NEWS

2022.05.26

The second AJI Book Launch was held! Professor Toriyama Junko talked about her new book.

On May 20, 2022, a Book Launch was held online by the Asian-Japan Research Institute, featuring a new Japanese book written by Professor Junko Toriyama (College of International Relations, Ritsumeikan University) entitled「私らしさ」の民族誌：現代エジプトの女性、格差、欲望 which translates as The Ethnography of “Persona”: Women, Inequality and Desire in Contemporary Egypt, published by Shumpusha.

This book is unique in the sense that it focuses on three female colleagues with whom Professor Toriyama had worked at the American School in Cairo, Egypt from 2007 to 2008, and in this book, she delves into the persona that each of them tried to create. In her introduction to this book, she enthusiastically explained how she made some major changes to the doctoral dissertation she had written in 2015, and why she decided to describe herself as the author of this book even if it meant abandoning the academic sophistication of her arguments. In making these changes, she emphasized the meaning of reaffirming the purpose of life to survive with others, and requestioned the premise of academic independence.

During the Q&A session, young researchers offered enthusiastic comments and questions about her unique methodology, and it was clear that this book provided great hints and encouragement, making this a very meaningful Book Launch. We, the Asia-Japan Research Institute, would like to express our appreciation to everyone who participated in this event.

Professor Toriyama talking about her book

Attendees for this Book Launch