Constructs For Understanding Japan

First published in 1989. This volume has emerged from the International Colloquium on the Comparative Study of Japanese Society. Held at Noosa Heads in Queensland from 29 January to 6 February 1982, the colloquium brought together participants from eight countries to discuss about thirty papers. The participants came with a common sense of dissatisfaction with the 'group model' or 'consensus-oriented theories' as a means of understanding Japanese society. The papers and discussion focused on alternative approaches for conceptualizing Japanese society and on methodological issues in the comparative study of Japanese society.

Yoshio Sugimoto Professor of Sociology and Dean of Social Sciences at La Trobe University, Melbourne, Ross E. Mouer Senior Lecturer in Japanese Studies, Monash University Melbourne.