Japanese Narratives in Kuwait: Pursuing Cultural Revival Through Media in 1964
Scholars have predominantly studied Kuwait’s cultural ties with Western and regional powers, neglecting Asian relations. Therefore, this article examines the narratives between Kuwait and Japan in the period following Kuwait’s independence in 1961. During the sixties, English-language media were inf...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Centre Français d’Archéologie et de Sciences Sociales de Sanaa
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Arabian Humanities |
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| Online Access: | https://journals.openedition.org/arabianhumanities/15197 |
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| author | Mauricio Duarte |
| author_facet | Mauricio Duarte |
| author_sort | Mauricio Duarte |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Scholars have predominantly studied Kuwait’s cultural ties with Western and regional powers, neglecting Asian relations. Therefore, this article examines the narratives between Kuwait and Japan in the period following Kuwait’s independence in 1961. During the sixties, English-language media were influential in introducing Japanese content into the Gulf region. Thus, by focusing on the travel chronicles about Japan published in the Kuwait Times newspaper by its editor, Yousef S. Al-Alyan, this article analyzes the representations of Japanese modernization across Asia. We argue that Al-Alyan presents a Japanese cultural syncretism as a formula for a cultural revival that enables transformative processes while preserving national heritage. From this perspective, Japan is portrayed as a gateway to efficiency, comfort, entertainment, and knowledge without compromising traditions. Al-Alyan sheds light on the Japanese cultural policy, commercial openness, thriving press, and democratic guarantees, enriching the possibilities of the Asian imaginary in Kuwait. This article contributes to our understanding of Kuwaiti modernity within the framework of Asian regionalism and its foreign cultural influences. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d5d95ada2e024b98bfd785243dec5a6d |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2308-6122 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Centre Français d’Archéologie et de Sciences Sociales de Sanaa |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Arabian Humanities |
| spelling | doaj-art-d5d95ada2e024b98bfd785243dec5a6d2025-08-20T03:08:12ZengCentre Français d’Archéologie et de Sciences Sociales de SanaaArabian Humanities2308-61222025-02-012010.4000/13vgtJapanese Narratives in Kuwait: Pursuing Cultural Revival Through Media in 1964Mauricio DuarteScholars have predominantly studied Kuwait’s cultural ties with Western and regional powers, neglecting Asian relations. Therefore, this article examines the narratives between Kuwait and Japan in the period following Kuwait’s independence in 1961. During the sixties, English-language media were influential in introducing Japanese content into the Gulf region. Thus, by focusing on the travel chronicles about Japan published in the Kuwait Times newspaper by its editor, Yousef S. Al-Alyan, this article analyzes the representations of Japanese modernization across Asia. We argue that Al-Alyan presents a Japanese cultural syncretism as a formula for a cultural revival that enables transformative processes while preserving national heritage. From this perspective, Japan is portrayed as a gateway to efficiency, comfort, entertainment, and knowledge without compromising traditions. Al-Alyan sheds light on the Japanese cultural policy, commercial openness, thriving press, and democratic guarantees, enriching the possibilities of the Asian imaginary in Kuwait. This article contributes to our understanding of Kuwaiti modernity within the framework of Asian regionalism and its foreign cultural influences.https://journals.openedition.org/arabianhumanities/15197Kuwaitarab journalismJapanmodernizationGulf diplomacysyncretism. |
| spellingShingle | Mauricio Duarte Japanese Narratives in Kuwait: Pursuing Cultural Revival Through Media in 1964 Arabian Humanities Kuwait arab journalism Japan modernization Gulf diplomacy syncretism. |
| title | Japanese Narratives in Kuwait: Pursuing Cultural Revival Through Media in 1964 |
| title_full | Japanese Narratives in Kuwait: Pursuing Cultural Revival Through Media in 1964 |
| title_fullStr | Japanese Narratives in Kuwait: Pursuing Cultural Revival Through Media in 1964 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Japanese Narratives in Kuwait: Pursuing Cultural Revival Through Media in 1964 |
| title_short | Japanese Narratives in Kuwait: Pursuing Cultural Revival Through Media in 1964 |
| title_sort | japanese narratives in kuwait pursuing cultural revival through media in 1964 |
| topic | Kuwait arab journalism Japan modernization Gulf diplomacy syncretism. |
| url | https://journals.openedition.org/arabianhumanities/15197 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mauricioduarte japanesenarrativesinkuwaitpursuingculturalrevivalthroughmediain1964 |