Date of Award

Fall 11-18-2024

Document Type

Honors Project

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

History and American Studies

Department Chair or Program Director

Claudine Ferrell

First Advisor

Susan Fernsebner

Major or Concentration

History

Abstract

Persona 4, through the use of nostalgia and the process of native-place making known as furusato-zukuri, creates a fictional rural space, using authentic Japanese imagery and cultural symbols to make Inaba a 21st-century furusato. In doing so, Persona 4 critiques city life in a neoliberal society, which causes a growing disillusionment with urban living due to a constant state of unrest. Furthermore, through its use of nostalgic imagery which normally emphasizes gender norms in the Japanese culture, Persona 4 flips this idea on its head by showcasing powerful female leads, who, despite living in a space normally imagined to be constructed around gender norms, are able to showcase their femininity and sexuality on their own terms.

Included in

Asian History Commons

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