On March 19th, 2024 (18.00h JST / 10.00h CET) Professor Tenzer will lead a study group at the German Institute for Japanese Studies, presenting a research project conducted in collaboration with Professor Markus Pudelko (Tübingen University). Based on 125 interviews with Japanese women who face incompatible expectations for their roles in their professional and private lives, this project explores how career-minded Japanese women experience and respond to identity conflict. Findings suggest that they react to identity conflict with different identity work strategies: Individuals may either sacrifice their career ambitions or forego starting a family; alternatively, they might attempt to reconcile professional and personal role expectations by relinquishing perfectionism in both spheres, or seek partners whose personal expectations align more closely with their career objectives. While these strategies may resolve incompatible external role expectations, the study reveals that they do not effectively diminish internalized dilemmas. As a result of these persisting dilemma situations, many Japanese women experience increasingly entrenched negative emotions such as regret, guilt, frustration and disempowerment. Possible solutions to resolve the dilemma will be discussed.
Details about the study group and online registration can be found here.
For more information about the German Institute for Japanese Studies and its event, please see here.