To Whom Does the University Belong? | Akira Wakita, Dean of the Faculty of Environment and Information Studies
2021.06.22
On-campus classes resumed this week. Some students are reading quietly alone in front of Gulliver Pond (Kamoike), while others are chatting happily in the lounge. They all look like they're having a good time. I found myself greeting students as I passed by. Perhaps my whole body is trying to make up for something that was missing from communication through a monitor. The students greeted me back with cheerful voices, and I felt that some of the gloom that had clung to my heart over the past few months had lifted a little.
I wandered around campus a bit more and caught a few faculty and staff members for a brief chat (though some of them looked a bit annoyed). I got the impression that everyone is trying to make this space as comfortable and pleasant as possible. I was reminded once again of how important informal, aimless dialogue and conversation are in forming a society.
The people who run the Co-op, Tablier, and Subway also seem to be eagerly awaiting the students' return. Since I was wandering around in the morning, it still felt a bit deserted, but around lunchtime, I could see students coming out of their classrooms after finishing their lessons. I think it will take time, but I believe the on-campus market will gradually regain its vitality.
It is said that the Omi merchants valued "sanpo-yoshi" (three-way satisfaction). They believed that in business, it is important for the store, the customer, and society to all be satisfied. Needless to say, "sanpo-yoshi" is also important in a university, and we should always be mindful of what is good for students, good for faculty and staff, and good for society. We must not lose sight of what is important by only looking toward the authorities.
Speaking of the authorities, the lifting of the state of emergency was announced, and a little bit of richness has returned to our lives. I never thought that blackouts and prohibition would come in this day and age, but under the "manbo" (quasi-state of emergency measures), there was a request to limit alcohol consumption to groups of two or fewer for no more than 90 minutes... what a drag. There is no doubt that citizens make up a city, but on the other hand, the past year has made it clear once again that only those in power can freely control the city.
There are various activities in the context of cities and citizens, but in the world of contemporary art, street art is gaining attention. Considering its connection to hip-hop culture, these activities have actually existed for a long time, but they probably started gaining attention in Japan after a Banksy stencil was found on a floodgate in Tokyo and the governor of Tokyo tweeted about it. On the other hand, it is said that the reason street art has gained attention worldwide is because of the profound question it raises: 'To whom does the city belong?'
In modern times, only the national and local governments, and developers in the construction industry, can freely shape the city. Citizens are not allowed to freely paint pictures in the streets, place benches, or do anything but consume the city prepared by those in power. It was in this context that graffiti and mural writers emerged, trying to reclaim their city. Many street artists come from impoverished areas, and the act of painting in the streets likely spread as a form of resistance to development that threatened their livelihoods and as the only means of expression left to them. It is easy to make simplistic criticisms, calling it illegal or guerrilla activity, but we need to look at the root causes of why they resorted to such activities. I believe the greatest challenge for future urban policy is to design ways to involve the oppressed in urban planning.
So, to whom does the university belong? Now that the COVID-19 pandemic has clearly visualized who can and cannot freely use the campus, it is time to face this question anew. If we do not aim for what is good for students, good for faculty and staff, and good for society, it will leave an irreparable source of trouble. We must have a dialogue with the oppressed, and we must involve them in the design process.