[Xmca-l] Re: Monozukuri -- another look at a key Japanese principle

[Rod Parker-Rees]

Thanks for sharing this piece on monozukuri, Larry. When I read it I was reminded of what I understand of the Russian concept of obuchenie. I know many others in this group will have more detailed and situated understandings of obuchenie but what I associate with it is the idea that learning and teaching are richly contextualised social processes - teacher and learner learn each other and wider cultural expectations not separately or 'in addition to' the 'content' of what is being taught/learned but in an indivisible cultural whole.

The article about monozukuri offers a fascinating glimpse of the Japanese 'apprenticeship' model, suggesting that learners are expected to find their OWN ways of achieving what they see their master doing. I think this stands in strong contrast to 'teaching' approaches which are based on the idea that 'skills' or 'techniques' or 'ideas' can be 'worked out' or abstracted from the cultural situations in which they are employed, so they can be packaged and delivered in 'teacher proof' programmes.

I think our ways of making sense continue to be informed by, and grounded in, what we learn from making things. And especially making things together with other people.  I suspect that the idea of the 'craftsman' is rather solitary- someone who works alone to solve problems and make lovely things but, as I understand it, monozukuri points to a more connected, distributed understanding of how things (and sense) are made.

All the best,

Rod

On 15 Jul 2017 1:32 am, mike cole <mcole@ucsd.edu> wrote:
Larry-- Thanks for sending the paper about Monozukuri. Points of
overlap and non-overlap where Japanes and American social scientists
seek to understand each other are always fascinating fountains of
interesting thoughts.

In this case, it struck me as especially interesting that Monozukuri is an
historically recent word, a neologism represented by a cluster of Japanese
kana that is similar to, but not co-extensive with, making.

Making is a topic of broad interest on MCA I believe. So a rich source
of insight about the concepts and its domains of practice.

mike

Monozukuri -- another look at a key Japanese principle


http://www.japanintercultural.com/en/news/default.aspx?newsid=88<
http://www.japanintercultural.com/en/news/default.aspx?newsid=88

On Thu, Jul 13, 2017 at 11:28 AM, Lplarry <lpscholar2@gmail.com> wrote:

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> I CAME ACROSS THIS PAGE
> Exploring a cultural (mode) of practice
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> Monozukuri -- another look at a key Japanese principle
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> http://www.japanintercultural.com/en/news/default.aspx?newsid=88
> Sent from my Windows 10 phone
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