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Commercial connections: the affective labour of creating social atmosphere at maid cafes in the Akihabara neighbourhood of Tokyo, Japan

Braun, Oliver (2024) COSM40 20241
Centre for East and South-East Asian Studies, Lund University
Abstract
The Aim of this thesis was to answer the research question “what are the actors that create an social atmosphere and how do these actors collectively form and maintain the affective atmosphere at maid cafes”. This was done by explaining the modern life in japan with muen shakai, and the collapse of the traditional family structure. This was then put in connection to an explanation of previous research on maid cafes. The data was collected through ethnographic research using participant observation. The data was collected from two maid cafes in the Akihabara, Tokyo, Japan. data was also collected from Instagram posts from the maids and the cafes. The theoretical framework was Affect, affective labour and atmosphere. In the analysis it was... (More)
The Aim of this thesis was to answer the research question “what are the actors that create an social atmosphere and how do these actors collectively form and maintain the affective atmosphere at maid cafes”. This was done by explaining the modern life in japan with muen shakai, and the collapse of the traditional family structure. This was then put in connection to an explanation of previous research on maid cafes. The data was collected through ethnographic research using participant observation. The data was collected from two maid cafes in the Akihabara, Tokyo, Japan. data was also collected from Instagram posts from the maids and the cafes. The theoretical framework was Affect, affective labour and atmosphere. In the analysis it was determined that the actors who played a main role in creating atmosphere were Maids, consumer goods, and space. These were able to create a social atmosphere by interconnectedly interacting and affective the body of the guest. The maids through conversations and rituals, the items by engaging the maids to give affective response or the guests. And the space by being used to contain the atmosphere within the space allowing the maid cafe’s atmosphere to uninterruptedly affect the guests. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Braun, Oliver
supervisor
organization
course
COSM40 20241
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Maid cafe’s, Affect, Affective labour, atmosphere, Japan, ethnography, participant observation, auto- ethnographic
language
English
id
9175874
date added to LUP
2024-10-02 14:59:08
date last changed
2024-10-02 14:59:08
@misc{9175874,
  abstract     = {{The Aim of this thesis was to answer the research question “what are the actors that create an social atmosphere and how do these actors collectively form and maintain the affective atmosphere at maid cafes”. This was done by explaining the modern life in japan with muen shakai, and the collapse of the traditional family structure. This was then put in connection to an explanation of previous research on maid cafes. The data was collected through ethnographic research using participant observation. The data was collected from two maid cafes in the Akihabara, Tokyo, Japan. data was also collected from Instagram posts from the maids and the cafes. The theoretical framework was Affect, affective labour and atmosphere. In the analysis it was determined that the actors who played a main role in creating atmosphere were Maids, consumer goods, and space. These were able to create a social atmosphere by interconnectedly interacting and affective the body of the guest. The maids through conversations and rituals, the items by engaging the maids to give affective response or the guests. And the space by being used to contain the atmosphere within the space allowing the maid cafe’s atmosphere to uninterruptedly affect the guests.}},
  author       = {{Braun, Oliver}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Commercial connections: the affective labour of creating social atmosphere at maid cafes in the Akihabara neighbourhood of Tokyo, Japan}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}