Journalism of "Voiceless Voices": How to Scoop Up Minority Opinions

2024/09/11

How can we mediate subjective "voiceless voices" that are submerged and scattered deep within society, create solidarity, and influence society? How can this gain legitimacy in a mass society? In this book, I have attempted to reposition journalism practice from these perspectives.

While studying at Keio University, my interest lay in the fact that vague and personal experiences, such as developmental disabilities, were not being brought to the table for public discussion. I felt an increasing sense of discomfort that issues excluded within the value systems created by social structures were being discussed as isolated, specific cases. Instead, I felt a need for cross-sectional political practices where people facing various "difficulties in living" could interact and challenge society. With this awareness, I noticed a welfare program called "Heart Net TV," which is one of the case studies in this book. By using the term "difficulty in living" in an impactful way, the program attempts to express various subjective experiences as shareable and send a message to society. This book aims to re-examine journalism through such cultural practices.

In the process, I also came to consider the legitimacy of journalism practice. Like the eugenics ideology seen in the Sagamihara stabbings at a care home for the disabled, the blueprint for liberation where "anyone can speak out to society" has been swallowed up by hegemonic platforms. As a result, what has come to the fore is not "what is right," but "what feels natural and plausible" (authenticity).

Faced with this "anything goes" situation, this book seriously considers the contradictions that arise when attempting a strategy of competing on the grounds of "authenticity" within the relationship between mass cultural practices and journalism.

Furthermore, I was fortunate to be able to publish this book with a grant from the Keio University Academic Publication Fund. I would like to express my gratitude for being able to publish my research results through Keio University, which has supported me in many ways.

Journalism of "Voiceless Voices": How to Scoop Up Minority Opinions

Akira Tanaka

Keio University Press

288 pages, 3,520 yen (tax included)

*Affiliations and titles are as of the time of publication.