Research Interests
- Geographical Areas of Specialization: Japan, Caribbean
Topical Interests: Contemporary Japan, African Diaspora, Race, Social Identity, Afro-Asia, Performance Studies, Transnationalism, Human Rights
My research centers on the popularity of a range of Jamaican cultural forms in Japan, mainly roots reggae, dancehall reggae, and Rastafari. I approach this research from several theoretical perspectives. I use performance studies, for instance, to ethnographically explore the issues of social power—particularly those surrounding life in recessionary Japan—that inform Japanese performative engagement with these cultural forms.
In a more recent line of research, I have shifted geographical perspectives from Japan to explore the Japanese community in Jamaica, one primarily centered on an interest in learning Jamaican culture at its source. In a second, new line of research, I trace the development of human rights discourse in Jamaica, particularly on the grassroots level.
Topical Interests:
- Contemporary Japan, African Diaspora, Race, Social Identity, Afro-Asia, Performance Studies, Transnationalism, Human Rights
Research Areas:
- Japan; Jamaica; race; cultural globalization; identity; performance; human rights
