Deguchi Makiko

It is easy for Japanese people to remain ignorant of the experiences of diverse populations in Japan's homogenous society, but it is imperative that we increase multicultural awareness and competency among Japanese university students so that they are prepared to deal with people with diverse cultural backgrounds. Using a Japanese educational manga textbook based on the experiences of prejudice and discrimination of diverse residents, we devised a group project that incorporated a group skit and PowerPoint presentation in English. Student evaluations indicated that they broadened their awareness, learned about different ethnic groups, found the project enjoyable and useful.

Elementary-level art instruction in Japan and U.S. was compared to investigate differences in the pedagogy behind art education in the two cultures. First and fifth grade art classes were observed in a public elementary school in Japan, and kindergarten and fifth grade art classes were observed in a New England public elementary school in the U.S. Art teachers were interviewed about their goals in art education, their pedagogy on teaching art, and how success is measured. The paper highlights the differences in the areas of imparting technical skills and emphasis on process versus output.

This study aims to develop a deeper understanding of the acculturation experiences of first generation Japanese American women. Ten Japanese women, ages 58 to 76, who reside in the New England area of the United States, were interviewed for the study. The women had entered the U.S. between 1948 and 1977, and had lived in the U.S. for an average of 39.2 years. Analysis of the interviews revealed four narrative patterns for relating their acculturation experience:(1) Becoming American; (2) "I Can Be Myself Here"; (3) Creating a Cultural Niche; and (4) "I am a Guest." The findings of the present study enrich the existing literature by demonstrating the importance of pre-emigration enculturation, person-environment fit, and the meaning of the host language, as shaping the acculturation process, all of which have not received sufficient attention in psychological studies of cultural transitions.

This study examined Chinese American youths' perceptions of their non-Asian peers' views and behaviors toward them. In 4 focus groups, 22 Chinese Americans (ages 11 to 15) described specific relational experiences that were analyzed thematically. Three major themes related to racial discrimination emerged: (1) descriptions of stereotyping experiences; (2) descriptions of harassment or discriminatory experiences; and (3) meaning-making or explanations of why discrimination and stereotyping occur. These data can help guide future research on Asian American youths' peer relationships to gain insight into their experiences, reactions to, and understanding of subtle yet potent forms of discrimination. Implications for future research and intervention are also discussed.