Conceiving of self: a case study of the Brazilian-Japanese
Citation
Ricke, Audrey. 2006. Conceiving of Self: a case study of the Brazilian-Japanese. In: Lambda Alpha Journal, v.36, p.42-51
Abstract
How the individual relates to society has been a central focus in cultural and
personality studies within anthropology. The Brazilian-Japanese migration to Japan
constitutes a unique situation in which to study societal influences on individuals.
Before leaving Brazil, the Brazilian-Japanese predominately consider themselves to
be Japanese, but once in Japan the culture in which the Brazilian-Japanese claim to
share heritage with refuses to fully accept the Brazilian-Japaneseâs concept of self.
By attempting to understand the way in which the Brazilian-Japanese cope with this
challenge, the application of George Herbert Meadâs theory of self which focuses
on the interaction of individuals with the group in self formation, offers insights
into how the Brazilian-Japanese âbecomeâ Brazilian.