The Japan Foundation Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Association of Japanese Studies (MAJAS), the Japan Studies Programme at University of Malaya?s Department of East Asian Studies and the Institute of Malaysian & International Studies (IKMAS) jointly present a public lecture on the ?Formation of the Japanese Cosplay Subculture in Malaysia?.
The topic is in the hands of Dr. Rohayati Paidi, a University of Malaya senior lecturer whose research interests primarily cast a sociological lens on youth subcultures. A graduate of Kobe University and Shiga University, she is a widely-published author on Japanese society, having written three books and contributed numerous articles to academic journals.
The lecture will be delivered in Bahasa Malaysia.
Date: 21 November, 2014
Time: 10.00 a.m. ? 12.00 p.m.
Venue:
University Senate Hall (official webpage)
National University of Malaysia (UKM)
Jalan Reko,
43600 Bangi, Selangor.
Admission: Free
For more info, please contact our Administrative Officers, Mr. Sulatan (ext. 608) and Ms. Amira (ext. 604), at 03 2284 6228 or email jpcc@jfkl.org.my.
Download the event flyers by opening the links below, right-clicking the page and selecting ?Save As?? from the drop-down menu.
1. Full (PDF/1.46 MB)
2. Front only (JPG/656 KB)
3. Back only (JPG/660 KB)
Outline of the lecture
Globalisation and advances in technology have aided the transmission of foreign cultures to local communities, in turn providing them different cultural options.
The expanding culture industry prompted the commercialisation of creative products, hence offering easy availability and affordability to consumers. Meanwhile, as individual autonomy increases, people are able to break away from lifestyles established through the norms of local society and involve themselves in what has become known as subcultures.
This lecture discusses how one foreign culture, Japanese cosplay, became a Malaysian subculture and ultimately come to be considered as part of mainstream Malaysian culture. It first introduces what is cosplay culture and how it has influenced people in 68 countries across six continents to engage in its activities. Secondly, the lecture elucidates what are the crucial elements involved in the process of the creation of cosplay subculture by applying the analytical device ?the cultural diamond? (Griswold, 2013). Finally, it explains how these elements relate to each other resulting in the formation of Japanese cosplay subculture in Malaysia.
The lecture will show how the formation of Japanese cosplay subculture in Malaysia is supported and reinforced by the respective roles played by individuals and organisations that can be divided into five categories; namely producers, enthusiasts, cultists, fans and consumers.
This lecture will also discuss how opportunities to access the various subcultural elements act as the main condition in unifying individuals from varying backgrounds.
Dr. Rohayati Paidi
Senior Lecturer
Japan Studies Programme, Department of East Asian Studies, University of Malaya
Armed with years of experience from her days studying and working in Japan as a radio announcer, Dr. Rohayati possesses a highly-credible reputation as a subject matter expert on youth subcultures. The Ph.D. holder loves to explore the answers to the what, when, why, who and how questions regarding the formation of any subculture.
