Many students of Japanese language and culture have their first encounter with Japanese culture via videogames, manga, or anime. These resources can be useful tools in Japanese culture courses because they are relatable and accessible forms of media. In this 60 minute presentation, Dr. Rachael Hutchinson discusses how videogames can used in Japanese culture courses, the various kinds of games that can be used, the logistics of using videogames as a teaching tool, and the benefits of using videogames in the classroom.
Rachael Hutchinson is an Associate Professor in Japanese Studies at the University of Delaware. Her research interests include representations of Japanese identity in film, literature, manga,and video games, as well as areas such as Orientalism, Occidentalism, and censorship issues in the literature of Nagai Kafu and the films of Kurosawa Akira. She is also interested in the representation of Japanese history in manga and videogames. Dr. Hutchinson has published articles in Monumenta Nipponica, Japan Forum, The Journal of New Media and Culture, and Games and Culture. Her most recent publication is The Routledge Handbook of Japanese Literature, co-edited with Leith Morton.