Fushimi Inari Taisha
Teamlab Borderless Tokyo
About me
My name is Mingyang Li, a senior student at University of Washington. My major is Economics, and I am interested in public policy, international relations, and various social issues such as gender and income inequality around the world. My past research is about population aging and pension system reforms in Japan and in this summer program, I am conducting a research on the Industry-Academia-Universtiy tie and University affiliated venture capital businesses in Japan. I am a fan of photography and jazz music, and I always say "I have insects phobia" whenever people ask me about a fun fact about me. Being inspired by every little moment in your life is my motto.
Kiyomizu-dera
About the program
The program is called Japanese National Identity at the Crossroads: Contested Borders, Shifting politics. It is an interdisciplinary study abroad program that "explores the complex and evolving web of narratives surrounding Japanese national identity." Throughout the program, we have been discussing some pressing issues in Japan such as national security, economic decline, and gender inequality. Our topics range from religions, democracy, race to internationalization and social movement. We also explore the history of mixed race Japanese and reflect on different narratives related to the formation of both personal and national identity.