Values of Happiness

How people conceive of happiness reveals much about who they are and the values they hold dear. Drawing on ethnographic insights from diverse field sites around the world, this book offers a unique window onto the ways in which people grapple with fundamental questions about how to live and what it means to be human. Developing a distinctly anthropological approach concerned less with gauging how happy people are than with how happiness figures as an idea, mood, and motive in everyday life, the book explores how people strive to live well within challenging or even hostile circumstances. The contributors explore how happiness intersects with dominant social values as well as an array of aims and aspirations that are potentially conflicting, demonstrating that not every kind of happiness is seen as a worthwhile aim or evaluated in positive moral terms

Invisible Others: Buraku and the Japanese Literature

U članku se nastoji analizirati zastupljenost buraku manjine u japanskoj književnosti smještajući je u kontekst dominantnog narativa o japanskoj homogenosti. Iz antropološke perspektive se analizira pitanje reprezentacije te manjinske grupe kao i uloge književnosti u njezinoj reprezentaciji.Although Japan is represented as a homogenous society in the dominant public discourse, it includes several significant minority communities. One of these is the buraku or hisabetsu burakumin, a social group historically constituted by the members of certain professions considered 'impure', and who are still today often discriminated against on the basis of their origin (Dore 1968, Neary 2003). Furthermore, as their existence as a distinct social group is denied, they are rendered voiceless; as Mary Douglas (1992) points out, denying the existence of such a stigma only allows the favoured members of the community to feel comfortable, while making the stigmatized invisible. This article explores the issue of the representation of the burakumin in Japanese literature. While taking as a point of departure the question of whether the neglect of the burakumin should be understood in the wider context of the dominant narrative of Japanese homogeneity, it is argued that the volume of the work both about and by the burakumin indicates that this is not the most important question. Instead, the article raises the question of the adequacy of representations of minority groups in literature and relates it to the anthropological perspective on issues of representation – is it ever possible to represent "others" and, particularly, is it possible to represent them without further "othering" them? These issues are not unfamiliar to anthopology as a self-reflexive discipline. The author shows that the kind of account produced in literary work may even have some advantages over classical ethnographical accounts in that they are not focused on generalizations. The problems mentioned are contextualized using Abe Kobo's "The Woman in the Dunes" (1980). Finally, the author raises the issue of the role of literature in changing the status of minorities

Values of happiness

How people conceive of happiness reveals much about who they are and the values they hold dear. The modern conception of happiness as private good feeling is the result of a long sequence of changes in dominant conceptions of the ends of life and of humanity’s place in the cosmos. This invites reflection on how the very vagueness of happiness can account for its powerful claim to render diverse values commensurable. In arguing for the importance of a critical, ethnographic approach to happiness— one concerned less with gauging how happy people are than with how happiness figures as an idea, mood, or motive in everyday life—we highlight its relationship to values, as well as questions of scope, virtue, and responsibility. Whether real or elusive, the pursuit of happiness structures time in specific ways and is largely other-oriented, insofar as one’s own happiness would seem best left in the hands of others

