Dear readers,

We are pleased to announce the upcoming conference "Aso 2.0 and Beyond", hosted by the Department of East Asian Studies - Japanese Studies at the University of Vienna. The conference will begin with an opening event on October 31, 2024, followed by the main sessions from November 1st to 2nd, 2024.

This conference will mark the conclusion of a decade of collaborative research into well-being and rural society in Japan. Researchers from various disciplines will present their findings and reflect on their experiences working within a multidisciplinary team. Discussions will focus on unexpected developments and new research clusters, with particular attention given to how communities have coped with natural disasters and the Covid-19 pandemic. The event will bring together core team members, associate researchers, and graduate students to enhance the understanding of individual and collective contributions within the larger framework of the Aso 2.0 research initiative. Further information and the detailed programme incl. abstracts can be found at the following link: https://japan.univie.ac.at/aso-and-beyond/

Best regards,
Univ.-Prof. Mag. Dr. Wolfram Manzenreiter
Anna Linder, BA MA

Department of East Asian Studies, Japanese Studies, University of
Vienna, Austria



Conference programme:

Thursday, Oct 31

18-20.00: Kick-off event
     "You'll never walk alone?" The meaning of social relations and belonging for happiness in rural Japan (Wolfram MANZENREITER)

Reception


Friday, Nov 1

09-10.30: Social networks and well-being
      Social capital and subjective well-being in rural Japan (Stefan HUNDSDORFER)
      Overcoming the concept of a closed rural society: Multiple mobilities of urban-rural migrants in Aso's neighboring communities (Cornelia REIHER)
      Rural areas on the rise of popularity?: Community and well-being in the Nangō Valley in Kumamoto (Antonia MISERKA)

Coffee break

11-12.30: Women actors  of happiness in rural Japan
     Happiness of female lifestyle migrants to depopulated settlements: A case study from Shiga Prefecture (Shunsuke TAKEDA)
     Well-being amongst multiple responsibilities: Mothers of the Aso region (Johanna MAYR)
     In the shadow of another volcano: Elderly women's well-being in Sakurajima (Lenka MIYANOHARA)

Lunch break

14.-15.30: Rural spaces beyond municipal boundaries
     Governing in-migration: Regional management organizations as gatekeepers and agents of integration for urban-rural migrants (Hanno JENTZSCH)
     Rural well-being and diversity in contemporary Japan: Of foreign, single and nomad lifestyle migrants (Susanne KLIEN)
     Complementing rural field work by using secondary statistics: Potentials and limitations in the Aso context (Ralph LÜTZELER)

Coffee break

16.-17.30: Mobilization of social resources
     One crisis after another - Finding ways to overcome the impacts of compounded disasters and challenges in struggling rural areas (Signy GOTO-SPLETZER)
     From well-being to spaces of resilience in the Aso region (Sebastian POLAK-ROTTMANN)
     Exploring the role perception of healthcare workers in rural Japan (Melanie STEINBRUGGER)

19-22.00 Dinner


Saturday, Nov 2

09-10.30: Utilization of natural and heritage resources
     Sustaining the Aso region: Challenges and strategies in the circular and ecological sphere (Tomohiro ICHINOSE)
     Conservation of the Aso grasslands: Assessing the feasibility of policies utilizing social capital (Shinya UENO)
     Natural disasters and regional revival in Aso (Kyosuke KASHIWAGI)

Coffee break

11-12.30: New topics emerging
     Stumbling upon furry friends in Aso: Transitioning to studying Japan's urban-rural divide through the lens of pets (Barbara HOLTHUS)
     A sociable personality and sociocentrism in Japan: The role of extraversion in securing social support resources and emic relational well-being (Dionyssios ASKITIS)
     The making and remaking of heterotopias in rural Gifu: Actor-network analysis of globalized space usage (Stefan BÖCKL)

Lunch break

14-15.30: Looking back, looking forward: Beyond Aso 2.0
     Well-being in rural life in Kyushu: One family's perspective (Joy HENDRY)
     Future shock and the Aso region (Johannes WILHELM)
     Aso Archives Initiative and Aso 1.0, University of Vienna. The potential of Aso as a meeting point for various academic disciplines (Naoki HARUTA)
     A long-term perspective beyond Aso 2.0: Wrap-up and next steps (Wolfram MANZENREITER)