Paper short abstract:

Bollywood dances and the popular dancing bodies thereof, have become global phenomena. This paper works on the analysis of the corporeal, looking at hyper-gendered bodies in Bollywood dance in the global, local and the glocal context.

Paper long abstract:

Much to the distress of the Indian Scholars and practitioners of Classical Indian dances, Bollywood dances and the popular dancing bodies thereof, have become global phenomena. The popularity of the dances of Bollywood and its own obsession and contribution through creation of largely controlled market- led body stories, and counter- aesthetics (completely in opposition to the much acclaimed traditional aesthetics upheld and perpetuated through classical dances in India), has successfully moved beyond the local, and created a global market. The choreographers in these dances make use of tropes of the 'orient' and the 'Indian' as well as the so called 'Western' in creating 'whatever sells' - a Glocal product, not only because of the market, but also because of the aesthetics it strives to create. Through hyper- masculine and hyper- feminine bodies and dance/movements Bollywood has consistently kept up its experiment of re- formatting the 'Glocal' popular idea of dance, consistently producing a set of meanings and spaces, which are both biomorphic and anthropological. This paper works on the analysis of the corporeal, looking at gendered bodies in Bollywood dance in the global, local and the glocal context.

Paper short abstract:

This paper intends to reveal how Taiwanese local female customers use their articulation of their preferences makes their consumption of clothes a dialectic process with the garment industry and so called Western-led ready-to-wear fashion system production. Although many different aesthetics and styles were brought into Taiwan by the so called Western-led ready-to-wear fashion system, paradoxically, a single ideal body figure and shape was emphasized at the same time. Ironically, these varied aesthetics and styles all require an identical ideal body shape - young and beautiful - this will be demonstrated in this paper.

Paper long abstract:

This paper intends to reveal how Taiwanese local female customers use their articulation of their preferences makes their consumption of clothes a dialectic process with the garment industry and so called Western-led ready-to-wear fashion system production. Although many different aesthetics and styles were brought into Taiwan by the so called Western-led ready-to-wear fashion system, paradoxically, a single ideal body figure and shape was emphasized at the same time. Ironically, these varied aesthetics and styles all require an identical ideal body shape - young and beautiful - this will be demonstrated in this paper.

While ready-to-wear fashion has brought democracy to clothing, there is a fundamental contradiction in how it has also created a wholly hegemonic trend where looking slim and young through what one wears has become virtually the golden rule of women's fashion. It seemed at first that the bodies of most Taiwanese women were tied up by this social restriction. However, after interviewing shop owners in Wufenpu and many female consumers, I have realized that neither the wholesalers there nor the female clients are cultural victims enslaved to this ideal. The fieldwork shows, these Taiwanese consumers negotiate with the hegemony of hybrid Western runway fashion by making their move via dress articulate their preferences regarding fashion and the ideal body.

Paper short abstract:

The Ryukyu kingdom (1372-1879) possessed intense court activities, receiving foreign delegations, and then developed scenic and artistic refinement. The Ukwanshin Kabudan Ryukyu performing arts group work for the sake of maintaining alive this arts, in Hawaii and in a transnational network.

Paper long abstract:

The now called Okinawa ken (province) in southern Japan, was the Ryukyu kingdom (1372-1879) also known as land of Courtesy because of its intense diplomatic and trade relations with Southeast Asian countries. In his long and prosper live possessed so intense court activities, receiving foreign delegations, and then developed an immense scenic and artistic refinement. More than mere distraction for foreign delegations at the court of Shuri Castle, artistic performances in music and dance were sacred songs from the Omoro Soshi. Ukwanshin Kabudan was a ship that carried the crown and dignitaries from Ming Emperor in China to be presented to ascending king of Ryukyu, more than this, has been a symbol of exchange and peace for the people of Okinawa. The Ukwanshin Kabudan Ryukyu performing arts troupe work for sake of maintaining alive this arts, in Hawaii as well in a transnational network. In the website of the troupe we can read: we have chosen to travel on a new 'Ukwanshin' to bring our gift of Aloha and gratitude to the people of Okinawa. Okinawa is known as the land of music and dance, and it is through the expression of sound and movements that we find few differences in human feelings and understanding. This silent connection is what offers peace and also allows the perpetuation of cultural identity. Passing down the knowledge of these treasures are important. My paper will analyses the role of this arts group building a transnational network by means Glocal connections.

