Grassroot responses to the Tohoku earthquake of 11 March 2011: Overcoming the dichotomy between victim and helper (Respond to this article at http://www.therai.org.uk/at/debate) |
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| Authors: | Anne Mette Fisker‐Nielsen |
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| Institution: | Social anthropologist specializing in Japan. Her particular interest is in Japanese religion and politics. Her book, titled Religion and politics in contemporary Japan: Soka Gakkai Youth and Komeito will be released in July. She is working as a senior teaching fellow in the department of anthropology, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. Her email is af3@soas.ac.uk. |
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| Abstract: | This article examines the response of a large Buddhist organization, Soka Gakkai, to the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami of March 2011. While this response was significant, it has not been reported in Japanese national news. An important question that is emerging for development agencies and academics as they look back over the response to the crisis, is how people possibly survived for the first few days and months, given that government aid did not reach some people for up to two months. This article highlights one significant early response and points to the problem of how to overcome the victim/helper dualism which is rooted in much failing NGO aid and development projects. |
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