Annali di Ca’ Foscari. Serie orientale

Rivista | Annali di Ca’ Foscari. Serie orientale
Fascicolo | 54 | 2018
Articolo | Help the Poor, Help Ourselves

Help the Poor, Help Ourselves

Merging Individual and Collective Interests in the Official Discourse on Japanese ODA since 2000

Abstract

Japanese ODA has attracted much attention in the last three decades. This paper aims to shed light on the intellectual evolution of the official discourse on Japanese ODA based on the analysis of two main ‘modes of thought’ at the foundation of it, namely national interest and international affiliation. Based on a detailed content analysis of official documents and public debates, the paper will take the role of institutional actors – Japanese political leaders, foreign ministers and intellectuals – into consideration. The role of such “entrepreneurs” has been crucial for shaping the current official discourse on Japanese foreign aid. The paper will argue, in fact, that the official discourse is a juxtaposition of two clashing ideas carefully shaped to enlarge the consensus (both domestic and external) toward the Japanese government’s policies.


Open access | Peer reviewed

Presentato: 16 Gennaio 2018 | Accettato: 28 Maggio 2018 | Pubblicato 25 Giugno 2018 | Lingua: en

Keywords DiscourseJapanese foreign aidPublic policyInternational developmentIdeasSociology of knowledge


Leggi questo articolo