Yuwei Qiu

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N º14

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About Work

The experience of Japanese Americans in a globalized society. Can authentic Japanese culture be maintained under the invasion of foreign cultures?

Based on a personal account from a Japanese American, this piece portrays how globalization has transformed the experience of ethnic minorities living in a foreign country. Despite the attempt to preserve one's unique culture, the tendency towards homogeneity results in unwanted changes to and inappropriate adoptions of one's own culture. The piece also explores whether the increased cross-cultural interactions will eventually lead to cultural homogeneity.

As the illustrator of the piece, even though I am not a Japanese American myself, I do feel the same threats felt by the protagonist. Having been studying and living in foreign countries for over 11 years, I constantly feel that my unique values and beliefs are compromised in my interaction with the mainstream community. Moreover, I have seen problematic appropriation of Chinese cultures in Western countries, which are caused by a lack of understanding of Chinese culture and its implications.