INFORMATION ABOUT THE MASTER'S THESIS
1. Student's full name:Nguyen Tuan Khoi
2. Gender: Male
3. Date of birth: November 11, 1990
4. Place of birth: Hanoi
5. Decision No. 2797/QD-XHNV-SDH dated December 28, 2012, of the Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, recognizing the student's admission.
6. Changes in the training process: Change of thesis title
Original title:Understanding the Japanese psychology during disasters – the case of the Tohoku region disaster.
New research topic title: A sociological explanation of mutual assistance among residents of Tohoku region of Japan during the double disaster of March 2011.
7. Thesis title:A sociological explanation of the mutual support among residents of Tohoku, Japan, during the double disaster of March 2020.11
8. Major: Asian Studies Code: 60.31.06.01
9. Scientific supervisor:Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phan Hai Linh(Department of Japanese Studies, Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi)
10. Summary of the thesis results:
This study analyzes the mutual assistance activities of Japanese residents during the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami double disaster through two main sources of information: (1) Japanese government reports on public relief and community assistance activities; (2) field investigation data from interviews with witnesses on the ground. Based on this, the author uses sociological theoretical perspectives to explain the meaning and build a model of mutual assistance activities in this disaster. The March 2011 earthquake and tsunami double disaster, with the largest scale and most devastating damage in Japan since World War II, caused a state of emergency and stress in the lives of Japanese residents. However, the extent of damage and stress caused by the disaster varied greatly between localities and even between areas within the same city. In this context, community support activities by civil society and volunteer organizations developed very actively, complementing the citizen relief activities of the government and local authorities. In addition, field investigations also revealed the existence of spontaneous, temporary acts of mutual assistance among witnesses in the early period after the disaster, before external aid arrived. Community support activities are a result of the "new sense of public life" that emerged in Japan after World War II, while spontaneous acts of mutual assistance are seen as the result of an "utopian community of mutual assistance arising in the disaster." In fact, spontaneous acts of mutual assistance can be considered the result of "communitas"—a "counter-structural" social relationship arising in the "marginal" state of the disaster, existing dialectically with the class-based, institutional relationship of mutual assistance activities from the government and the community.
11. Practical applications:
- This study reaffirms the existence of spontaneous, emotional social relationships in a highly disciplined and institutionalized society like Japan, contributing to an insight into Vietnam's integration with the civilized world.
- This thesis is valuable for reference in studies on community relations in modern Japan and sociological studies on disasters in general.
12. Future research directions:
Through a case study of Japanese mutual assistance activities during disasters, the author aims to gain a deeper understanding and develop the theory of "Japanese realism."
13. Published works related to the thesis:
“Mutual Assistance by Residents in Disaster Zones During the Double Disaster in Eastern Japan” published in “Lectures on Japanese Studies – Disaster and Recovery”, Vo Minh Vu (editor), The Gioi Publishing House, 2015
INFORMATION ON MASTER'S THESIS
1. Full name: Nguyen Tuan Khoi 2. Sex: Male
3. Date of birth: November 11, 1990 4. Place of birth: Hanoi
5. Admission decision number: 2797/QD-XHNV-SĐH, Dated on December 28, 2012 by the Rector of University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU-Hanoi
6. Changes in academic process: changes in thesis title
Old thesis title: Understanding psychological process of Japanese during disaster – case of Northeast Japan disaster
New thesis title: Understanding the mutual-help actions of residents in the Northeast Japan area during 311 double-disaster from sociological perspective
7. Official thesis title: Understanding the mutual-help actions of residents in the Northeast Japan area during 311 double-disaster from sociological perspective
8. Major: Asian Studies Code: 60.31.06.01
9. Supervisors: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phan Hai Linh (Japanese Department, Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU-Hanoi)
10. Summary of the findings of the thesis:
This research analyzed mutual-help activities among Japanese residents during the double-disaster of earthquake and tsunami 311, by the following data: (1) reports of Japanese government on public reliefs and supports from communities; (2) field-works and interview data. Based on these analyses, sociological theories and perspectives are used to explain the meaning and to construct the model of mutual-help activities during this disaster. 311 double-disaster, which was the most terrible both in the level of quake and tsunami, and the level of damages since the Second World War, causing the tension and critical atmosphere in daily life of Japanese. However, the damages and critical level differ enormously from one prefecture to the others, and even between areas in the same city. In such context, supports from communities, for example, donations of civil society organizations and volunteers emerging vibrantly. These support complemented reliefs of Japanese center and local government to protect their citizens from insecurities. Additionally, field-work research also indicates the existence of spontaneous and momentary mutual-help actions between witnesses right after the occurrence of the disaster, when helps from outside had not come yet. Community supports might be derived from the “new public” formed in Japan after the Second World War, while spontaneous mutual-help actions could be the result of “disaster utopia” – the “extraordinary communities” arising in disasters. In fact, spontaneous mutual-help actions can be the result of “communities” – the “anti-structure” social relationship arises in the “liminality” of a disaster. This social relationship exists dialectically with the hierarchical, institutional relationships of support coming from government and.
11. Practical applicability, if any:
- This research reaffirmed the existence of emotional, spontaneous social relationships in such discipline over-respected and highly institutionalized society like Japanese society. This research also contributed a viewpoint of the author to the integration tendency of Vietnam into the civilized world.
- This thesis could be a valuable source of reference for researches on community relationships of contemporary Japan or sociological researches on disasters in general.
12. Further research directions, if any:
Through researching the case of mutual-help activities of Japanese during disaster, the author shows excitement at a deeper studying and developing the idea of “Japanese realism”.
13. Thesis-related publications:
“Mutual-help actions of residents in disaster area during Great East Japan Earthquake” in “Specialized Lecture on Japanese Studies – Disaster and Restoration”, Vo Minh Vu Ed., The Gioi Publishers, 2015
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