Research, Return, Revival

Well, a lot has certainly happened in the world since my last post! I’ve been delaying writing this while waiting for my own situation to settle down, although I’ve decided I might as well briefly record what I’ve been up to, since it’s been long enough. I’ll be focusing on what I’ve specifically been up

2019, Otsukaresama Deshita (Wrapping Up a Year)

Well, it’s been a month since my last update, and here we are at the end of the year. My first three months in Japan are coming to an end, as hard as it is to believe. But before I get too sentimental, let’s dive into the update! Writing and Research: I have continued my

Opening Chapter One: Libraries, Archives, and Conferences

Wow, time sure flies when you’re having fun – I’m long overdue for a blog post, so let’s just get right to it! Writing and Research: I’ve been spending much of my time, unsurprisingly, on gathering my source materials together for my research. I’ve been particularly focusing on what I’m conceptualizing as Chapter 1 at

New Beginnings: Embarking on Dissertation Research in Japan

Hello all! Welcome to my blog, where I’ll be keeping a record of my life in Japan and PhD dissertation research throughout the next year. For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Frank Mondelli, and I’m a PhD Candidate at Stanford University in the East Asian Languages and Cultures department. My dissertation, “Deaf Media: A Genealogy of Assistive Technology and Communications in Japan” explores how the cultural and technical dimensions of Deaf assistive technologies, from hearing aids to subtitles to algorithmic sign language, have impacted communications infrastructures, popular culture, language use, and the lives of minority populations in an increasingly diversifying Japan. My research is generously supported by a Fulbright Graduate Research Fellowship from the Fulbright Association and the Japan-U.S. Educational Commission.