Our next lecture in our Exploring the World of Japanese Studies talk series is taking place at Cambridge University! If you are someone with a general interest in Japanese culture and society, or a sixth form student or current university student, either studying Japanese language or with an interest in learning more about Japan, please come along.

Talk Description
The Japanese language is famously complex due to its use of three scripts: hiragana, katakana, and kanji. However, this variety has also added to the richness and potential for multiple kinds of wordplay.

In this lecture, Professor Laura Moretti and Dr Vicky Young will introduce a range of works of Japanese literature from the early modern era to the present day, that play with script, words and other textual features. Is play deployed to make a point? If not, how do we make of sense of textual strategies that appear devoid of any purpose? How does engagement with playful texts enrich, maybe even challenges, our understanding of Japanese literature?

Together we will explore answers to these questions and reflect on how apparently similar literary techniques may lead to different forms of readers’ engagement.

This event is free to attend but registration is essential.

Booking Essential | Admission Free