The first part is a suggestion for how you might outline the

presentation.

As part of your introduction, after you give the introduction to concepts

that you already worked on:

... it is of interest to examine how these differences in the social construction

of shame between Japan and the U.S. are manifested within the

main social institutions of the two cultures:

(maybe just use a few that you have the most material on -

I think politics, religion, and media would be good)

Education

are Japanese students more serious than American students?

- maybe related to shame/ group frame

Economy

presidents of businesses?

Politics

presidential scandals

Family

Religion

Catholics - confess sins (guilt) individually to priest

Media

Jerry Springer- maybe trying to reestablish a form of shame in

American pop-culture

(the important role of the audience in applauding

good behavior and chastising bad behavior)

I don't know where you can fit this:

Use of alcohol - in U.S. people use it to reduce their

inhibitions or their feelings of shame while they act

stupid and as an excuse to reduce feelings of guilt

after they are sober, "Oh well, I was drunk"

what about Japan?

different constructions of acceptable behavior for a drunk person

(Keel Alcohol, drugs and society / Smith Soc. Psych)

I thought it would be good to mention the names of the

sociologists whose ideas these use and the professors

and classes where the material was presented to help

the students in the audience recognize and relate the

concepts as well as spark some interest.

Maybe it will show them what they can do with what

they already know.

I think it also may be good to give small definitions of terms

(like primary/secondary group) as you discuss them.

#1 (Thanks to Keel intro to soc lectures)

Durkheim

anomie = weak normative structure:

In U.S., guilt must be proven formally

(and even then guilt is questionable --> Clinton, OJ)

... boundaries are ambiguous

(formal laws are supposed to be clear but are not --> irrationality of rationality (Ritzer))

The highest rate of teen suicide in the U.S. is among gay teens.

gender role ambiguity

vs.

altruism = strong integrative structure

In Japan, shame is recognized as real by all,

maintains strict boundaries of right/wrong behavior

(the rite of hari cari?)

#2 (Thanks to Keel intro to soc and Guess sociological theory lectures)

Charles Horton Cooley

Possibly in Japanese culture, there is a recreation of primary group

(mechanical solidarity) relations within secondary groups (organic solidarity)

that does not occur in U.S. and other Western cultures.

Max Weber

Possibly this is linked to a higher level of rationality developed in the West

(Maybe you want to also relate "Capitalism and the Protestant Work Ethic".

could be useful in the religion section if you contrast to Japanese religion)

---> shame and informal social control is not easily maintained in

bureaucratic organizations because shame is not efficient when providing for the

consistency, accountability, impersonality and written rules and regulations

that are required within (ideal type) bureaucratic organizations.

Although shame may be a more "humane" means of control, it does not fit well

within the Western rational system.

#3 (thanks to Weathers sociology of conflict lectures)

Georg Simmel

Lewis Coser in "The Functions of Social Conflict" states that the higher the degree of

group cohesion, the greater the incidence of aggressive behavior.

This reflects the influence of cultural norms on the expression of aggression.

If we can view shame as an aggressive means by which the group responds

to the improper behavior of an individual within the group, we would expect to

find greater use of shame in rigid cultures such as Japan than in the comparatively

less rigid U.S.

Safety valve institutions provide an outlet for the release of hostilities. The need for

safety valves increases with rigidity.

In Japan, suicide is a safety valve and provides a realistic (directed at object of hostility)

means of conflict resolution.

Business owner --> kills himself

President --> resigns immediately--> political suicide

In the U.S., with its less rigid group structure,

different means of conflict resolution are used.

Clinton --> media spindoctors

Americans play with reality, Japanese accept it