Japanese Language and Culture

Historically the study of Japanese language and culture started out from philology, but over the last three decades it has branched out into a wide range of disciplines.

At Stockholm University we put the emphasis on Japanese language and culture with a special focus on proto-modern, modern and contemporary arts and media. The reason for this is that it falls into line with a general change of interest in Japan, that is, the shift of attention towards aesthetic and media culture, gender issues, and the environment of everyday life.

With respect to International Relations, economics, and policy-making, we collaborate closely with the European Institute of Japanese Studies as well as experts at other research institutions in Stockholm.

Two thirds of the undergraduate courses we offer are dedicated to the Japanese language in order to provide students with the opportunity to reach an advanced level of language proficiency and gain an awareness for language as a part and a medium of contemporary culture. Graduates can proceed on the master’s level, either by taking separate courses as well as the master course in Japanese language and culture, or by enrolling in the master's programme in Asian languages and cultures.

The history of Japanese language and culture at Stockholm University

The education of Japanese at Stockholm University dates back to 1963.
In 1968, a senior lecturer position was established in the subject, PhD students was accepted in 1969 and the doctoral program was formalized in 1972. A professorship in Japanology, with focus on modern Japanese, was established in April 1975.

The first professor was Seung-bog Cho (1922-2012), who had taught Japanese at Stockholm University since 1963 and at Uppsala University since the mid-1950s. His main scientific work was A Phonological Study of Early Modern Japanese, in two volumes (Stockholm, 1970).

Seung-bog Cho was appointed professor in 1975, retired in 1989 and was succeeded by Gunilla Lindberg-Wada in October 1990, who was a professor at the department until 2014.

Since 2017, Jaqueline Berndt is professor in Japanese language and culture at Stockholm University and in 2023 Ewa Machotka was promoted to professor.

The education in Japanese language and culture over the years

Initially, studies in Japanese at the undergraduate level included only three semesters, but with the establishment of a local curriculum for courses in Japanese in 1971, the education was extended to four semesters. Initially, the courses consisted only of language studies with the help of textbooks and without any authentic texts.

In 1975, courses were added to the language courses with a general orientation in Japanese history, geography, society and literary history. At the same time, a 6-credit course called "Individual work" was introduced as part of the intensive course, which could either consist of an "essay on a linguistic, literary or other subject" or "a commented translation of a fictional text". With an additional one to one and a half years of study of electable courses of and without the requirement for any specified degree project, you could aquire a bachelor's degree with Japanese as a major.

In 1978, a syllabus was established for the courses in Japanese within Interpreting and Translation Studies (Higher Interpreting Training in Japanese, 60 credits).

In 1983, the East Asia programme was established, which included writing a bachelor's or master's thesis.

1984–1986 Courses in “Japanese Studies and Elementary Japanese” (2.5 credits) were held at the University of Technology (Tekniska högskolan). Similar courses were also given at the School of Business. They were organized and taught by part-time teachers at the department, among others by Gunilla Lindberg-Wada and Nils-Owe Pettersson.

In 1991, the language credits were merged into larger blocks. At the same time, compulsory attendance was established, a reform that was met with extremely strong opposition from students; so much so that the only possibility of implementing something so revolutionary was to do so in the form of an a- and a b-alternative; the former with compulsory attendance, the latter with extended final examination instead.

1992 An Exchange Agreement with Chūo University was established.

In 1993, university education was changes so that a 10-credit bachelor's or master's thesis in the major was required to be able to aquire a degree. The education in Japanese was then extended to three years, with a bachelor's course in the fifth semester and a master's course in the sixth semester.

1993 A collaboration agreement with “Fria Kristliga Folkhögskolan”
in Vasa, Finland was established.

In 2006, the current educational plan was introduced, with three years education for the bachelor's degree (2008 bachelor's course on 15 credits in theory and method and 15 credits in the sixth semester). The master's course was extended to one year; probably in connection with the reform started in 2006.

Dissertations during Seung-book Cho's time

Lars Vargö, 1982. Social and Economic Conditions for the Formation of the Early Japanese State.
Whaja Park, 1982. Aspects contrastifs du japonais et du coréen.
Noriko Thunman, 1983. Nakahara Chuya and French Symbolism.
Gunilla Lindberg-Wada, 1983. Poetic Allusion: Some Aspects of the Role Played by Kokin Wakashuu as a Source of Poetic Allusion in Genji Monogatari.
Marie Söderberg, 1986. Japan's Military Export Policy.
Bert Edström, 1988. Japan’s Quest for a Role in the World: Roles Ascribed to Japan Nationally and Internationally.

Dissertations during Gunilla Linberg-Wadas time

Keiko Kockum, 1994. Itō Sei: Self-Analysis and the Modern Japanese Novel.
Els-Marie Anbäcken, 1997. Who Cares? Culture, Structure, and Agency in Caring for the Elderly in Japan.
Toshiko Tsukaguchi-le Grand, 1999. The “Japanese Employment System” Revisited. Gender, Work and Social Order
Mats Karlsson, 2001. The Kumano Saga of Nakagami Kenji.
Herbert Jonsson, 2006. Haikai Poetics: Buson, Kitō and the Interpretation of Renku Poetry.
Stina Jelbring, 2010. A Decontextual Stylistics study of the Genji Monogatari: With a Focus on the “Yūgao” Story.
Gunnar Linder, 2011. Deconstructing Tradition in Japanese Music: A Study of Shakuhachi – Historical Authenticity and Transmission of Tradition.
Mitsuyo Kuwano Lidén, 2016. Deictic Demonstratives in Japanese, Finnish and Swedish: First and Third Language Perspectives.

Present staff

The permanent staff of the Japanese language and culture section now consists of five full-time positions within Japanese language and culture: one Professor Jaqueline Berndt, one Docent/Associate Professor, Ewa Machotka, two Associate Professors (Senior Lecturers), Gunnar Linder and Stina Jelbring, and two lecturers Mitsuyo Kuwano Lidén (PhD) and Eriko Seto Norrgård.

Currently the department has one PhD student with focus on Japanese language and culture, Andreas Bengtsson.