"A History of the Arguments about the Complex Relationships between Discriminating and Being Discriminated against: a Position for Developing a Theory of Anti-discrimination in the Present"
YAMAMOTO Takanori
last update: 20151224
A History of the Arguments about the Complex Relationships between Discriminating and Being Discriminated against: a Position for Developing a Theory of Anti-discrimination in the Present
YAMAMOTO Takanori
Abstract:
The theory of complex discrimination by Ueno Chizuko gave us an important idea about the complex
relationships between discriminating and being discriminated against. In contrast to conventional theories, the
theory pointed out that the relationships cannot be regarded unchangeable. But the theory has a weakness. It
dose not study enough about what social movements have actually done for anti-discrimination so far.
This paper refers to two arguments. One is about the Dowa problem in the 1980's and the 1990's. Its main
issue is whether it is possible for an equal discussion between a person on the side of those who discriminate
and a person on the side of those discriminated against, given their different experiences. The other is about
the Japanese responsibility for World War II. Its main issue is whether it is possible to say that the Japanese,
the ethnic majority in Japan, are for responsible for the war.
Studying about these arguments, we can find a strategy for changing discriminative relationships in the
concrete context. Through it, we would be able to avoid relativizing the relationships excessively.
Keywords: discrimination, Dowa problem, responsibility, social movements
REV: 20151224