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Selling successful futures: lived experiences and promotional material of the shingakujuku industry in Tokyo

Sihvonen, Lisa (2024) COSM40 20241
Centre for East and South-East Asian Studies, Lund University
Abstract
This thesis analyzes lived experiences from former juku students as well as promotional material produced by three shingakujuku (Nichinōken, Yotsuya Ōtsuka, Sapix) aimed at the private junior high school entrance examinations in Japan. The research questions aims to investigate the framing of the future and outcome of attending juku as well as how former students reflect on their own experience and their thought process enrolling potential children in juku. In total, nine interviews were conducted with former juku students and then analyzed in order to find shared themes. The thesis uses discourse analysis as the method of analysis and contemplates Hofstede’s Power Distance theory as adapted by Tu, et al. (2022) in relation to the... (More)
This thesis analyzes lived experiences from former juku students as well as promotional material produced by three shingakujuku (Nichinōken, Yotsuya Ōtsuka, Sapix) aimed at the private junior high school entrance examinations in Japan. The research questions aims to investigate the framing of the future and outcome of attending juku as well as how former students reflect on their own experience and their thought process enrolling potential children in juku. In total, nine interviews were conducted with former juku students and then analyzed in order to find shared themes. The thesis uses discourse analysis as the method of analysis and contemplates Hofstede’s Power Distance theory as adapted by Tu, et al. (2022) in relation to the material. The thesis finds that former students are mostly able to self rationalize their experiences and see their attendance as something positive. When contemplating their future children, most expressed a desire to respect their children’s wishes and to follow their lead. Seven out of nine interviewees had experience as a teacher at juku, signaling a life-long connection to the industry playing different roles (student, teacher, parent). Regarding the promotional material, the juku link their services with access to private school, skill acquisition, and future possibilities to attract customers. (Less)
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author
Sihvonen, Lisa
supervisor
organization
course
COSM40 20241
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
juku, cram school, shadow education, educational marketing, Japanese education, shingakujuku
language
English
id
9175496
date added to LUP
2024-09-26 15:09:16
date last changed
2024-09-27 10:35:18
@misc{9175496,
  abstract     = {{This thesis analyzes lived experiences from former juku students as well as promotional material produced by three shingakujuku (Nichinōken, Yotsuya Ōtsuka, Sapix) aimed at the private junior high school entrance examinations in Japan. The research questions aims to investigate the framing of the future and outcome of attending juku as well as how former students reflect on their own experience and their thought process enrolling potential children in juku. In total, nine interviews were conducted with former juku students and then analyzed in order to find shared themes. The thesis uses discourse analysis as the method of analysis and contemplates Hofstede’s Power Distance theory as adapted by Tu, et al. (2022) in relation to the material. The thesis finds that former students are mostly able to self rationalize their experiences and see their attendance as something positive. When contemplating their future children, most expressed a desire to respect their children’s wishes and to follow their lead. Seven out of nine interviewees had experience as a teacher at juku, signaling a life-long connection to the industry playing different roles (student, teacher, parent). Regarding the promotional material, the juku link their services with access to private school, skill acquisition, and future possibilities to attract customers.}},
  author       = {{Sihvonen, Lisa}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Selling successful futures: lived experiences and promotional material of the shingakujuku industry in Tokyo}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}