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Hiroko Kubota A Narrative Inquiry into the Experiences of People who are Homeless in Japan. by Hiroko Kubota A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Faculty of Nursing University of Alberta © Hiroko Kubota, 2017 ii Abstract In this paper based dissertation, experiences of people who are/were homeless in Japan were explored using narrative inquiry. Treating narratives as storied phenomena under study, narrative inquiry is considered both as a research methodology and as a way of understanding human experiences (Clandinin & Connelly, 2000). Through engaging in weekly face-to-face conversations over three months in Japan, the participants and I slowly co-created a relational space where we traveled to each other’s worlds (Lugones, 1987), and co-composed stories of us and our relationship. As we lived in the midst of our lives and in our relationship, our stories intersected and interacted by shaping ways to inquire into experiences. Drawing on the life stories of three participants whose name are Yoshi, Apapane, and Ama, the complexity and the multiplicity entailed within their experiences of being homeless in Japan were revealed. Their experiences of being homeless in Japan bring forward important insights into resistance to the dominant narratives about homelessness in Japan. Their stories also call forth attentiveness to their untold sufferings caught by difficulties of living on the streets, and to their strength and generosity they have nourished amidst their experiences of being homeless. Their bodies, which appear in public places can be further understood as a political stance to articulate their lives to others and summon up human connectedness underpinned by caring and respectful recognitions. This study involves multi-layered considerations of homelessness in Japan, while I keep in mind the relational ways of living with the stories of Yoshi, Apapane, and Ama. From a methodological point of view, I inquired into my role as a researcher in relation to Yoshi, Ama, and Apapane to explore relational ethics in narrative inquiry. Through retelling and reflecting on the stories they shared in our conversations, I identified four narrative threads that illuminate both the diversity of their experiences and the links that weave through their experiences. From a iii philosophical point of view, I engaged in thinking about the implications of the body of people who are homeless in Japan as a political stance to bring about changes in recognition and to reconsider the concepts of human right and citizenship. Attending closely to their lives, their stories did not only invite me to understand their experiences, but also to inquire into my experiences of working as a nurse in Japan and of coming to Canada. This dissertation closed with implications for advancing nursing knowledge and practice, and an encouragement to work towards an equitable society and ethical attitudes of care. iv Preface This thesis is an original work by Hiroko Kubota. The research project, of which this thesis is a part, received research ethics approval from the University of Alberta Research Ethics Board, Project Name: “A Narrative Inquiry into the Experiences of People in Japan who are Homeless or Precariously Housed”, Study ID. Pro00053089, January 7th, 2015. This thesis takes a paper-based format. Three papers will be, or have been submitted as journal articles. Chapter 1 is the introduction of the research including the researcher’s background stories, the research puzzles. Chapter 2 is the literature review of homelessness in Japan. Chapter 3 provides an overview of narrative inquiry applied as a research methodology in this study. This is followed by Chapter 4 in which I reflected on my experiences of entering into and situating myself as a researcher in the field, including an introduction of how I met three participants, Yoshi, Apapane, and Ama. Chapter 5, 6, and 7 are the narrative accounts of Yoshi, Apapane, and Ama. In Chapter 8, I wrote about my experience of exiting the field. Chapter 9, 10, and 11 are papers which are or will be submitted for publication. Chapter 9 of this dissertation, titled “Embracing tensions: Thinking about relational ethics through narrative inquiry into experiences of people who are homeless in Japan”, has been submitted as a book chapter to a book, The Relational Ethics of Narrative Inquiry, edited by Dr. Jean Clandinin, Dr. Sean Lessard, and Dr. Vera Caine. This chapter focuses on the consideration of relational ethics in narrative inquiry through attending to relational tensions. Chapter 10 is entitled as ““I hope one more flower will bloom in my life”: Retelling the stories of being homeless in Japan through narrative inquiry”. This chapter presents key findings from conversations with Yoshi, Apapane, and Ama in which I highlighted four narrative threads shaping the diversity of their experiences of being homeless in Japan. This manuscript has been submitted to Social & Cultural Geography v in July 2017. Chapter 11 of the