A new research article titled “The Neighborhood as Refuge: Dignity, Inclusiveness, and Critical Observation in Takeda Rintarō’s 'Kamagasaki'” by Assistant Professor Ran Wei (Research and International Expansion Unit, CIJS) has been published in positions: asia critique, an international journal published by Duke University Press.

positions: asia critique is an internationally recognized interdisciplinary journal that advances critical and theoretically informed approaches to Asian studies and the humanities.

■ Article Abstract

This article examines Osaka writer Takeda Rintarō’s 1933 novella "Kamagasaki" and its representation of one of Japan’s most historically marginalized urban communities. It introduces the concept of the “compassionate participant” to show how Takeda moves beyond conventional urban observers and foregrounds the internal voices, dignity, and resilience of Kamagasaki’s residents. By analyzing literary representations of poverty, homelessness, and social segregation, the article demonstrates how the novella challenges dominant stereotypes of urban margins.

■ Publication Details

• Journal: positions: asia critique (Volume 34, Issue 3)

• Publisher: Duke University Press

• Title: The Neighborhood as Refuge: Dignity, Inclusiveness, and Critical Observation in Takeda Rintarō’s "Kamagasaki"

• Author: Ran Wei (Assistant Professor, Center for Integrated Japanese Studies, Tohoku University)

• Article Link (Duke University Press):

  https://read.dukeupress.edu/positions/article-abstract/34/3/437/410841/The-Neighborhood-as-Refuge-Dignity-Inclusiveness