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Paper short abstract:

Globalization of local Japanese mascot characters poses issues that prove more challenging than those of manga/anime, issues that derive from the essential factors that make yuru/gotouchi kyara succeed in local contexts. This analysis is based on a large database as well as particular case studies.

Paper long abstract:

Ken Mogi predicts that yuru kyara will become globally prominent at the 2016 Tokyo Olympics. But can they succeed? While anime, manga, and Hello Kitty enjoy prominence in the globalized Cool Japan aesthetic, and Line characters expand throughout Asia and into Europe, the domestically ubiquitous yuru and gotochi kyara have only begun to foray abroad. Though these local darlings enjoy an increasing share of domestic attention and economic success, in foreign contexts these have often been characterized as Weird, not-Cool Japan, taken as ironic, or misinterpreted for reasons investigated by this research.

One major question concerning mascot kyara portability from Japan is the level to which their cultural semiotics can be communicated successfully - characteristics that in many cases are imbued with local color, via symbolism that is highly significant domestically and concomitantly difficult to translate. Another issue involves the contexts into which these kyara seek to intrude and find success. The simple act of symbolic representation of a Japanese place or entity by kyara can be welcomed or found problematic depending on foreign sensibilities. The analysis presented here involves a database of over one thousand yuru/gotouchi kyara, the currently most famous (and aiming to globalize) official and unofficial local kyara, Kumamon and Funasshii, and as contrast, Kumamon's neighboring prefectural representatives, the Miyazaki Ken.

Paper short abstract:

This paper aims to examine how Japanese creative labours in the workplace pitch ideas during the process of brainstorming and discuss the content of television commercial message (CM) content.

Paper long abstract:

As Negus and Pickering (2004) have pointed out that" creativity is a social process", the process of creative production is always related to specific social and political circumstances. The study is based on ethnographic methodology with processing in-depth interview, and participation-observation fieldwork at a production company called IDEA Company in Tokyo, Japan from 2010 to 2012. This paper aims to examine how Japanese creative labours in the workplace pitch ideas during the process of brainstorming and discuss the content of Television Commercial Message (CM) content.

This paper illustrates how social changes affect the process of brainstorming and depicts how creative labours change their patterns of brainstorming based on products from their clients. For example, after Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami on 11 March 2011, it is apparent to see how "electric power" became one of the very sensitive subjects to deal with when the creative labours in IDEA Company working with the products "electronic automobile" organized by automobile company and television drama production team. In the same time, how creative labours combine the concept of the electronic automobile and the drama which a well-known detective series with different social issues since 2000 together.

However, the automobile company doesn't want their products to being engaged in any controversial social issues so the creative labours need to change their original "brainstorming" accordingly. Further, the relationship with clients also is involved into the social process of creativity and brainstorming.

Paper short abstract:

In this paper we demonstrate the influence of high prices of cassava flour, important food for the population of Pará (Brazil), in the cultural identity of these and building its popular culture. We utilize netnography, showing the impact of this "identity crisis" from posts on social media.

Paper long abstract:

In this paper we demonstrate the influence of high prices and scarcity of cassava flour, important food for the population of Pará (Brazil), in the cultural identity of these and building its popular culture. We utilize netnography as a method of collecting primary data, showing the impact of this "identity crisis" from posts on social media like Facebook and Twitter. In addition, daily reports collected during the course of ethnographic research were used. We seek it, identify the impacts of the shortage of cassava flour in the cultural identity of Pará and how it uses social media to demonstrate a claim or that identity crisis. With this, we can see that although a large state, largely inserted into the globalization process, Pará still retains many of its traditional customs and uses of globalization tools like social media, to demonstrate their Amazonian roots.