Mita Philosophy Society Lecture: Bridging Medicine and the Humanities and Social Sciences 14, "Expectations for Technology: High-Rise Buildings, Migrant Workers, and Dystopia in Bangkok"

2019/12/3

Lecture Abstract: Dr. Daena Furuhashi of the Department of Anthropology at the University of California, Berkeley, has been conducting anthropological research on stress management technologies in Finland.

In this lecture, she will report on the use of methamphetamine among Cambodian migrant workers at construction sites in Thailand.

This stimulant, known in 20th-century Japan as "Hiropon," was used to keep soldiers awake, reduce fatigue,

and boost morale during the war.

During the postwar reconstruction period, its use became widespread not only in the entertainment and literary worlds but also as a drug to secure cheap labor

and improve efficiency.

In Japan, however, its addictive and harmful effects became a problem, and the trend as a social phenomenon subsided after the Ministry of Health and Welfare

designated it as a powerful drug.

Even today, the use of stimulants to improve work efficiency and enhance creativity is seen around the world.

Considering that since the turn of the 21st century, various psychotropic drugs have been used by a wide range of age groups and social classes for purposes beyond their original intent (i.e., to suppress pathological symptoms),

the situation in Thailand is by no means unique.

Based on this global context surrounding drugs, Dr. Furuhashi will present her research on labor and

global health and offer an anthropological perspective on the interaction between humans and the

chemical substances created to overcome the limits of labor. This lecture is supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C) 19K01205.