Japan Creative Centre (JCC) is pleased to present the special lecture, "After Convenience: Konbini, Culture, and Japan’s Social Infrastructure in the Wake of 3.11" by Dr. Gavin Whitelaw, Associate Professor of Anthropology at the International Christian University in Tokyo, Japan.

In Japan, convenience stores, or konbini, set the standard for fast mass customer service and “localized” global retail. Formally introduced to the island nation in the 1970s, the American convenience store franchise model and associated distribution system have restructured Japanese retail, transforming the neighborhood corner shop into a competitive commercial force with global ties and mass appeal.

In this lecture, Dr. Whitelaw will explore the cultural dimensions to this mundane retail space and discuss how this compact commercial site has helped redefine notions of convenience in Heisei Japan. Nearly a year after the Great East Japan Earthquake, Dr. Whitelaw will turn to the approaching anniversary of this disaster and reflect on what catastrophe and calamity have to reveal about the konbini’s cultural significance and economic embeddedness.

DATE: Tuesday, 6th March 2012
TIME: 7:00pm to 8.00pm (Registration begins at 6:30pm)
VENUE: Japan Creative Centre, 4 Nassim Road, Singapore 258372
REGISTRATION: Click HERE to RSVP by 2nd March 2012


PROFILE OF GAVIN WHITELAW

Dr. Gavin Hamilton Whitelaw is an accomplished academic who has participated in international conferences, presented research papers and published extensively in the academic arena. In 2001, he graduated with a A.M in Regional Studies - East Asia at Harvard University. This was followed by a M.Phil. in Sociocultural Anthropology in 2004, and a Ph.D. in Sociocultural Anthropology in 2007, both from Yale University. Dr. Whitelaw's keen interest in konbini has led to a specialization in the topic. He has presented several papers on konbini in Japan, most recently with, “At Your Konbini: An Anthropological Exploration of Japan’s Premier Counter Culture,” at Doshisha University, Kyoto, in February 2011.


Please kindly RSVP your interest in the above event HERE by 2nd March 2012. Please register early to avoid disappointment. We regret to inform that as there are limited seating, seats will be confirmed only upon receipt of confirmation email from JCC. ALL EVENTS ARE FREE OF CHARGE.