Bio

Yoshihiro Yasuhara's primary research explores the relationship between aesthetic expression and social realities, grounded in the field of comparative literature with a focus on modern Japanese culture in a transnational context. 

One area of his work examines the writings of Ishikawa, analyzing his search for a locus of literary reality as an alternative to dominant historiographies of modern Japan. This research argues that Ishikawa’s literature reflects a deep social commitment through literary experimentation, highlighting his reimagining of the Japanese avant-garde in dialogue with Western movements and debates surrounding history and literature within the broader trajectory of Japanese modernity.

A second area of Dr. Yasuhara's interest focuses on Japanese culture and society in the 1980s, specifically the intersection of advertising tropes and modern Japanese poetry.He explores how the critical writings of cultural critic Amano Yukichi on advertising intersect with the poetic works of Tanikawa Shuntaro, revealing a layered interplay between commercial and literary discourses during this period.

His third line of research investigates the concept of minority identity in Japan, moving beyond conventional definitions. Dr. Yasuhara is particularly interested in how marginalized voices in Japanese society expose overlooked social issues, challenge prevailing artistic norms and help chart new directions in the country’s cultural landscape.

Department Member Since 2010