ENERGIE UND VERANTWORTUNG – DAS MODELL EINER DEMOKRATISCHEN BÜRGERBILDUNG UND ERNEUERBARE ENERGIEQUELLEN

Ovaj članak je zamišljen kao prilog raspravi o pojedinim aspektima obrazovanja za okoliš, s posebnim naglaskom na edukaciju o pitanjima energetske učinkovitosti i očuvanja kao teme od iznimne važnosti u suvremenom društvu. Ranije su studije pokazale da je obrazovanje i informiranje javnosti o ovim pitanjima jedan od ključnih preduvjeta za šire korištenje obnovljivih izvora energije u Hrvatskoj. Ideja o važnosti obrazovanja o obnovljivim izvorima energije utemeljena je na pretpostavci o odgovornosti pojedinca, koja također čini temelj modela obrazovanja za demokratsko građanstvo. Suvremeni radovi kako o obrazovanju za okoliš, tako i obrazovanju za demokratsko građanstvo ukazuju na izvjesnu zajedničku tendenciju prema osposobljavanju za participaciju i odlučivanje, u odnosu na ranije oblike edukacije usmjerene na samo informiranje. Zaključno, razmatra se okvir obrazovanja za građanstvo Marthe Nussbaum kao primjer nekolicine načela koja bi mogla biti od važnosti pri oblikovanju programa edukacije o energetskim pitanjima.The paper is a contribution to the discussion on individual aspects of education for environment, with particular emphasis on education about the issues of energy efficiency and conservation as topics of extreme importance in modern society. Earlier studies showed that education and informing the public about these issues were crucial preconditions for spreading the use of renewable sources of energy in Croatia. The idea about the importance of education about renewable sources of energy was based on the assumption of the responsibility of an individual, which is also the basis of the model of education for democratic citizenship. New studies on education for environment point to a common tendency towards qualifying for participation and decision making, in comparison with earlier forms of education, which were based only on providing information. In conclusion, the paper considers the framework of education for citizenship by Marthe Nussbaum as an example of several principles that might be important when making the programme of education about energy issues.Der vorliegende Artikel ist als Beitrag zur Diskussion über einzelne Aspekte der Ökobildung gedacht, die Betonung liegt auf Fragen einer Bildung für energetische Effizienz und Nachhaltigkeit - beides sind Themen von herausragender Bedeutung in der zeitgenössischen Gesellschaft. Vorhergegangene Studien haben gezeigt, dass Bildung und Information der Öffentlichkeit über diese Fragen eine der Grundvoraussetzungen für eine extensivere Nutzung von erneuerbaren Energiequellen in Kroatien sind. Die Idee der Wichtigkeit der Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung (erneuerbare Energiequellen) beruht auf der Voraussetzung der Verantwortung des Einzelnen, die grundlegend für das Modell der demokratischen Bürgerbildung ist. Zeitgenössische Arbeiten sowie in der Ökobildung als auch in der Bürgerbildung für die Demokratie weisen auf eine gewisse gemeinschaftliche Tendenz hin zur Befähigung für Teilnahme und Treffen von Entscheidungen im Unterschied zu den früheren Bildungsformen, die lediglich auf das Informiert sein ausgerichtet waren. Abschließend wird der Bildungsrahmen für das Bürgertum nach Martha Nussbaum erörtert als ein Beispiel für einige Grundsätze, die bei der Gestaltung eines Bildungsprogramms für energetische Fragen wichtig sein könnten

Inside and Outside the New Global Community. Human Rights Discourse in Japan and Beyond

U članku se razmatraju pitanja “vlasništva” nad diskursom ljudskih prava i nudi njegova antropološka analiza, posebice s obzirom na njegove pravne izvanpravne aspekte. Središnje pitanje “čiji je diskurs ljudskih prava”, odnosi se na razliite načine na koje se koristi. S jedne strane, radi se o utjecajnom diskursu koji za posljedicu nerijetko ima isključenost određenih kategorija ljudi, dok ga s druge strane preuzimaju i za svoje svrhe koriste različite skupine. Diskurs se, u tom smislu, prevodi u novim okolnostima i rekontekstualizira, što je prikazano na primjeru Japana. Instrumentalistički jezik ljudskih prava skeletonizira društvenu stvarnost, dok istovremeno omogućuje stvaranje interepretativne zajednice i otvara prostor za obespravljene. Njegova učinkovitost kao pravnog jezika često je upravo povezana s njegovim ograničavajućim aspektima. Štoviše, stvaranje simboličke zajednice koju omogućuje samo je po sebi popraćeno isključenjem nekih osoba u tijeku procesa povlačenja granica. U zaključku, prividne kontradikcije i paradoksi ljudskih prava interni su i inherentni diskursu samome.Issues surrounding the “ownership” of human rights discourse are examined in relation to the variety of ways in which this discourse is utilized. It is argued that the instrumentalist language of human rights discourse skeletonizes social reality, while creating interpretive communities and opening up spaces for the dispossessed. To the extent that the discourse enables the creation of a symbolic community, it leads at the same time to the exclusion of some people through the boundary drawing process

