'Spirituality' in the Japanese-Speaking Mediation Context

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'Spirituality' in the Japanese-Speaking Mediation Context Analysis of ‘Spirituality’ in the Japanese-Speaking Mediation Context: Its Contributions and Controversies Masako Ueda BA in Psychology & Women’s Studies, LLB(Hon), LLM in Dispute and Conflict Resolution A thesis submitted in fulfilment to the University of Gloucestershire in accordance with the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the School of Education and Humanities January 2020 Word Count: 84,108 [This page intentionally left blank] Abstract The present thesis analysed the suitability of the currently applied Japanese translations of the English terms ‘spiritual’ and ‘spirituality’ used by Lois Gold and Mark S. Umbreit in the mediation context. While two Japanese terms, transliterated spirituality and seishin, are applied in the Japanese-speaking mediation context, the use and meaning of those English terms in the context of mediation remain somewhat ill-defined. The suitability of seishin as a translation of spirituality has been questioned, and the meaning of transliterated spirituality, a relatively new word to replace reisei and seishin, remains ambiguous due to its context-bound nature. The revitalisation of reisei is now evident since the beginning of the 2010s in Japan. This study addresses the following three questions. First, the thesis identifies, through a literature review, what the Japanese transliterated term of English spirituality means despite its context-bound nature. Secondly, the study establishes what Gold and Umbreit mean in the context of mediation by textual analysis on their usages of the term spiritual and spirituality. Thirdly, the thesis explores whether mediation in Japan has spiritual dimensions. Depending on the answers to these questions, the research then investigates whether any academic recommendations can be made, for instance, regarding whether reisei is a more suitable Japanese translation for those English terms. The latter two questions involve reviewing relevant literatures, conducting a case study and arguing the notion expressed by those English terms in the Japanese-speaking mediation context. As for the research conclusion, reisei among those three terms appears to be better suited to translate the English term spirituality used by Gold and Umbreit in the context of mediation. This thesis has two main contributions. First, the generated meaning of those English terms should help in understanding Japan’s recent mediation development. Secondly, the findings identify both contributions to and controversies in the Japanese-speaking mediation context resulting from introducing the notion expressed by those English terms. i Author’s Declaration I declare that the work in the present thesis was carried out in accordance with the regulations of the University of Gloucestershire and is original except where indicated by specific reference in the text. No part of the thesis has been submitted as part of any other academic award. The thesis has not been presented to any other education institution in the United Kingdom or overseas. Any views expressed in the thesis are those of the author and in no way represent those of the University. Signed: Date: doi: 10.46289/ATXT4955 ii Acknowledgements I wish to express my gratitude to the seven doctors among many with their doctorates who helped me in developing this research: To Dr Robin Griffith, the Postgraduate Research Lead for the School of Education and Humanities. I was unable to continue my research without his enormous support and understanding. To Drs Roy Jackson, who accepted me as his research student, and Maria-Federica Moscati, an editor of Mediation Theory and Practice, who was my LLM supervisor at the University of London and kindly continued her supervision on this thesis. I could not embark upon this research without them. To Drs Radha D’Souza and David Webster for their significant academic inputs. Without their views as experienced academics, this research would not yet have found its form of presentation. To Dr Rachel M. Goldberg, the editor of Faith & Practice in Conflict Resolution, for sharing her valuable opinions on this research with me. Lastly but certainly not least, to Dr Maruyama Hiroshi, for advising me on cultures of Japan. I would also thank my parents and Kaz for understanding, accepting and supporting my needs and desire as a mediator to undertake this research. My big thank you also goes to Debs, a great librarian who assisted my endless interlibrary loan requests, as well as to all my friends, especially Nori and Gerry for their supports. iii Table of Contents o Abstract ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- i o Author’s declaration --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ii o Acknowledgements ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- iii o Table of contents ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- iv 1 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Research aim, background and context .................................................................... 1 1.1.1 Aim ...................................................................................................................... 1 1.1.2 Research background .......................................................................................... 1 1.1.3 Research context ............................................................................................... 14 1.2 Research questions and objectives .......................................................................... 20 1.3 Disciplinary location of this research ....................................................................... 23 1.4 Methodological approaches and applied methodology .......................................... 27 1.4.1 Multiple disciplinary approach ......................................................................... 27 1.4.2 Hermeneutic phenomenology as a research approach .................................... 29 1.4.3 Textual analysis as a research method ............................................................. 31 1.5 Limitations of this research...................................................................................... 34 1.5.1 Objectivity and subjectivity ............................................................................... 34 1.5.2 Limited resources .............................................................................................. 36 1.5.3 Findings and discussions in a limited milieu ..................................................... 37 1.6 Structure of the thesis ............................................................................................. 39 2 Transliterated spirituality in Japan ..................................................................... 43 2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 43 2.2 Literature reviews: research into spirituality and transliterated spirituality .......... 45 2.2.1 Academic opinions on research into spirituality published in Japanese .......... 45 2.2.2 Lessons from previous research: Nakatani, Shimada and Ohigashi (2013), Jones (2009), Mayer and Boness (2011), Nun (2011) and Horie (2019) .................... 48 2.3 Issues arising from the introduction of transliterated spirituality to Japan’s mediation context .................................................................................................... 53 2.3.1 About transliterated spirituality ....................................................................... 53 2.3.2 Peacebuilding: one of precedential fields of using the transliterated spirituality ........................................................................................................................ 64 2.3.3 The issues with ‘translated’ spirituality ............................................................ 70 2.4 Conclusion ................................................................................................................ 71 3 Textual analysis of the meanings of ‘spirituality’ used by Lois Gold and Mark S. Umbreit ............................................................................................................. 73 3.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 73 3.2 In conducting textual analysis .................................................................................. 73 iv 3.3 Textual analysis of writings by Lois Gold and Mark S. Umbreit ............................... 76 3.3.1 The eight core precepts found in Lois Gold and Mark S. Umbreit ................... 76 3.3.2 Lois Gold (1993 and 2003) ................................................................................ 78 3.3.3 Mark S. Umbreit (1997 and 2001) .................................................................... 82 3.4 Discussing the generated eight core precepts in the context of English-speaking mediation ................................................................................................................. 86 3.4.1 Spirituality in the context of mediation is not limited to any particular culture such as indigenous or non-indigenous mediation ............................................ 86 3.4.2 Spirituality can include religion, be a part of religion, be independent from religion
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