Outside in: Lost in Academia

How can such analog crane games thrive in a digital age? French sociologist Benoit Bottos investigates how these machines captivate players and spread pop-culture images across Japan.

The designs of karuta game cards that swept Japan since the 1600s still fascinate art historian Lingjun Jiang. She traces their evolution across centuries to reveal their cultural meaning.

American sociologist Thomas Blackwood explores Japan's high school extracurricular activities, or bukatsu. It's a world where commitment outweighs winning, revealing a distinctive view of youth.

Norwegian sociolinguist Goran Vaage investigates Japanese laughter, or warai. He analyzes how comedy is ingrained into communication in everyday life and plays a vital role in social connection.