Suchergebnisse

Abstract
Although the growth of the mobile internet is a global phenomenon, several urban agglomerations are in East Asian countries that rank particularly high in mobile internet use. Among them is Tokyo, the cradle of mobile internet technology. The constant connectedness to the internet transforms the city and its communities, making them interesting case studies for research on smart communities. In line with Goggin and McLelland's 2017 call for a more localized perspective on (mobile) internet use, this article critically re-visits the existing theoretical framework on how virtual space influences the city, and it compares findings with anthropological fieldwork the author conducted in Tokyo. The article looks at how mobile phones can be used to interact with established contacts over a distance, connect strangers by forming 'mobile phone hubs', and even disconnect the user when the device is used to 'shield' oneself from those in the vicinity.

There are many tools and means for looking at urban settings, and both quantitative and qualitative methods are widely accepted. For researchers who conduct fieldwork in cities that they are not thoroughly acquainted with, choosing the right method is an important step in the design of their research plan. There is a plethora of valuable literature available on doing fieldwork in East Asian cities, but in the past decade - due to the rapid development in digital research technology - the equipment and tools for research have multiplied in number. New equipment leaves many researchers willing to experiment with it, but at the same time unable to find sources that evaluate these unfamiliar tools. This research note discusses one of these new digital equipment devices, the action camera, which - with some considerations - can prove to be a valuable tool for urban research across many different disciplines. Based on the argument that visual media, and in particular video recordings, are a necessary addition to research designs that focus on the relationship between built environment and society, the authors discuss the tool and share their experiences of using it. In this research note, experiences from researchers using a new tool for visual urban research in case studies from Urban Anthropology and Environmental Design were combined so as to shed new light on using visual aids in research plans. (Asien/GIGA)

Media technologies for play have become major industries in Japan and South Korea. Even in North Korea, citizens bypass the state to enjoy popular culture. At the same time, corporations and governments encourage people to produce economic values through play. The first comparative study of media technologies in Japan and the two Koreas, this book illuminates the peculiar geopolitical relations between the three countries through their development and use of digital technologies. Drawing from political economy, cultural studies and technology studies, this book will be essential reading for researchers and students of media technologies and popular culture in Northeast Asia