Buraku Discrimination in Contemporary Japan: The Dichotomy between Discursive Practices and Identity
Buraku Discrimination in Contemporary Japan: The Dichotomy between Discursive Practices and Identity

Author(s): André Pinto Teixeira
Subject(s): Sociology
Published by: Univerzita Palackého v Olomouci
Keywords: Japan; burakumin; discrimination; discourse; identity;
Summary/Abstract: The buraku discrimination issue in Japan has been discussed in different ways, both at an academic and activist level. Despite divergences in discourse throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, the traditional interpretation of the problem is postulated by Inoue (1969) under the “trinity of buraku” model, which is, hitherto, the most widely used framework. However, it is not clear whether this conceptual framework is applicable to buraku discrimination or buraku empowerment in contemporary Japanese society. With that in mind, this paper will begin by reviewing and discussing Inoue’s (1969) “trinity of buraku,” comparing its three core roots of discrimination with contemporary accounts retrieved from secondary sources. Subsequently, we will move on to the question of identity building and presen­tation within the burakumin communities, referring back to the seminal works of Worchel and Giddens to garner conceptual support. Lastly, this paper will assert the rights of buraku discrimination victims’ through a multivocal approach that does not replicate discriminatory discourses.

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