Negotiating multiple identities pp 131-159 | Cite as
Results (The Second Phase of Research): Japanese Former Returnees in Industry
Abstract
In this chapter, I have reported the results for four research participants out of my second phase of research. The second phase of research is meaningful as it reflects how the general public perceive returnees and how the former returnees react to the image that has been created and perpetuated for a long time. The following three findings should be noted.
First, all of the participants reported in this chapter faced the general public image of returnees as being fluent in English. Being fluent in English on occasions limited them in going beyond ‘someone being good at English’. Therefore, each of them acquired their own way of survival respectively.
Second, as former returnees, they have become more face-conscious than before. Some of them not only became concerned about their own face but also the face of people surrounding them. By speaking ‘good English’, they could make it clear that he is a former returnee and that the rest of the people cannot communicate in English as well as they can.
Third, if a person has a sense of shame and loses face in one category of identity, he/she has to restore pride and face within the same category of identity. For example, one of the participants was able to wipe off her shame as a returnee by improving her English. However, that did not help her cope with shame as a woman even if her English improved.
Keywords
North America Junior High School Female Worker Female Employee English TeacherReferences
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