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.
Recommended Citation
Reid, Stanley, "Inaba, Reimagined: An Analysis of Persona 4’s Rural Setting in a Neoliberal Context" (2024). Student Research Submissions. 610.
https://scholar.umw.edu/student_research/610