dissertation is submitted as “Recognizing the body as being political: Considering Arendt’s concepts in the context of homelessness in Japan” to a journal, Philosophy & Social Criticism, in June 2017. In this paper I pay close attention to philosophical contemplation of the body of people who are homeless in Japan as a political stance, drawing on the work of the German political philosopher Hannah Arendt. This dissertation is closed by Chapter 12 which is a conclusion of the study. In this chapter, I think about the implications of the study in term of personal, practical, and social significances and connect the study with the field of nursing, in terms of knowledge development and practice improvement. vi Dedication I dedicate this work to my family in Japan who devote their abundant love and care to my study and life regardless of the distance and create a home where I can always return to. おじいちゃん、おばあちゃん、お母さん、愛ちゃん、離れていてもいつも支えてくれて、私が帰ることのできる場所を作ってくれてありがとう。 I dedicate this work to my husband, Hiroshi, who generously and patiently supported me during the program and always stays alongside me to make our life more fun, happier, and brighter. I appreciate all the people who I came across in my life and who shared their love, grace, care, teachings, and stories with me. All of these memories have shaped me and will guide my life and soul that continue to strive and grow in a good way. vii Acknowledgements I am deeply grateful to Yoshi, Ama, and Apapane for trusting our relationships and for sharing their life stories with me. I will forever embrace and honor their lives and experiences. My work was possible because of the support I received from many people. First, I want to recognize the Catholic Social Action Center in Kobe, which accepted me as a researcher and a volunteer. They supported my study in various ways, such as through assisting me in the recruitment of participants and arranging a place where we could have conversations. Thank you for taking the time to understand the study and for creating a space for me. I deeply appreciate the people whom I met at the Catholic Social Action Center; they always welcomed me and generously included me to a part of their community. カトリック社会活動神戸センターの皆さま、研究 を受け入れ、サポートをしていただき本当にありがとうございました。 I appreciate my supervisory committee, Dr. Vera Caine, Dr. D. Jean Clandinin, Dr. Solina Richter, and Dr. Lynette Shultz for their continuous guidance and support to my study. Their advice and encouragement gave me an assurance and taught me to think deeper about what it means to engage with people in research. Throughout my study, their support always embodied a sense of community and care, which helped me see who I am and who I am becoming. I am also thankful for Dr. Susan Sommerfeldt for being the chair during my final oral defense. I would like to acknowledge my external examiners, Dr. Helen Kohlen and Dr. Gary Harfitt. I want to thank Dr. Helen Kohlen, who inspired me to view things from different aspects and who taught me the importance of asking questions. I also want to express my appreciation to Dr. Gary Harfitt who, with his heartfelt acknowledgement of my study, helped me build viii confidence in what I have done, and become more motivated to think about how I want to take this study forward. I want to thank my colleagues in the office and my friends for their counsel and support. My experiences during my doctoral study would be very different if I did not have these wonderful friends in my life. Also, I cannot express enough how much I am thankful for the support given by my husband, Hiroshi, and my family in Japan. 裕さん、日本からいつも支えてくれ た母、妹、祖父母に深く感謝しています。 Lastly but most importantly, I want to extend my deep appreciation to Dr. Vera Caine for her support and care. When I felt lost in the beginning of my master program, she was the one who willingly offered her helping hand and became my academic adviser. She helped me navigate through my master’s and doctoral program and opened up new possibilities in my life. The intensive nine years of graduate studies were made possible by thoughtful support and guidance from Dr. Vera Caine, who taught me, through her body and life, how to live with others in relational and compassionate ways. With her genuine support, I have grown in my academic work and my in my personal live. Thank you very much for always believing in me. My studies were possible because of the financial support from the Canada-Japan Leadership Fund from the Embassy of Canada; Alice R Thomas & Bryan Campbell-Hope Grad Scholarship in Nursing, Amy Graham Dunlap Graduate Scholarship, and Dr. Christine Newborn- Cook International Graduate Award in Nursing from the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research at the University of Alberta; and Tuition Remission Award from the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Alberta; as well as the travel grants from Graduate Student Association and Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research at the University of Alberta.
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