Unutar i izvan nove globalne zajednice. Diskurs ljudskih prava u Japanu i drugdje

Issues surrounding the “ownership” of human rights discourse are examined in relation to the variety of ways in which this discourse is utilized. It is argued that the instrumentalist language of human rights discourse skeletonizes social reality, while creating interpretive communities and opening up spaces for the dispossessed. To the extent that the discourse enables the creation of a symbolic community, it leads at the same time to the exclusion of some people through the boundary drawing process.U članku se razmatraju pitanja “vlasništva” nad diskursom ljudskih prava i nudi njegova antropološka analiza, posebice s obzirom na njegove pravne izvanpravne aspekte. Središnje pitanje “čiji je diskurs ljudskih prava”, odnosi se na razliite načine na koje se koristi. S jedne strane, radi se o utjecajnom diskursu koji za posljedicu nerijetko ima isključenost određenih kategorija ljudi, dok ga s druge strane preuzimaju i za svoje svrhe koriste različite skupine. Diskurs se, u tom smislu, prevodi u novim okolnostima i rekontekstualizira, što je prikazano na primjeru Japana. Instrumentalistički jezik ljudskih prava skeletonizira društvenu stvarnost, dok istovremeno omogućuje stvaranje interepretativne zajednice i otvara prostor za obespravljene. Njegova učinkovitost kao pravnog jezika često je upravo povezana s njegovim ograničavajućim aspektima. Štoviše, stvaranje simboličke zajednice koju omogućuje samo je po sebi popraćeno isključenjem nekih osoba u tijeku procesa povlačenja granica. U zaključku, prividne kontradikcije i paradoksi ljudskih prava interni su i inherentni diskursu samome

INVISIBLE OTHERS: BURAKU AND THE JAPANESE LITERATURE (Summary)

U članku se nastoji analizirati zastupljenost buraku manjine u japanskoj književnosti smještajući je u kontekst dominantnog narativa o japanskoj homogenosti. Iz antropološke perspektive se analizira pitanje reprezentacije te manjinske grupe kao i uloge književnosti u njezinoj reprezentaciji.Although Japan is represented as a homogenous society in the dominant public discourse, it includes several significant minority communities. One of these is the buraku or hisabetsu burakumin, a social group historically constituted by the members of certain professions considered \u27impure\u27, and who are still today often discriminated against on the basis of their origin (Dore 1968, Neary 2003). Furthermore, as their existence as a distinct social group is denied, they are rendered voiceless; as Mary Douglas (1992) points out, denying the existence of such a stigma only allows the favoured members of the community to feel comfortable, while making the stigmatized invisible. This article explores the issue of the representation of the burakumin in Japanese literature. While taking as a point of departure the question of whether the neglect of the burakumin should be understood in the wider context of the dominant narrative of Japanese homogeneity, it is argued that the volume of the work both about and by the burakumin indicates that this is not the most important question. Instead, the article raises the question of the adequacy of representations of minority groups in literature and relates it to the anthropological perspective on issues of representation – is it ever possible to represent "others" and, particularly, is it possible to represent them without further "othering" them? These issues are not unfamiliar to anthopology as a self-reflexive discipline. The author shows that the kind of account produced in literary work may even have some advantages over classical ethnographical accounts in that they are not focused on generalizations. The problems mentioned are contextualized using Abe Kobo\u27s "The Woman in the Dunes" (1980). Finally, the author raises the issue of the role of literature in changing the status of minorities

The good life in balance

Happiness in the Japanese context can usefully be understood as deriving from a series of negotiations or “balancing acts” between contrastive values and orientations to the world. Of particular importance for older Japanese is a tension between a narrative orientation or attitude, involving sense-making and social activities such as reminiscing or reflecting; and an immediate attitude, implying a focus of attention on the present moment. Further balances are sought between sociality and the burden of over-closeness, intimacy and a sense of freedom, and dependence and autonomy, among others. Because the poles of these tensions encapsulate important social and moral values that are in some ways incommensurable, they cannot be resolved through a straightforward choice between them. Instead, their negotiation—and thus the pursuit of happiness itself—is a matter of practical moral judgment