeology......Page 19 1.2 Uncertainty, archaeology and the world we live in......Page 31 2.1 Archaeology as a modern institution......Page 37 2.2 Archaeology, the nation-state, and the transcendental......Page 39 2.3 The fate and fears of archaeology in modernity: the outline of this volume......Page 45 3.1 Introduction......Page 53 3.2 How do we live our lives socially?......Page 54 3.3 Order and communication......Page 55 3.4 Communication and the subject......Page 58 3.5 Communication, boundary formation and expectations......Page 60 3.6 Solving the uncertainty/indeterminacy of communication......Page 62 3.7 Transformation of communication systems and ‘semantics’......Page 64 3.8 ‘Symbolic communication media’ of modernity and archaeology......Page 65 3.9 Communication, modernity, and the positionality of archaeology......Page 70 4.1 Introduction......Page 73 Archaeology and the self-imagining of a nation......Page 78 The image and the positionality of the emperor......Page 81 Japanese post-Second World War discursive formation and archaeology......Page 89 Unbearable artificiality of the nation-state and the emperor system......Page 97 Two versions of a textbook drawing......Page 99 Communicating about the drawing......Page 101 Examining the drawing......Page 104 Competing desires......Page 112 The emperor and the subject......Page 115 Enduring dichotomies......Page 120 The positionality of Kofun archaeology......Page 121 The origin of the keyhole-shaped tumulus, the origin of the imperial genealogy?......Page 122 The paradox of ‘being critical’......Page 132 Enlightenment and belief in therapy......Page 134 4.5 Imprisoned in the circularity and paradox of modernity......Page 135 Crisis, what crisis?......Page 139 Demise of grand narratives......Page 140 Now we are all multiculturalists......Page 141 Now we all are obsessed with the body......Page 145 The coming of the multivocal......Page 147 Fragmentation and the paradox of the hyper-capitalist economy......Page 149 Celebrations of uniqueness and differences: are they really good?......Page 150 Past for the future......Page 151 Anxiety and the fear of being mature......Page 153 Fragmentation and the re-emergence of the transcendental......Page 156 The rescue context as the node of late-modern problems......Page 167 Self identification and discursive formation from rescuing......Page 168 We might end up being indifferent to everything......Page 175 5.4 Fragmentation, relativisation and second-order observation......Page 177 6 Conclusion: demands for problematising and explaining one’s position all the time......Page 183 REFERENCES......Page 188 INDEX......Page 197

This bold and illuminating study examines the role of archaeology in the formation of the modern Japanese nation and explores the processes by which archaeological practice is shaped by national social and intellectual discourse. Leading Japanese archaeologist Koji Mizoguchi argues that an understanding of the past has been a central component in the creation of national identities and modern nation states and that, since its emergence as a distinct academic discipline in the modern era, archaeology has played an important role in shaping that understanding. By examining in parallel the uniquely intense process of modernisation experienced by Japan and the history of Japanese archaeology, Mizoguchi explores the close interrelationship between archaeology, society and modernity, helping to explain why we do archaeology in the way that we do. This book is essential reading for anybody with an interest in the history and theory of archaeology or modern Japan.

About the Author:
Koji Mizoguchi is Associate Professor of Archaeology in the Graduate School of Social and Cultural Studies, Kyushu University, Japan

List of tables 12 Preface 13 Introduction: archaeology in the contemporary world 23 Modernity and archaeology 61 Theoretical explication: communication, sociality, and the Positionality of archaeology 97 Modernity and archaeology: nation-state, circularity and paradox 133 Late/high/post-modernity and archaeology: fragmentation Multiculturalism, and beyond 264 Conclusion: constantly demanding the problematizing and Explaining of one's position 370 References 381 Index. Archaeology In The Contemporary World -- Modernity And Archaeology -- Communication, Sociality, And The Positionality Of Archaeology -- Nation-state, Circularity And Paradox -- Fragmentation, Multiculturalism, And Beyond -- Conclusion : Demands For Problematising And Explaining Of One's Position All The Time. Koji Mizoguchi. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 170-178) And Index. This illuminating study examines the role of archaeology in the formation of the modern Japanese nation and the processes by which archaeological practice is shaped by national discourse. Exploring the close interrelationship between archaeology, society and modernity, it helps explain why we do archaeology in the way that we do This illuminating study examines the role of archaeology in the formation of the modern Japanese nation and the ways archaeological practice is shaped by national discourse. Exploring the close interrelationship between archaeology, society and modernity, it helps explain why we do archaeology in the way that we do.