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Date of Award

Spring 2012

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Major

International Studies

First Advisor

Professor Jeffrey Bayliss

Abstract

It serves as common knowledge for students of Japanese history that throughout Japan’s feudal history, sexual relationships between men was just another part of Japanese society. It was essentially institutionalized within the samurai class under the name wakashudo but was also practiced throughout all levels of Japanese society. Observers of contemporary Japanese society are also familiar with the ever growing gay community in Japan. Scholars of Japanese history and culture have described Japan in having a long history in “homosexuality” as a result of these facts. That is where many stop in their analysis of male sexuality in Japan and those that continue write about male sexuality from historical perspectives. I wanted to research what those authors wrote about the history of male sexuality as well as male sexuality in Japanese contemporary society. My reasoning in doing this was to attempt to provide a more complete analysis of male-male sexuality in Japan and learn what that that particular sexual relationship might say about society as a whole.

Comments

Senior thesis completed at Trinity College for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in International Studies. Accessible to members of the Trinity community only.

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